tihvavy  of  trhe  theological  ^emmarjp 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


•a^^j)* 


The  Stephen  Collins 
Donation 


7//7 


THE 


WORKS 


PRESIDENT   EDWARDS, 


IN  FOUR  VOLUMES. 


A  KEFEINT  OF  THE  TVORCESTEK  EDITION, 


VALUABLE  ADDITIONS  AND  A  COPIOUS  GENERAL  INDEX, 

TO  -WHICH,  FOR  THE  FIRST  TIME,  HAS  BEEN  ADDED,  AT  GREAT  EXPENSE. 

A  COMPLETE  INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  TEXTS. 


EIGHTH    EDITION    IN    FOUR    VOLUMES. 


VOL.    III. 


CONTAINING 


1.  A  Treatise  concerning  Religious 

Affections. 
II.  Narrative  of  Surprising  Conver- 
sions. 
ILL  Thoughts  on  the  Revival  in  New 

England. 
IV.  An  Attempt  to  promote  Explicit 
Agreement    in    Extraordinary 
Prayer. 


V.  Concerning  the  Perseverance  or 

Saints. 

VI.  On  the  notion  op  the  Pre-exist- 

ENCE  of  Christ's  Human  So\"l. 
VII.  Mysteries  of  Scripture. 
7III.  Observations      upon     particular 
Passages  of  Scripture. 
IX.  Theological  Questions, 
X.  Six  Occasional  Sermons. 


NEW-VOKK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  LEAVITT  &  ALLEN, 

27    DEY    STREET. 

185l". 


OU' 


CONl'ENTS  OF  VOL.'  III. 

I.  A  TREATISE  CONCERNING  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS,  IN  THREE 

PARTS. 

Page 
PART  I.  Concerning  the  nature  of  the  Affection?,  and  their  importanse  in  Re- 

Hgion     ..........       1 

PART  II.  Showing  what  are  no  certain  Signs  that  Rehgious  Affections  are  truly- 
gracious,  or  tiiat  they  are  not  .  .  .  .  .  .  .22 

PART  III.  Showing  what  are  distinguishing  Signs  of  truly  gracious  and  holy 

Affections  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .63. 

II.  NARRATIVE  OF  SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS        .  .  .  231 

III.  THOUGHTS  ON  THE  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION  IN  NEW  ENG- 

LAND, 1740. 

Advertisement  .........  274 

The  Autlior's  Preface  ........  275 

PART  I.  Showing  that  the  extraordinary  Work  that  has  of  late  been  going  on 

in  the  land,  is  a  glorious    Work  of  God         ....  .27"* 

PART  II.  Shov/ing  the  Obligations  that  ail  are  under  to  acknowledge,  eejoice 

i:i,  and  promote  this  V/ork,  and  the  groat  danger  of  the  contrary     .  .  31 

PART  III.  Showing,  in  many  Instances,  wherein  the  Subjects,  or  zealous  Pro- 
moters of  this  Work,  have  been  injuriously  blamed  .  .  .  333 

PART  IV.  Showing  what  things  are  to  be  corrected  or  avoided  in  promoting  this 

Work,  or  in  our  behavior  under  it       .  .  .  .  ,  .  349 

PART  V.  Showing  positively,  what  ought  to  be  done  to  promote  this  Work      .  405 

IV.  A    HUMBLE    ATTEMPT    TO    PROMOTE    EXPLICIT    AGREE- 

MENT, &c. 

PART  I.  The  text  opened  ;  and  an  Account  of  the  Affair  proposed  .  .  429 

PART  11.  Motives  to  a  Compliance  v/ith  what  is  proposed  .  .  .  439 

PART  III.  Objections  Answered      .  .  .  .  .  .  .465 

Conclusion       ..........  505 

V.  CONCERNING  THE  PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS.  .  .  50» 

VL  REASONS  AGAINST   DR.  WATT'S   NOTION  OF  THE  PRE-EX- 

ISTENCE  OF  CHRIST'S  HUMAN  SOUL       .  .  .  .533 

VII.  MYSTERIES  OF  SCRIPTURE 537 

VIII.  OBSERVATIONS  UPON  PARTICULAR  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIP- 

TURE   547 

IX.  THEOLOGICAL  QUESTIONS  554 

X.  SIX  OCCASIONAL  SERMONS 

SEPi-MON  I.  The  Church's  Marriage  to  her  Sons,  and  her  God   .  .  .  559 

II.  The  true  Excellency  of  a  Gospel  Minister  .....  580 

III.  Chri-st  the  Example  of  Ministers     .....  ,593 
n^.  God's   awful  Judgment  in  the  Breaking  and  Withering  of  the  Strong 

Rods  of  Communily     ........  604 

V.  The  Sorrows  of  the  Bereaved  spread  before  Jesus  ....  61S  S 

VL  True  Saints,  when  absent  from  the  Body,  are  present  with  the  Lord       .  64^  \ 


A    TREATISE 


CONCERNING 


RELIGIOUS     AFFECTIONS 

IN  THREE  PARTS. 


INTRODUCTION 


There  is  no  qiiestion  whotsoever,  that  is  of  greater  importance  ■■£  mankind,  and 
lliat  it  more  concerns  every  individual  person  to  be  well  resolved  in,  than  this  ;  What 
are  the  dis'dnguisldng  qualijications  of  those  that  are  in  favor  with  God.,  aiul  entitltd 
to  his  denial  rewards  7  Or,  which  comes  to  tiie  same  thing,  }Miat  is  the  nature  of  true 
religion'?  And  wherein  do  lie  the  distinguishing  notes  of  tliat  virtue  and  holiness  that 
is  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God?  But  though  it  be  of  such  importance,  and  though 
we  have  clear  and  abundant  light  in  the  word  of  God  to  direct  us  in  this  matter,  yet 
there  is  no  one  point,  wherein  professing  Christians  do  more  differ  one  from  another. 
It  would  be  endless  to  reckon  up  the  variety  of  opinions  in  this  point,  that  divide  the 
Christian  world ;  making  manifest  the  truth  of  tliat  declaration  of  our  Saviour,  "  Strait 
is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  Avay,  that  leads  to  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it." 

The  consideration  of  these  tilings  has  long  engaged  me  to  attend  to  tliis  matter, 
with  the  utmost  diligence  and  care,  and  exactness  of  search  and  inquiry,  that  I  have 
been  capable  of  It  is  a  subject  on  which  my  mind  has  been  peculiarly  intent,  ever 
Bince  I  first  entered  on  the  study  of  divinity.  But  as  to  the  success  of  my  inquiries,  it 
must  be  left  to  the  judgment  of  tlie  reader  of  the  following  treatise. 

I  am  sensible  it  is  much  more  difficult  to  judge  impartially  of  that  which  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  discourse,  in  the  midst  of  the  dust  and  smoke  of  such  a  state  of  controversy, 
as  this  land  is  now  in,  about  tilings  of  tliis  nature.  As  it  is  more  difficult  to  write  im- 
partially, so  it  is  more  difficult  to  read  impartiall3^  Many  w^iil  probably  be  hurt  in 
their  spirits,  to  find  so  much  that  appertains  to  religious  affection,  here  condemned: 
and  perhajps  indignation  and  contempt  will  be  excited  in  others  by  finding  so  much 
here  justined  and  approved.  And  it  may  be,  some  will  be  ready  to  charge  me  with 
inconsistence  with  myself,  in  so  much  approving  some  things,  and  so  much  condemn- 
ing others  ;  as  I  have  found  this  has  alwaj^s  been  objected  to  by  some,  ever  since  the 
beginning  of  our  late  controversies  about  religion.  It  is  a  hard  thing  lo  be  a  hearty 
zealous  friend  of  what  has  been  good  and  glorious,  in  the  late  extraordinary  appear- 
ances, and  to  rejoice  much  in  it;  and  at  the  same  time  to  see  the  evil  and  pernicious 
tendency  of  what  has  been  bad,  and  earnestly  to  oppose  that.  But  yet,  I  am  humbly 
nut  fully  persuaded,  we  shall  never  be  in  the  way  of  truth,  nor  go  on  in  a  way  accept- 
able to  God,  and  tending  to  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom,  till  we  do  so.  There 
:s  indeed  something  very  mysterious  in  it,  that  so  much  good,  and  so  much  bad,  should 
be  mixed  together  in  the  church  of  God  ;  as  it  is  a  mysterious  thing,  and  what  has 
puzzled  and  amazed  many  a  good  Christian,  that  there  should  be  that  which  is  so 
divine  and  precious,  as  the  saving  grace  of  God.  and  the  new  and  divine  nature  dwell- 
ing  in  the  same  heart,  with  so  much  corruption,  hypocrisy,  and  iniquity,  in  a  particu- 
lar saint.  Yet  neither  of  these  is  more  mysterious  than  real.  And  neither  of  them  is 
a  new  or  rare  thing.  It  is  no  new  tldng,  that  much  false  religion  should  prevail,  at 
a  time  of  great  reviving  of  true  religion  ;  and  that  at  such  a  time  multitudes  of  hypo- 
crites should  spring  up  among  true  saints.  It  was  so  in  that  great  reformation,  and 
levival  of  religion,  that  was  in  Josiah's  time  ;  as  appears  by  Jer.  iii,  10,  and  iv.  3,  4, 
and  also  by  tlie  great  apostasy  that  there  was  in  .^e  land,  so  soon  after  his  reign.     So 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

it  was  in  that  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  Jews,  that  was  in  the  days  of 
John  the  Baptist ;  as  appears  by  the  great  apostasy  of  that  people  so  soon  alter  so 
general  an  awakening,  and  the  temporary  rehgious  comforts  and  joys  of  many :  John  v. 
35,  "  Ye  were  willing  for  a  season  to  rejoice  in  his  light."  So  it  was  in  those  great 
commotions  that  were  among  the  multitude,  occasioned  by  tiie  preaching  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  of  the  many  that  were  then  called,  but  few  were  chosen  ;  of  the  multitude 
that  were  roused  and  affected  by  his  preaching,  and  at  one  time  or  other  appeared 
mightily  engaged,  full  of  admiration  of  Christ,  and  elevated  with  joy,  but  few  were 
True  disciples,  that  stood  the  shock  of  the  great  trials  that  came  afterwards,  and  en- 
dured to  the  end.  Many  were  like  the  stony  ground,  or  thorny  ground;  and  but  few, 
comparatively,  like  the  good  ground.  Of  the  whole  heap  that  was  gathered  great  part 
was  chaff,  that  the  wind  afterwards  drove  away ;  and  the  heap  of  wheat  that  was  left, 
was  comparatively  small;  as  appears  abundantly,  by  the  history  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. So  it  was  in  that  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  that  was  in  the  apostles'  days ; 
as  appears  by  Matth.  xxiv.  10—13.  Gal.  iii.  1,  and  iv.  11,  15.  Phil.  ii.  21,  and  iii. 
18,  19,  and  the  two  epistles  to  the  Corinthians,  and  many  other  parts  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament. And  so  it  was  in  the  great  reformation  from  Popery.  It  appears  plainly  to 
have  been  in  the  visible  church  of  God,  in  times  of  great  reviving  of  religion,  from 
time  to  time,  as  it  is  with  the  fruit  trees  in  the  spring;  there  are  a  multitude  of  blos- 
soms, all  of  which  appear  fair  and  beautiful,  and  there  is  a  promising  appearance  ol 
young  fruits ;  but  many  of  them  are  but  of  short  continuance  ;  they  soon  tall  off',  and 
never  come  to  maturity. 

Not  tirat  it  is  to  be  supposed  that  it  will  always  be  so  ;  for  though  there  never  will, 
in  this  world,  be  an  entire  purity,  either  in  particular  saints,  in  a  perfect  freedom  from 
mixtures  of  corruption  ;  or  in  the  church  of  God,  without  any  mixture  of  hypocrites  witli 
saints,  and  counterfeit  religion,  and  false  appearances  of  grace  with  true  religion,  and 
real  holiness:  yet  it  is  evident,  that  there  will  come  a  time  of  much  greater 'purity  ii; 
the  church  of  God,  than  has  been  in  ages  past ;  it  is  plain  by  these  texts  of  Scripture, 
Isa.  Hi.  1.  Ezek.  xliv.  6,  7,  Joel  iii.  17.  Zech.  xiv.  21.  Psal.  Ixix.  32,  35,36.  Isa. 
xxxv.  8,  10,  chap.  iv.  3,  4.  Ezek.  xx.  38.  Psal.  xxxvii.  9,  10,  21,  29.  And  one  great 
reason  of  it  v/ill  be  that  at  that  time  God  will  give  much  greater  light  to  his  people,  to 
distinguish  between  true  i-eligion  and  its  counterfeits.  Mai.  iii.  3,  "  And  he  shall  sit 
as  a  refiner  and  purifier  of  silver:  and  he  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi,  and  purge 
them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they  may  offer  to  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteous- 
ness." With  ver.  18,  which  is  a  continuation  of  the  prophecy  of  the  same  happy 
times.  '•  Then  sliall  ye  return,  and  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ; 
between  him  that  serveth  God,  and  him  that  serveth  him  not." 

It  is  by  the  mixture  of  counterfeit  religion  Avith  true,  not  discerned  and  distinguish- 
eu,  that  the  devil  has  had  his  greatest  advantage  against  the  cause  and  kingdom  of 
Christ,  all  along  hitherto.  It  is  by  this  means,  principally,  that  he  has  prevailed 
against  all  revivings  of  religion,  that  ever  have  been,  since  'the  first  founding  of  the 
Christian  church.  By  this,  he  hurt  the  cause  of  Christianity,  in  and  after  the  apostolic 
age,  much  more  than  by  all  the  persecutions  of  both  Jews  and  Heathens.  The  apostles, 
in  ail  their  epistles,  show  themselves  much  more  concerned  at  the  former  mischief 
than  the  latter.  By  this,  Satan  prevailed  against  the  reformation,  began  by  Luther, 
Zuinglius,  &c.,  to  put  a  stop  to  its  progress,  and  bring  it  into  disgrace  ;  ten  times  more, 
than  by  all  those  bloody,  cruel,  and  before  unheard  of  persecutions  of  the  church  of 
Rome.  By  this,  principally,  has  he  prevailed  against  revivals  of  religion,  that  have 
been  in  our  nation  since  the  reformation.  By  this  he  prevailed  against  New  England, 
to  quench  the  love  and  spoil  the  joy  of  her  esjwusals,  about  a  hundred  years  ago?  And 
I  think,  I  have  had  opportunity  enough  to  see  plainly  that  by  this  the  devil  has  pre- 
vailed against  the  late  great  revival  of  religion  in  New  England,  so  happy  and  prom- 
ising in  its  beginning.  Here,  most  evidently,  has  been  the  main  advantage  Satan  has 
had  against  us ;  by  this  he  has  foiled  us.  It  is  by  this  means,  that  the  daughter  of 
Zion  in  this  land  now  lies  on  the  ground,  m  such  piteous  circumstances  as  we  now 
behold  lier  ;  with  her  garments  rent,  her  face  disfigured,  her  nakedness  exposed,  her 
limbs  broken,  and  weltering  in  the  blood  of  her  own  wounds,  and  in  no  wise  able  to 
arise ;  and  this,  so  quickly  after  her  late  great  joys  and  hopes :  Lam.  i.  17,  "  Zion 
spreadeth  forth  her  hands,  and  there  is  none  to  comfort  lier:  the  Lord  hath  command- 
ed concerning  Jacob,  that  his  adversaries  shall  be  round  about  him  :  Jerusalem  is  as  a 
nicnstruous  woman  among  them."  I  have  seen  the  devil  prevail  the  same  way,  asrainst 
tAvo  great  revivings  of  religion  in  this  country.  Satan  goes  on  with  mankind,  as  he 
began  with  them.     He  prevailed  against  our  first  parenls,  and  cast  them  out  of  par- 


INTRODUCTION  XI 

adise  and  suddenly  brought  all  their  happiness  and  glory  to  an  end,  by  appearing  to 
"be  a  friend  to  their  happy  paradisaic  state,  and  pretending  to  advance  it  to  higher  de- 
o-rees  So  the  same  cunning  serpent,  tliat  beguiled  Eve  through  his  subtilty,  by  per 
vertm"-  us  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ,  hath  suddenly  prevailed  to  deprive  us 
of  thariair  prospect,  we  had  a  little  while  ago,  of  a  kind  of  paradisaic  state  of  the 
church  oi"  God  in  New  England. 

After  religion  has  revived  in  the  church  of  God,  and  enemies  appear,  people  that 
are  eno-ao-ed°to  defend  its  cause,  are  commonly  most  exposed,  where  they  are  least 
sensible  ol'  danger.  While  they  are  wholly  intent  upon  the  opposition  that  appears 
openly  beibre  them,  to  make  head  against  that,  and  do  neglect  careiully  to  look  all 
around  them,  the  devil  comes  behind  tliem,  and  gives  a  fatal  stab  unseen ;  and  has 
opportunity  to  give  a  more  home  stroke,  and  wound  the  deeper,  because  he  strikes  at 
his  leisure,  andliccording  to  his  pleasure,  being  obstructed  by  no  guard  or  resistance. 

And  so  it  is  ever  likely  to  be  in  the  church,  whenever  religion  revives  remarkably, 
till  we  have  learned  well  to  distinguish  between  true  and  fake  religion,  between  sav- 
ino-  atfections  and  experiences,  and  those  manilbld  fair  shows,  and  glistering  appear- 
ances, by  which  they  are  counterfeited ;  the  consequences  of  which,  when  they  are  not 
distinguished,  are  often  inexpressibly  dreadful.  By  this  means,  the  devil  gratifies  him- 
Beli;  by  bringing  it  to  pass,  that  that  should  be  offered  to  God,  by  multitudes,  under  a 
notion  of  a  pleading  acceptable  service  to  him,  that  is  indeed  above  all  things  abomi- 
nable to  him.  By  this  means  he  deceives  great  multitudes  about  the  state  of  their 
souls  ;  making  them  think  they  are  sometlnng,  v/hen  they  are  nothing  ;  and  eo  eter- 
nally undoes  them  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  establishes  many  in  a  strong  confidence  o! 
tlieir  eminent  holiness,  who  are  in  God's  sight  some  of  the  vilest  of  hypocrites.  By  this 
means,  he  many  ways  damps  and  wounds  religion  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  obscures 
and  deforms  it  by  corrupt  mixtures,  causes  their  religious  affections  wofuUy  to  degen- 
erate, and  sometimes,  for  a  considerable  time,  to  be  like  the  manna  that  bred  worms 
and  stank ;  and  dreadfullv  ensnares  and  confounds  the  minds  of  others  of  the  saints, 
and  brings  them  into  grea't  difficulties  and  temptation,  and  entangles  them  in  a  wilder- 
ness, out'^of  which  they  can  \>y  no  means  extricate  themselves.  By  this  means,  iSatan 
mifhtily  encourages  the  hearts  of  open  enemies  of  religion,  and  strengthens  iheir 
I  lands,  and  fills  tirem  with  weapons,  and  makes  strong  their  fortresses ;  when,  at  the 
eame  time,  religion  and  the  church  of  God  lie  exposed  to  them,  as  a  city  without  walls. 
By  this  means,\e  brings  it  to  pass,  that  men  work  wickedness  under  a  notion  of  doing 
God  service,  and  so  sin  without  restraint,  yea  with  earnest  forwardness  and  zeal,  and 
with  all  their  might.  By  this  means,  he  brings  in  even  the  friends  of  religion,  insen- 
sibly to  themselves,  to  do  tlie  work  of  enemies,  by  destroying  religion  in  a  far  more 
effectual  manner  tlian  open  enemies  can  do,  under  a  notion  of  advancing  it.  By  this 
means  the  devil  scatters  the  flock  of  Christ,  and  sets  them  one  against  another,  and 
Umt  with  great  heat  of  spirit,  under  a  notion  of  zeal  ibr  God  ;  and  religion,  by  degrees, 
degenerates  into  vain  jangling ;  and  during  the  strife,  Satan  leads  both  parties  far  out 
of  the  right  way,  driving  each  to  great  extremes,  one  on  the  right  hand,  and  the  other 
on  the  left,  according  as  he  finds  they  are  most  inclined,  or  most  easily  moved  and 
€waved,  till  the  riffht  path  in  tlie  middle  is  almost  wholly  neglected.  And  in  the  midst 
of  this  confusion,  the  devil  has  great  opportunity  to  advance  his  own  interest,  and 
make  it  strong  in  ways  innumerable,  and  get  the  government  of  all  into  his  own  hands, 
and  work  his  own  will.  And  by  what  is  seen  of  the  terrible  consequences  of  this 
counterfeit  religion,  when  not  distinguished  from  true  religion,  God's  people  in  genera! 
have  their  minds  unhinged  and  unsettled  in  things  of  rehgion,  and  know  not  where  to 
^  set  their  foot,  or  what  to  think  or  do  ;  and  many  are  brought  into  doubts,  whether 
diere  be   any  thing  in  religion;    and  heresy,  and  infidelity,   and  atheism   greatly 

prevail.  ,      ,         j-  i 

Therefore  it  greatly  concms  us  to  use  our  utmost  endeavors  clearly  to  di.scern,  anil 
have  it  well  settTed  and  established,  wherein  true  religion  does  consist.  Till  this  be 
done,  it  may  be  expected,  that  great  revivings  of  religion  will  be  but  of  short  continu- 
ance'; till  this  be  done,  there  is  but  little  good  to  be  expected  of  all  our  warm  debates. 
in  conversation  and  from  the  press,  not  knowing  clearly  and  distinctly  what  we  ought 
to  contend  for.  r    ui  ^      j 

My  design  is  to  contribute  my  mite,  and  use  my  best  (however  Iceble)  endeavors 
to  this  end,  in  the  ensuing  treatise  ;  Avherein  it  must  be  noted,  that  my  design  is  some- 
what diverse  from  the  design  of  what  I  have  formerlv  published,  which  was  to  show 
the  dii^ihi^'isMng  marks  of  a  ivork  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  including  both  his  common 
riii<l  saving  operations  ;  but  what  I  aim  at  now,  is  to  show  the  nature  and  signs  of  the 


Xii  INTRODUCTION. 

gracious  operations  ef  Grod's  Spirit,  by  which  they  are  to  be  distinguished  from  aU 
things  whatsoever,  that  the  minds  of  men  are  the  subjects  of,  wliich  are  not  of  a  sav 
ing  nature.  If  I  have  succeeded,  in  this  my  aim,  in  any  tolerable  measure,  I  hope  it 
will  tend  to  promote  the  .interest  of  religion.  And  whether  I  have  succeeded  to  bring 
any  Hght  to  this  subject  or  no,  and  however  my  attempts  may  be  reproached  in  these 
captious  and  censorious  times,  I  hope  in  the  mercy  of  a  gracious  God,  for  the  accept- 
ance of  the  smcerity  of  my  endeavors;  and  hope  also  for  the  candor  and  prayers  ol 
the  true  followers  of  the  meek  and  charitable  La^nb  of  God. 


RELIGIOUS    AFFECTIONS. 


PART   I. 

CONCERNING  THE  NATURE  OF  THE  AFFECTIONS,  AND  THEIR  IMPORTANCE  IN 


RELIGION. 


■  p     Whnrr.  hnvincT  not  secn.  ye  love  ;  in  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not, 
1  P^-^  'f^^UeZuryer^olcl  with^Y  unspeakable,  and  lull  of  glory. 

In  these  ^Yords,  the  apostle  represents  the  state  of  the  mmds  of  the  Christians 
he  ™te  to  ;^der  the  pe^rsecutions  they  ^vere  then  the  subjects  of  These  per- 
ne  ^^  rote  to,  unaei         p  j  preceding  verses,  when  he  speaks 

S't?nr/'Ae^^^  -  ^---  ^^--^^^^  --^>^^ 

'"llTrials  are  of  threefold  benefit  to  true  religion.  Hereby  the  truth  of  it 
is  manifested  and  it  appears  to  be  indeed  true  rel.gion;  they,  above  all  other 
thin^  have  a  tendeifcy  to  distinguish  between  true  rehgion  and  false,  and  to 
cause  the  dfeence  between  thenf  evidently  to  appear  Hence  they  are  called 
I  i^lllZn?  trials  in  the  verse  nexlly  preceding  the  text,  and  m  mnumera- 
by  the  name  o^J^^  ^vh-v  the  faith  and  religion  of  professors,  of  what  sort  it  is, 
"^C^^^^^^S^^^^^^'  m^nfestedrwhetheritbetrue  gold  or 
no  ^  Andll^e  faith  of  true  Christians  being  thus  tried  and  proved  to  be  true,  is 
"  fourrto  praise,  and  honor,  and  glory,"  as  in  that  precedmg  verse 

And  then  these  trials  a  e  of  Rirther  benefit  to  true  religion  ;  they  not  only 
mant^Lt  the  trn  h  of  it,  but  they  make  its  genuine  beauty  and  amiableness  re- 
Sab  y  to  appear.  True  virtue  never  appears  so  lovely,  as  when  it  is  most 
Tp  ess  d  ancfthe  divine  excellency  of  real  Christianity  is  never  exhibited  wi  h 
rradvair^aswhen  under  the  greatest  trials  :  then  it  is  that  true  fa.th 
appears  much^more  precious  than  gold  !     And  upon  this  account  is      found  to 

^^^td^^aif  S^t  that  such  trials  are  f.^^^^;£^  ^ 

cumbtaSecle  it ;  that  nothing  may  be  left  but  ^^^\;;^^\'J2^^^^^^^ 
tend  to  ci^use  the  amiableness  of  true  rehgion  to  appear  to  the  best  advantage, 
as  wl  bfoi^  observed ;  and  not  only  so,  but  they  tend  to  mcrease  its  beauty 
^I^abi  hing  and  confirming  it,  and  making  it  more  lively  ^nd  vigorou  and 
SrS/ine  it  frSm  those  things  that  obscured  its  lustre  and  glory  As  gold  that  ,s 
S  in  the  foeTis  purged  IVom  its  alloy,  and  all  remainders  of  dross  and  comes 
forth  more  sSid  and  belutiM  so  true  faith  being  tried  as  gold  is  tnedm  the  fire 
tcors  more  precious,  and'thus  also  is  "  found  unto  praise,  and  honor,  and 

\r^.      nT  1 


Vol.  Ill 


2  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

glory."     The  apostle  seems  to  have  respect  to  each  of  these  benefits,  that  perse- 
cutions are  of  to  true  rehgion,  in  the  verse  preceding  the  text. 

And  in  the  text,  the  apostle  observes  how  true  religion  operated  in  the 
Christians  he  wrote  to,  under  their  persecutions,  whereby  these  benefits  of  perse- 
cution appeared  in  them  ;  or  what  manner  of  operation  of  true  religion,  in  them, 
it  was,  whereby  their  religion,  under  persecution,  was  manifested  to  be  true 
religion,  and  eminently  appeared  in  the  genuine  beauty  and  amiableness  of  true 
religion,  and  also  appeared  to  be  increased  and  purified,  and  so  was  like  to  be 
"  found  unto  praise,  and  honor,  and  glory,  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ." 
And  there  were  two  kinds  of  operation,  or  exercise  of  true  religion,  in  them, 
under  their  sufferings,  that  the  apostle  takes  notice  of  in  the  text,  wherein  these 
benefits  appeared. 

1.  Love  to  Christ :  "  Whom  having  not  }'et  seen,  ye  love."  The  world 
was  ready  to  wonder,  what  strange  principle  it  was,  that  influenced  them  to 
expose  themselves  to  so  great  sufferings,  to  foisake  the  things  that  were  seen, 
and  renounce  all  that  was  dear  and  pleasant,  which  was  the  object  of  sense. 
They  seemed  to  the  men  of  the  world  about  them,  as  though  they  were  beside 
themselves,  and  to  act  as  though  they  hated  themselves  ;  there  was  nothing  in 
their  view,  that  could  induce  them  thus  to  suffer,  and  support  them  under,  and 
carry  them  through  such  trials.  But  although  there  was  nothing  that  was  seen, 
nothing  that  the  world  saw,  or  that  the  Christians  themselves  ever  saw  with  their 
bodily  eyes,  that  thus  influenced  and  supported  them,  yet  they  had  a  supernatu- 
ral principle  of  love  to  something  unseen ;  they  loved  Jesus  Christ,  for  they 
saw  him  spiritually  whom  the  world  saw  not,  and  whom  they  themselves  had 
never  seen  with  bodily  eyes. 

2.  Joy  in  Christ.  Though  their  outward  sufferings  were  very  grievous, 
yet  their  inward  spiritual  joys  were  greater  than  their  sufferings ;  and  these 
supported  them,  and  enabled  them  to  suffer  with  cheerfulness. 

There  are  two  things  which  the  apostle  takes  notice  of  in  the  text  concern- 
ing this  joy.  1.  The  manner  in  which  it  rises,  the  way  in  which  Christ,  though 
unseen,  is  the  foundation  of  it,  viz.,  by  faith ;  which  is  the  evidence  of  thiqgs 
not  seen  :  "  In  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice." 
2.  The  nature  of  this  joy  ;  "  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  Unspeakable  in 
the  kind  of  it ;  very  different  from  worldly  joys,  and  carnal  delights  ;  of  a  vastly 
more  pure,  sublime,  and  heavenly  nature,  being  something  supernatural,  and 
truly  divine,  and  so  ineffably  excellent ;  the  sublimity  and  exquisite  sweetness 
of  which,  there  were  no  words  to  set  forth.  Unspeakable  also  in  degree ;  it 
pleasing  God  to  give  them  this  holy  joy,  with  a  liberal  hand,  and  in  large  meas- 
ure, in  their  state  of  persecution. 

Their  joy  was  full  of  glory.  Although  the  joy  was  unspeakable,  and  no 
words  were  sufficient  to  describe  it,  yet  something  might  be  said  of  it,  and  no 
words  more  fit  to  represent  its  excellency  than  these,  that  it  was  full  of  glory  ; 
or,  as  it  is  in  the  original,  glorijied  joy.  In  rejoicing  with  this  joy,  their  minds 
were  filled,  as  it  were,  with  a  glorious  brightness,  and  their  natures  exalted  and 
perfected.  It  was  a  most  worthy,  noble  rejoicing,  that  did  not  corrupt  and  de- 
base the  mind,  as  many  carnal  joys  do ;  but  did  greatly  beautify  and  dignify  it ; 
it  was  a  prelibation  of  the  joy  of  heaven,  that  raised  their  minds  to  a  degree  ol 
heavenly  blessedness  ;  it  filleQ  their  minds  with  the  light  of  God's  glory,  and 
made  themselves  to  shine  with  some  communication  of  that  glory. 

Hence  the  proposition  or  doctrine,  that  I  would  raise  from  these  words,  is  this  : 

Doctrine.     True  religion,  in  great  part,  consists  in  holy  affections. 

We  see  that  the  apostle,  in  observing  and  remarking  the  operations  and  ex* 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  3 

crcises  of  reJigion  m  the  Christians  he  wrote  to,  wherein  their  religion  appeared 
to  be  true  and  of  the  right  kind,  when  it  had  its  greatest  trial  of  what  sort  it 
was,  being  tried  by  persecu-tion  as  gold  is  tried  in  the  fire,  and  when  their  reli- 
gion not  only  proved  true,  but  was  most  pure,  and  cleansed  from  its  dross  and 
mixtures  of  that  which  was  not  true,  and  when  religion  appeared  in  them  most 
in  its  genuine  excellency  and  native  beauty,  and  was  found  to  praise,  and  honor, 
and  glory  ;  he  singles  out  the  religious  affections  of  love  and  joy,  that  were  then 
m  exercise  in  them  :  these  are  the  exercises  of  religion  he  takes  notice  of, 
wiierein  their  religion  did  thus  appear  true  and  pure,  and  in  its  proper  glory. 
Here  I  would, 

1.  Show  what  is  intended  by  the  affections. 

2.  Observe  some  things  which  make  it  evident,  that  a  great  part  of  true 
religion  lies  in  the  affections. 

I.  It  may  be  inquired,  what  the  affections  of  the  mind  are  1 

I  answer :  The  affections  are  no  other  than  the  more  vigorous  and  sensible 
exercises  of  the  inclination  and  will  of  the  soul. 

God  has  endued  the  soul  with  two  faculties  :  one  is  that  by  which  it  is  ca- 
pable of  perception  and  speculation,  or  by  which  it  discerns,  and  views,  and 
judges  of  things  ;  which  is  called  the  understancUng.  The  other  faculty  is  that 
by  which  the  soul  does  not  merely  perceive~aiKl  view  things,  but  is  some  way 
inclined  with  respect  to  the  things  it  views  or  considers  ;  either  is  inchned  to 
them,  or  is  disinclined  and  averse  from  them  ;  or  is  the  faculty  by  which  the 
soul  does  not  behold  things,  as  an  indifferent  xmaffected  spectator,  but  either  as 
liking  or  disliking,  pleased  or  displeased,  approving  or  rejecting.  This  faculty 
is  called  by  various  names ;  it  is  sometimes  called  the  inclination :  and,  as  it 
has  respect  to  the  actions  that  are  determined  and  governed  by  it,  is  called  the 
xdll :  and  the  mind,  with  regard  to  the  exercises  of  this  faculty,  is  often  called 
the  heart. 

The  exercise  of  this  facult)''  are  of  two  sorts ;  either  those  by  which  the 
soul  is  carried  out  towards  the  things  that  are  in  view,  in  approving  of  them, 
being  pleased  with  them,  and  inclined  to  them ;  or  those  in  which  the  soul  op- 
poses the  things  that  are  in  view,  in  disapproving  of  them,  and  in  being  dis- 
pleased with  them,  averse  from  them,  and  rejecting  them. 

And  as  the  exercises  of  the  inclination  and  will  of  the  soul  are  various  in 
their  kinds,  so  they  are  much  more  various  in  their  degrees.  There  are  some 
exercises  of  pleasedness  or  displeasedness,  inclination  or  disinclination,  wherein 
the  soul  is  carried  but  a  little  beyond  a  state  of  perfect  indifference. — And  there 
are  other  degrees  above  this,  wherein  the  approbation  or  dislike,  pleasedness  or 
aversion,  are  stronger,  wherein  Ave  may  rise  higher  and  higher,  till  the  soul 
comes  to  act  vigorously  and  sensibly,  and  the  actings  of  the  soul  are  with  that 
strength,  that  (through  the  laws  of  the  union  which  the  Creator  has  fixed 
between  the  soul  and  the  body)  the  motion  of  the  blood  and  animal  spirits  be- 
gins to  be  sensibly  altered  5  whence  oftentimes  arises  some  bodily  sensation,  es- 
pecially about  the  heart  and  vitals,  that  are  the  fountain  of  the  fluids  of  the 
body  :  from  whence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  the  mind,  w^ith  regard  to  the  exer- 
cises of  this  faculty,  perhaps  in  all  nations  and  ages,  is  called  the  heart.  And, 
it  is  to  be  noted,  that  they  are  these  more  vigorous  and  sensible  exercises  of  this 
faculty  that  are  called  the  affections. 

The  will,  and  the  affections  of  the  soul,  are  not  t\vo  faculties ;  the  affections 
are  not  essentially  distinct  from  the  v^all,  nor  do  they  differ  from  the  mere  act- 
ings o-f  the  will,  and  inclination  of  the  soul,  but  only  in  the  liveliness  and  sensi- 
';ieness  of  exercise. 


4  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

It  must  be  confessed,  that  language  is  here  somewhat  imperfect,  and  th' 
meaning  of  words  in  a  considerable  measure  loose  and  unfixed,  and  not  precise 
ly  limited  by  custom,  which  governs  the  use  of  language.  In  some  sense,  th 
affection  of  the  soul  differs  nothing  at  all  from  the  will  tmd  inclination,  and  th 
will  never  is  in  any  exercise  any  further  than  it  is  affected ;  it  is  not  moved  ou 
of  a  state  of  perfect  indifference,  any  otherwise  than  as  it  is  affected  one  wa'i 
or  other,  and  acts  nothing  any  further.  But  yet  there  are  many  actings  of  th" 
will  and  inclination,  that  are  not  so  commonly  called  affections :  in  every  thinj 
we  do,  wherein  we  act  voluntarily,  there  is  an  exercise  of  the  will  and  inclina; 
tion ;  it  is  our  inclination  that  governs  us  in  our  actions ;  but  all  the  actings  a 
the  inchnation  and  will,  in  all  our  coznraon  actions  of  life,  are  not  ordinaril^l 
called  affections.  Yet,  what  are  commonly  called  affections  are  not  essentialljl 
different  from  them,  but  only  in  the  degree  and  manner  of  exercise.  In  everj 
act  of  the  will  whatsoever,  the  soul  either  likes  or  dislikes,  is  either  inclined  m 
disinclined  to  what  is  in  view :  these  are  not  essentially  different  from  those 
affections  of  love  and  hatred  :  that  liking  or  inclination  of  the  soul  to  a  things 
if  it  be  in  a  high  degree,  and  be  vigorous  and  lively,  is  the  very  same  thing  witl 
the  affection  of  love  ;  and  that  disliking  and  disinclining,  if  in  a  greater  degree,  is 
the  very  same  with  hatred.  In  every  act  of  the  will  for,  or  towards  something; 
not  present,  the  soul  is  in  some  decree  inclined  to  that  thing  ;  and  that  inclin-i 
ation,  if  in  a  considerable  degree,  is  the  very  same  with  the  affection  of  desire, 
And  in  every  degree  of  the  act  of  the  will,  wherein  the  soul  approves  of  some-> 
thing  present,  there  is  a  degree  of  pleasedness ;  and  that  pleasedness,  if  it  be  in 
considerable  degree,  is  the  very  same  with  the  affections  of  joy  or  delight.  And  if  I 
the  will  disapproves  of  what  is  present,  the  soul  is  in  some  degree  displeased,  and  ifi 
that  displeasedness  be  great,  it  is  the  very  same  with  the  affection  of  grief  or  sorrow. 

Such  seems  to  be  our  nature,  and  such  the  laws  of  the  union  of  soul  and* 
body,  that  there  never  is  in  any  case  whatsoever,  any  lively  and  vigorous  exer- 
cise of  the  will  or  inclination  of  the  soul,  without  some  effect  upon  the  body,  inf 
some  alteration  of  the  motion  of  its  fluids,  and  especially  of  the  animal  spirits. 
And,  on  the  other  hand,  from  the  same  laws  of  the  union  of  the  soul  and  body, 
the  constitution  of  the  body,  and  the  motion  of  its  fluids,  may  promote  the  exer- 
cise of  the  affections.  But  yet  it  is  not  the  body,  but  the  mind  only,  that  is  the 
proper  seat  of  the  affections.  The  body  of  man  is  no  more  capable  of  be- 
ing really  the  subject  of  love  or  hatred,  joy  or  sorrow,  fear  or  hope,  than  the 
body  of  a  tree,  or  than  the  same  body  of  man  is  capable  of  thinking  and  under- 
standing. As  it  is  the  soul  only  that  has  ideas,  so  it  is  the  soul  only  that  is 
pleased  or  displeased  with  its  ideas.  As  it  is  the  soul  only  that  thinks,  so  it  is 
the  soul  only  that  loves  or  hates,  rejoices  or  is  grieved  at  what  it  thinks  of.  Nori 
are  these  motions  of  the  animal  spirits,  and  fluids  of  the  body,  any  thing  proper- 
ly belonging  to  the  nature  of  the  affections,  though  they  always  accompany 
thern,  in  the  present  state ;  but  are  only  effects  or  concomitants  of  the  affections 
that  are  entirely  distinct  from  the  affections  themselves,  and  no  way  essential  to 
them ;  so  that  an  unbodied  spirit  may  be  as  capable  of  love  and  hatred,  joy  or 
sorrow,  hope  or  fear,  or  other  affections,  as  one  that  is  united  to  a  body. 

The  affections  and  passions  are  frequently  spoken  of  as  the  same;'  and  yet 
in  the  more  common  use  of  speech,  there  is  in  some  respect  a  difference  ;  and 
affection  is  a  word  that  in  its  ordinaiy  signification,  seems  to  be  something  morQ 
extensive  than  passion,  being  used  for  all  vigorous  lively  actings  of  the  will  oi* 
inclination ;  but  passion  for  those  that  are  more  sudden,  and  whose  effects  on. 
the  animal  spirits  are  more  violent,  and  the  mind  more  overpowered,  and  less  in 
its  own  command 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  5 

As  ;ill  the  exercises  of  the  inclination  and  will,  are  either  in  approving  an-i 
ikino-,  or  disapproving  and  rejecting ;  so  the  affections  are  of  two  sorts ', 
hey  are  those  by  which  the  soul  is  carried  out  to  what  is  in  view,  cleaving  to 
tj  t,  or  seeking  it;  or  those  by  which  it  is  averse  from  it,  and  opposes  it. 

Of  the  iormer  sort  are  love,  desire,  hope,  joy,  gratitude,  complacence.  Of 
he  latter  kind  are  hatred,  fear,  anger,  grief,  and  such  like ;  which  it  is  need- 
ess  now  to  stand  particularly  to  define. 

And  there  are  some  affections  wherein  there  is  a  composition  of  each  of  the 
iforementioned  kinds  of  actings  of  the  will ;  as  in  the  affection  of  pity,  there  is 
something  of  the  former  kind,  towards  the  person  suffering,  and  something  of 
the  latter  towards  what  he  suffers.  And  so  in  zeal,  there  is  in  it  high  appro- 
aation  of  some  person  or  thing,  together  with  vigorous  opposition  to  what  is 
conceived  to  be  contrary  to  it. 

There  are  other  mixed  affections  that  might  be  also  mentioned,  but  I  hasten 
to, 

11.  The  second  thing  proposed,  which  was  to  observe  some  things  that  ren- 
der it  evident,  that  true  religion,  in  great  part  consists  in  the  affections.  And 
here, 

1.  What  has  been  said  of  the  nature  of  the  affections  makes  this  evident, 
and  may  be  sufficient,  without  adding  any  thing  further,  to  put  this  matter 
out  of  doubt ;  for  who  will  deny  that  true  religion  consists  in  a  great  measure,  in 
vigorous  and  lively  actuigs  of  the  inclination  and  will  of  the  soul,  or  the  fervent 
exercises  of  the  heart  ?  '    ,    , 

That  religion  which  God  requires,  and  will  accept,  does  not  consist  in  weak, 
dull,  and  lifeless  wishes,  raising  us  but  a  little  above  a  state  of  indifference : 
God,  in  his  word,  greatly  insists  upon  it,  that  we  be  good  in  earnest,  _"  fer- 
vent in  spirit,"  and  our  hearts  vigorously  engaged  in  religion:  Rom.  xii.  11, 
"  Be  ye  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord."  Deut.  x.  12,  "  And  now,  Israel, 
what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to 
walk  in  all  his  ways,  and  to  love  him,  and  to  serve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul  ?"  and  chap.  vi.  4,  6,  "  Hear,  0  Israel,  the 
Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord  :  And  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
lieart,  and  with  all  thy  might."  It  is  such  a  fervent  vigorous  engagedness  of  the 
heart  in  religion,  that  is  the  fruit  of  a  real  circumcision  of  the  heart,  or  true  re- 
generation, and  that  has  the  promises  of  life  ;•  Deut.  xxx.  6, "  And  the  Lord  thy 
God  will  circumcise  thine  heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  that  thou  mayest  live." 

If  we  be  not  in  good  earnest  in  religion,  and  our  wills  and  inclinations  be 
not  strongly  exercised,  w^e  are  nothing.  The  things  of  religion  are  so  great, 
that  there  can  be  no  suitableness  in  the  exercises  of  our  hearts,  to  their  nature 
and  importance,  unless  they  be  lively  and  powerful.  In  nothing  is  vigor  in  the 
actings  of  our  inclinations  so  requisite,  as  in  religion ;  and  in  nothing  is  luke- 
warmness  so  odious.  True  religion  is  evermore  a  powerful  thing ;  and  the 
power  of  it  appears,  in  the  first  place  in  t^ie  inward  exercises  of  it  in  the  heart, 
where  is  the  principal  and  original  seat  of  it.  Hence  true  religion  is  called  the 
poicer  of  godliness,  in  distinction  from  the  external  appearances  of  it,  that  are 
the  form  of  it,  2  Tim.  iii.  5  :  "  Having  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the 
power  of  it."  The  Spirit  of  God,  in  those  that  have  sound  and  solid  religion, 
is  a  spiiit  of  povs-erful  holy  affection  ;  and  therefore,  God  is  said  "  to  have  given 
the  Spirit  of  power,  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind,"  2  Tim.  i.  7.  And  such, 
when  they  receive  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  sanctifying  and  saving  influences, 
are  said  to  be  "  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  fire ;"  by  reason  of  the 


6  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

power  and  fervor  of  those  exercises  the  Spirit  of  God  excites  in  their  hearts, 
whereby  their  hearts,  when  grace  is  in  exercise,  may  be  said  to  "  burn  within 
them ;"  as  is  said  of  the  disciples,  Luke  xxiv.  32. 

The  business  of  rehgion  is  from  time  to  time  compared  to  those  exercises, 
wherein  men  are  wont  to  have  their  hearts  and  strength  greatly  exercised  and 
engaged,  such  as  running,  wrestling  or  agonizing  for  a  great  prize  or  crown, 
and  fighting  with  strong  enemies  that  seek  our  hves,  and  warring  as  those,  that 
by  violence  take  a  city  or  kingdom. 

And  though  true  grace  has  various  degrees,  and  there  are  some  that  are  but 
babes  in  Christ,  in  whom  the  exercise  of  the  inclination  and  will,  towards  divine 
and  heavenly  things,  is  comparatively  weak ;  yet  every  one  that  has  the  power 
of  godliness  in  his  heart,  has  his  inclinations  and  heart  exercised  towards  God 
and  divine  things,  with  such  strength  and  vigor  that  these  holy  exercises  do 
prevail  in  him  above  all  carnal  or  natural  affections,  and  are  effectual  to  over- 
come them :  for  every  true  disciple  of  Christ  "  loves  him  above  father  or  mother, 
wife  and  children,  brethren  and  sisters,  houses  and  lands:  yea,  than  his  own 
life."  From  hence  it  follows,  that  wherever  true  religion  is,  there  are  vigorous 
exercises  of  the  inclination  and  will  towards  divine  objects :  but  by  what  was 
said  before,  the  vigorous,  lively,  and  sensible  exercises  of  the  will,  are  no  other 
than  the  affections  of  the  soul. 

2.  The  Author  of  the  human  nature  has  not  only  given  affections  to  men, 
but  has  made  them  very  much  the  spring  of  men's  actions.  As  the  affections 
do  not  only  necessarily  belong  to  the  human  nature,  but  are  a  very  great  part 
of  it ;  so  (inasmuch  as  by  regeneration  persons  are  renewed  in  the  whole  man, 
and  sanctified  throughout)  holy  affections  do  not  only  necessarily  belong  to  true 
rehgion,  but  are  a  very  great  part  of  it.  And  as  true  religion  is  of  a  practical 
nature,  and  God  hath  so  constituted  the  human  nature,  that  the  affections  are 
very  much  the  spring  of  men's  actions,  this  also  shows,  that  true  religion  must 
consist  very  much  in  the  affections. 

Such  is  man's  nature,  that  he  is  very  inactive,  any  otherwise  than  he  is 
influenced  by  some  affection,  either  love  or  hatred,  desire,  hope,  fear,  or  some 
other.  These  affections  we  see  to  be  the  springs  that  set  men  agoing,  in  all 
the  affairs  of  life,  and  engage  them  in  all  their  pursuits :  these  are  the  things 
that  put  men  forward,  and  carry  them  along,  in  all  their  worldly  business ;  and 
especially  are  men  excited  and  animated  by  these,  in  all  affairs  wherein  they 
are  earnestly  engaged,  and  which  they  pursue  vnih  vigor.  We  see  the  world 
of  mankind  to  be  exceeding  busy  and  active ;  and  the  affections  of  men  are  the 
springs  of  the  motion :  take  away  all  love  and  hatred,  all  hope  and  fear,  all 
anger,  zeal,  and  affectionate  desire,  and  the  world  would  be,  in  a  gi'eat  measure 
motionless  and  dead ;  there  would  be  no  such  thing  as  activity  amongst  mankind, 
or  any  earnest  pursuit  whatsoever.  It  is  affection  that  engages  the  covetous 
man,  and  him  that  is  greedy  of  worldly  profits,  in  his  pursuits ;  and  it  is  by  the 
affections,  that  the  ambitious  man  is  put  forward  in  his  pursuit  of  worldly  glory; 
and  it  is  the  affections  also  that  actuate  the  voluptuous  man,  in  his  pursuit  of 
pleasure  and  sensual  delights  :  the  world  continues,  from  age  to  age,  in  a  conti- 
nual commotion  and  agitation,  in  a  pursuit  of  these  things;  but  take  away  aH 
affection,  and  the  spring  of  all  this  motion  would  be  gone,  and  the  motion  itself 
would  cease.  And  as  in  worldly  things,  worldly  affections  are  very  much  the 
spring  of  men's  motion  and  action ;  so  in  religious  matters,  the  spring  of  their 
actions  is  very  much  religious  affection :  he  that  has  doctrinal  knowledge  and 
speculation  only,  without  affection,  never  is  engaged  in  the  business  of  religion. 

3.  Nothing  is  more  manifest  in  fact,  than  that  the  things  of  rehgion  take 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  7 

hold  of  men's  souls,  no  further  than  they  affect  them.  There  are  multitudes  that 
often  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  therein  hear  of  those  things  that  are  infinitely- 
great  and  impoitant,  and  that  most  nearly  concern  them,  and  all  that  is  heard 
seems  to  be  Avholly  ineffectual  Upon  them,  and  to  make  no  alteration  in  their 
disposition  or  behavior ;  and  the  reason  is,  they  are  not  affected  with  what 
they  hear.  There  are  many  that  oiten  hear  of  the  glorious  perfections  of  God, 
his  almighty  power  and  boundless  wisdom,  his  infinite  majesty,  and  that  holiness 
of  God,  by  which  he  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  and  cannot  look  on 
iniquity,  and  the  heavens  are  not  pure  in  his  sight,  and  of  God's  infinite  good- 
ness and  mercy,  and  hear  of  the  great  works  of  God's  wisdom,  power  and 
goodness,  wherein  there  appear  the  admirable  manifestations  of  these  perfec- 
tions ;  they  hear  particulaily  of  the  unspeakable  love  of  God  and  Christ,  and  of 
the  great  things  that  Christ  has  done  and  suffered,  and  of  the  great  things  of 
another  world,  of  eternal  misery  in  bearing  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty 
God,  and  of  endless  blessedness  and  glory  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  the  enjoy- 
ment of  his  dear  love ;  they  also  hear  the  peremptory  commands  of  God,  and 
his  gracious  counsels  and  warnings,  and  the  sweet  invitations  of  the  gospel ;  I 
say,  they  often  hear  these  things  and  yet  remain  as  they  were  before,  with  no 
sensible  alteration  in  them,  either  in  heart  or  practice,  because  they  are  not 
affected  with  what  they  hear ;  and  ever  will  be  so  till  they  are  affected. — I  am 
bold  to  assert,  that  there  never  was  any  considerable  change  wrought  in  the 
mind  or  conversation  of  any  person,  by  any  thing  of  a  religious  nature,  that 
ever  he  read,  heard  or  saw,  that  had  not  his  affections  moved.  Never  was  a 
natural  man  engaged  earnestly  to  seek  his  salvation ;  never  were  any  such 
brought  to  ciy  after  wisdom,  and  lift  up  their  voice  for  understanding,  and  to 
Avrestle  with  God  in  prayer  for  mercy ;  and  never  was  one  humbled,  and  brought 
to  the  foot  of  God,  from  any  thing  that  ever  he  heard  or  imagined  of  his  own 
unworthiness  and  deserving  of  God's  displeasure ;  nor  was  ever  one  induced  to 
fly  for  refuge  unto  Christ,  while  his  heart  remained  unaffected.  Nor  was  there 
ever  a  saint  awakened  out  of  a  cold,  lifeless  frame,  or  recovered  from  a  declin- 
ing state  in  religion,  and  brought  back  from  a  lamentable  departure  from  God, 
without  having  his  heart  affected.  And  in  a  word,  there  never  was  any  thing 
considerable  brought  to  pass  in  the  heart  or  life  of  any  man  living,  by  the  things 
of  religion,  that  had  not  his  heart  deeply  affected  by  those  things. 

4.  The  holy  Scriptures  do  everywhere  place  religion  very  much  in  the  affec- 
tion ;  such  as  fear,  hope,  love,  hatred,  desire,  joy,  sorrow,  gratitude,  compas- 
sion, and  zeal. 

The  Scriptures  place  much  of  religion  in  godly  fear ;  insomuch,  that  it  is 
often  spoken  of  as  the  character  of  those  that  are  truly  religious  persons,  that 
they  tremble  at  God's  word,  that  they  fear  before  him,  that  their  flesh  trembles 
for  fear  of  him,  and  that  they  are  afraid  of  his  judgments,  that  his  excellency 
makes  them  afraid,  and  his  dread  falls  upon  them,  and  the  like:  and  a  cora- 
pellation  commonly  given  the  saints  in  Scripture,  is  "  fearers  of  God,"  or, "  they 
that  fear  the  Lord."  And  because  the  fe?v  of  God  is  a  great  part  of  true  god- 
liness, hence  true  godliness  in  general,  is  very  commonly  called  by  the  name  of 
the  fear  of  God  ;  as  every  one  knows,  that  knows  any  thing  of  the  Bible. 

So  hope  in  God  and  in  the  promises  of  his  word,  is  often  spoken  of  in  the 
Scripture,  as  a  very  considerable  part  of  true  religion.  It  is  mentioned  as  one 
of  the  three  great  things  of  which  religion  consists,  1  Cor.  xiii.  13.  Hope  in 
the  Lord  is  also  frequently  mentioned  as  the  character  of  the  saints:  Psal,  cxM 
5,  "  Happy  is  he  that  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help,  whose  hope  is  in  the 
Lord  his  God."     Jer.  xvii.  7,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord^  and 


3  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

whose  hope  the  Lord  is."  Psal.  xxxi.  24,  "  Be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall 
strengthen  your  heart,  all  ye  that  hope  in  the  Lord."  And  the  like  in  many 
other  places.  Religious  fear  and  hope  are,  once  and  again,  joined  together,  as 
jointly  constituting  the  character  of  the  true  saints;  Psal.  xxxiii.  18,  "  Behold, 
the  eye  of  the  Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear  hira,  upon  them  that  hope  in  his 
mercy."  Psal.  cxlvii.  11,  "  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in 
those  that  hope  in  his  mercy."  Hope  is  so  great  a  part  of  true  religion, 
that  the  apostle  says,  "  we  are  saved  by  hope,"  Rom.  viii.  24.  And  this  is 
spoken  of  as  the  helmet  of  the  Christian  soldier.  1  Thess.  v.  8,  "  And  for  a 
helmet,  the  hope  of  salvation ;"  and  the  sure  and  steadfast  anchor  of  the  soul, 
which  preserves  it  from  being  cast  away  by  the  storms  of  this  evil  world." 
Heb.  vi.  19,  "  Which  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  bcth  sure  and 
steadfast,  and  which  entereth  into  that  within  the  vail."  It  is  spoken  of  as 
a  great  fruit  and  benefit  which  true  saints  receive  by  Christ's  resurrection :  1  Pet. 
i.  3,  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which,  according 
to  his  abundant  mercy,  ha'th  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead." 

The  Scriptures  place  religion  very  much  in  the  affection  of  love,  in  love  to 
God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  to  the  people  of  God,  and  to  mankind. 
The  texts  in  which  this  is  manifest,  both  in  the  Old  Testament  and  New,  are 
innumerable.     But  of  this  more  afterwards. 

The  contrary  affection  of  hatred  also,  as  having  sin  for  its  object,  is  spoken 
of  in  Scripture  as  no  inconsiderable  part  of  true  religion.  It  is  spoken  of  as 
that  by  which  true  religion  may  be  known  and  distinguished ;  Prov.  viii.  13, 
"  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  to  hate  evil."  And  accordingly  the  saints  are  called 
upon  to  give  evidence  of  their  sincerity  by  this ;  Psal.  xcvii.  10,  "  Ye  that  love 
the  Lord  hate  evil."  And  the  Psalmist  often  mentions  it  as  an  evidence  of  his 
sincerity  ;  Psal.  2,  3,  "  I  will  walk  within  my  house  with  a  perfect  heart.  I  will 
set  no  wicked  thing  before  mine  eyes  ;  I  hate  the  work  of  them  that  turn  aside." 
Psal.  cxix.  104,  "  I  hate  every  false  way."  So  ver.  127.  Again,  Psal.  cxxxix. 
21,  "  Do  I  not  hate  them,  0  Lord,  that  hate  thee  ?" 

So  holy  desire,  exercised  in  longings,  hungerings,  and  thirstings  after  God 
and  holiness,  is  often  mentioned  in  Scripture  as  an  important  part  of  true  reli- 
gion ;  Isa.  xxvi.  8,  "  The  desire  of  our  soul  is  to  thy  name,  and  to  the  remem- 
brance of  thee."  Psal.  xxvii.  4,  "  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  and 
that  will  I  seek  after,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of 
my  life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple."  Psal. 
xlii.  1,  2,  "  As  the  hartpanteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after 
thee,  0  God  ;  my  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God  :  when  shall  I  come 
and  appear  before  God  ?"  Psal.  Ixiii.  1,  2,  "  My  soul  thirsteth  for  thee,  my 
flesh  longeth  for  thee,  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is  ;  to  see  thy 
power  and  thy  glory,  so  as  I  have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary."  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  1, 
2,  "  How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  0  Lord  of  hosts  !  My  soul  longeth,  yea, 
even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord  :  my  heart  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for 
the  living  God."  Psal.  cxix.  20,  "  My  soul  breaketh  for  the  longing  that  it 
hath  unto  thy  judgments  at  all  times."  So  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25,  and  cxliii.  6,  7,  and 
cxxx.  6.  Cant.  iii.  1,  2,  and  vi.  8.  Such  a  holy  desire  and  thirst  of  soul  is 
mentioned,  as  one  thing  which  renders  or  denotes  a  man  trul}'  blessed,  in  the 
beginning  of  Christ's  sermon  on  the  mount.  Matt.  v.  6  :  "  Blessed  are  they  that 
do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness ;  for  they  shall  be  filled."  And  this 
holy  thirst  is  spoken  of,  as  a  great  thing  in  the  condition  of  a  participatio^n  of 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  9 

the  blessings  of  eternal  life ;  Rev.  xxi.  6,  "  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst, 
of  the  tbuntain  of  the  water  of  life  freely." 

The  Scriptures  speak  of  holy  joy,  as  a  great  part  of  true  religion.  So  it  is 
represented  in  the  text.  And  as  an  important  part  of  religion,  it  is  often  ex- 
horted to,  and  pressed,  with  great  earnestness;  Psal.  xxxvii.  4,  "  Delight  thy- 
self in  the  Lord ;  and  he  shall  give  thee  the  desires  of  thine  heart."  Psal.  xcvii 
12,  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  ye  righteous."  So  Psal.  xxxiii.  1,  "  Rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  0  ye  righteous."  Matt.  v.  12,  "  Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad,"  Phil, 
iii.  1,  "  Finally,  brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord."  And  chap.  iv.  4,  "  Rejoice  in 
the  Lord  alway  ;  and  again  I  say.  Rejoice."  1  Thess.  v.  16,  "  Rejoice  ever- 
more." Psal.  cxlix.  2,  "  Let  Israel  rejoice  in  him  that  made  him  ;  let  the 
children  of  Zion  be  joyful  in  their  king."  This  is  mentioned  among  tlie  princi- 
pal fruits  of  the  Spirit  of  grace  ;  Gal.  v.  21,  "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love," 
&c.  The  Psalmist  mentions  his  holy  joy,  as  an  evidence  of  his  sincerity.  Psal. 
cxix.  14,  "  I  have  rejoiced  in  the  way  of  thy  testimonies,  as  much  as  in  all  riches." 

Religious  sorrow,  mourning,  and  bi-okenness  of  heart,  are  also  frequently 
spoken  of  as  a  great  part  of  true  religion.  These  things  are  often  mentioned  as 
distinguishing  qualities  of  the  true  saints,  and  a  great  part  of  their  character; 
Matt.  V.  4,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn  ;  for  they  shall  be  comforted."  Psal. 
xxxiv.  18,  "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart ;  and  saveth 
such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit."  Isa.  Ixi.  1,2,  "  The  Lord  hath  anointed  me, 
to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to  comfort  all  that  mourn."  This  godly  sorrow 
and  brokenness  of  heart  is  often  spoken  of,  not  only  as  a  great  thing  in  the  dis- 
tinguishing character  of  the  saints,  but  that  in  them,  which  is  peculiarly  accep- 
table and  pleasing  to  God ;  Psal.  li.  17,  "  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken 
spirit :  a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  0  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise."  Isa.  Ivii. 
15,  "  Thus  saith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is 
Holy,  1  dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place  ;  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite 
and  humble  spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart  of 
the  contrite  ones."  Chap.  Ixvi.  2,  "  To  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that 
is  poor,  and  of  a  contrite  spirit," 

Another  affection  often  mentioned,  as  that  in  the  exercise  of  which  much  of 
true  religion  appears,  \s  gratitude ;  especially  as  exercised  in  thankfulness  and 
praise  to  God.  This  being  so  much  spoken  of  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  and  other 
parts  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  I  need  not  mention  particular  texts. 

Again,  the"holy  Scriptures  do  frequently  speak  of  compassion  or  mercy,  as 
a  very  great  and  essential  thing  in  true  religion  ;  insomuch  that  good  men  are 
in  Sc4-ipture  denominated  from  hence  ;  and  a  merciful  man  and  a  good  man  are 
equivalent  terms  in  Scripture ;  Isa.  Ivii.  1,  "  The  righteous  perisheth,  and  no  man 
layeth  it  to  heart ;  and  merciful  men  are  taken  away."  And  the  Scripture  chooses 
out  this  quality,  as  that  by  which,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  a  righteous  man  is  de- 
ciphered ;  Psal,  xxxvii.  21,  "  The  righteous  showeth  mercy,  and  givelh;"  and 
ver.  26,  "  He  is  is  ever  merciful,  and  lendeth."  And  Prov.  xiv.  21,  "  He  that 
honoreth  the  Lord,  hath  mercy  on  the  poor."  And  Col.  iii.  12,  "  Put  ye  on,  as  the 
elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,"  &c.  This  is  one  of  those  great 
things  by  which  those  who  are  truly  blessed  are  described  by  our  Saviour  ;  Matt, 
v.  7,  "  Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy."  And  this  Christ 
also  speaks  of,  as  one  of  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law ;  Matt,  xxiii.  23,  "  Wo 
unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrhes,  for  ye  pay  tithe  of  mint,  and  anise, 
and  cummin,  and  have  omitted  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mer- 
cy, and  faith."  To  the  like  purpose  is  that,  Mic.  vi,  S,  "  He  hath  showed  thee, 
0  man,  what  is  good  :  and  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justice. 

Vol.,  in.  2 


10  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

and  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  thy  God  ?"  And  also  that,  Hos.  vi.  6, 
"  For  I  desired  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice."  Which  seems  to  have  been  a  text 
much  delighted  in  by  our  Saviour,  by  his  manner  of  citing  it  once  and  again, 
Matt,  ix,  13,  and  xii.  1: 

Zeal  is  also  spoken  of,  as  a  very  essential  part  of  the  religion  of  true  saints. 
It  is  spoken  of  as  a  great  thing  Christ  had  in  view,  in  giving  himself  for  our 
redemption ;  Tit.  ii.  14,  "  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from 
all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works." 
And  thisisspoken  of,  as  the  great  thing  wanting  in  the  lukewarm  Laodlceans, 
Rev.  iii.  15,  16,  19. 

I  have  mentioned  but  a  few  texts,  out  of  an  innumerable  multitude,  all  over 
the  Scripture,  which  place  religion  very  much  in  the  affections.  But  what  has 
been  observed,  may  be  sufficient  to  show  that  they  who  would  deny  that  much 
of  true  religion  lies  in  the  affections,  and  maintain  the  contrary,  must  throw 
away  what  we  have  been  wont  to  own  for  our  Bible,  and  get  some  other  rule, 
by  which  to  judge  of  the  nature  of  religion. 

5.  The  Scriptures  do  represent  true  religion,  as  being  summarily  compre- 
hended in  love,  the  chief  of  the  affections,  and  fountain  of  all  other  affections. 

So  our  blessed  Saviour  represents  the  matter,  in  answer  to  the  lawyer,  who 
asked  him,  which  was  the  great  commandment  of  the  law  Matt.  xxii.  37 — 40  : 
"  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the  first  and  great  command- 
ment. And  the  second  is  like  unto  it,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. 
On  these  two  connnandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets."  Which 
last  words  signify  as  much,  as  that  these  two  commandments  comprehend  all 
the  duty  prescribed,  and  the  religion  taught  in  the  law  and  the  prophets.  And 
the  apostle  Paul  does  from  time  to  time  make  the  same  representation  of  the 
matter ;  as  in  Rom.  xiii.  8,  "  He  that  loveth  another,  hath  fulfilled  the  law." 
And  ver.  10,  "  Love  is  the  fulfdling  of  the  law."  And  Gal.  v.  14,  "For  all 
the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word,  even  in  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself."  So  likewise  in  1  Tim.  i.  5,  "  Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  is 
charity,  out  of  a  pure  heart,"  &c.  So  the  same  apostle  speaks  of  love,  as  the  great- 
est thing  in  religion,  and  as  the  vitals,  essence  and  soul  of  it ;  without  which, 
the  greatest  knowledge  and  gifts,  and  the  most  glaring  profession,  and  every 
thing  else  which  appertains  to  religion,  are  vain  and  worthless ;  and  represents 
it  as  the  fountain  from  whence  proceeds  all  that  is  good,  in  1  Cor."  xiii.  through- 
out ;  for  that  which  is  there  rendered  charity,  in  the  original  is  ayanij,  the  pro- 
per English  of  which  is  love. 

Now,  although  it  be  true,  that  the  love  thus  spoken  of  includes  the  whole 
of  a  sincerely  benevolent  propensity  of  the  soul  towards  God  and  man  ;  yet  it 
may  be  considered,  that  it  is  evident  from  what  has  been  before  observed,  that 
this  propensity  or  inclination  of  the  soul,  when  in  sensible  and  vigorous  exer- 
cise, becomes  affection,  and  is  no  other  than  affectionate  love.  And  surely  it  is 
such  vigorous  and  fervent  love  which  Christ  speaks  of,  as  the  sum  of  all  reli- 
gion, when  he  speaks  of  loving  God  with  all  our  hearts,  with  all  our  souls,  and 
with  all  our  minds,  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  as  the  sum  of  all  that  was 
taught  and  prescribed  in  the  law  and  the  prophets. 

Indeed  it  cannot  be  supposed,  when  this  affection  of  love  is  here,  and  in 
other  Scriptures,  spoken  of  as  the  sura  of  all  religion,  that  hereby  is  meant  the 
act,  exclusive  of  the  habit,  or  that  the  exercise  of  the  understanding  is  excluded, 
which  is  implied  in  all  reasonable  affection.  But  it  is  doubtless  true,  and  evi- 
dent from  these  Scriptures,  that  the  essence  of  all  true  religion  lies  in  holy  love  j 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  11 

and  that  in  this  divine  affection,  and  an  habitual  disposition  to  it,  and  that  Hght 
which  is  the  foundation  of  it,  and  those  things  which  are  the  fruits  of  it,  con- 
sists the  whole  of  religion. 

From  hence  it  clearly  and  certainly  appears,  that  great  part  of  true  rehgion 
consists  in  the  affections.  For  love  is  not  only  one  of  the  affections,  but  it  is 
the  first  and  chief  of  the  affections,  and  the  fountain  of  all  the  affections.  From 
love  arises  hatred  of  those  things  which  are  contrary  to  what  we  love,  or  which 
oppose  and  thwart  us  iii  those  things  that  we  delight  in  :  and  from  the  various 
exercises  of  love  and  hatred,  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the  objects  of 
these  affections,  as  present  or  absent,  certain  or  uncertain,  probable  or  improb- 
able, arise  all  those  other  affections  of  desire,  hope,  fear,  joy,  grief,  gratitude, 
anger,  &c.  From  a  vigorous,  affectionate,  and  fervent  love  to  God,  will  neces- 
sarily arise  other  religious  affections ;  hence  will  arise  an  intense  hatred  and 
abhorrence  of  sin,  fear  of  sin,  and  a  dread  of  God's  displeasure,  gratitude  to 
God  for  his  goodness,  complacence  and  joy  in  God,  when  God  is  graciously 
and  sensibly  present,  and  grief  when  he  is  absent,  and  a  joyful  hope  when  a/"^ 
future  enjoyment  of  God  is  expected,  and  fervent  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God 
And  in  like  manner,  from  a  fervent  love  to  men,  will  arise  all  other  virtuous 
affections  towai'ds  men. 

6.  The  religion  of  the  most  eminent  saints  we  have  an  account  of  in  the 
Scripture,  consisted  much  in  holy  affections. 

I  shall  take  particular  notice  of  three  eminent  saints,  who  have  express- 
ed the  frame  and  sentiments  of  their  own  hearts,  and  so  described  their  own  re- 
ligion, and  the  manner  of  their  intercourse  with  God,  in  the  writings  which  they 
have  left  us,  that  are  a  part  of  the  sacred  canon. 

The  first  instance  I  shall  take  notice  of,  is  David,  that  "  man  after  God's 
own  heart;"  who  has  given  us  a  lively  portraiture  of  his  religion  in  the  book  of 
Psalms.  Those  holy  songs  of  his  he  has  there  left  us,  are  nothing  else  but  the 
expressions  and  breathings  of  devout  and  holy  affections ;  such  as  an  humble 
and  fervent  love  to  God,  admiration  of  his  glorious  perfections  and  wonderful 
works,  earnest  desires,  thirstings,  and  pantings  of  soul  after  God,  delight  and 
joy  in  God,  a  sweet  and  melting  gratitude  to  God,  for  his  great  goodness,  a 
holy  exultation  and  triumph  of  soul  in  the  favor,  sufficiency,  and  faithfulness  of 
God,  his  love  to,  and  delight  in  the  saints,  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  his  great 
delight  in  the  word  and  ordinances  of  God,  his  grief  for  his  own  and  others'  sins, 
and  his  fervent  zeal  for  God,  and  against  the  enemies  of  God  and  his  church. 
And  these  expressions  of  holy  affection,  which  the  psalms  of  David  are  every- 
where full  of,  are  the  more  to  our  present  purpose,  because  those  psalms  are  not 
only  the  expressions  of  the  religion  of  so  eminent  a  saint,  that  God  speaks  of  as 
so  agreeable  to  his  mind  ;  but  were  also,  by  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
penned  for  the  use  of  the  church  of  God  in  its  public  worship,  not  only  in  that 
age,  but  in  after  ages  ;  as  being  fitted  to  express  the  religion  of  all  saints,  in  all 
ages,  as  well  as  the  religion  of  the  Psalmist.  And  it  is  moreover  to  be  observed, 
that  David,  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  speaks  not  as  a  private  peison,  but  as  the 
Psalmist  of  Israel,  as  the  subordinate  head  of  the  church  of  God,  and  leader  in 
their  worship  and  praises ;  and  in  many  of  the  psalms  speaks  in  the  name  of 
Christ,  as  personating  him  in  these  breathings  forth  of  holy  affection ;  and  in 
many  other  psalms  he  speaks  in  the  name  of  the  church. 

Another  instance  I  shall  observe,  is  the  apostle  Paul ;  who  was  in  many 
respects,  the  chief  of  all  the  ministers  of  the  New  Testament ;  being  above  all 
others,  a  chosen  vessel  unto  Chiist,  to  bear  his  name  before  the  Gentiles,  and 
made  a  chief  instrument  of  propagating  and  establishing  the  Christian  church 


12  RELIGICrjS  AFFECTIONS. 

in  tlie  world,  and  of  distinctly  revealing  the  glorious  mysteries  of  the  gospel,  for 
the  instruction  of  the  church  in  all  agesj  and  (as  has  not  been  improperly 
thought  by  some)  the  most  eminent  servant  of  Christ  that  ever  lived,  received 
to  the  highest  rewards  in  the  heavenly  kingdom  of  his  Master.  By  what  is  said 
of  him  in  the  Scripture,  he  appears  to  have  been  a  person  that  was  full  of  affec- 
tion. And  it  is  very  manifest,  that  the  religion  he  expresses  in  his  epistles,  con- 
sisted very  much  in  holy  affections.  It  appears  by  all  his  expressions  of  him- 
self, that  he  was,  in  the  course  of  liis  life,  inflamed,  actuated,  and  entirely  swal- 
lowed up,  by  a  most  ardent  love  to  his  glorious  Lord,  esteeming  all  things  as 
loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  him,  and  esteeming  them  but  dung 
that  he  might  win  him.  lie  represents  himself,  as  overpowered  by  this  holy  af- 
fection, and  as  it  were  compelled  by  it  to  go  forward  in  his  service,  through  all 
difficulties  and  sufferings,  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15.  And  his  epistles  are  full  of  expres- 
sions of  an  overpowering  affection  towards  the  people  of  Christ,  He  speaks  of 
his  dear  love  to  them,  2  Cor.  xii.  19,  Phil.  iv.  1,  2  Tim.  i.  2;  of  his  "  abun- 
dant love,"  2  Cor.  ii.  4  ;  and  of  his  "  affectionate  and  tender  love,"  as  of  a 
nurse  towards  her  children,  1  Thess.  ii.  7,  8  :  "  But  we  were  gentle  among  you, 
even  as  a  nurse  cherisheth  her  children  ;  so,  being  affectionately  desirous  of  you, 
we  were  willing  to  have  imparted  unto  you,  not  the  gospel  of  God  only,  but  also 
our  own  souls,  because  ye  were  dear  unto  us."  So  also  he  speaks  of  his 
-'  bowels  of  love,"  Phil.  i.  8,  Philem.  5,  12,  and  20.  So  he  speaks  of  his- 
"  earnest  care"  for  others,  2  Cor.  viii.  16,  and  of  his  "  bowels  of  pity,  or  mercy 
towards  them,  Phil.  ii.  1 ;  and  of  his  concern  for  others,  even  to  anguish  of 
heart,"  2  Cor.  ii.  4  :  "  For  out  of  much  affliction  and  anguish  of  heart,  I  wrote 
unto  you  with  many  tears  ;  not  that  you  should  be  grieved,  but  that  ye  might 
know  the  love  which  I  have  more  abundantly  unto  you."  He  speaks  of  the 
great  conflict  of  his  soul  for  them,  Col.  ii.  1.  He  speaks  of  great  and  continual 
grief  that  he  had  in  his  heart  from  compassion  to  the  Jews,  Rom.  ix.  2.  He 
speaks  of  "  his  mouth's  being  opened,  and  his  heart  enlarged"  towards  Chris- 
tians, 2  Cor.  vi.  11 :  "  0  ye  Corinthians,  our  mouth  is  open  unto  you,  our  heart 
is  enlarged."  He  often  speaks  of  his  "  affectionate  and  longing  desires,"  1 
Thess.  ii.  8,  Rom.  i.  11,  Phil.  i.  8,  and  chap.  iv.  1,  2  Tim.  i.  4.  Tlie  same 
apostle  is  very  often,  in  his  epistles,  expressing  the  affection  of  joy,  2  Cor.  i.  12, 
and  chap.  vii.  7,  and  ver.  9.  16.  Phil.  i.  4,  and  chap.  ii.  12,  and  chap.  iii.  3. 
Col.  i.  34.  1  Thess.  iii.  9,  He  speaks  of  his  "  rejoicing  with  great  joy,"  Phil, 
iv.  10,  Philem.  i.  7  ;  of  his  "  joying  and  rejoicing,"  Phil,  ii,  1,  7,  and  "  of  his 
rejoicing  exceedingly,"  2  Cor.  vii.  13,  and  of  his  being  "  filled  with  comfort,  and 
being  exceeding  joyful,"  2  Cor.  vii.  4.  He  speaks  of  himself  as  "  always  rejoic- 
ing," 2  Cor.  vi.  10.  So  he  speaks  of  the  triumphs  of  his  soul,  2  Cor.  ii.  14, 
and  of  "  his  glorying  in  tribulation,"  2  Thess.  i.  4,  and  Rom.  v.  3.  He  also 
expresses  the  affection  of  hope  ;  in  Phil.  i.*20,  he  speaks  of  his  "  earnest  ex- 
pectation, and  his  hope."  He  likewise  expresses  an  affection  of  godly  jealousy, 
2  Cor.  xi.  2,  3.  And  it  appears  by  his  whole  history,  after  his  conversion,  in 
the  Acts,  and  also  by  all  his  epistles,  and  the  accounts  he  gives  of  himself  there, 
that  the  affection  of  zeal,  as  having  the  cause  of  his  Master,  and  the  interest  and 
prosperity  of  his  church,  for  its  object,  was  mighty  in  him,  continually  inflaming 
his  heart,  strongly  engaging  to  those  great  and  constant  labors  he  went  through, 
in  instructing,  exhorting,  warning,  and  reproving  others,  "  travailing  in  birth 
with  them ;"  conflicting  with  those  powerful  and  innumerable  enemies  who 
continually  opposed  him,  wrestling  with  principalities  and  powers,  not  fighting 
as  one  who  beats  the  air,  running  the  race  set  before  him,  continuully  pressing 
forwards  through    all  manner  of  difficulties    and  sufferings;   so  that   others 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  13 

thouoht  him  quite  beside  himself.  And  how  full  he  was  of  affection,  docs  fur- 
ther appear  by  his  being  so  full  of  tears  :  in  2  Cor.  ii.  4,  he  speaks  of  his 
"  many  tears  ;"  and  so  Acts  xx.  19 ;  and  of  his  "  tears  that  he  shed  continually 
night  and  day,"  ver.  31. 

Now  if  any  one  can  consider  these  accounts  given  in  the  Scripture  of  this 
great  apostle,  and  which  he  gives  of  himself,  and  yet  not  see  that  his  religion 
consisted  much  in  affection,  must  have  a  strange  faculty  of  managing  his  eyes, 
to  shut  out  the  light  Avhich  shines  most  full  in  his  face. 

The  other  instance  I  shall  mention,  is  of  the  apostle  John,  that  beloved  dis- 
ciple, who  was  the  nearest  and  dearest  to  his  Master,  of  any  of  the  twelve,  and 
was  by  him  admitted  to  the  greatest  privileges  of  any  of  them;  being  not  only 
one  of  the  three  who  were  admitted  to  be  present  with  him  in  the  mount  at  his 
transfiguration,  and  at  the  raising  of  Jairus's  daughter,  and  whom  he  took  with 
him  when  he  was  in  his  agony,  and  one  of  the  three  spoken  of  by  the  apostle 
Paul,  as  the  three  main  pillars  of  the  Christian  church  ;  but  was  favored  above 
all,  in  being  admitted  to  lean  on  his  Master's  besom  at  his  last  supper,  and  in 
being  chosen  by  Christ,  as  the  disciple  to  whom  he  would  reveal  his  wonderful 
dispensations  towards  his  church,  to  the  end  of  time  ;  as  we  have  an  account  in 
the  Book  of  Revelation  ;  and  to  shut  up  the  canon  of  the  New  Testament, 
and  of  the  whole  Scripture ;  being  preserved  much  longer  than  all  the  rest  of 
the  apostles,  to  set  all  things  in  order  in  the  Christian  church,  after  their  death. 

It  is  evident  by  all  his  writings  (as  is  generally  observed  by  divines)  that 
he  was  a  person  remarkably  full  of  affection  :  his  addresses  to  those  whom  he 
wrote  to  being  irexpressibly  tender  and  pathetical,  breathing  nothing  but  the 
most  fervent  love  ;  as  though  he  were  all  made  up  of  sweet  and  holy  affection. 
The  proofs  of  which  cannot  be  given  without  disadvantage,  miless  we  should 
transcribe  his  whole  writings. 

7.  He  whom  God  sent  into  the  Avorld  to  be  the  light  of  the  world,  and  head 
of  the  whole  church,  and  the  perfect  example  of  true  religion  and  virtue,  for 
the  imitation  of  all,  the  Shepherd  whom  the  whole  flock  should  follow  wher- 
ever he  goes,  even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  was  a  person  who  was  remarkably  of 
a  tender  and  affectionate  heart ;  and  his  virtue  was  expressed  very  much  in  the 
exercise  of  holy  affections.  He  was  the  gi-eatest  instance  of  ardency,  vigor 
jmd  strength  of  love,  to  both  God  and  man,  that  ever  was.  It  was  these  af- 
fections which  got  the  victory,  in  tliat  mighty  struggle  and  conflict  of  his  af- 
fections, in  his  agonies,  when  "  he  prayed  more  earnestly,  and  offered  strong 
crying  and  tears,"  and  wrestled  in  tears  and  in  blood.  Such  was  the  power  of 
the  exercises  of  his  holy  love,  that  they  were  stronger  than  death,  and  in  that 
great  struggle,  overcame  those  strong  exercises  of  tbe  natural  affections  of  fear 
and  grief,  when  he  was  sore  amazed,  and  his  soul  was  exceeding  sorrowful, 
even  wnto  death.  And  he  also  appeared  to  be  full  of  affection  in  the  course  of 
his  life.  We  read  of  his  great  zeal,  fulfilling  that  in  the  69th  Psalm,  "  The 
zeal  of  thine  house  hath  eaten  me  lip,"  John  ii.  17.  We  read  of  his  grief  for 
the  sins  of  men,  Mark  iii.  5 :  "  He  looked  round  about  on  them  with  anger, 
being  grieved  for  the  hardness  of  their  hearts ;"  and  his  breaking  forth  in  tears 
and  exclamations,  from  the  consideration  of  the  sin  and  misery  of  ungodly  men, 
and  on  the  sight  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  which  was  full  of  such  inhabitants, 
Luke  xix.  41,42:  "  And,  when  he  was  come  near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and 
wept  over  it,  saying.  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day, 
the  thmgs  which  belong  unto  thy  peace  !  But  now  they  are  hid  from  thine 
eyes."  With  chap.  xiii.  34,  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  which  killest  the  pro- 
phets, and  stonest  them  that  are  sent  unto  tlree ;  how  often  would  I  have  gath- 


14  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

ered  thy  children  together,  as  a  hen  doth  gather  her  brood  under  her  wings, 
and  ye  would  not !"  We  read  of  Christ's  earnest  desire,  Luke  xxii.  15 :  "  With 
desire  have  I  desired  to  eat  this  passover  \yith  you  before  I  suffer."  We  often 
read  of  the  affection  of  pity  or  compassion  in  Christ,  Matt.  xv.  32,  and  xviii.  34 
Luke  vii.  13,  and  of  his  "  being  moved  with  compassion,"  Matt.  ix.  36,  and 
xiv.  14,  and  Mark  vi.  34.  And  how  tender  did  his  heart  appear  to  be,  on  oc- 
casion of  Mary's  and  Martha's  mourning  for  their  brother,  and  coming  to  him 
with  their  complaints  and  tears  !  Their  tears  soon  drew  tears  from  his  eyes  ; 
he  was  atlected  with  their  grief,  and  wept  with  them  ;  though  he  knew  theii 
sorrow  should  so  soon  be  turned  into  joy,  by  their  brother's  being  raised  from 
the  dead ;  see  John  xi.  And  how  ineffably  affectionate  was  that  last  and  dy- 
ing discourse,  which  Jesus  had  with  his  eleven  disciples  the  evening  before  he 
was  crucified  ;  when  he  told  them  he  was  going  away,  and  foretold  them  the 
great  difficulties  and  sufferings  they  should  meet  with  in  the  world,  when  he 
was  gone ;  and  comforted  and  counselled  them  as  his  dear  little  children  ;  and 
bequeathed  to  them  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  therein  his  peace,  and  his  comfort  and 
joy,  as  it  were  in  his  last  will  and  testament,  in  the  13th,  14th,  15th,  and  16th 
chapters  of  John  ;  and  concluded  the  whole  with  that  affectionate  intercessory 
prayer  for  them.,  and  his  whole  church,  in  chap.  xvii.  Of  all  the  discourses  ever 
penned,  or  uttered  by  the  mouth  of  any  man,  this  seems  to  be  the  most  affec- 
tionate and  affecting. 

8.  The  religionof  heaven  consists  very  much  in  affection. 

There  is  doubtless  true  religion  in  heaven,  and  true  religion  in  its  utmost 
purity  and  perfection.  But  according  to  the  Scripture  representation  of  the 
heavenly  state,  the  religion  of  heaven  consists  chiefly  in  holy  and  mighty  love 
and  joy,  and  the  expression  of  these  in  most  fervent  and  exalted  praises.  So 
that  the  religion  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  consists  in  the  same  things  with  that 
religion  of  the  saints  on  earth,  which  is  spoken  of  in  our  text,  viz.,  love,  anc 
"joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  Now  it  would  be  very  foolish  to  pretend, 
that  because  the  saints  in  heaven  be  not  united  to  flesh  and  blood,  and  have  no 
animal  fluids  to  be  moved  (through  the  laws  of  union  of  soul  and  body)  with 
those  great  emotions  of  their  souls,  that  therefore  their  exceeding  love  and  joy 
are  no  affections.  We  are  not  speaking  of  the  affections  of  the  body,  but  of 
the  affections  of  the  soul,  the  chief  of  which  are  love  smd  joj/.  When  these  are 
in  the  soul,  whether  that  be  in  the  body  or  out  of  it,  the  soul  is  affected  and 
moved.  And  when  they  are  in  the  soul,  in  that  strength  in  which  they  are  in 
the  saints  in  heaven,  the  soul  is  mightily  affected  and  moved,  or,  which  is  the 
same  thing,  has  great  affections.  It  is  true,  we  do  not  experimentally  know 
what  love  and  joy  are  in  a  soul  out  of  a  body,  or  in  a  glorified  body ;  i.  e.,  we 
have  not  had  experience  of  love  and  joy  in  a  soul  in  these  circumstances ;  but 
the  saints  on  earth  do  know  what  divine  love  and  joy  in  the  soul  are,  and  they 
know  that  love  and  joy  are  of  the  same  kind  with  the  love  and  joy  which  are 
in  heaven,  in  separate  souls  there.  The  love  and  joy  of  the  saints  on  earth,  is 
the  beginning  and  dawning  of  the  light,  life,  and  blessedness  of  heaven,  and  is 
like  their  love  and  joy  there ;  or  rather,  the  same  in  nature,  though  not  the 
same  with  it,  or  hke  to  it,  in  degree  and  circumstances.  This  is  evident  by 
many  Scriptures,  as  Prov,  iv.  18  ;  John  iv.  14,  and  chap.  vi.  40,  47,  50,  51, 
54,  58  ;  1  John  iii.  15 ;  1  Cor.  xiii.  8 — 12.  It  is  ynreasonable  therefore  to  sup- 
pose, that  the  love  and  joy  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  not  only  differ  in  degree  and 
circumstances,  from  the  holy  love  and  joy  of  the  saints  on  earth,  but  is  so  en- 
tirely different  in  nature,  that  they  are  no  affections ;  and  merely  because  the} 
have  no  blood  and  animal  spirits  to  be  set  in  motion  by  them,  which  motion  o: 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  15 

the  blood  and  animal  spirits  is  not  of  the  essence  of  these  affections,  in  men  on 
the  earth,  but  the  effect  of  them  ;  aUhough  by  their  reaction  they  may  make 
some  circumstantial  difference  in  the  sensation  of  the  mind.  There  is  a  sensa- 
tion of  the  mind  which  loves  and  rejoices,  that  is  antecedent  to  any  effects  on 
the  fluids  of  the  body ;  and  this  sensation  of  the  mind,  therefore,  does  not  de- 
pend on  these  motions  in  the  body,  and  so  may  be  in  the  soul  without  the  body. 
And  wherever  there  are  the  exercises  of  love  and  joy,  there  is  that  sensation 
of  the  mind,  whether  it  be  in  the  body  or  out  j  and  that  inward  sensation,  or 
kind  of  spiritual  sense,  or  feelino;,  and  motion  of  the  soul,  is  what  is  called  af- 
fection :  the  soul  w^hen  it  thus  feels  (if  I  may  say  so),  and  is  thus  moved,  is  said 
to  be  affected,  and  especially  when  this  inward  sensation  and  motion  are  to  a 
very  high  degree,  as  they  are  in  the  saints  in  heaven.  If  we  can  learn  any 
thing  of  the  state  of  heaven  from  the  Scripture,  the  love  and  joy  that  the  saints 
have  there,  is  exceeding  great  and  vigorous ;  impressing  the  heart  with  the 
strongest  and  most  lively  sensation  of  inexpressible  sweetness,  mightily  moving, 
animating,  and  engaging  them,  making  them  like  a  flame  of  fire.  And  if  such 
love  and  joy  be  not  affections,  then  the  word  affection  is  of  no  use  in  language. 
Will  any  say,  that  the  saints  in  heaven,  in  beholding  the  face  of  their  Father, 
and  the  glory  of  their  Redeemer,  and  contemplating  his  wonderful  works,  and 
particularly  liis  laying  down  his  hfe  for  them,  have  their  hearts  nothing  moved 
and  affected  by  all  which  they  behold  or  consider  1 

Hence,  therefore,  the  religion  of  heaven,  consisting  chiefly  in  holy  love  and 
joy,  consists  very  much  in  affection ;  and  therefore,  undoubtedly,  true  religion 
consists  very  much  in  affection.  The  way  to  learn  the  true  nature  of  any  thing, 
is  to  go  where  that  thing  is  to  be  found  in  its  purity  and  perfection.  If  we 
would  know  the  nature  of  true  gold  we  must  view  it,  not  in  the  ore,  but  when 
it  is  refined.  If  w^e  would  learn  what  true  religion  is,  we  must  go  where  there 
is  true  religion,  and  nothing  but  true  religion,  and  in  its  highest  perfection, 
without  any  defect  or  mixture.  All  who  are  truly  religious  are  not  of  this 
world,  they  are  strangers  here,  and  belong  to  heaven  ;  they  are  born  from  above, 
heaven  is  their  native  country,  and  the  nature  which  they  receive  by  this 
heavenly  birth,  is  a  heavenly  nature,  they  receive  an  anointing  from  above  ; 
that  principle  of  true  religion  which  is  in  them,  is  a  communication  of  the  reli- 
gion of  heaven  ;  their  grace  is  the  dawn  of  glory  ;  and  God  fits  them  for  that 
world  by  conforming  them  to  it. 

9.  This  appears  from  the  nature  and  design  of  the  ordinances  and  duties, 
which  God  hath  appointed,  as  means  and  expressions  of  true  religion. 

To  instance  in  the  duty  of  prayer :  it  is  manifest,  we  are  not  appointed  in 
this  duty,  to  declare  God's  perfections,  his  majesty,  holiness,  goodness,  and  all- 
sufficiency,  and  our  own  meanness,  emptiness,  dependence,  and  unworthiness, 
and  our  wants  and  desires,  to  inform  God  of  these  things,  or  to  incline  his  heart, 
and  prevail  with  him  to  be  willing  to  show  us  mercy  ;  but  suitably  to  affect 
our  own  hearts  with  the  things  we  express,  and  so  to  prepare  us  to  receive  the 
blessings  we  ask.  And  such  gestures  and  manner  of  external  behavior  in  the 
worship  of  God,  which  custom  has  made  to  be  significations  of  humility  and 
reverence,  can  be  of  no  further  use  than  as  they  have  some  tendency  to  affect 
our  own  hearts,  or  the  hearts  of  others. 

And  the  duty  of  singing  praises  to  God  seems  to  be  appointed  wholly  to  ex- 
cite and  express  religious  affections.  No  other  reason  can  be  assigned  wiiy  we 
should  express  ourselves  to  God  in  verse,  rather  than  in  prose,  and  do  it  with 
music,  but  only,  that  such  is  our  nature  and  frame,  that  these  things  have  a 
tendency  to  move  our  affections. 


16  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

The  same  thing  appears  in  the  nature  and  design  of  the  sacraments,  which 
God  hath  appointed.  God,  considering  our  frame,  hath  not  only  appointed  that 
we  should  iDe  told  of  the  great  things  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  redemption  of 
Christ,  and  instructed  in  them  by  his  word ;  but  also  that  they  should  be,  as  it 
were,  exhibited  to  our  view,  in  sensible  representations,  in  the  sacraments,  the 
more  to  affect  us  with  them. 

And  the  impressing  divine  things  on  the  hearts  and  affections  of  men,  is 
evidently  one  great  and  main  end  for  which  God  has  ordained  that  his  word  de- 
livered in  the  holy  Scriptures,  should  be  opened,  applied,  and  set  home  upon  men,  \ 
in  preaching.     And  therefore  it  does  not  answer  the  aim  which  God  had  in  1 
this  institution,  merely  for  men  to  have  good  commentaries  and   expositions  on  ! 
the  Scripture,  and  other  good  books  of  divinity ;  because,  although  these  may  i 
tend  as  well  as  preaching  to  give  men  a  good  doctrinal  or  speculative  under-  ; 
standing  of  the  things  of  the  word  of  God,  yet  they  have  not  an  equal  tendency  ; 
to  impress  them  on  men's  hearts  and  affections.     God  hath  appointed  a  par- 
ticular and  lively  application  of  his  word  to  men  in  the  preaching  of  it,  as  a  fit 
means  to  affect  sinners  with  the  importance  of  the  things  of  religion,  and  their 
own  misery,  and  necessity  of  a  remedy,  and  the  glory  and  sufficiency  of  a  reme- 
dy provided ;  and  to   stir  up  the  pure  minds  of  the  saints,  and  quicken  their 
affections,  by  often  bringing  the  great  things  of  religion  to  their  remembrance, 
and  setting  them  before  them  in  their  proper  colors,  though  they  know  them, 
and  have  been  fully  instructed  in  them  already,  2  Pet.  i.  12,  13.     And  particu- 
larly, to  promote  those  two  affections  in  them,  which  are  spoken  of  in  the  text, 
love  and  joy  :  "  Christ  gave  some,  apostles  ,•  and  some,  prophets ;  and  some, 
evangelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers  ;  that  the  body  of  Christ  might  be 
edified  in  love,"  Eph.  iv.  11,  12,  16.     The  apostle  in  instructing  and  counselling 
Timothy  x^oncerning  the  work  of  the  ministry,  informs  him  that  the  great  end  of 
that  word  which  a  minister  is  to  preach,  is  love  or  charity,  1  Tim.  3,  4,  5.  And 
another  affection  which  God  has  appointed  preaching  as  a  means  to  promote  in 
the  saints,  is  joy  ;  and  therefore  ministers  are  called  "  helpers  of  their  joy,"  2 
Cor.  i.  24. 

10.  It  is  an  evidence  that  true  religion,  or  holiness  of  heart,  lies  very  much 
in  the  affection  of  the  heart,  that  the  Scriptures  place  the  sin  of  the  heart  very 
much  in  hardness  of  heart.  Thus  the  Scriptures  do  everywhere.  It  was  hard- 
ness of  heart  which  excited  grief  and  displeasure  in  Christ  towards  the  Jews, 
Mark  iii.  5  :  "  He  looked  round  about  on  them  with  anger,  being  grieved  for 
Lhe  hardness  of  their  hearts."  It  is  from  men's  having  such  a  heart  as  this,  that 
they  treasure  up  wrath  for  themselves  :  Rom.  ii.  5,  "  After  thy  hardness  and  im- 
Tienitcnt  heart,  treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  and 
revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God."  The  reason  given  why  the  house 
of  Israel  would  not  obey  God,  was,  that  they  were  hard-hearted  :  Ezekiel  iii.  7, 
"  But  the  house  of  Israel  will  not  hearken  unto  thee  ;  for  they  will  not  hearken 
unto  me :  for  all  the  house  of  Israel  are  impudent  and  hard-hearted."  The  wick- 
edness of  that  perverse  rebellious  generation  in  the  wilderness,  is  ascribed  to  the 
hardness  of  their  hearts  :  Psal.  xcv.  7 — 10,  "To-day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice, 
harden  not  your  heart,  as  in  the  provocation,  and  as  in  the  day  of  temptation  in 
the  wilderness ;  when  your  fathers  tempted  me,  proved  me,  and  saw  my  work  : 
forty  years  long  was  I  grieved  with  this  generation,  and  said,  It  is  a  people  that 
do  err  in  their  heart,"  &c.  This  is  spoken  of  as  what  prevented  Zedekiah's 
turning  to  the  Lord:  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  13,"  He  stiffened  his  neck,  and  hardened 
his  heart  from  turning  to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel."  This  principle  is  spoken  of, 
as  that  from  whence  men  are  without  the  fear  of  God,  and  depart  from  God's 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  17 

ways :  Isa.  Ixiii.  17,  "  0  Lord,  why  hast  thou  made  us  to  err  from  thy  ways, 
and  hardened  our  heart  from  thy  fear  ?"  And  men's  rejecting  Christ,  and  op- 
posing Christianity,  is  laid  to  this  principle  :  Acts  xix.  9,  "  But  when  divers 
were  hardened,  and  behevcd  not,  but  spake  evil  of  that  way  before  the  multi- 
tude/' God's  leaving  men  to  the  power  of  the  sin  and  corruption  of  the  heart, 
is  often  expressed  by  God's  hardening  their  hearts  :  Rom.  ix.  18,  "  Therefore 
hath  he  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.'* 
John  xii.  40,  "  He  hath  blinded  their  minds,  and  hardened  their  hearts."  And 
the  apostle  seems  to  speak  of  "  an  evil  heart  that  departs  from  the  living  God, 
and  a  hard  heart,"  as  the  same  thing  :  Heb.  iii.  8,  "  Harden  not  your  heart,  as 
in  the  provocation,"  &c. ;  ver.  12,  13,  "  Take  heed,  brethren,  lest  there  be  in  any 
of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing  from  the  living  God :  but  exhort 
one  another  daily,  while  it  is  called  to-day ;  lest  any  of  you  be  hardened  through 
the  deceitfulness  of  sin."  And  that  great  work  of  God  in  conversion,  which 
consists  in  delivering  a  person  from  the  power  of  sin,  and  mortifying  corruption, 
is  expressed,  once  and  again,  by  God's  "  taking  away  the  heart  of  stone,  and  giv- 
ing a  heart  of  flesh,"  Ezek,  xi.  19,  and  chap,  xxxvi.  26. 

Now  by  a  hard  heart,  is  plainly  meant  an  unaffected  heart,  or  a  heart  not  easy 
to  be  moved  with  virtuous  aflections,  like  a  stone,  insensible,  stupid,  unmoved, 
and  hard  to  be  impressed.  Hence  the  hard  heart  is  called  a  stony  heart,  and  is 
opposed  to  a  heart  of  flesh,  that  has  feeling,  and  is  sensibly  touched  and  moved. 
\Ve  read  in  Scripture  of  a  hard  heart,  and  a  tender  heart ;  and  doubtless  we 
are  to  understand  these,  as  contrary  the  one  to  the  other.  But  what  is  a  tender 
heart,  but  a  heart  which  is  easily  impressed  with  what  ought  to  affect  it  ?  God 
commends  Josiah,  because  his  heart  was  tender ;  and  it  is  evident  by  those 
things  which  are  mentioned  as  expressions  and  evidences  of  this  tenderness  of 
heart,  that  by  his  heart  being  tender  is  meant,  his  heart  being  easily  moved  with 
religious  and  pious  affection  :  2  Kings  xxii.  19,  "  Because  thine  heart  was  ten- 
der, and  thou  hast  humbled  thyself  before  the  Lord,  when  thou  heardest  what  I 
spake  against  this  place,  and  against  the  inhabitants  thereof,  that  they  should 
become  a  desolation  and  a  curse,  and  hast  rent  thy  clothes,  and  wept  before 
me,  I  also  have  heard  thee,  saith  the  Lord."  And  this  is  one  thing,  wherein  it  is 
necessary  we  should  "  become  as  little  children,  in  order  to  our  entering  into  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  even  that  we  should  have  our  hearts  tender,  and  easily  af- 
fected and  moved  in  spiritual  and  divine  things,  as  little  children  have  in  othei 
things. 

It  is  very  plain  in  some  places,  in  the  texts  themselves,  that  by  hardness  of 
heart  is  meant  a  heart  void  of  affection.  So,  to  signify  the  ostrich's  being 
without  natural  affection  to  her  young,  it  is  said,  Job  xxxix.  16,  "  She  harden- 
eth  her  heart  against  her  young  ones,  as  though  they  were  not  hers."  So  a  per- 
son having  a  heart  unaffected  in  time  of  danger,  is  expressed  by  his  hardening 
his  heart :  Prov.  xxviii.  14,  "  Happy  is  the  man  that  feareth  alway ;  but  he 
that  hardeneth  his  heart  shall  fall  into  mischief" 

Now,  therefore,  since  it  is  so  plain,  that  by  a  hard  heart,  in  Scripture,  is 
meant  a  heart  destitute  of  pious  affections,  and  since  also  the  Scriptures  do  so 
frequently  place  the  sin  and  corruption  of  the  heart  in  hardness  of  heart ;  it  is 
evident,  that  the  grace  and  holiness  of  the  heart,  on  the  contrary,  must,  in  a 
great  measure,  consist  in  its  having  pious  affections,  and  being  easily  suscep- 
tive of  such  affection.  Divines  are  generally  agreed,  that  sin  radically  and 
fundamentally  consist  in  what  is  negative,  or  privative,  having  its  root  and 
foundation  in  a  privation  or  want  of  holiness.  And  therefore  undoubtedly,  if  it 
be  so  that  sin  does  very  much  consist  in  hardness  of  heart,  and  so  in  the  want  of 
Vol.  in.  3 


18  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

pious  affections  of  heart,  holiness  does  consist  very  much  in  those  pious  affec- 
tions. 

I  am  far  from  supposing  that  all  affections  do  show  a  tender  heart :  hatred, 
anger,  vainglory,  and  other  selfish  and  self-exalting  affections,  may  greatly  pre- 
vail in  the  hardest  heart.  But  yet  it  is  evident,  that  hardness  of  heart  and 
tenderness  of  heart,  are  expressions  that  relate  to  the  affection  of  the  heart,  and 
denote  the  heart's  being  susceptible  of,  or  shut  up  against  certain  affections  ;  of 
which  I  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  more  afterwards. 

Upon  the  whole,  I  think  it  clearly  and  abundantly  evident,  that  true  religioK 
lies  very  much  in  the  affections.  Not  that  I  think  these  arguments  prove,  that 
religion  in  the  hearts  of  the  truly  godly,  is  ever  in  exact  proportion  to  the  degree 
of  affection,  and  present  emotion  of  the  mind  :  for  undoubtedly,  there  is  much 
affection  in  the  true  saints  which  is  not  spiritual ;  their  religious  affections  are 
often  mixed ;  all  is  not  from  grace,  but  much  from  nature.  And  though  the 
affections  have  not  their  seat  in  the  body ;  yet  the  constitution  of  the  body 
may  very  much  contribute  to  the  present  emotion  of  the  mind.  And  the  degree 
of  religion  is  rather  to  be  judged  of  by  the  fixedness  and  strength  of  the  habit 
that  is  exercised  in  affection,  whereby  holy  affection  is  habitual,  than  by  the 
degree  of  the  present  exercise  ;  and  the  strength  of  that  habit  is  not  always  in 
proportion  to  outward  effects  and  manifestations,  or  inward  effects,  in  the  hurry 
and  vehemence,  and  sudden  changes  of  the  course  of  the  thoughts  of  the  mind. 
But  yet  it  is  evident,  that  religion  consists  so  much  in  affection,  as  that  without 
holy  affection  there  is  no  true  religion ;  and  no  light  in  the  understanding  is 
good,  which  does  not  produce  holy  alfection  in  the  heart :  no  habit  or  principle 
in  the  heart  is  good,  which  has  no  such  exercise  ;  and  no  external  fruit  is  good, 
which  does  not  proceed  from  such  exercises. 

Having  thus  considered  the  evidence  of  the  proposition  laid  down,  I  proceed 
to  some  inferences. 

1.  We  may  hence  learn  how  great  their  error  is,  who  are  for  discarding  all 
religious  affections,  as  having  nothing  solid  or  substantial  in  them. 

There  seems  to  be  too  much  of  a  disposition  this  way,  prevailing  in  this  land 
at  this  time.  Because  many  who,  in  the  late  extraordinary  season,  appeared  to 
have  great  rehgious  affections,  did  not  manifest  a  right  temper  of  mind,  and  run 
into  many  errors,  in  the  time  of  their  affections,  and  the  heat  of  their  zeal;  and 
because  the  high  affections  of  many  seem  to  be  so  soon  come  to  nothing,  and 
some  who  seemed  to  be  mightily  raised  and  swallowed  up  with  joy  and  zeal,  for 
a  while,  seem  to  have  returned  like  the  dog  to  his  vomit ;  hence  religious  af- 
fections in  general  are  grown  out  of  credit  with  great  numbers,  as  though  true 
religion  did  not  at  all  consist  in  them.  Thus  we  easily  and  naturally  run  from 
one  extreme  to  another.  A  little  w-hile  ago  we  w^ere  in  the  other  extreme ; 
there  was  a  prevalent  disposition  to  look  upon  all  high  religious  affections  as 
eminent  exercises  of  true  grace,  without  much  inquiring  into  the  nature  and 
source  of  those  affections,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  arose :  if  persons 
did  but  appear  to  be  indeed  very  much  moved  and  raised,  so  as  to  be  full  of  re- 
ligious talk,  and  express  themselves  with  great  warmth  and  earnestness,  and  to 
be  filled,  or  to  be  very  full,  as  the  phrases  were ;  it  was  too  much  the  manner, 
without  further  examination,  to  conclude  such  persons  were  full  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  had  eminent  experience  of  his  gracious  influences.  This  was  the  ex- 
treme which  was  prevailing  three  or  four  years  ago.  But  of  late,  instead  of 
esteeming  and  admiring  all  religious  affections  without  distinction,  it  is  a  thing 
much  more  prevalent,  to  reject  and  discard  all  without  distinction.  Herein 
appears  the  subtilty  of  Satan.    While  he  saM'  that  affections  were  much  in  vogue, 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  19    ) 

knowing  the  greater  part  of  the  land  were  not  versed  in  such  things,  and  had 
not  had  much  experience  of  great  religions  affections  to  enable  them  to  judge 
well  of  them,  and  distinguish  between  true  and  false ;  then  he  knew  he  could 
best  play  his  game,  by  sowing  tares  amongst  the  wheat,  and  minghng  false 
affections  with  the  works  of  God's  Spirit:  he  knew  this  to  be  a  likely  way  to 
delude  and  eternally  ruin  many  souls,  and  greatly  to  wound  religion  in  the  saiiits, 
and  entangle  them  in  a  dreadful  wilderness,  and  by  and  by,  to  bring  all  religion 
into  disrepute. 

But  now,  when  the  ill  consequences  of  these  false  affections  appear, 
and  it  is  become  very  appaient,  tliat  some  of  those  emotions  which  made  a 
glaring  show,  and  were  by  many  greatly  admired,  were  in  reality  nothing  ;  the 
devil  sees  it  to  be  for  his  interest  to  go  another  way  to  work,  and  to  endeavor 
to  his  utmost  to  propagate  and  establish  a  persuasion,  that  all  affections  and 
sensible  emotions  of  the  mind,  in  things  of  religion,  are  nothing  at  all  to  be  re- 
garded, but  are  rather  to  be  avoided,  and  carefully  guarded  against,  as  things  y 
of  a  pernicious  tendency.  This  he  knows  is  the  way  to  bring  all  religion  to  a  / 
mere  lifeless  formality,  and  effectually  shut  out  the  power  of  godliness,  and  every 
thing  which  is  spiritual,  and  to  have  all  true  Christianity  turned  out  of  doors. 
For  although  to  true  religion  there  must  indeed  be  something  else  besides  affec- 
tion j  yet  true  religion  conists  so  much  in  the  affections,  that  there  can  be  no 
true  religion  without  them.  He  who  has  no  religious  affection,  is  in  a  state  of 
spiritual  death,  and  is  wholly  destitute  of  the  powerful,  quickening,  saving  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  his  heart.  As  there  is  no  true  religion  where  f 
there  is  nothing  else  but  affection,  so  there  is  no  true  religion  where  there  is  no 
religious  affection.  As  on  the  one  hand,  there  must  be  light  in  the  understand- 
ing, as  well  as  an  affected  fervent  heart ;  where  there  is  heat  without  light,  there 
can  be  nothing  divine  or  heavenly  in  that  heart ;  so  on  the  other  hand,  where 
there  is  a  kind  of  light  without  heat,  a  head  stored  with  notions  and  speculations,  ,/ 
with  a  cold  and  unaffected  heart,  there  can  be  nothing  divine  in  that  light,  that 
knowledge  is  no  true  spiritual  knowledge  of  divine  things.  If  the  great  things 
of  religion  are  rightly  understood,  they  will  affect  the  heart.  The  reason  why 
men  are  not  affected  by  such  infinitely  great,  important,  glorious,  and  wonderful 
things,  as  they  often  hear  and  read  of,  in  the  word  of  God,  is  undoubtedly  be- 
cause they  are  blind  \  if  they  were  not  so,  it  would  be  impossible,  and  utterly 
inconsistent  w^ith  human  nature,  that  their  hearts  should  be  otherwise  than 
strongly  impressed,  and  greatly  moved  by  such  things. 

This  manner  of  slighting  all  religious  affections,  is  the  way  exceedingly  to 
harden  the  hearts  of  men,  and  to  encourage  them  in  their  stupidity  and  senseless- 
ness, and  to  keep  them  in  a  state  of  spiritual  death  as  long  as  they  live,  and 
bring  them  at  last  to  death  eternal.  The  prevailing  prejudice  against  rehgious  af- 
fections at  this  day,  in  the  land,  is  apparently  of  awful  effect  to  harden  the  hearts 
of  sinners,  and  damp  the  graces  of  many  of  the  saints,  and  stun  the  hfe  and 
power  of  religion,  and  preclude  the  effect  of  ordinances,  and  hold  us  down  in  a 
state  of  dulness  and  apathy,  and  undoubtedly  causes  many  persons  greatly  to 
offend  God,  in  entertaining  mean  and  low  thoughts  of  the  extraordinary  work 
he  has  lately  wrought  in  this  land. 

And  for  persons  to  despise  and  cry  down  all  religious  affections,  is  the  way 
to  shut  all  religion  out  of  their  own  hearts,  and  to  make  thorough  work  in  ruin- 
ing their  souls. 

They  who  condemn  high  affections  in  others,  are  certainly  not  likely  to  have 
high  affections  themselves.  And  let  it  be  considered,  that  they  who  have  but 
little  religious  affection,  have  certainlv  but  little  religion.     And  they  who  con- 


20  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

deriin  others  for  their  religious  affections,  and  have  none  themselves,  have  no 
religion. 

There  are  false  affections,  and  there  are  true.  A  man's  having  much  af- 
fection, does  not  prove  that  he  has  any  true  religion :  but  if  he  has  no  affection, 
it  proves  that  he  has  no  true  religion.  The  right  way,  is  not  to  reject  all  affec 
tions,  nor  to  approve  all ;  but  to  distinguish  between  affections,  approving  some, 
and  rejecting  others ;  separating  between  the  wheat  and  the  chaff,  the  gold  and 
the  dross,  the  precious  and  the  vile. 

2.  If  it  be  so,  that  true  religion  lies  much  in  the  affections,  hence  we  may 
infer,  that  such  means  are  to  be  desired,  as  have  much  of  a  tendency  to  move 
the  affections.  Such  books,  and  such  a  way  of  preaching  the  word,  and  admin- 
istration of  ordinances,  and  such  a  way  of  worshipping  God  in  prayer,  and 
singing  praises,  is  much  to  be  desiied,  as  has  a  tendency  deeply  to  affect  the 
hearts  of  those  who  attend  these  means. 

Such  a  kind  of  means  would  formerly  have  been  highly  approved  of,  and 
applauded  by  the  generality  of  the  people  of  the  land,  as  the  most  excellent  and 
profitable,  and  having  the  greatest  tendency  to  promote  the  ends  of  the  means 
of  grace.  But  the  prevailing  taste  seems  of  late  strangely  to  be  altered  :  that 
pathetical  manner  of  praying  and  preaching,  which  would  formerly  have  been 
admired  and  extolled,  and  that  for  this  reason,  because  it  had  such  a  tendency 
to  move  the  affections,  now,  in  great  multitudes,  immediately  excites  disgust,  and 
moves  no  other  affections,  that  those  of  displeasure  and  contempt. 

Perhaps,  formerly  the  generality  (at  least  of  the  common  people)  were  in 
.he  extreme,  of  looking  too  much  to  an  affectionate  address,  in  public  perform- 
ances :  but  now,  a  very  great  part  of  the  people  seem  to  have  gone  far  into  a 
contrary  extreme.  Indeed  there  may  be  such  means,  as  may  have  a  great  ten- 
dency to  stir  up  the  passions  of  weak  and  ignorant  persons,  and  yet  have  no 
great  tendency  to  benefit  their  souls  :  lor  though  they  may  have  a  tendency  to 
excite  affections,  they  may  have  little  or  none  to  excite  gracious  affections,  or 
any  affections  tending  to  grace.  But  undoubtedly,  if  the  things  of  religion,  in 
the  means  used,  are  treated  according  to  their  nature,  and  exhibited  truly,  so  as 
tends  to  convey  just  apprehensions,  and  a  right  judgment  of  them ;  the  more 
they  have  a  tendency  to  move  the  affections  the  better. 

3.  If  true  religion  lies  much  in  the  affections,  hence  we  may  learn,  what 
great  cause  we  have  to  be  ashamed  and  confounded  before  God,  that  we  are 
no  more  affected  with  the  great  things  of  religion.  It  appears  from  what  has 
been  said,  that  this  arises  from  our  having  so  little  ti'ue  religion. 

God  has  given  to  mankind  affections,  for  the  same  purpose  which  he  has 
given  all  the  faculties  and  principles  of  the  human  soul  for,  viz.,  that  they  might 
be  subservient  to  man's  chief  end,  and  the  great  business  for  which  God  has  cre- 
ated him,  that  is,  the  business  of  religion.  And  yet  how  common  is  it  among 
mankind,  that  their  affections  are  much  more  exercised  and  engaged  in  other 
matters,  than  in  religion  !  In  things  which  concern  men's  worldly  interest, 
their  outward  delights,  their  honor  and  reputation,  and  their  natural  relations, 
they  have  their  desires  eager,  their  appetites  vehement,  their  love  warm  and  af- 
fectionate, their  zeal  ardent ;  in  these  things  their  hearts  are  tender  and  sensi- 
ble, easily  moved,  dt;eply  impressed,  much  concerned,  very  sensibly  affected,  and 
greatly  engaged ;  much  depressed  %vith  grief  at  worldly  losses,  and  highly  rais- 
ed with  joy  at  worldly  successes  and  prosperity.  But  how  insensible  and  un- 
moved are  most  men,  about  the  great  things  of  another  world  !  How  dull  are 
their  affections !  How  heavy  and  hard  their  hearts  in  these  matters  !  Here 
their  love  is  cold,  their  desires  languid,  their  zeal  low,  and  their  gratitude  small. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  21 

How  they  can  sit  and  hear  of  the  infinite  height,  and  depth,  and  length,  and 
breadth  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  of  his  giving  his  infinitely  dear  Son, 
to  be  oifered  up  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  men,  and  of  the  unparalleled  love  of 
the  innocent,  and  holy,  and  tender  Lamb  of  God,  manifested  in  his  dying  ago- 
nies, his  bloody  sweat,  his  loud  and  bitter  cries,  and  bleeding  heart,  and  all  this 
for  enemies,  to' redeem  them  from  deserved,  eternal  burnings,  and  to  bring  to  un- 
speakable and  everlasting  joy  and  glory  ;  and  yet  be  cold,  and  heavy,  insensible, 
and  regardless  !  Where  are  the  exercises  of  our  affections  proper,  if  not  here  1 
What  is  it  that  does  more  require  them  1  And  what  can  be  a  fit  occasion  of 
their  lively  and  vigorous  exercise,  if  not  such  a  one  as  this  ?  Can  any  thing 
be  set  in  our  view,  greater  and  more  important  ?  Any  thing  more  wonderful 
and  surprising  1  Or  more  nearly  concerning  our  interest  ?  Can  we  suppose 
the  wise  Creator  implanted  such  principles  in  the  human  nature  as  the  affections, 
to  be  of  use  to  us,  and  to  be  exercised  on  certain  proper  occasions,  but  to  lie 
still  on  such  an  occasion  as  this  ?  Can  any  Christian  who  believes  the  truth 
of  these  things,  entertain  such  thoughts  ? 

If  we  ought  ever  to  exercise  our  affections  at  all,  and  if  the  Creator  has  not 
unw^isely  constituted  the  human  nature  in  making  these  principles  a  part  of  it, 
.when  they  are  vain  and  useless ;  then  they  ought  to  be  exercised  about  those 
objects  which  are  most  worthy  of  them.  But  is  there  any  thing  which  Chris- 
tians can  find  in  heaven  or  earth,  so  worthy  to  be  the  objects  of  their  admira- 
tion and  love,  their  earnest  and  longing  desires,  their  hope,  and  their  rejoicing, 
and  their  fervent  zeal,  as  those  things  that  are  held  forth  to  us  in  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  7  In  which  not  only  are  things  declared  most  worthy  to  affect  us, 
but  they,  are  exhibited  in  the  mos't  aff'ecting  manner.  The  glory  and  beauty  of 
the  blessed  Jehovah,  which  is  most  worthy  in  itself,  to  be  the  object  of  our  ad- 
miration and  love,  is  there  exhibited  in  the  most  affecting  manner  that  can  be 
conceived  of,  as  it  appears,  shining  in  all  its  lustre,  in  the  face  of  an  incarnate, 
infinitely  loving,  meek,  compassionate,  dying  Redeemer,  All  the  virtues  of 
the  Lamb  of  God,  his  humility,  patience,  meekness,  submission,  obedience,  love 
and  compassion,  are  exhibited  to  our  view,  in  a  manner  the  most  tending  to 
move  our  affections,  of  any  that  can  be  imagined ;  as  they  all  had  their  greatest 
trial,  and  their  highest  exercise,  and  so  their  brightest  manifestation,  when  he 
was  in  the  most  affecting  circumstances  ;  even  when  he  was  under  his  last  suf- 
ferings, those  unutterable  and  unparalleled  suff(?rings  he  endured,  from  his  tender 
love  "and  pity  to  us.  There  also  the  hateful  nature  of  our  sins  is  manifested  in 
the  most  affecting  manner  possible  :  as  we  see  the  dreadful  effects  of  them,  in 
what  our  Redeemer,  who  undertook  to  answer  for  us,  suffered  for  them.  And 
there  we  have  the  most  affecting  manifestation  of  God's  hatred  of  sin,  and  his 
wrath  and  justice  in  punishing  it ;  as  we  see  his  justice  in  the  strictness  and  m- 
flexibleness  of  it ;  and  his  wrath  in  its  terribleness,  in  so  dreadfully  punishing 
our  sins,  in  one  who  was  infinitely  dear  to  him,  and  loving  to  us.  So  has  God 
disposed  things,  in  the  affair  of  our  redemption,  and  in  his  glorious  dispensations, 
revealed  to  us  in  the  gospel,  as  though  every  thing  were  purposely  contrived  in 
such  a  manner,  as  to  have  the  greatest  possible  tendency  to  reach  our  hearts  in 
the  most  tender  part,  and  move  our  affections  most  sensibly  and  strongly.  How 
great  cause  have  we  therefore  to  be  hmnbled  to  the  dust,  that  we  are  no  more 
affertp^  ! 


22  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 


PART   II 


SHOWING  WHAT  ABE  NO  CERTAIN  SIGNS  THAT  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS  ARE  TRULY  GRA- 
CIOUS, OU  THAT  THEY  ARE  NOT. 

If  any  one,  on  the  reading  of  what  has  been  just  now  said,  is  ready  to  acquit 
himself,  and  say,  "  I  am  not  one  of  those  who  have  no  rehgious  aft'ections ;  I 
am  often  greatly  moved  with  the  consideration  of  the  great  things  of  religion  :" 
let  him  not  content  himself  with  this,  that  he  has  religious  affections  :  for  as  we 
observed  before,  as  we  ought  not  to  reject  and  condemn  all  affections,  as  though 
true  religion  did  not  at  all  consist  in  affection  ;  so  on  the  other  hand,  w^e  ought 
not  to  approve  of  all,  as  though  every  one  that  was  religiously  affected  had 
true  grace,  and  was  therein  the  subject  of  the  saving  influences  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  J  and  that  therefore  the  right  way  is  to  distinguish  among  religious  affec- 
tions, between  one  sort  and  another.  Therefore  let  us  now  endeavor  to  do  this ; 
and  in  order  to  do  it,  I  would  do  two  things. 

I.  I  would  mention  some  things,  which  are  no  signs  one  way  or  the  other, 
either  that  affections  are  such  as  true  religion  consists  in,  or  that  they  are  other- 
wise ;  that  we  may  be  guarded  against  judging  of  affections  by  false  signs. 

II.  I  would  observe  some  things,  wherein  those  affections  which  are  spir- 
itual and  gracious,  differ  from  those  which  are  not  so,  and  may  be  distinguished 
and  known. 

First,  I  would  take  notice  of  some  things,  which  are  no  signs  that  affec- 
tions are  gracious,  or  that  they  are  not. 

I.  It  is  no  sign  one  way  or  the  other,  that  religious  affections  are  very  great, 
or  raised  very  high. 

Some  are  ready  to  condemn  all  high  affections :  if  persons  appear  to  have 
their  religious  affections  raised  to  an  extraordinary  pitch,  they  are  prejudiced 
against  them,  and  determine  that  they  are  delusions,  without  further  inquiry. 
But  if  it  be,  as  has  been  proved,  that  true  religion  lies  very  much  in  religious 
affections,  then  it  follows,  that  if  there  be  a  great  deal  of  true  religion,  there 
will  be  great  religious  affections  ;  if  true  religion  in  the  hearts  of  men  be  raised 
to  a  great  height,  divine  and  holy  affections  will  be  raised  to  a  great  height. 

Love  is  an  affection,  but  will  any  Christian  say,  men  ought  not  to  love  God 
and  Jesus  Christ  in  a  high  degree  ?  And  will  any  say,  we  ought  not  to  have 
a  very  great  hatred  of  sin,  and  a  very  deep  sorrow  for  it  ?  Or  that  we  ought 
not  to  exercise  a  high  degree  of  gratitude  to  God  for  the  mercies  we  receive  of 
him,  and  the  great  things  he  has  done  for  the  salvation  of  fallen  men '?  Or  that 
we  should  not  have  very  great  and  strong  desires  after  God  and  holiness  ?  Is 
there  any  who  will  profess,  that  his  affections  in  religion  are  great  enough  ;  and 
will  say,  "  I  have  no  cause  to  be  humbled,  that  I  am  no  more  affected  with  the 
things  of  religion  than  1  am  ;  I  have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed,  that  I  have  no 
g.reater  exercises  of  love  to  God  and  sorrow  for  sin,  and  gratitude  for  the  mer- 
cies which  I  have  received  ?"  Who  is  there  that  will  bless  God  that  he  is 
affected  enough  with  what  he  has  read  and  heard  of  the  wonderful  love  of  God 
to  worms  and  rebels,  in  giving  his  only  begotten  Son  to  die  for  them,  and  of  the 
dying  love  of  Christ ;  and  will  pray  that  he  may  not  be  affected  with  them  in 
any  higher  degree,  because  high  affections  are  improper,  and  very  unlovely  in 
Christians,  being  enthusiastical,  and  ruinous  to  true  religion  ? 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  23 

Our  text  plainly  speaks  of  great  and  high  afifections  when  it  speaks  of"  re- 
joicing  with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory  :"  here  the  most  superlative 
expressions  are  used,  which  language  will  atlbrd.  And  the"  Scriptures  often 
require  us  to  exercise  very  high  allections :  thus  in  the  Hrst  and  great  comnjand- 
ment  of  the  law,  there  is  an  accumulation  of  expressions,  as  though  words  were 
wanting  to  express  the  degree  in  which  we  ought  to  love  God  :  "  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  with  all  thy  soul,  with  all  thy  mind, 
and  with  all  thy  strength."  So  the  saints  are  called  upon  to  exercise  high 
degrees  of  joy :  "  Rejoice,"  says  Christ  to  his  disciples,  "  and  be  exceeding 
glad,"  Matt.  v.  12.  So  it  is  said.  Psalm  Ixviii.  3,  "  Let  the  righteous  be  glad  : 
let  them  rejoice  before  God  :  yea,  let  them  exceedingly  rejoice."  So  in  the 
same  book  of  Psalms,  the  saints  are  often  called  upon  to  shout  for  joy  ;  and  in 
Luke  vi.  23,  to  leap  for  joy.  So  they  are  abundantly  called  upon  to  exercise 
high  degrees  of  gratitude  for  mercies,  to  "  praise  God  with  all  their  hearts,  with 
hearts  lifted  up  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  and  their  souls  magnifying  the  Lord, 
singing  his  praises,  talking  of  his  wondrous  works,  declaring  his  doings,  &c." 

And  we  find  the  most  eminent  saints  in  Scripture  often  professing  high 
affections.  Thus  the  Psalmist  speaks  of  his  love,  as  if  it  were  unspeakable ; 
Psal.  cxix.  97,  "  0  how  love  I  thy  law !"  So  he  expresses  a  great  degree  of 
hatred  of  sin,  Psal.  cxxxix.  21,  22  :  "  Do  not  I  hate  them,  O  Lord,  that  hate 
thee  ?  And  am  not  I  grieved  with  them  that  rise  up  against  thee  ?  I  hate  them 
with  perfect  hatred."  He  also  expresses  a  high  degree  of  sorrow  for  sin  :  he 
speaks  of  his  sins  "  going  over  his  head  as  a  heavy  burden  that  was  too  heavy 
for  him :  and  of  his  roaring  all  the  day,  and  his  moistm-e  being  turned  into  the 
drought  of  summer,"  and  his  bones  being  as  it  were  broken  with  sorrow.  So 
he  often  expresses  great  degrees  of  spiritual  desires,  in  a  multitude  of  the  strong- 
est expressions  which  can  be  conceived  of;  such  as  "  his  longing,  his  soul's 
thirsting  as  a  dry  and  thiisty  land,  where  no  water  is,  his  panting,  his  flesh  and 
heart  crying  out,  his  soul's  breaking  for  the  longing  it  hath,"  &c.  He  expresses 
the  exercises  of  great  and  extreme  grief  for  the  sins  of  others,  Psal.  cxix.  136, 
"  Rivers  of  water  run  i!own  mine  eyes,  because  they  keep  not  tliy  law."  And 
verse  53,  "  Horror  hath  taken  hold  upon  me,  because  of  the  wicked  that  forsake 
thy  law."  He  expresses  high  exercises  of  joy,  Psal.  xxi.  1 :  "  The  king  shall 
joy  in  thy  strength,  and  in  thy  salvation  how  greatly  shall  he  rejoice."  Psal. 
Ixxi.  23,  "  My  lips  shall  greatly  rejoice  when  1  sing  unto  thee."  Psal.  Ixiii.  3, 
4,  5,  6,  7,  "  Because  thy  loving  kindness  is  better  than  life;  my  lips  shall  praise 
thee.  Thus  will  I  bless  thee,  while  I  live  :  I  will  lift  up  my  hands  in  thy  name. 
My  soul  shall  be  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness ;  and  my  mouth  shall 
praise  thee  with  joyful  lips  ;  when  1  remember  thee  upon  my  bed,  and  meditate 
on  thee  in  the  night  watches.  Because  thou  hast  been  my  help ;  therefore  in 
the  shadow  of  thy  wings  will  I  rejoice." 

The  Apostle  Paul  expresses  high  exercises  of  affection.  Thus  he  expresses 
the  exercises  of  pity  and  concern  for  others'  good,  even  to  anguish  of  heart ;  a 
great,  fervent,  and  abundant  love,  and  earnest  and  longing  desires,  and  exceeding 
joy  ;  and  speaks  of  the  exultation  and  triumphs  of  his  soul,  and  his  earnest  ex- 
pectation and  hope,  and  his  abundant  tears,  and  the  travails  of  his  soul,  in  pity, 
grief,  earnest  desires,  godly  jealousy,  and  fervent  zeal,  in  many  places  that  have 
been  cited  already,  and  which  therefore  I  need  not  repeat.  John  the  Baptist 
expressed  great  joy,  John  iii.  39.  Those  blessed  women  that  anointed  the  body 
of  Jesus,  are  represented  as  in  a  very  high  exercise  of  religious  affection,  on 
occasion  of  Christ's  resurrection.  Matt,  xxviii.  8 :  "  And  they  departed  from  the 
sepulchre  with  fear  and  great  joy." 


24  RELIGIOUS  ArFECTIONS. 

It  is  often  foretold  of  the  church  of  God,  in  her  future  happy  seasons  here 
on  earth,  that  they  shall  exceedingly  rejoice :  Psal.  Ixxxix.  15,  16,  "  They  shall 
walli,  O  Lord,  in  the  light  of  thy  countenance.  In  thy  name  shall  they  rejoice 
all  the  day  :  and  in  thy  righteousness  shall  they  be  exalted."  Zech.  ix,  9, 
*'  Rejoice  greatly,  0  daughter  of  Zion ;  shout,  0  daughter  of  Jerusalem :  behold, 
thy  king  cometh,"  &c.  The  same  is  represented  in  innumerable  other  places. 
And  because  high  degrees  of  joy  are  the  proper  and  genuine  fruits  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  therefore  the  angel  calls  this  gospel,  "  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  that 
should  be  to  all  people." 

The  saints  and  angels  in  heaven,  that  have  religion  in  its  highest  perfection, 
are  exceedingly  affected  with  what  they  behold  and  contemplate  of  God's  per- 
fections and  works.  They  are  all  as  a  pure  heavenly  flame  of  fire  in  their  love, 
and  in  the  greatness  and  strength  of  their  joy  and  gratitude :  their  praises  are 
represented,  "  as  the  voice  of  many  waters  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder." 
Now  the  only  reason  why  their  affections  are  so  much  higher  than  the  holy 
affections  of  saints  on  earth,  is,  they  see  the  things  they  are  affected  by,  more 
according  to  their  truth,  and  have  their  affections  more  conformed  to  the  nature 
of  things.  And  therefore,  if  religious  affections  in  men  here  below,  are  but  of 
the  same  nature  and  kind  with  theirs,  the  higher  they  are,  and  the  nearer  they 
are  to  theirs  in  degree,  the  better,  because  therein  they  will  be  so  much  the  more 
conformed  to  truth,  as  theirs  are. 

From  these  things  it  certainly  appears,  that  religious  affections  being  in  a 
very  high  degree,  is  no  evidence  that  they  are  not  such  as  have  the  nature  of  true 
religion.  Therefore  they  do  greatly  err,  who  condemn  persons  as  enthusiasts, 
merely  because  their  affections  are  very  high. 

And  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  evidence  that  religious  affections  are  of  a 
spiritual  and  gracious  nature,  because  they  are  great.  It  is  very  manifest  by  the 
holy  Scripture,  our  sure  and  infallible  rule  to  judge  of  things  of  this  nature,  that 
there  are  religious  affections  which  are  very  high,  that  are  not  spiritual  and 
saving.  The  Apostle  Paul  speaks  of  affections  in  the  Galatians,  which  had 
been  exceedingly  elevated,  and  which  yet  he  manifestly  speaks  of,  as  fearing 
that  they  were  vain,  and  had  come  to  nothing :  Gal.  iv.  15,  "  Where  is  the 
blessedness  you  spoke  of?  For  I  bear  you  record,  that  if  it  had  been  possible, 
you  would  have  plucked  out  your  own  eyes,  and  have  given  them  to  me,"  And 
in  the  11th  verse,  he  tells  them,  "he  was  afraid  of  them,  lest  he  had  bestowed 
upon  them  labor  in  vain."  So  the  children  of  Israel  were  greatly  affected  v;itb 
God's  mercy  to  them,  when  they  had  seen  how  wonderfully  he  wrought  for 
them  at  the  Red  Sea,  where  they  sang  God's  praise;  though  they  soon  forgat 
his  works.  So  they  were  greatly  affected  again  at  mount  Sinai,  M'hen  they 
saw  the  marvellous  manifestations  God  made  of  himself  there ;  and  seemed 
mightily  engaged  in  their  minds,  and  with  great  forwardness  made  answer, 
when  God  proposed  his  holy  covenant  to  them,  saying,"  All  that  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  will  we  do,  and  be  obedient."  But  how  soon  was  there  an  end  to  aH 
this  mighty  forwardness  and  engagedness  of  affection !  How  quickly  were  they 
turned  aside  after  other  gods,  rejoicing  and  shouting  around  their  golden  calf ! 
So  great  multitudes  who  M'ere  affected  with  the  miracle  of  raising  Lazarus  from 
the  dead,  were  elevated  to  a  high  degree,  and  made  a  mighty  ado,  when  Jesus 
presently  after  entered  into  Jerusalem,  exceedingly  magnifying  Christ,  as  though 
the  ground  were  not  good  enough  for  the  ass  he  rode  to  tread  upon ;  and  there- 
fore cut  branches  of  palm  trees,  and  strewed  them  in  the  way ;  yea,  pulled  off 
their  garments,  and  spread  them  in  the  way  ;  and  cried  with  loud  voices,  "  Ho- 
sanna  to  the  Son  of  David,  blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  25 

hosannu  in  the  hiuhcsl ;"  so  as  to  make  the  whole  city  ring  again,  and  put  aj. 
into  an  uproar.  We  learn  by  the  evangelist  John,  that  the  reason  why  tKe 
people  made  this  ado,  was  because  they  were  affected  with  the  miracle  of  raising 
Lazarus,  John  xii.  18.  Here  was  a  vast  multitude  crying  Hosanna  on  this  oc- 
casion, so  that  it  gave  occasion  to  the  Pharisees  to  say,  "  Behold,  the  world  has 
gone  after  him,"  John  xii.  19,  but  Christ  had  at  that  time  but  few  true  disci- 
ples. And  how  quickly  was  this  ndo  at  an  end  !  All  of  this  nature  is  quelled 
and  dead,  when  tiiis  Jesus  stands  bound,  Avith  a  mock  robe  and  a  crown  of 
thorns,  to  be  derided,  spit  upon,  scourged,  condemned  and  executed.  Indeed, 
there  was  a  great  and  loud  outcry  concerning  him  among  the  multitude  then,  as 
well  as  befoi-e ;  but  of  a  very  different  kiml :  it  is  not  then,  Hosanna,  hosanna, 
but  Crucify,  crucify. 

And  itis  the  concurring  voice  of  all  orthodox  divines,  that  there  may  be 
religious  affections,  which  are  raised  to  a  very  high  degree,  and  yet  there  be 
nothing  of  true  religion.* 

II.  It  is  no  sign  that  affections  have  the  nature  of  true  religion,  or  that  they 
have  not,  that  they  have  great  effects  on  the  body. 

All  affections  whatsoever,  have  in  some  respect  or  degree,  an  effect  on  the 
body.  As  was  observed  before,  such  is  our  nature,  and  such  are  the  laws  of 
union  of  soul  and  body,  that  the  mind  can  have  no  lively  or  vigorous  exercise, 
without  some  effect  upon  the  body.  So  subject  is  the  body  to  the  mind,  and  so 
much  do  its  fluids,  especially  the'animal  spirits,  attend  the  motions  and  exercises 
of  the  mind,  that  there  cannot  be  so  much  as  an  intense  thought,  without  an 
effect  upon  them.  Yea,  it  is  questionable  whether  an  imbodied  soul  ever  so 
much  as  thinks  one  thought,  or  has  any  exercise  at  all,  but  that  there  is  sonie 
corresponding  motion  or  alteration  ot  motion,  in  some  degree,  of  the  fluids,  in 
some  part  of  the  body.  But  univei-sal  experience  shows,  that  the  exercise  of 
the  affections  have  in  a  special  manner  a  tendency  to  some  sensible  effect  upon 
the  body.  And  if  this  be  so,  that  all  affections  have  some  effect  upon  the  body, 
we  may  then  well  suppose,  the  greater  those  affections  be,  and  the  more  vigor- 
ous their  exercise  (other  circumstances  being  equal)  the  greater  will  be  the  effect 
on  the  body.  Hence  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  very  great  and  strong 
exercises  of  the  affections  should  have  great  effects  on  the  body.  And  therefore, 
seeing  there  are  very  great  affections,  both  common  and  spiritual ;  hence  it  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  great  effects  on  the  body  should  arise  from  both 
these  kinds  of  affections.  And  consequently  these  effects  are  no  signs,  that  the 
affections  they  arise  from,  are  of  one  kind  or  the  other. 

Great  effects  on  the  body  certainly  are  no  sure  evidences  that  affections  are 
spiritual ;  for  we  see  that  such  effects  oftentimes  arise  from  great  affections 
about  temporal  things,  and  when  religion  is  no  way  concerned  in  them.  And 
if  great  affections  about  secular  tilings,  that  are  purely  natural,  may  have  these 
effects,  I  know  not  by  what  rule  we  should  determine  that  high  affections  about 
religious  things,  which  arise  in  like  manner  from  nature,  cannot  have  the  like 
effect. 

Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  do  I  know  of  any  rule  any  have  to  determine,  that 
gracious  and  holy  affections,  when  raised  as  high  as  any  natural  affections,  and 
have  equally  strong  and  vigorous  exercises,  cannot  have  a  great  effect  on  the 
body.  No  such  rule  can  be  drawn  from  reason  :  I  know  of  no  reason,  why  a 
being  affected  with  a  view  of  God's  glory  should  not  cause  the  body  to  faint,  as 
well  as  being  affected  with  a  view  of  Solomon's  glory.     And  no  such  rule  has 

♦  Mr.  St  ^(Idara  obsen-es,  "  That  common  affections  are  sometimes  stronger  than  saving." — Guide  to 
Chbist,  p. 2.. 

Vol.  III.  4 


26  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

as  yet  been  produced  from  the  Scripture  ;  none  has  ever  been  found  in  all  the 
late  controversies  which  have  been  about  things  of  this  nature.  There  is  a 
great  power  in  spiritual  affections  :  we  read  of  the  power  which  worketh  in 
Christians  *  and  of  the  Spirit  of  God  being  in  them  as  the  Spirit  of  power,!  and 
of  the  effectual  working  of  his  power  in  them.J  But  roan's  nature  is  weak  : 
flesh  and  blood  are  represented  in  Scripture  as  exceeding  weak  ;  and  particularly 
with  respect  to  its  unfitness  for  great  spiritual  and  heavenly  operations  and  ex- 
ercises, Matt.  xxvi.  41,  1  Cor.  xv.  43,  and  50.  The  text  we  are  upon  speaks 
of  "joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory."  And  who  that  considers  what  man's 
nature  is.  and  what  the  nature  of  the  affections  is,  can  reasonably  doubt  but  that 
such  unutterable  and  glorious  joys,  maybe  too  great  and  mighty  for  weak  dust  and 
ashes,  so  as  to  be  considerably  overbearing  to  it  ?  It  is  evident  by  the  Scripture, 
that  true  divine  discoveries,  or  ideas  of  God's  glory,  when  given  in  a  great  degree, 
have  a  tendency,  by  affecting  the  mind,  to  overbear  the  body ;  because  the  Scrip- 
ture teaches  us  often,  that  if  these  ideas  or  views  should  be  given  to  such  a  degree, 
'  as  they  are  given  in  heaven,  the  weak  frame  of  the  body  could  not  subsist  under 
it,  and  that  no  man  can,  in  that  manner,  see  God  and  live.  The  know- 
ledge which  the  saints  have  of  God's  beauty  and  glory  in  this  world,  and  those 
holy  affections  that  arise  from  it,  are  of  the  same  nature  and  kind  with  what  the 
saints  are  the  subjects  of  in  heaven,  differing  only  in  degree  and  circumstances : 
what  God  gives  them  here,  is  a  foretaste  of  heavenly  happiness,  and  an  earnest 
of  their  future  inheritance.  And  who  shall  hmit  God  in  his  giving  this  earnest, 
or  say  he  shall  give  so  much  of  the  inheritance,  such  a  part  of  the  future  reward, 
as  an  earnest  of  the  whole,  and  no  more  1  And  seeing  God  has  taught  us  in 
his  word,  that  the  whole  reward  is  such,  that  it  w^ould  at  once  destroy  the  body, 
is  it  not  too  bold  a  thing  for  us,  so  to  set  bounds  to  the  sovereign  God,  as  to  say, 
that  in  giving  the  earnest  of  this  reward  in  this  world,  he  shall  never  give  so 
much  of  it,  as  in  the  least  to  diminish  the  strength  of  the  body,  when  God  has 
nowhere  thus  limited  himself? 

The  Psalmist,  speaking  of  the  vehement  religious  affections  he  had,  speaks 
of  an  effect  in  his  flesh  or  body,  besides  what  was  in  his  soul,  expressly  distin- 
guishing one  from  the  other,  once  and  again  :  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  2,  "  My  soul  longeth, 
yea,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord :  my  heart  and  my  flesh  crieth 
out  for  the  living  God."  Here  is  a  plain  distinction  between  the  heart  and 
the  flesh,  as  being  each  affected.  So  Psal.  Ixiii.  1,  "  My  soul  thirsteth  for  thee, 
ray  flesh  longeth  lor  thee,  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is."  Here 
also  is  an  evident  designed  distinction  between  the  soul  and  the  flesh. 

The  prophet  Habakkuk  speaks  of  his  body's  being  overborne  by  a  sense  of 
the  majesty  of  God,  Hab.  iii.  16  :  '•  When  I  heard,  my  belly  trembled  :  my  lips 
quivered  at  the  voice:  rottenness  enter  into  my  bones,  and  I  trembled  in 
myself"  So  the  Psalmist  speaks  expressly  of  his  flesh  trembling,  Psal.  cxix.  120 : 
"  My  flesh  trembleth  for  fear  of  thee." 

That  such  ideas  of  God's  glory  as  are  sometimes  given  in  this  world,  have  a 
tendency  to  overbear  the  body,  is  evident,  because  the  Scripture  gives  us  an  ac- 
count, that  this  has  sometimes  actually  been  the  effect  of  those  external  mani- 
festations God  has  made  of  himself  to  some  of  the  saints  which  were  made  to 
that  end,  viz.,  to  give  them  an  idea  of  God's  majesty  and  glory.  Such  instances 
we  have  in  the  prophet  Daniel,  and  the  apostle  John.  Daniel,  giving  an  ac- 
count of  an  external  representation  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  says,  Dan.  x.  8,  "  And 
there  remained  no  strength  in  me;  for  my  comeliness  was  turned  into  corrnp- 

»   Eph.  iii.  7.        t  2  Tim.  i.  7.        t  EpK.  lii.  7,  20,        II  Eph.  i.  19, 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  27 

tion,  and  I  retained  no  strenp;th."  And  the  apostle  John,  p;ivinq;  an  acanmt  of 
a  like  manifestation  made  to  liim,  says,  Rev.  i.  17,"  And  when  1  saw  him,  I  fell 
at  his  feet  as  dead."  It  is  in  vain  to  say  here,  these  were  only  external  manifes- 
tations or  symbols  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  which  these  saints  beheld  :  lor  though 
it  be  true,  that  they  were  outward  rejMescntations  of  Christ's  glory,  which  they 
beheld  with  their  bodily  eyes ;  yet  the  end  and  use  of  these  external  symbols 
or  representations  was  to  give  to  these  prophets  an  idea  of  the  thing  represented, 
and  that  was  the  true  divine  glory  and  majesty  of  Christ,  which  is  his  spiritual 
glory  ;  they  were  made  use  of  only  as  significations  of  (his  spiritual  glory,  and  thus 
undoubtedly  they  received  them,  and  improved  ihcm,  antl  were  affected  by  them. 
According  to  the  end  for  which  God  intended  these  outward  signs,  they  receiv- 
ed by  them  a  great  and  lively  apprehension  of  the  real  glory  and  majesty  of 
God's  nature,  which  they  were  signs  of;  and  thus  were  greatly  affected,  their 
souls  swallowed  up,  and  their  bodies  overborne.  And  I  think  they  are  very 
bold  and  daring,  who  will  say  God  cannot,  or  shall  not  give  the  like  clear  and 
affecting  ideas  and  apprehensions  of  the  same  real  glory  and  majesty  of  his  nature, 
to  any  of  his  saints,  without  the  intervention  of  any  such  external  shadows  of  it. 

Before  I  leave  this  head,  I  would  farther  observe,  that  it  is  plain  the  Scrip- 
ture often  makes  use  of  bodily  effects,  to  express  the  strength  of  holy  and  spirit, 
ual  affections  ;  such  as  trembling,*  groaning.f  being  sick,t  crying  out.||  pant- 
ing,'^  and  fainting.1T  Now  if  it  be  supposed,  that  these  are  only  figurative  ex- 
pressions, to  represent  the  degree  of  affection  :  yet  I  hope  all  will  allow, 
that  they  are  fit  and  suitable  figures  to  represent  the  high  degree  of  those  spirit- 
ual affections,  which  the  Spirit  of  God  makes  use  of  them  to  represent ;  which 
I  do  not  see  how  they  would  be,  if  those  spiritual  affections,  let  them  be  in  never 
so  high  a  degree,  have  no  tendency  to  any  such  things  ;  but  that  on  the  con- 
trary, they  are  the  proper  effects  and  sad  tokens  of  false  aflfections,  and  the  de- 
lusion of  the  devil.  I  cannot  think,  God  would  commonly  make  use  of  things 
which  are  very  alien  from  spiritual  affections,  and  are  shrewd  marks  of  the  hand 
of  Satan,  and  smell  strong  of  the  bottomless  pit,  as  beautiful  figures,  to  represent 
the  high  degree  of  holy  and  heavenly  affections. 

III.  It  is  no  sign  that  affections  are  truly  gracious  affections,  or  that  they 
are  not,  that  they  cause  those  who  have  them  to  be  fluent,  fervent,  and  abun- 
dant, in  talking  of  the  things  of  religion. 

There  are  many  persons,  who,  if  they  see  this  in  others,  are  greatly  preju- 
diced against  them.  Their  being  so  full  of  talk,  is  with  them  a  sufficient 
ground  to  condemn  them,  as  Pharisees,  and  ostentatious  hypocrites.  On  the 
other  hand,  there  are  many,  who  if  they  see  this  effect  in  any,  are  very  ignorant- 
ly  and  imprudently  forward,  at  once  to  determine  that  they  are  the  true  chil- 
dren of  God,  and  are  under  the  saving  influences  of  his  Spirit,  and  speak  of 
it  as  a  great  evidence  of  a  new  creature ;  they  say,  "  such  a  one's  mouth  is 
now  opened  :  he  used  to  be  slow  to  speak  ;  but  now  he  is  full  and  free  ;  he 
is  free  now  to  open  his  heart,  and  tell  his  experiences,  and  declare  the  praises 
of  God ;  it  comes  from  him,  as  free  as  water  from  a  fountain  ;"  and  the  like. 
And  especially  are  they  captivated  into  a  confident  and  undoubting  persuasion, 
that  they  are  savingly  wrought  upon,  if  they  are  not  only  free  and  abundant, 
but  very  affectionate  and  earnest  in  their  talk. 

But  this  is  the  fruit  of  but  little  judgment,  a  scanty  and  short  experience  ; 
as  events  do  abundantly  show  :  and  is  a  mistake  persons  often  run  into,  through 

»  Psal.  c.x'ix.  120.    Ezra  ix.  4.     ha.  Ixvi.  2,  5.     Hab.  iii.  16.      +  Rom.  viii.  26.     t  Cant.  ii.  .5,  and 
».  8.    II  Psal.  Lsxxiv,  2.    §  Psal.  xxxviii.  10,  and  xlii.  1,  and  cxix.  131.      IT  Psal.  Ixxxiy.  2.  and  cxix.  81 . 


28  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

their  trusting  to  their  own  wisdom  and  discerning,  and  making  their  own  rotions 
their  rule,  instead  of  the  holy  Scripture.  Though  the  Scripture  be  full  of  rules, 
both  how  we  should  judge  of  our  own  state,  and  also  how  we  should  be  con- 
ducted in  our  opinion  of  others  ;  yet  we  have  nowhere  any  rule,  by  which  to 
judge  ourselves  or  others  to  be  in  a  good  estate,  from  any  such  effect :  for  this 
is  but  the  religion  of  the  mouth  and  of  the  tongue,  and  what  is  in  the  Scrip- 
ture represented  by  the  leaves  cf  a  tree,  which,  though  the  tree  ought  not  to  be 
without  them,  yet  are  nowhere  given  as  an  evidence  of  the  goodness  of 
the  tree. 

That  persons  are  disposed  to  be  abundant  in  talking  of  things  of  religion, 
may  be  from  a  good  cause,  and  it  may  be  from  a  bad  one.  It  may  be  because 
their  hearts  are  very  full  of  holy  affections ;  "  for  out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  speaketh  :"  and  it  may  be  because  persons'  hearts  are  very  full 
of  religious  affection  which  is  not  holy ;  for  still  out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mc^uth  speaketh.  It  is  very  much  the  nature  of  the  affections,  ot 
whatever  kind  they  be,  and  whatever  objects  they  are  exercised  about,  if  they 
are  strong,  to  dispose  persons  to  be  very  much  in  speaking  of  that  which  they 
are  affected  with  :  and  not  only  to  speak  much,  but  to  speak  very  earnestly  and 
fervently.  And  therefore  persons  talking  abundantly  and  very  fervently  about 
the  things  of  religion,  can  be  an  evidence  of  no  more  than  this,  that  they  are 
very  much  affected  with  the  things  of  religion;  but  this  may  be  (as  has  been 
already  shown)  and  there  be  no  grace.  That  which  men  are  greatly  affected 
with,  while  the  high  affection  lasts,  they  will  be  earnestly  engaged  about,  and 
will  be  likely  to  show  that  earnestness  in  their  talk  and  behavior ;  as  the  greater 
part  of  the  Jews,  in  all  Judah  and  Galilee,  did  for  a  while,  about  John  the 
Baptist's  preaching  and  baptism,  when  they  were  willing  for  a  season  to  rejoice 
in  his  light ;  a  mighty  ado  was  made,  all  over  the  land,  and  among  all  sorts  of 
persons,  about  this  great  prophet  and  his  ministry.  And  so  the  multitude,  in 
like  manner,  often  manifested  a  great  earnestness,  a  mighty  engagedness  of  spirit, 
in  every  thing  that  was  external,  about  Christ  and  his  preaching  and  miracles, 
"  being  astonished  at  his  doctrine,  anon  with  joy  receiving  the  word,"  follovring 
him  sometimes  night  and  day,  leaving  meat,  drink,  and  sleep  to  hear  him :  once 
following  him  into  the  wilderness,  fasting  three  days  going  to  hear  him  ;  some- 
times crying  him  up  to  the  clouds,  saying,  "  Never  man  spake  like  this  man  !" 
being  fervent  and  earnest  in  what  they  said.  But  what  did  these  things  come 
to,  in  the  greater  part  of  them  ? 

A  person  may  be  over  full  of  talk  of  his  own  experiences ;  commonly  fall- 
ing upon  it,  everywhere,  and  in  all  companies  ;  and  when  it  is  so,  it  is  rather 
a  dark  sign  than  a  good  one.  As  a  tree  that  is  over  full  of  leaves  seldom  bears 
much  fruit ;  and  as  a  cloud,  though  to  appearance  very  pregnant  and  full  of 
water,  if  it  brings  with  it  overmuch  wind,  seldom  affords  much  rain  to  the  dry  and 
thirsty  earth  ;  which  very  thing  the  Holy  Spirit  is  pleased  several  times  to 
make  use  of,  to  represent  a  great  show  of  religion  with  the  mouth,  without  an- 
swerable fruit  in  the  life  :  Prov.  xxv.  24,  "  Whoso  boasteth  himself  of  a  false 
gift,  is  like  clouds  and  wind  without  rain."  And  the  apostle  Jude,  speaking  of 
some  in  the  primitive  times,  that  crept  in  unawares  among  the  saints,  and  hav- 
ing a  great  show  of  religion,  were  for  a  while  not  suspected,  "  These  are  clouds 
(says  he)  without  water,  carried  about  of  winds,"  Jude  ver.  4  and  12.  And 
the  apostle  Peter,  speaking  of  the  same,  says,  2  Pet.  ii.  17,  "  These  are  clouds 
without  water,  carried  with  a  tempest." 

False  affections,  if  they  are  equally  strong,  are  much  more  forward  to  de- 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  89 

dare  themselves,  than  true  :  because  it  is  the  nature  of  false  rehgion,  tc  affect 
show  and  observation ;  as  it  was  with  the  Pharisees.* 

IV.  It  is  no  sign  that  afiections  are  gracious,  or  that  they  are  otherwise, 
that  persons  did  not  make  them  themselves,  or  excite  them  of  their  own  con- 
trivance, and  by  their  own  slrengtli. 

There  are  many  in  these  days,  that  condemn  all  affections  wliich  are  excited 
in  a  way  tliat  the  subjects  of  them  can  give  no  account  of,  as  not  seeming  tff  be 
the  fruit  of  any  of  their  own  endeavors,  or  the  natural  consequence  of  tlie  facul- 
ties and  principles  of  human  nature,  in  such  circumstances,  and  under  such 
means  ;  but  to  be  from  tbe  influence  of  some  extrinsic  and  supernatural  power 
upon  their  minds.  How  gre.itly  has  the  doctrine  of  the  inward  experience, 
or  sensible  perceiving  of  the  immediate  power  and  operation  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  been  reproached  and  ridiculed  by  many  of  late !  They  say,  the  man- 
ner of  the  Spirit  of  God  is  to  co-operate  in  a  silent,  secret,  and  undiscernible  way 
with  the  use  of  means,  and  our  own  endeavors  ;  so  that  there  is  no  distinguish- 
ing by  sense,  between  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  natmal  oper- 
ations of  the  faculties  of  our  own  minds.  ♦ 

And  it  is  true,  that  for  any  to  expect  to  receive  the  saving  influences  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  while  they  neglect  a  diligent  improvement  of  the  appointed  means 
of  grace,  is  unreasonable  presumption.  And  to  expect  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
will  savingly  operate  upon  their  minds,  without  the  Spirit's  making  use  of 
means,  as  subservient  to  the  effect,  is  enthusiastical.  It  is  also  uncloubtedly 
true,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  very  various  in  the  manner  and  circumstances  of 
his  operations,  and  that  sometimes  he  operates  in  a  way  more  secret  and  gra- 
dual, and  from  smaller  beginnings,  than  at  others. 

But  if  there  be  indeed  a  power,  entirely  difl;erent  from,  and  beyond  our 
power,  or  the  power  of  all  means  and  instruments,  and  above  the  power  of 
nature,  which  is  requisite  in  order  to  the  production  of  saving  grace  in  the  heart, 
according  to  the  general  profession  of  the  country  ;  then,  certainly  it  is  in  no 
wise  unreasonable  to  suppose,  tliat  this  effect  should  very  frequently  be  pro- 
duced after  such  a  manner,  as  to  make  it  very  manifest,  apparent,  and  sensible 
that  it  is  so.  If  grace  be  indeed  owing  to  the  powerful  and  efficacious  operation 
of  an  extrinsic  agent,  or  divine  efficient  out  of  ourselves,  why  is  it  unreasonable 
to  suppose  it  should  seem  to  be  so  to  them  w-ho  are  the  subjects  of  it  ?  Is  it  a 
strange  thing,  that  it  should  seem  to  be  as  it  is  ?  When  grace  in  the  heart  in- 
deed is  not  produced  by  our  strength,  nor  is  the  effect  of  the  natural  power  of 
our  own  faculties,  or  any  means  or  instruments,  but  is  properly  the  workman- 
ship and  production  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Almio^hty,  is  it  a  strange  and  unaccount- 
able thing,  that  it  should  seem  to  them  who  are  subjects  of  it,  agreeable  to 
truth,  and  not  right  contrary  to  truth ;  so  that  if  persons  tell  of  effects  that  they 
are  conscious  to  in  their  own  minds,  that  seem  to  them  not  to  be  from  the  natural 
power  or  operation  of  their  minds,  but  from  the  supernatural  power  of  some 

•  That  famous  experimpntal  divine,  Mr.  Shepherd,  says,  "  A  Pharisee's  trumpet  shall  be  hrard  to  the 
town's  end  ;  whtn  simplicity  walks  through  the  town  unsfen.  Hence  a  man  will  sometimes  covertly  com- 
mend himself  (and  myse//"  ever  comes  iii),  and  tells  you  a  long  siory  of  conversion  ;  and  a  hundred  to  one 
if  some  lie  or  other  slip  not  out  with  it.  Why,  the  secret  meaning  is,  I  pray  admire  me.  Hence  complain 
of  wants  and  weaknesses  :  Pray  think  what  a  broken-hearted  CIrristian  1  am."  Parab.  of  the  Ten  Virgiti*. 
Part  I  pages  179,  180. 

And  holy  Mr.  Flavel  says  thus  :  "  O  reader,  if  thy  heart  were  right  with  God,  and  thou  didst  not  cheat 
thyself  with  a  vain  profession,  thou  wouldst  have  frequent  business  with  God,  which  thou  wouldst  be  loth 
thy  dearest  friend,  or  the  wife  of  thy  bosom  should  be  privy  to.  Non  est  religio,  tiii  omnia paleiii.  Reli- 
gion doth  not  lie  open  to  all,  to  the  eyes  of  men,  01)served  duties  maintain  our  credit ;  but  secret  duties 
maintain  our  life.  It  was  the  sayiiij  of  a  hetithen,  al)oui  his  secret  correspondency  with  his  friend.  What 
nerd  the  world  br  acquainted  with  it  *  Thou  awl  I  are  theatre  aiough  to  each  nther.  There  are  inclosed  pleasures 
in  relieion,  which  none  but  renewed  spiritual  souls  do  feelingly  understand."  FlaveVt  Touchstone  of 
Smearity,  Chap  11.  Sect.  2. 


30  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

other  agent,  it  should  at  once  be  looked  upon  as  a  sure  evidence  of  tlieir  being 
under  a  delusion,  because  things  seem  to  them  to  be  as  they  are  ?  For  this  is 
the  objection  which  is  made  :  it  is  looked  upon  as  a  clear  evidence,  that  the 
apprehensions  and  affections  that  many  persons  have,  are  not  really  from  such 
a  cause,  because  they  seem  to  them  to  be  from  that  cause :  they  declare  that 
what  they  are  conscious  of,  seems  to  them  evidently  not  to  be  from  themselves, 
biTt  from  the  mighty  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and  others  from  hence  con- 
demn them,  and  determine  what  they  experience  is  not  from  the  Spirit  of  God, 
but  from  themselves,  or  from  the  devil.  Thus  unreasonably  are  multitudes 
treated  at  this  day  by  their  neighbors. 

If  it  be  indeed  so,  as  the  Scripture  abundantly  teaches,  that  grace  in  the  soul 
is  so  the  effect  of  God's  power,  that  it  is  fitly  compared  to  those  effects  which 
are  farthest  from  being  owing  to  any  strength  in  the  subject,  such  as  a  genera- 
tion, or  a  being  begotten,  and  resurrection,  or  a  being  raised  from  the  dead,  and 
creation,  or  a  being  brought  out  of  nothing  into  being,  and  that  it  is  an  effect 
wherein  the  mighty  power  of  God  is  greatly  glorified,  and  the  exceeding  great- 
ness of  his  power  is  manifested  ;*  then  what  account  can  be  given  of  it,  that  th(» 
Almighty,  in  so  great  a  work  of  his  power,  should  so  carefully  hide  his  power, 
that  the  subjects  of  it  should  be  able  to  discern  nothing  of  it  1  Or  what  reason 
or  revelation  have  any  to  determine  that  he  does  so  1  Tf  we  may  judge  by  the 
Scripture  this  is  not  agreeable  to  God's  manner,  in  his  operations  and  dispensa- 
tions ;  but  on  the  contrary,  it  is  God's  manner,  in  the  great  works  of  his  power 
and  mercy  which  he  works  for  his  people,  to  order  things  so  as  to  make  his 
hand  visible,  and  his  power  conspicuous,  and  men's  dependence  on  him  most 
evident,  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence,!  that  God  alone  might  be 
exalted,!  and  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  might  be  of  God  and  not  of  man,§ 
and  that  Christ's  power  might  be  manifested  in  our  weakness,||  and  none  might 
say  mine  own  hand  hath  saved  me.1T  So  it  was  in  most  of  those  temporal  sal- 
vations which  God  wrought  for  Israel  of  old,  which  were  types  of  the  salvation  of 
God's  people  from  their  spiritual  enemies.  So  it  was  in  the  redemption  of  Israel 
from  their  Egyptian  bondage ;  he  redeemed  them  with  a  strong  hand,  and  an  out- 
stretched arm  ;  and  that  his  power  might  be  the  more  conspicuous,  he  suffered 
Israel  first  to  be  brought  into  the  most  helpless  and  forlorn  circumstances.  So 
it  was  in  the  great  redemption  by  Gideon  ;  God  would  have  his  army  diminished 
to  a  handful,  and  they  without  any  other  arms  than  trumpets  and  lamps,  and 
earthen  pitchers.  So  it  was  in  the  deliverance  of  Israel  from  Goliath,  by  a  stripling 
with  a  sling  and  a  stone.  So  it  was  in  that  great  work  of  God,  his  calling 
the  Gentiles,  and  converting  the  Heathen  world,  after  Christ's  ascension,  after 
that  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  and  all  the  endeavors  of  philosophers 
had  proved  in  vain,  for  many  ages,  to  reform  the  world,  and  it  was  by  every 
thing  become  abundantly  evident,  that  the  world  was  utterly  helpless,  by  any 
thing  else  but  the  mighty  power  of  God.  And  so  it  was  in  most  of  the  conver- 
sions of  particular  persons,  we  have  an  account  of  in  the  history  of  the  New 
Testament :  they  were  not  Avrought  on  in  that  silent,  secret,  gradual,  and  insensi- 
ble manner,  which  is  now  insisted  on  ;  but  with  those  manifest  evidences  of  a 
supernatural  power,  wonderfully  and  suddenly  causing  a  great  change,  which 
in  these  days  are  looked  upon  as  certain  signs  of  delusion  and  enthusiasm. 

The  Apostle,  in  Eph.  i.  IS,  19,  speaks  of  God's  enlightening  the  minds  of 
Christians,  and  so  bringing  them  to  believe  in  Christ,  to  the  end  that  they  might 
know  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  powder  to  them  who  believe.     The  words 

*  Eph.  i.  17—20     t  1  Cor.  i.  27, 28, 29.    tisa.  ii.  1-17.    §2Cor.  iv.",     J2Cor.  xii.9.    IT  Judg.  vu.  2 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  31 

are,  "  Tlie  eyes  of  your  utulorstanding  being  enlightened ;  that  ye  may  know 
•what  is  tlie  hope  ol'  his  calling,  and  wliat  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inherit- 
ance in  the  saints,  and  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us  ward 
who  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  ])Ower,"  &c.  Now  when 
the  apostle  speaks  of  their  being  thus  the  subjects  of  his  power,  in  their  enlight- 
ening and  ellectual  calling,  to  the  end  that  they  might  know  what  his  mighty 
power  was  to  them  who  believe,  he  can  mean  nothing  else  than,  "  that  they 
might  know  by  experience."  But  if  the  saints  know  this  power  by  experience, 
ihen  they  feel  it  and  discern  it,  and  arc  conscious  of  it ;  as  sensibly  distinguish- 
able from  the  natural  operations  of  their  own  minds,  which  is  not  agreeable  to  a 
notion  of  God's  operating  so  secretly,  and  undiscernably,  that  it  cannot  be  known 
thai;  they  are  the  subjects  of  the  influence  of  ariy  extrinsic  power  at  all,  any 
otiierwise  than  as  they  may  argue  it  from  Scripture  assertions ;  which  is  a  dit- 
lerent  ihing  from  knowing  it  by  experience. 

So  xiuii  it  is  veiy  unreasonable  and  unscriptural  to  determine  that  affections 
are  nci  iron,  the  gracious  operations  of  God's  S])irit,  because  they  are  sensibly 
not  from  ihb  persons  themsehes  that  are  the  subjects  of  them. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  evidence  that  affections  are  gracious,  that  they 
are  not  properly  produced  by  those  who  are  the  subjects  of  them,  or  that  they 
arise  in  their  minds  in  a  manner  they  cannot  account  for. 

There  are  some  who  make  this  an  argument  in  their  own  favor ;  when 

"ang  of  what  they  have  experienced,  they  say,  "  I  am  sure  I  did  not  make 
it  myself;  it  was  a  fruit  of  no  contrivance  or  endeavor  of  mine;  it  came  when 
I  thought  nothing  of  it ;  if  1  might  have  the  world  for  it,  I  cannot  make  it  again 
when  1  please."  And  hence  they  determine  that  what  they  have  experienced, 
must  be  from  the  mighty  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  is  of  a  saving 
nature ;  but  very  ignorantly,  and  without  grounds.  What  they  have  been  the 
subjects  of,  may  indeed  not  be  from  themselves  directly,  but  may  be  from  the 
operation  of  an  invisible  agent,  some  spirit  besides  their  own  :  but  it  does  not 
thence  follow,  that  it  was  from  the  Spirit  of  God.  There  are  other  spirits  who 
have  influence  on  the  minds  of  men,  besides  the  Holy  Ghost.  We  are  directed 
not  to  believe  every  spirit,  but  to  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  be  of  God.  There 
are  many  false  spirits,  exceeding  busy  with  men,  who  often  transform  themselves 
into  angels  of  light,  and  do  in  many  wonderful  ways,  wath  great  subtilty  and 
power,  mimic  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  And  there  are  many  of 
Satan's  operations,  which  are  very  distinguishable  from  the  voluntary  exercises 
of  men's  own  minds.  They  are  so,  in  those  dreadful  and  horrid  suggestions, 
and  blasphemous  injections  with  which  he  folloAvs  many  persons ;  and  in  vain 
and  fruitless  frights  and  terrors,  which  he  is  the  author  of.  And  the  power  of 
Satan  may  be  as  immediate,  and  as  evident  in  false  comforts  and  joys,  as  in 
terrors  and  horrid  suggestions ;  and  oftentimes  is  so  in  fact.  It  is  not  in  men's 
power  to  put  themselves  in  such  raptures,  as  the  Anabaptists  in  Germany,  and 
many  other  raving  enthusiasts  like  them,  have  been  the  subjects  of. 

And  besides,  it  is  to  be  considered  that  persons  may  have  those  impressions 
on  their  minds,  which  may  not  be  of  their  own  producing,  nor  from  an  evil 
spirit,  but  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  yet  not  be  from  any  saving,  but  a  com- 
mon influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  the  subjects  of  such  impressions  may 
be  of  the  number  of  those  we  read  of,  Heb.  vi.  4,  5,  "  that  are  once  enlightened, 
and  taste  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  are  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
taste  the  good  woitl  of  God,  and  the  power  of  the  world  to  come ;"  and  yet  may 
be  wholly  unacquainted  Avith  those  "  better  things  that  accompany  salvation," 
spoken  of  ver.  9. 


32  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

And  where  neither  a  good  nor  evil  spirit  have  any  immediate  hand,  ])ersons, 
especially  such  as  are  of  a  Aveak  and  vapory  habit  of  body,  and  the  brain  weak 
and  easily  susceptive  of  impressions,  may  have  strange  apprehensions  and  im- 
aginations, and  strong  affections  attending  them,  unaccountably  arising,  which 
are  not  voluntarily  produced  by  themselves.  We  see  that  such  persons  are  liable 
to  such  impressions  about  temporal  things  ;  and  there  is  equal  reason,  why  they 
should  about  spiritual  things.  As  a  person  who  is  asleep  has  dreams  that  he  is 
not  the  voluntary  author  of;  so  may  such  persons,  in  like  manner,  be  the  sub- 
jects of  involuntary  impressions,  when  they  are  awake. 

V.  It  is  no  sign  that  religious  affections  are  truly  holy  and  spiritual,  or  that 
they  are  not,  that  they  come  with  texts  of  Scripture,  remarkably  brought  to  the 
mind. 

It  is  no  sign  that  affections  are  not  gracious,  that  they  are  occasioned  by  Scrip- 
tures so  coming  to  mind  ;  provided  it  be  the  Scripture  itself,  or  the  truth 
which  the  Scripture  so  brought  contains  and  teaches,  that  is  the  foundation  of 
the  affection,  and  not  merely,  or  mainly,  the  sudden  and  unusual  manner  of  its 
coming  to  the  mind. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  neither  is  it  any  sign  that  affections  are  gracious, 
that  they  arise  on  occasion  of  Scriptures  brought  suddenly  and  wonderfully  to 
the  mind  ;  whether  those  affections  be  fear  or  hope,  joy  or  sorrow,  or  any  other. 
Some  seem  to  look  upon  this  as  a  good  evidence  that  their  affections  are  saving, 
especially  if  the  affections  excited  are  hope  or  joy,  or  any  other  which  are  pleas- 
ing and  delightful.  They  will  mention  it  as  an  evidence  that  all  is  right,  that 
their  experience  came  with  the  word,  and  will  say,  "  There  were  such  and  such 
sweet  promises  brought  to  my  mind :  they  came  suddenly,  as  if  they  were  spoken 
to  me :  I  had  no  hand  in  bringing  such  a  text  to  my  own  mind ;  I  was  not 
thinking  of  any  thing  leading  to  it ;  it  came  all  at  once,  so  that  I  was  surprised. 
I  had  not  thought  of  it  a  long  time  before ;  I  did  not  know  at  first  that  it  was 
Scripture  ;  I  did  not  remember  that  ever  I  liad  read  it."  And  it  may  be,  they 
will  add, "  One  Scripture  came  flowing  in  after  another,  and  so  texts  all  over  the 
Bible,  the  most  sweet  and  pleasant,  and  the  most  apt  and  suitable  which  could 
be  devised  ;  and  filled  me  full  as  I  could  hold  :  I  could  not  but  stand  and  ad- 
mire :  the  tears  flowed  ;  I  was  full  of  joy,  and  could  not  doubt  any  longer." 
And  thus  they  think  they  have  undoubted  evidence  that  their  affections  must  be 
from  God,  and  of  the  right  kind,  and  their  state  good :  but  without  any  manner 
of  grounds.  How  came  they  by  any  such  rule,  as  that  if  any  affections  or  ex- 
periences arise  with  promises,  and  comfortable  texts  of  Scripture,  unaccountably 
brought  to  mind,  without  their  recollection,  or  if  a  great  number  of  sweet  texts 
follow  one  another  in  a  chain,  that  this  is  a  certain  evidence  their  experiences 
are  saving  1  Where  is  any  such  rule  to  be  found  in  the  Bible,  the  great  and  only 
sure  directory  in  things  of  this  nature  ? 

What  deceives  many  of  the  less  understanding  and  considerate  sort  of  peo- 
ple, in  this  matter,  seems  to  be  this ;  that  the  Scripture  is  the  word  of  God,  and 
has  nothing  in  it  which  is  wrong,  but  is  pure  and  perfect;  and  therefore,  those 
experiences  which  come  from  the  Scripture  must  be  right.  But  then  it  should 
be  considered,  affections  may  arise  on  occasion  of  the  Scripture,  and  not  proper- 
ly come  from  the  Scripture,  as  the  genuine  fruit  of  the  Scripture,  and  by  a  right 
use  of  it ;  but  from  an  abuse  of  it.  All  that  can  be  argued  from  the  purity 
and  perfection  of  the  word  of  God,  with  respect  to  experiences,  is  this,  that 
those  experiences  which  are  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God,  are  right,  and  cannot 
be  otherwise  ;  and  not  that  those  affections  must  be  right,  which  arise  on  oc- 
casion of  the  word  of  God  coming  to  the  mind. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. ,  33 

What  evidence  is  there  that  the  devil  cannot  bring  texts  of  Scripture  to  the 
mind,  and  misapply  them  to  deceive  persons  1  There  seems  to  be  nolliing  in 
this  which  exceeils  the  power  of  Satan.  It  is  no  wc:k  of  sucli  mighty  power, 
to  bring"  sounds  or  letters  to  persons'  minds,  that  we  have  any  reason  to  suppose 
nothing  short  of  Omnipotence  can  be  suHicient  for  it.  If  Satan  has  power  to 
bring  any  words  or  sounds  at  all  to  persons' minds,  he  may  have  power  to  bring 
words  contained  in  the  Bible.  Tiiere  is  no  higher  sort  of  power  required  in 
men,  to  make  the  sounds  which  express  the  words  of  a  text  of  Scripture,  Uian 
to  make  the  sounds  which  express  the  words  of  an  idle  story  or  song.  And 
so  the  same  power  in  Satan,  which  is  sufficient  to  renew  one  of  those  kinds  of 
sounds  in  the  mind,  is  sufficient  to  renew  the  other :  the  different  signification, 
which  depends  wholly  on  custom,  alters  not  the  case,  as  to  ability  to  make  or 
revive  the  sounds  or  letters.  Or  will  any  suppose,  that  texts  or  Scriptures  are 
such  sacred  things,  that  the  devil  durst  not  abuse  them,  nor  touch  them  ?  In  this 
also  they  are  mistaken.  He  who  was  bold  enough  to  lay  hold  on  Christ  him- 
self, and  carry  him  hither  and  thither,  into  the  wilderness,  and  into  a  high 
mountain,  and  to  a  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  is  not  afraid  to  touch  the  Scripture, 
and  abuse  that  for  his  own  purpose  ;  as  he  showed  at  the  same  time  that  he  was 
so  bold  with  Christ,  he  then  brought  one  Scripture  and  another,  to  deceive  and 
tempt  him.  And  if  Satan  did  presume,  and  was  permitted  to  put  Christ  him- 
self in  mind  of  texts  of  Scripture  to  tempt  him,  what  reason  have  we  determine 
that  he  dare  not,  or  will  not  be  permitted,  to  put  wicked  men  in  the  mind  of 
texts  of  Scripture,  to  tempt  and  deceive  them?  And  if  Satan  may  thus  abuse 
one  text  of  Scripture,  so  he  may  another.  Its  being  a  very  excellent  j^lace  of 
Scripture,  a  comfortable  and  precious  promise,  alters  not  the  case,  as  to  his 
courage  or  ability.  And  if  he  can  bring  one  comfortable  text  to  the  mind, 
so  he  may  a  thousand  ;  and  may  choose  out  such  Scriptures  as  tend  most  to  serve 
his  purpose;  and  may  heap  up  Scripture  promises,  tending,  accoiding  to  the 
perverse  application  he  makes  of  them,  wonderfully  to  remove  the  rising  doubts, 
and  to  confirm  the  false  joy  and  confidence  of  a  poor  deluded  sinner. 

We  know  the  devil's  instruments,  corrupt  and  heretical  teachers,  can  and  do 
pervert  the  Scripture,  to  their  own  and  others'  damnation,  2  Pet.  iii.  16.  We 
see  they  have  the  free  use  of  Scrijjture,  in  every  part  of  it :  there  is  no  text  so 
precious  and  sacred,  but  they  are  permitted  to  abuse  it,  to  the  eternal  ruin  of 
multitudes  of  souls  ;  and  there  are  no  weapons  they  make  use  of  with  which  tliey 
do  more  execution.  And  there  is  no  manner  of  reason  to  determine,  that  the 
devil  is  not  permitted  thus  to  use  the  Scripture,  as  well  as  his  instruments.  For 
when  the  latter  do  it,  they  do  it  as  his  instruments  and  servants,  and  through 
his  instigation  and  influence:  and  doubtless  he  does  the  same  he  instigates  others 
to  do  ;  the  devil's  servants  do  but  follow  their  master,  and  do  the  same  work 
that  he  does  himself 

And  as  the  devil  can  abuse  the  Scripture,  to  deceive  and  destroy  men,  so 
may  men's  own  folly  and  corruptions  as  well.  The  sin  which  is  in  men,  acts  like 
its  father.  Men's  own  hearts  are  deceitful  like  the  devil,  and  use  the  same 
means  to  deceive. 

So  that  it  is  evident,  thpft  any  person  may  have  high  affections  of  hope  and 
joy,  arising  on  occasion  of  texts  of  Scripture,  yea,  precious  promises  of  Scrip- 
ture coming  suddenly  and  remarkably  to  their  minds,  as  though  they  were 
spoken  to  them,  yea,  a  great  multitude  of  such  texts,  following  one  another  in  a 
wonderful  manner ;  and  yet  all  this  be  no  argument  that  these  affections  are  di- 
vine, or  that  they  are  any  other  than  the  effects  of  Satan's  delusions. 

And  I  would  further  observe,  that  persons  may  have  raised  and  joyful  affec- 

VoL.  III.  5 


34  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

tions,  which  may  come  with  the  word  of  God,  and  not  only  so,  but  from  the  word^ 
and  those  affections  not  be  from  Satan,  nor  yet  properly  from  the  corruptions  of 
their  own  hearts,  but  from  some  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  with  the  word, 
and  yet  have  nothing  of  the  nature  of  true  and  saving  religion  in  them.  Thus 
the  stony  ground  hearers  had  great  joy  from  the  word  ;  yea,  which  is  represent- 
ed as  arising  from  the  word,  as  growth  from  a  seed  ;  and  their  atfections  had,  in 
their  appearance,  a  very  great  and  exact  resemblance  with  those  represented  by 
the  growth  on  the  good  ground,  the  diiference  not  appearing  until  it  was  dis- 
covered by  the  consequences  in  a  time  of  trial:  and  yet  there  was  no  saving 
religion  in  these  affections.* 

VT.  It  is  no  evidence  that  religious  affections  are  saving,  or  that  they  are 
otherwise,  that  there  is  an  appearance  of  love  in  them. 

There  are  no  professing  Christians  who  pretend,  that  this  is  an  argument 
against  the  truth  and  saving  nature  of  religious  affections.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  there  are  some  who  suppose,  it  is  a  good  evidence  that  aff (actions  are  from 
the  sanctifying  and  saving  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost. — Their  argument  is 
that  Satan  cannot  love  j  this  affection  being  directly  contrary  to  the  devil,  whose 
very  nature  is  enmity  and  malice.  And  it  is  true,  that  nothing  is  more  excellent, 
heavenly,  and  divine,  than  a  spirit  of  true  Christian  love  to  God  and  men :  it  is 
more  excellent  than  knowledge,  or  prophecy,  or  miracles,  or  speaking  with  the 
tongue  of  men  and  angels.  It  is  the  chief  of  the  graces  of  God's  Spirit,  and  the  life, 
essence  and  sum  of  all  true  religion  ;  and  that  by  which  we  are  most  conform- 
ed to  heaven,  and  most  contrary  to  hell  and  the  devil.  But  yet  it  is  ill  argu- 
ing from  hence,  that  there  are  no  counterfeits  of  it.  It  may  be  observed  that 
the  more  excellent  any  thing  is,  the  more  will  be  the  counterfeits  of  it.  Thus 
there  are  many  moie  counterfeits  of  silver  and  gold,  than  of  iron  and  copper  : 
there  are  many  false  diamonds  and  rubies,  but  who  goes  about  to  counterfeit 
common  stones  ?  Though  the  more  excellent  things  are,  the  more  difficult  it 
is  to  make  any  thing  that  shall  be  like  them,  in  their  essential  nature  and  inter- 
nal virtues ;  yet  the  more  manifold  will  the  counterfeits  be,  and  the  more  will 
art  and  subtilty  be  displayed,  in  an  exact  imitation  of  the  outward  appearance. 
Thus  there  is  the  greatest  danger  of  being  cheated  in  buying  of  medicines  that 
are  most  excellent  and  sovereign,  though  it  be  most  difficult  to  imitate  them  with 
any  thing  of  the  like  value  and  virtue,  and  their  counterfeits  are  good  for  noth- 
ing when  we  have  them.  So  it  is  with  Christian  virtues  and  graces  ;  the  sub- 
tilty of  Satan,  and  men's  deceitful  hearts,  are  wont  chiefly  to  be  exercised  in 
counterfeiting  those  that  are  in  highest  repute.  So  there  are  perhaps  no 
graces  that  have  more  counterfeits  than  love  and  humility ;  these  being  virtues 
wherein  the  beauty  of  a  true  Christian  does  especially  appear. 

But  with  respect  to  love  ;  it  is  plain  by  the  Scripture,  that  persons  may  have 
a  kind  of  religious  love,  and  yet  have  no  saving  grace.  Christ  speaks  of  many 
professing  Christians  that  have  such  love,  whose  love  will  not  continue,  and  so 
shall  fail  of  salvation,  Matt.  xxiv.  12,  13 :  "  And  because  iniquity  shall  abound, 
the  love  of  many  shall  wax  cold.  But  he  that  shall  endure  unto  the  end,  the 
same  shall  be  saved."  Which  latter  words  plainly  show,  that  those  spoken 
of  before,  whose  love  shall  not  endure  to  the  end,  but  wax  cold,  should  not  be 
saved. 

Persons  may  seem  to  have  love  to  God  and  Christ,  yea,  to  have  very  strong 

*  Mr.  Stoddard  in  his  Guide  to  Christ,  speaks  of  it  as  a  common  thing,  for  persons  while  in  a  natural 
condition,  and  before  they  have  ever  truly  accepted  of  Christ,  to  have  Scripture  promises  come  to  thera, 
with  a  great  deal  of  refreshing  :  which  they  take  as  tokens  of  God's  love,  and  hope  that  God  has  acceptei' 
them  ;  and  so  are  confident  of  their  griod  estate      Pages  8,  9.     Impression  anno  1735. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  35 

and  violent  affections  of  this  nature,  and  yet  have  no  grace.  For  this  was  en- 
dently  the  case  with  many  graceless  Jews,  such  as  cried  Jesus  up  so  high,  fol- 
lowing him  day  and  night,  without  meat,  drink,  or  sleep ;  such  as  said,  "  Lord, 

1  willlbllow  thee  whithersoever  thou  goest,"  and  cried,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son 
of  David."* 

'  The  apostle  seems  to  intimate,  that  there  were  many  in  his  days  who  had  a 
counterfeit  love  to  Christ,  in  Eph.  vi.  24  :  "  Grace  he  with  all  them  that  love 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity."  The  last  word,  in  the  original,  signifies  in- 
corniption  ;  which  shows,  that  \\>e  apostle  was  sensible  that  there  were  many 
who  had  a  kind  of  love  to  Christ,  whose  love  was  not  pure  and  spirit-ual. 

So  also  Christian  love  to  the  peo])le  of  God  may  be  counterfeited.  It  is 
evident  by  the  Scripture,  that  there  may  be  strong  affections  of  this  kind,  with- 
out saving  grace  ;  as  there  were  in  the  Galatians  towards  the  Apostle  Paul, 
when  they  were  ready  to  pluck  out  their  eyes  and  give  them  to  him ;  although 
the  apostle  expresses  his  lear  that  their  affections  \yere  come  to  nothing,  and 
that  he  had  bestowed  upon  them  labor  in  vain.  Gal.  iv.  11,  15. 

Vil.  Persons  having  religious  atlections  of  many  kinds,  accompanying  one 
another,  is  not  sufficient  to  determine  whether  they  have  any  gracious  affec- 
tions or  no. 

Though  false  religion  Is  wont  to  be  maimed  and  monstrous,  and  not  to  have 
that  entireness  and  symmetry  of  parts,  which  is  to  be  seen  in  true  religion :  yet 
/here  may  be  a  great  variety  of  false  affections  together,  that  may  resemble 
gracious  affections. 

It  is  evident  that  there  are  comiterfeits  of  all  kinds  of  gracious  affections ; 
as  of  love  to  God,  and  love  to  the  brethren,  as  has  been  just  now  observed ;  so 
of  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  as  In  Pharaoh,  Saul,  and  Ahab,  and  the  children  of 
Israel  in  the  wilderness,  Exod.  ix.  27,  1  Sam.  xxiv.  16,  17,  and  xxvl.  21,  1 
Kings  xxi.  27,  Numb.  xiv.  39,  40  ;  and  of  the  fear  of  God,  as  in  the  Samari- 
tans°  "  who  feared  the  Lord,  and  served  their  own  gods  at  the  same  time,"  2 
Kings  xvil.  32,  33 ;  and  those  enemies  of  God  we  read  of,  Psal.  Ixvi.  3,  who, 
"through  the  greatness  of  God's  power,  submit  themselves  to  him,"  or,  as  it  is 
in  the  Hebrew,  "  lie  unto  him,"  i.  e.,  yield  a  counterfeit  reverence  and  submis- 
sion. So  of  a  gracious  gratitude,  as  in  the  children  of  Israel,  who  sang  God's 
praise  at  the  Red  Sea,  Psal.  cvi.  12 ;  and  Naaman  the  Syrian,  after  his  miracu- 
lous cure  of  his  leprosy,  2  Kings  v.  15,  &c. 

So  of  spiritual  joy,  as  in  the  stony  ground  hearers,  Matt.  xili.  20,  and  par- 
ticularly many  of  John  the  Baptist's  hearers,  John  v.  35.    So  of  zeal,  as  In  Jehu, 

2  Kings  x.  16,  and  in  Paul  before  his  conversion,  Gal.  i.  14,  Phil.  Hi.  6,  and  the 
unbelieving  Jews,  Acts  xxii.  3,  Rom.  x.  2.  So  graceless  persons  may  have 
earnest  religious  desires,  which  may  be  like  Baalam's  desires,  which  he  ex- 
presses under  an  extraordinary  view  that  he  had  of  the  happy  state  of  God's 
people,  as  distinguished  from  all  the  rest  of  the  world,  Numb,  xxiii.  9,  10. 
They  may  also  have  a  strong  hope  of  eternal  life,  as  the  Pharisees  had. 

And  as  men,  while  in  a  state  of  nature,  are  capable  of  a  resemblance  of  all 
kinds  of  religious  affections,  so  nothing  hinders  but  that  they  may  have  many 
of  them  together.  And  what  appears  in  fact,  does  abundantly  evince  that  it  is 
very  often  so  indeed.  It  seems  commonly  to  be  so,  that  when  false  affections  are 
raised  high,  many  false  affections  attend  each  other.    The  multitude  that  attended 

*  Agreeaiile  to  this,  Mr.  Stoddard  obsorves,  in  his  Guide  to  Christ,  that  some  sinners  have  pangs  of 
affection,  and  give  an  account  that  they  find  a  spirit  of  love  to  God,  and  of  thoir  aiming  at  the  gloiyof  God, 
having  that  which  has  a  great  resembUinec  of  saving  grace  ;  and  that  sometimes  their  common  affections 
are  stronger  than  saving.  And  supposes,  that  sometimes  natural  men  may  have  such  violent  pangs  of 
false  affection  to  God,  that  they  may  lliink.  tientselves  willing  to  be  danuied.     Pages  21,  and  Go. 


36  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

Christ  into  Jerusalem,  after  that  great  miracle  of  raising  Lazarus,  seem  to  have 
been  moved  with  many  religious  affections  at  once,  and  all  in  a  high  degree. 
They  seem  to  have  been  filled  with  admiration,  and  there  w^as  a  show  of  a 
high  affection  of  love,  and  also  of  a  great  degree  of  reverence,  in  their  laying 
their  garments  on  the  ground  for  Christ  to  tread  upon ;  and  also  of  great  grati- 
tude to  him,  for  the  great  and  good  works  he  had  wrought,  praising  him  with 
loud  voices  for  his  salvation ;  and  earnest  desires  of  the  coming  of  God's  king- 
dom, which  they  supposed  Jesus  was  now  about  to  set  up,  and  showed  great 
hopes  and  raised  expectations  of  it,  expecting  it  would  immediately  appear ;  and 
hence  were  filled  with  joy,  by  which  they  were  so  animated  in  their  acclama- 
tions, as  to  make  the  whole  city  ring  with  the  noise  of  them  ;  and  appeared 
great  in  their  zeal  and  forwardness  to  attend  Jesus,  and  assist  him  without  fur- 
ther delay,  now  in  the  time  of  the  great  feast  of  the  passover,  to  set  up  his  king- 
dom. And  it  is  easy,  from  nature,  and  the  nature  of  the  affections,  to  give  an 
account  why,  when  one  affection  is  raised  very  high,  that  it  should  excite  others ; 
especially  if  the  affection  which  is  raised  high,  be  that  of  counterfeit  love,  as  it 
was  in  the  multitude  who  cried  Hosanna.  This  w  ill  naturally  draw  many  other 
affections  after  it.  For,  as  was  observed  before,  love  is  the  chief  of  the  affec- 
tions, and  as  it  were  the  fountain  of  them.  Let  us  suppose  a  person  who  has 
been  for  some  time  in  great  exercise  and  terror  through  fear  of  hell,  and  his 
heart  weakened  with  distress  and  dreadful  apprehensions,  and  upon  the  brink 
of  despair,  and  is  all  at  once  delivered,  by  being  firmly  made  to  believe,  through 
some  delusion  of  Satan,  that  God  has  pardoned  him,  and  accepts  him  as  the  ob- 
ject of  his  dear  love,  and  promises  him  eternal  life ;  as  suppose  through  some 
vision,  or  strong  idea  or  imagination,  suddenly  excited  in  him,  of  a  person  with 
a  beautiful  countenance,  smiling  on  him,  and  with  arms  open,  and  with  blood 
dropping  down,  which  the  person  conceives  to  be  Christ,  without  any  other  en- 
lio-htening  of  the  understanding,  to  give  a  view  of  the  spiritual  divine  excellency 
of  Christ  and  his  fulness ;  and  of  the  way  of  salvation  revealed  in  the  gospel : 
or  perhaps  by  some  voice  or  words  coming  as  if  they  were  spoken  to  hiui,  such 
as  these, "  Son,  be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee  ;"  or,  "  Fear  not, 
it  is  the  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom,"  which  he  takes  to 
be  immediately  spoken  by  God  to  him,  though  there  was  no  preceding  accept- 
ance of  Christ,  or  closing  of  the  heart  with  him :  I  say,  if  we  should  suppose 
such  a  case,  what  various  passions  would  naturally  crowd  at  once,  or  one  after 
another,  into  such  a  pei-son's  mind  !  It  is  easy  to  be  accounted  for,  from  mere 
principles  of  nature,  that  a  person's  heart,  on  such  an  occasion,  should  be  i-aised 
up  to  the  skies  with  transports  of  joy  ;  and  be  filled  wuth  fervent  affection,  to 
that  imaginary  God  or  Redeemer,  who  he  supposes  has  thus  rescued  him  from 
the  jaws  of  such  dreadful  destruction,  that  his  soul  was  so  amazed  with  the  fears 
of,  and  has  received  him  with  such  endearment,  as  a  peculiar  favorite  ;  and  that 
now  he  should  be  filled  with  admiration  and  gratitude,  and  his  mouth  should  be 
opened,  and  be  full  of  talk  about  what  he  has  experienced  ;  and  that,  for  a  while, 
he  should  think  and  speak  of  scarce  any  thing  else,  and  should  seem  to  magnify 
that  God  who  has  done  so  much  for  him,  and  call  upon  others  to  rejoice  with 
him,  and  appear  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  and  talk  with  a  loud  voice  :  and 
however,  before  his  deliverance,  he  was  full  of  quarrellings  against  the  justice 
of  God,  that  now  it  should  be  easy  for  him  to  submit  to  God,  and  own  his  un- 
worthiness,  and  cry  out  against  himself,  and  appear  to  be  very  humble  before 
God,  and  lie  at  his  feet  as  tame  aa  a  lamb;  and  that  he  should  now  confess  his 
unworthiness,  and  cry  out,  "  Why  me  ?  Why  me  ?"  (Like  Saul,  who  when 
Samuel  told  him  that  God  had  appointed  him  to  be  king,  makes  answer,  "  Aia 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  37 

not  I  a  Benjamite,  of  the  smallest  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  my  iamily  the  least 
of  all  the  families  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  ?  Wherefore  then  speakest  thou 
so  to  me  ?"  Much  in  the  language  of  David,  the  true  saint,  2  Sam.  vii.  18, 
"  Who  am  I,  and  what  is  my  father's  house,  that  thou  has  brought  me  hither- 
to ?")  INor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at,  that  now  he  should  delight  to  be  with  them 
w^ho  acknowledge  and  applaud  his  happy  circumstances,  and  should  love  all 
such  as  esteem  and  admire  him  and  what  he  has  experienced,  and  have  violent 
zeal  against  all  such  as  would  make  nothing  of  such  things,  and  be  disposed 
openly  to  separate,  and  as  it  were  to  proclaim  war  with  all  who  be  not  of  his 
party,  and  should  now  glory  in  his  sufferings,  and  be  very  much  for  condemn- 
ing and  censuring  all  who  seem  to  doubt,  or  make  any  difiiculty  of  these  things ; 
and  while  the  warmth  of  his  affections  lasts,  should  be  mighty  forward  to  take 
pains,  and  deny  himself,  to  promote  the  interest  of  the  party  who  he  imagines 
favors  such  things,  and  seem  earnestly  desirous  to  increase  the  number  of  them, 
as  the  Pharisees  compassed  sea  and  land  to  make  one  froselyte*  And  so  I 
might  go  on,  and  mention  many  other  things,  which  will  naturally  arise  in  such 
circumstances.  He  must  have  but  slightly  considered  human  nature,  who  thinks 
such  things  as  these  cannot  arise  in  this  manner,  without  any  supernatural  inter- 
position of  divine  power. 

As  from  true  divine  love  flow  all  Christian  affections.,  so  from  a  counterfeit 
love  in  like  manner  naturally  flow  other  false  affections.  In  botli  cases,  love  is 
the  fountain,  and  the  other  affections  are  the  streams.  The  various  faculties, 
principles,  and  affections  of  the  human  nature,  are  as  it  were  many  channels 
from  one  fountain  :  if  there  be  sweet  water  in  the  fountain,  sweet  water  will 
from  thence  flow  out  into  those  various  channels ;  but  if  the  water  in  the  foun- 
tain be  poisonous,  then  poisonous  streams  will  also  flow  out  into  all  those  chan- 
nels. So  that  the  channels  and  streams  will  be  alike,  corresponding  one  \vith 
another  ;  but  the  great  difference  will  lie  in  the  nature  of  the  water.  Or,  man's 
nature  may  be  compared  to  a  tree,  with  many  branches,  comirrg  from  one  root : 
if  the  sap  in  the  root  be  gootl,  there  will  also  be  good  sap  distributed  through- 
out the  branches,  and  the  fruit  that  is  brought  forth  will  be  good  and  whole- 
some ;  but  if  the  sap  in  the  root  and  stock  be  poisonous,  so  it  will  be  in  many 
branches  (as  in  the  other  case),  and  the  fruit  will  be  deadly.  The  tree  in  both 
cases  may  be  alike  ;  there  may  be  an  exact  resemblance  in  shape ',  but  the  dif- 
ference is  found  only  in  eating  the  fruit.  It  is  thus  (in  some  measure  at  least) 
oftentimes  between  saints  and  hypocrites.  There  is  sometimes  a  veiy  great  si- 
mihtude  between  true  and  false  experiences,  in  their  appearance,  and  in  what  is 
expressed  and  related  by  the  subjects  of  them  :  and  the  difference  between  them 
is  much  like  the  difference  between  the  dreams  of  Pharaoh's  chief  butler  and  ba- 
ker ;  they  seemed  to  be  much  alike,  insomuch  that  when  Joseph  interpreted  the 
chief  butler's  dream,  that  he  should  be  delivered  from  his  imprisonment,  and 
restored  to  the  Idng's  favor,  and  his  honorable  office  in  the  palace,  the  chief 
baker  had  raised  hopes  and  expectations,  and  told  his  dream  also  ;  but  he  was 
wofully  disappointed  ;  and  though  his  dream  w^as  so  much  like  the  happy  and 
well  boding  dream  of  his  companion,  yet  it  was  quite  contrary  in  its  issue. 

VIII.  Nothing  can  certainly  be  determined  concerning  the  natiire  of  the  affec- 
tions, by  this,  that  comforts  and  joys  seem  to  follow  awakenings  and  convictions 
of  conscience,  in  a  certain  order. 

*  "  Ass(H-i;iting  with  godly  men  does  not  prove  that  a  man  has  grace :  Ahithophel  was  David's  com- 
paniiu.  Sorrows  for  the  afflictions  of  the  church,  and  desires  for  the  conversioa  of  souls,  do  not  prove  it. 
These  ihiiigs  may  be  found  in  carnal  men,  and  so  can  be  no  evidence  of  grace." — Stoddard's  Natuti  of 
Saving  Conversion,  p.  82. 


38  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

Many  persons  seem  to  be  prejudiced  against  affections  and  e.xperijences  that 
come  in  such  a  method,  as  has  been  much  insisted  on  by  many  divines ;  first, 
such  awakenings,  fears,  and  awful  apprehensions,  followed  with  such  legal 
humblings,  in  a  sense  of  total  sinfulness  and  helplessness,  and  then,  such  and 
such  light  and  comfort ;  they  look  upon  all  such  schemes,  laying  down  such 
methods  and  steps,  to  be  of  men's  devising;  and  particularly  if  high  affections 
of  joy  follow  great  distress  and  terror,  it  is  made  by  many  an  argument  against 
those  affections.  But  such  prejudices  and  objections  are  without  reason  or 
Scripture.  Surely  it  cannot  be  unreasonable  to  suppose,  that  before  God  deli- 
vers persons  from  a  state  of  sin  and  exposedness  to  eternal  destruction,  he  should 
give  them  some  considerable  sense  of  the  evil  he  delivers  from  ;  that  they  may 
be  delivered  sensibly,  and  understand  their  own  salvation,  and  know  something 
of  what  God  does  for  them.  As  men  that  are  saved  are  in  two  exceeding  dif- 
ferent states,  first  a  state  of  condemnation,  and  then  in  a  state  of  justification 
and  blessedness  :  and  as  God,  in  the  work  of  the  salvation  of  mankind,  deals 
with  them  suitably  to  their  intelligent  rational  nature  ;  so  its  seems  reasonable, 
and  agreeable  to  God's  wisdom,  that  men  who  are  saved  should  be  in  these  two 
states  sensibly ;  first,  that  they  should,  sensibly  to  themselves,  be  in  a  state  of 
condemnation,  and  so  in  a  state  of  woful  calamity  and  dreadful  misery,  and  so 
afterwards  in  a  state  of  deliverance  and  happiness ;  and  that  they  should  be 
first  sensible  of  their  absolute  extreme  necessity,  and  afterwards  of  Christ's  suf- 
ficiency and  God's  mercy  through  him. 

And  that  it  is  God's  manner  of  dealing  Avith  men,  to  "  lead  them  into  a 
wilderness,  before  he  speaks  comfortably  to  them,"  and  so  to  order  it,  that  they 
shall  be  brought  into  distress,  and  made  to  see  their  own  helplessness  and  abso- 
lute dependence  on  his  power  and  grace,  befi)re  he  appears  to  work  any  great 
deliverance  for  them,  is  abundantly  manifest  by  the  Scripture.  Then  is  God  wont 
to  "  repent  himself  for  his  professing  people,  when  their  strength  is  gone,  and 
there  is  none  shut  up  or  left,"  and  when  they  are  brought  to  see  that  their  false 
gods  cannot  help  them,  and  that  the  rock  in  whom  they  trusted  is  vain,  Deut. 
xxxii.  36,  37.  Before  God  delivered  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  they 
were  prepared  for  it,  by  being  made  to  "  see  that  they  were  in  an  evil  case,"  and 
"  to  cry  unto  God,  because  of  their  hard  bondage,"  Exod.  ii.  23,  and  v.  19. 
And  before  God  wrought  that  great  deliverance  for  them  at  the  Red  Sea,  they 
were  brought  into  great  distress,  the  wilderness  had  shut  them  in,  they  could 
not  turn  to  the  right  hand  nor  the  left,  and  the  Red  Sea  was  before  them,  and 
the  great  Egyptian  host  behind,  and  they  were  brought  to  see  that  they  could 
do  nothing  to  help  themselves,  and  that  if  God  did  not  help  them,  they  should  be 
immediately  swallowed  up ;  and  then  God  appeared,  and  turned  their  cries  into 
songs.  So  before  they  were  brought  to  their  rest,  and  to  enjoy  the  milk  and 
honey  of  Canaan,  God  "  led  them  through  a  great  and  terrible  wilderness, 
that  he  might  humble  them  and  teach  them  what  was  in  their  heart,  and  so  do 
them  good  in  their  latter  end,"  Deut.  viii.  2,  16.  The  woman  that  had  the 
issue  of  blood  twelve  years,  was  not  delivered,  until  she  had  first  "  spent  all  her 
living  on  earthly  physicians,  and  could  not  be  healed  of  any,"  and  so  was  left 
helpless,  having  no  more  money  to  spend  ;  and  then  she  came  to  the  great  Phy- 
sician, without  any  money  or  price,  and  was  healed  by  him,  Luke  viii.  43,  44. 
Before  Christ  would  answer  the  request  of  the  woman  of  Canaan,  he  first  seem- 
ed utterly  to  deny  her,  and  humbled  her,  and  brought  her  to  own  herself  worthy 
to  be  called  a  dog ;  and  then  he  showed  her  mercy,  and  received  her  as  a  dear 
child.  Matt.  xv.  22,  &c.  The  Apostle  Paul,  before  a  remarkable  deliverance, 
was  "  pressed  out  of  measure,  above  strength,  insomuch  that  he  despaired  even 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  39 

of  life  ;  but  had  the  sentence  of  death  in  himself,  that  he  might  not  trust  in  him- 
self, but  in  God  that  raiseth  tlu;  dead,"  2  Cor.  i.  8,  9,  10.  There  was  first  a 
great  tempest,  and  the  ship  was  covered  with  the  waves,  and  just  ready  to  sink, 
and  the  <h.scipk'S  were  brouglit  to  cry  to  Jesus,  "  Lord  save  us,  we  perish  ;"  and 
then  the  winils  and  seas  were  rebuked,  and  there  was  a  great  calm.  Matt.  viii. 
24,  25,  26.  The  leper,  before  he  is  cleansed,  must  have  his  mouth  slopptd,  by 
a  covering  on  his  upper  lip,  antl  was  to  acknowledge  his  great  misery  and  utter 
undeanness,  by  rending  his  clo'thes,  and  crying,  "  Unclean,  unclean,"  Lev.  xiii. 
45.  And  backsliding  Israel,  before  God  heals  them,  are  brought  to  "  acknow- 
ledge that  they  have  sinned,  and  have  not  obeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord,"  and 
to  see  that  "  they  lie  down  in  their  shame,  and  that  confusion  covers  them,"  and 
"  that  in  vain  is  salvation  hoped  for  from  the  hills,  and  from  the  multitude  of 
mountains,"  and  that  God  only  can  save  them,  Jer.  iii.  23,  24,  25.  Joseph, 
who  was  sold  by  his  brethren,  and  therein  was  a  type  of  Christ,  brings  his 
brethren  into  great  perplexity  and  distress,  and  brings  them  to  reflect  on  their 
sin,  and  to  say,  We  are  verily  guilty ;  and  at  last  to  resign  up  themselves  en- 
tirely into  his  hands  for  bondmen  ;  and  then  reveals  himself  to  them,  as  their 
brother  and  their  saviour. 

And  if  we  consider  those  extraordinary  manifestations  which  God  made  of 
himself  to  saints  of  old,  we  shall  find  that  he  commonly  first  manifested  himself 
in  a  way  which  was  terrible,  and  then  by  those  things  that  were  comfortable. 
So  it  was  with  Abraham  ;  first,  a  horror  of  great  darkness  fell  upon  him,  and 
then  God  revealed  himself  to  him  in  sweet  promises.  Gen.  xv.  12,13.  So  it 
was  with  Moses  at  Mount  Sinai ;  first,  God  appeared  to  him  in  all  the  terrors 
of  his  dreadful  Majesty,  so  that  Moses  said,  "  I  exceedingly  fear  and  quake," 
and  then  he  made  all  his  goodness  to  pass  before  him,  and  proclaimed  his  name, 
"  The  Lord  God  gracious  and  merciful,"  &c.  So  it  was  with  Elijah ;  first, 
there  is  a  stormy  wind,  and  earthquake,  and  devouring  fire,  and  then  a  still,  small, 
sweet  voice,  1  Kings  xix.  So  it  was  with  Daniel  ;  he  first  saw  Christ's  coun- 
tenance as  lightning,  that  terrified  him,  and  caused  him  to  faint  away ;  and  then 
he  is  strengthened  arid  refreshed  with  such  comfortable  words  as  these,  "  0  Dan- 
niel,  a  man  greatly  beloved,"  Dan.  x.  So  it  was  with  the  apostle  John,  Rev.  i. 
And  there  is  an  analogy  observable  in  God's  dispensations  and  deliverances 
which  he  works  for  his  people,  and  the  manifestations  which  he  makes  of  him- 
self to  them,  both  ordinary  and  extraordinary. 

But  there  are  many  things  in  Scripture  which  do  more  directly  show,  that 
this  is  God's  ordinary  manner  in  working  salvation  for  the  souls  of  men,  and  in 
the  manifestations  God  makes  of  himself  and  of  his  mercy  in  Christ,  in  the  or- 
dinary works  of  his  grace  on  the  hearts  of  sinners.  The  servant  that  owed  his 
prince  ten  thousand  talents,  is  first  held  to  his  debt,  and  the  king  pronounces 
sentence  of  condemnation  upon  him,  and. commands  him  to  be  sold,  and  his  wife 
and  children,  and  payment  to  be  made  ;  and  thus  he  humbles  him,  and  brings 
him  to  own  the  whole  of  the  debt  to  be  just,  and  then  forgives  him  all.  The 
prodigal  son  spends  all  he  has,  and  is  brought  to  see  himself  in  extreme  circum- 
stances, and  to  humble  himself,  and  own  his  unworthiness,  before  he  is  relieved 
and  feasted  by  his  father,  Luke  xv.  Old  inveterate  wounds  must  be  searched  to 
the  bottom,  in  order  to  healing  :  and  the  Scripture  compares  sin,  the  wound  of 
the  soul,  to  this,  and  speaks  of  healing  this  wound  without  thus  searching  of  it, 
as  vain  and  deceitful,  Jer.  vii.  1 1.  Christ,  in  the  work  of  his  grace  on  the  hearts 
of  men,  is  compared  to  rain  on  the  new  mown  grass,  grass  that  is  cut  down 
with  a  scythe,  Psal.  Ixxii.  6,  representing  his  refreshing,  comforting  influences 
on  the  wounded  spirit.     Our  first  parents,  after  they  had  sinned,  were  first  terri- 


40  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

fied  with  God's  majesty  and  justice,  and  had  their  sin,  with  its  aggravations,  set 
before  them  by  then-  Judge,  before  they  where  relieved  by  the  promise  of  the 
seed  of  the  woman.  Christians  are  spoken  of  as  those  "  that  have  fled  for  refuge, 
to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  them,"  Heb.  vi.  IS,  which  representation 
implies  great  fear  and  sense  of  danger,  preceding.  To  the  like  purpose,  Christ 
is  called  "  a  hiding  place  from  the  wind,  and  a  covert  from  the  tempest,  and  as 
rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  place,  and  as  the  shadow  of  a  great  I'ock  in  a  weary 
land,"  Isa.  xxxii.  at  the  beginning.  And  it  seems  to  be  the  natural  import  of 
the  word  gospel,  glad  tidings,  that  it  is  news  of  deliverance  and  salvation,  after 
great  fear  and  distress.  There  is  also  reason  to  suppose,  that  God  deals  with 
particular  believers,  as  he  dealt  with  his  church,  which  he  first  made  to  hear  his 
voice  in  the  law,  with  terrible  thunders  and  lightnings,  and  kept  her  under  that 
schoolmaster  to  prepare  her  for  Christ ;  and  then  comforted  her  with  the  joyful 
sound  of  the  gospel  from  Mount  Zion.  So  likewise  John  the  Baptist  came  to 
prepare  the  way  for  Christ,  and  prepare  men's  hearts  for  his  reception,  by  show- 
ing them  their  sins,  and  by  bringing  the  self-righteous  Jews  off  from  their  oWn 
righteousness,  telling  them  that  they  were  "  a  generation  of  vipers,"  and, showing 
them  their  danger  of  "  the  wrath  to  come,"  telling  them  that  "  the  axe  was  laid 
at  the  root  of  the  trees,"  &c. 

And  if  it  be  indeed  God's  manner  (as  I  think  the  foregoing  considerations 
show  that  it  undoubtedly  is),  before  he  gives  men  the  comfort  of  a  deliverance 
from  their  sin  and  misery,  to  give  them  a  considerable  sense  of  the  greatness 
and  dreadfulness  of  those  evils,  and  their  extreme  wretchedness  by  reason  of 
them  ;  surely  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose,  that  persons,  at  least  oftentimes, 
while  under  these  views,  should  have  gieat  distresses  and  terrible  apprehensions 
of  mind ;  especially  if  it  be  considered  what  these  evils  are  that  they  have  a 
view  of  5  which  are  no  other  than  great  and  manifold  sins,  against  the  infinite 
majesty  of  the  great  Jehovah,  and  the  suffering  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath  to 
all  eternity.  And  the  more  so  still,  when  we  have  many  plain  instances  in 
Scripture  of  persons  that  have  actually  been  brought  into  great  distress,  by 
such  convictions,  before  they  have  received  saving  consolations  :  as  the  multitude 
at  Jerusalem,  who  were  "  pricked  in  their  heart,  and  said  unto  Peter  and  the  rest 
of  the  apostles.  Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?"  And  the  apostle  Paul, 
who  trembled  and  was  astonished,  before  he  was  comforted  ;  and  the  gaoler, 
when  "  he  called  for  a  light,  and  sprang  in,  and  came  trembling,  and  fell  down 
before  Paul  and  Silas,  and  said,  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

From  these  things  it  appears  to  be  very  unreasonable  in  professing  Chris- 
tians to  make  this  an  objection  against  the  truth  and  spiritual  nature  of  the 
comfortable  and  joyful  affections  which  any  have,  that  they  follow  such  awful 
apprehensions  and  distresses  as  have  been  mentioned. 

And,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  evidence  that  comforts  and  joys  are  right, 
because  they  succeed  great  terrors,  and  amazing  fears  of  hell.*  This  seems  to 
be  what  some  persons  lay  a  great  weight  upon  ;  esteeming  great  terrors  an  evi- 
dence of  the  great  work  of  the  law  wrought  on  the  heart,  well  preparing  the 
Way  for  solid  comfort ;  not  considering  that  terror  and  a  conviction  of  conscience 
are  different  things.  For  though  con\  ictions  of  conscience  do  often  cause  terror  ; 
yet  they  do  not  consist  in  it ;  and  terrors  do  often  arise  from  other  causes.  Con- 
victionx  of  conscience,  through  the  influences  of  God's  Spirit,  consist  in  conviction 

*  Mr.  Shepard  speaks  of  "men's  being  cast  down  as  low  as  hell  by  sorrow  and  lying  nnder chains, 
quaking  in  apprehension  of  terror  to  come,  and  then  raised  up  to  heaven  in  joy,  not  able  to  live  ;  and  yel 
not  rent  from  lust :  and  s-jch  are  objicts  of  pity  now,  and  are  like  to  be  the  ob'ects  of  terror  at  the  great 
day"— Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Pari  I.  p.  125. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  41 

of  sinfulness  of  heart  and  practice,  and  of  the  dreadfulness  of  sin,  as  committed 
against  a  God  of  terrible  majesty,  infinite  holiness  and  hatred  of  sin,  and 
stVic*  justice  in  punishing;  of  it.  But  there  are  some  persons  that  have  frightful 
apprehensions  of  hell,  a  dreadful  pit  ready  to  swallow  them  up,  and  flames  just 
ready  to  lay  hold  of  them,  and  devils  around  them,  rearly  to  seize  them ;  who 
at  the  same  time  seem  to  have  very  little  proper  enlightenings  of  conscience 
really  convincing  them  of  their  siniiilncss  of  heart  and  life.  The  devil,  if  per- 
mitted, can  terriiy  men  as  well  as  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  it  is  a  work  natural  to  him, 
and  he  has  many  ways  of  doing  it,  in  a  manner  tending  to  no  good. 

He  may  exceedingly  aftright  persons,  by  impressing  on  them  images  and 
ideas  of  many  external  things,  of  a  countenance  frowning,  a  sword  drawn,  black 
clouds  of  vengeance,  words  of  an  awful  doom  pronounced,*  hell  gaping,  devils 
coming,  and  the  like,  not  to  convince  persons  of  things  that  are  true,  and 
revealed  in  the  word  of  God,  but  to  lead  them  to  vain  and  groundless  determi- 
nations ;  as  that  their  day  is  past,  that  they  arc  reprobated,  that  God  is  implaca- 
ble, that  he  has  come  to  a  resolution  immediately  to  cut  them  off,  &c. 

And  the  terrors  which  some  persons  have,  are  very  much  owing  to  the  par- 
ticular constitution  and  temper  they  are  of.  Nothing  is  more  manifest  than  that 
some  persons  are  of  such  a  temper  and  frame,  that  their  im.aginations  are  more 
strongly  impressed  with  every  thing  they  are  affected  with,  than  others  ;  and  the 
impression  on  the  imagination  reacts  on  the  affection,  and  raises  that  still  higher; 
and  so  alfection  and  imagination  act  reciprocally,  one  on  another,  till  their  af- 
fection is  raised  to  a  vast  height,  and  the  person  is  swallowed  up,  and  loses  all 
possession  of  himself.f 

And  some  speak  of  a  great  sight  they  have  of  their  wickedness,  who  really, 
when  the  matter  comes  to  be  well  examined  into  and  thoroughly  weighed,  are 
found  to  have  little  or  no  convictions  of  conscience.  They  tell  of  a  dreadful  hard 
heart,  and  how  their  heart  lies  like  a  stone  ;  when  truly  they  have  none  of  those 
things  in  their  minds  or  thoughts,  wherein  the  hardness  of  men's  heart  does 
really  consist.  They  tell  of  a  dreadful  load  and  sink  of  sin,  a  heap  of  black  and 
loathsome  filthiness  within  them  ;  when,  if  the  matter  be  carefully  inquired  into, 
they  have  not  in  view  any  thing  wherein  the  corruption  of  nature  does  truly 
consist,  nor  have  they  any  thought  of  any  particular  thing  wherein  their  hearts 
are  siniuUy  defective,  or  fall  short  of  what  ought  to  be  in  them,  or  any  exercises 
at  all  of  corruption  in  them.  And  many  think  also  they  have  great  convictions 
of  their  actual  sins,  w4io  truly  have  none.  They  tell  how  their  sins  are  set  in 
order  before  them,  they  see  them  stand  encompassing  them  round  in  a  row,  with 
a  dreadful,  frightful  appearance ;  when  really  they  have  not  so  much  as  one  of 
the  sins  they  have  been  guilty  of  in  the  course  of  their  lives,  coming  into  view, 
that  th(  y  are  affected  with  the  aggravations  of. 

And  if  persons  have  had  great  terrors  which  really  have  been  from  the 
awakening  and  convincing  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  it  doth  not  thence 
follow  that  their  terrors  must  needs  issue  in  true  comfort.  The  unmortified  cor- 
ruption of  the  heart  may  quench  the  Spirit  of  God  (after  he  has  been  striving) 

*"  "  The  way  of  the  Spirit's  working  when  it  does  convince  men,  is  by  enlightening  natural  conscience, 
n.c  Spirit  does  not  work  by  giving  a  testimony,  but  by  assisting  natural  conscience  to  do  its  work. 
Natural  ronscience  is  the  instrument  in  the  handof  God  to  accuse,  condemn,  terrify,  and  to  urge  to  duty. 
The  Spirit  of  God  leads  men  into  the  consideration  of  their  danger,  and  makes  them  to  be  affected  there- 
with ;  Prov.  XX.  17,  "  The  spirit  of  man  is  the  candle  of  the  Tjord,  searching  ail  the  inward  parts  of  the  belly." 
Stoddard's  Cfuide  to  Christ,  page  44. 

t  The  famous  Mr.  Perkins  distinguishes  between  "  those  sorrows  that  come  through  convictions  of 
conecience,  and  melancholic  passions  arising  only  from  mere  imagination,  strongly  conceived  in  the 
bmin ;  which,  he  says,  usually  come  i  a  a  sudden,  like  lightning  into  a  house." — Vol.  I.  of  his  works, 
page  395. 

Vol  III.  6 


42  RELIGIOUS  AFFi.CTIONS. 

by  leading  men  to  presumptuous,  and  self-exalting  hopes  and  joys,  as  well  as 
otherwise.  It  is  not  every  woman  who  is  really  in  travail,  that  brings  forth  a 
real  child ;  but  it  may  be  a  monstrous  production,  without  any  thing  of  the 
form  or  properties  of  human  nature  belonging  to  it.  Pharaoh's  chief  baker, 
after  he  had  lain  in  the  dungeon  with  Joseph,  had  a  vision  that  raised  his  hopes, 
and  he  was  lifted  out  of  the  dungeon,  as  well  as  the  chief  butler ;  but  it  was  to 
be  hanged. 

But  if  comforts  and  joys  do  not  only  come  after  great  terrors  and  awaken- 
ings, but  there  be  an  appearance  of  such  preparatory  convictions  and  humilia- 
tions, and  brought  about  very  distinctly,  by  such  steps,  and  in  such  a  method, 
as  has  frequently  been  observable  in  true  converts;  this  is  no  certain  sign  that 
the  light  and  comforts  which  follow  are  true  and  saving.  And  for  these  Ibllow- 
ing  reasons : 

First,  As  the  devil  can  counterfeit  all  the  saving  operations  and  graces  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  so  he  can  counterfeit  those  operations  that  are  preparatory  to 
grace.  If  Satan  can  counterfeit  those  effects  of  God's  Spirit,  which  are  special, 
divine  and  sanctifying,  so  that  there  shall  be  a  very  great  resemblance,  in  all 
that  can  be  observed  by  others ;  much  more  easily  may  he  imitate  those  works 
of  God's  Spirit  which  are  common,  and  which  men,  while  they  are  yet  his  own 
children,  are  the  subjects  of.  These  works  are  in  no  wise  so  much  above  him 
as  the  other.  There  are  no  works  of  God  that  are  so  high  and  divine,  and 
above  the  powers  of  nature,  and  out  of  reach  of  the  power  of  all  creatures,  as 
those  works  of  his  Spirit,  whereby  he  forms  the  creature  in  his  own  image,  and 
makes  it  to  be  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature.  But  if  the  devil  can  be  the 
author  of  such  resemblances  of  these  as  have  been  spoken  of,  without  doubt  he 
may  of  those  that  are  of  an  infinitely  inferior  kind.  And  it  is  abundantly 
evident  in  fact,  that  there  are  false  humiliations  and  false  submissions,  as  well 
as  false  comforts.*  How  far  was  Saul  brought,  though  a  very  wicked  man,  and 
of  a  haughty  spirit,  when  he  (though  a  great  king)  was  brought,  in  conviction 
of  his  sin,  as  it  were  to  fall  down,  all  in  tears,  weeping  aloud,  before  David  his 
own  subject  (and  one  that  he  had  for  a  long  time  mortally  hated,  and  openly 
treated  as  an  enemy),  and  condemn  himself  before  him,  crying  out,  ''  Thou  art 
more  righteous  than  I :  for  thou  hast  rewarded  me  good,  whereas  I  have 
rewarded  thee  evil !"  And  at  another  time,  "  I  have  sinned,  I  have  played  the 
fool,  I  have  erred  exceedingly,"  1  Sam.  xxiv.  16,  17,  and  chap.  xxvi.  21.  And 
yet  Saul  seems  then  to  have  had  very  little  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
it  being  after  God's  Spirit  had  departed  from  him,  and  given  him  up,  and  an  evil 
spirit  fi-om  the  Lord  troubled  him.  And  if  this  proud  monarch,  in  a  pang  of 
affection,  was  brought  to  humble  himself  so  low  before  a  subject  that  he  hated, 
and  still  continued  an  enemy  to,  there  doubtless  may  be  appearances  of  great 
conviction  and  humiliation  in  men,  before  God,  while  they  yet  remain  enemies 
to  him,  and  though  they  finally  coutinue  so.  There  is  oftentimes  in  men  who 
are  terrified  through  fears  of  hell,  a  great  appearance  of  their  being  brought 
off  from  their  ow^n  righteousness,  when  they  are  not  brought  off  from  it  in  all 
ways,  although  they  are  in  many  ways  that  are  more  plain  and  visible.  They 
have  only  exchanged  some  ways  of  trusting  in  their  own  righteousness,  for 
others  that  are  more  secret  and  subtle.  Oftentimes  a  great  degree  of  discourage^ 

♦  The  venerable  Mr.  Stoddard  observes,  "  A  man  may  say,  that  now  he  can  justify  God  however  he 
seals  with  him,  and  not  be  brought  off  from  his  own  righteousness  ;  and  that  some  men  do  justify  God 
from  a  partial  conviction  of  the  righteousness  of  their  condemnation  ;  conscience  takes  notice  of  their 
Sinfulness,  and  tells  them  that  they  may  be  righteously  damned  ;  as  Pharaoh,  who  justified  God,  Exod. 
IX.  27.  And  they  give  some  kind  of  consent  to  it,  but  many  times  it  does  not  continue  they  have  only 
»  pang  upon  them,  that  usually  dies  away  after  a  little  time. — Guide  to  Christ,  p.  71. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  43 

ment,  ah  to  many  things  they  used  to  depeiul  upon,  is  taken  for  hunullation  : 
and  that  is  called  a  submission  to  God,  which  is  no  absolute  submission,  but 
has  some  secret  bargain  in  it,  that  it  is  hard  to  discover. 

Sccond/i/,  If  the  operations  and  effects  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  the  convic- 
tions, and  comibrts  of  true  converts,  may  be  sophisticated,  then  the  order  of  them 
may  be  imitated.  If  Satan  can  imitate  the  things  themselves,  he  may  easily  put 
them  one  after  another,  in  such  a  certain  order.  If  the  devil  can  make  A,  B, 
and  C,  it  is  as  easy  for  him  to  put  A  first,  and  B  next,  and  C  next,  as  to  range 
them  in  a  contrary  order.  The  nature  of  divine  things  is  haider  for  the  devil 
*to  imitate,  than  their  order.  He  cannot  exactly  imitate  divine  operations  in  their 
nature,  though  his  counterfeits  may  be  very  much  like  them  in  extei-nal  appear- 
ance ;  but  he  can  exactly  imitate  their  order.  When  counterfeits  are  made, 
there  is  no  divine  power  needful  in  order  to  the  placing  one  of  them  first,  and 
another  last.  And  therefore  no  oider  or  method  of  operations  and  experiences 
is  any  certain  sign  of  their  divinity.  That  only  is  to  be  trusted  to,  as  a  certain 
evidence  ol"  grace,  which  Satan  cannot  do,  and  W'hich  it  is  Impossible  should  be 
brought  to  pass  by  any  power  short  of  divine. 

Thirdly,  We  have  no  certain  rule  rule  to  determine  how  far  God's  own 
Spirit  may  go  in  those  operations  and  convictions  which  in  themselves  are  not 
spiritual  and  saving,  and  yet  the  person  that  is  the  subject  of  them  never  be  con- 
verted, but  fall  short  of  salvation  at  last.  There  is  no  necessary  connection  in 
the  nature  of  things,  between  any  thing  that  a  natural  man  may  experience 
while  in  a  state  of  nature,  and  the  saving  grace  of  God's  Spirit.  And  if  there 
be  no  connection  in  the  nature  of  things,  then  there  can  be  no  knov;n  and  cer- 
tain connection  at  all,  unless  it  be  by  divine  revelation.  But  there  is  no  revealed 
certain  connection  between  a  state  of  salvation,  and  any  thing  that  a  natural 
man  can  be  the  subject  of,  before  he  believes  in  Christ.  God  has  revealed  no 
certain  connection  between  salvation,  and  any  qualifications  in  men,  but  only 
grace  and  its  fruits.  And  therefore  we  do  not  find  any  legal  convictions,  or  com- 
forts, following  these  legal  convictions,  in  any  certain  method  or  order,  ever 
once  mentioned  in  the  Scripture,  as  certain  signs  of  grace,  or  things  peculiar  to 
the  saints  ;  although  we  do  find  gracious  operations  and  effects  themselves,  so 
mentioned,  thousands  of  times.  Wliich  should  be  enough  with  Christians  who 
are  willing  to  have  the  w^ord  of  God,  rather  than  their  own  philosophy,  and 
experiences,  and  conjectures,  as  their  sufficient  and  sure  guide  in  things  of  this 
nature. 

Fourthly,  Experience  does  greatly  confirm,  that  persons  seeming  to  have 
convictions  and  comforts  following  one  another  in  such  a  method  and  order,  as 
is  frequently  observable  in  true  converts,  is  no  certain  sign  of  grace.*  I  appeal 
to  all  those  ministers  in  this  land,  who  have  had  much  occasion  of  dealing  with 
souls  in  the  late  extraordinaiy  season,  whether  there  have  not  been  many  who 
do  not  prove  well,  that  have  given  a  fair  account  of  their  experiences,  and  have 
seemed  to  be  converted  according  to  rule,  i.  e.,  with  convictions  and  affections, 
succeetling  distinctly  and  exactly,  in  that  order  and  method,  which  has  been 
ordinarily  insisted  on,  as  the  order  of  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in 
conversion. 

And  as  a  seeming  to  have  this  distinctness  as  to  steps  and  method,  is  no 

♦  Mr.  Stoddard,  who  had  much  experience  of  things  of  this  nature,  long  ago  observed,  that  converted 
and  unconverted  men  cannot  be  certainly  distinguished  by  the  account  fhey  giveof  their  experience  ;  the 
same  relation  of  experiences  being  commin  to  both.  And  that  many  persons  have  given  a  fail  account 
of  a  work  of  conversion,  that  have  carried  veil  in  the  eye  of  the  world  for  several  years,  but  have  not 
proved  well  at  last.— .i4j>pea/  lo  the  Learneiu,  \  75,  76. 


44  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

certain  sign  that  a  person  is  converted  ;  so  a  being  without  it,  is  no  evidence 
that  a  person  is  not  converted.  For  though  it  might  be  made  evidvmt  to  a  demon- 
stration, on  Scripture  principles,  that  a  sinner  cannot  be  brought  heartily  to 
receive  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  who  is  not  convinced  of  his  sin  and  misery,  and 
of  his  own  emptiness  and  helplessness,  and  his  just  desert  of  eternal  condemna- 
tion; and  that  therefore  such  convictions  must  be  some  way  implied  in  what  is 
wroufht  in  his  soul ;  yet  nothing  proves  it  to  be  necessary,  that  all  those  things 
which  are  implied  or  presupposed  in  an  act  of  faith  in  Christ,  must  be  plainly 
and  distinctly  wrought  in  the  soul,  in  so  many  successive  and  separate  w^orks  of 
the  Spirit,  that  shall  be  each  one  plain  and  manifest,  in  all  who  are  truly  con- 
verted. On  the  contrary  (as  Mr.  Shepard  observes),  sometimes  the  change 
made  in  a  saint,  at  first  work,  is  like  a  confused  chaos ;  so  that  the  saints  know 
not  w^hat  to  make  of  it.  The  manner  of  the  Spirit's  proceeding  in  them  that 
are  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  very  often  exceeding  mysterious  and  unsearchable : 
we,  as  it  were,  hear  the  sound  of  it,  the  effect  of  it  is  discernible  ;  but  no  man  can 
tell  whence  it  came,  or  whither  it  went.  And  it  is  oftentimes  as  difRcult  to 
know  the  way  of  the  Spirit  in  the  new  birth,  as  in  the  first  birth ;  Eccl.  xi.  5, 
"  Thou  knowest  not  what  is  the  way  of  the  Spirit,  or  how  the  bones  do  grow 
in  the  womb  of  her  that  is  with  child ;  even  so  thou  knowest  not  the  works  of 
God,  that  worketh  all."  The  ingenerating  of  a  principle  of  grace  in  the  soul, 
seems  in  Scripture  to  be  compared  to  the  conceiving  of  Christ  in  the  womb, 
Gal.  iv.  19.  And  therefore  the  Church  is  called  Christ's  mother.  Cant.  iii.  11. 
And  so  is  every  particular  believer.  Matt.  xii.  49,  50.  And  the  conception  of  Christ 
in  the  womb  of  the  blessed  vir'gin,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  seems  to  be  a 
designed  resemblance  of  the  conception  of  Christ  in  the  soul  of  a  believer,  by  the 
power  of  the  same  Holy  Ghost.  And  we  know  not  what  is  the  way  of  the  Spirit, 
nor  how  the  bones  do  grow,  either  in  the  womb,  or  heart  that  conceives  this  holy 
child.  The  new  creature  may  use  that  language  in  Psal.  cxxxix.  14,  15,  "  I 
am  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made ;  marvellous  are  thy  works,  and  that  ray 
soul  knoweth  right  well.  My  substance  was  not  hid  from  thee,  when  I  was 
made  in  secret."  Concerning  the  generation  of  Christ,  both  in  his  person,  and 
also  in  the  hearts  of  his  people,  it  may  be  said,  as  in  Isa.  liii.  8,  "  Who  can  de- 
clare his  generation  ?"  We  know  not  the  works  of  God,  that  worketh  all.  "  It 
is  the  glory  of  God  to  conceal  a  thing"  (Prov.  xxv.  2),  and  to  have  "his  path 
as  it  were  in  the  mighty  waters,  that  his  footsteps  may  not  be  known  ;"  and 
especially  in  the  works  of  his  Spirit  on  the  hearts  of  men,  which  are  the  high- 
est and  chief  of  his  works.  And  therefore  it  is  said,  Isa.  xl.  13,  "  Who  hath 
directed  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  or  being  his  counsellor  hath  taught  him  ?"  It  is 
to  be  feared  that  some  have  gone  too  far  towards  directing  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord,  and  marking  out  his  footsteps  for  him,  and  limiting  him  to  certain  steps 
and  methods.  Experience  plainly  shows,  that  God's  Spirit  is  unsearchable  and 
untraceable,  in  some  of  the  best  of  Christians,  in  the  method  of  his  operations, 
in  their  conversion.  Nor  does  the  Spirit  of  God  proceed  discernibly  in  the 
steps  of  a  particular  established  scheme,  one  half  so  often  as  is  imagined.  A 
scheme  of  what  is  necessary,  and  according  to  a  rule  already  received  and  es- 
tablished by  common  opinion,  has  a  vast  (though  to  many  a  very  insensible) 
influence  in  forming  persons'  notions  of  the  steps  and  method  of  their  own  ex- 
periences. I  know  very  well  what  their  way  is;  for  I  have  had  much  oppor- 
tunity to  observe  it.  Very  often,  at  first,  their  experiences  appear  like  a  con- 
fused chaos,  as  Mr.  Shepard  expresses  it :  but  then  those  passages  of  their  ex- 
perience are  picked  out,  that  have  most  of  the  appearance  of  such  particular 
steps  that  are  insisted  on ;  and  these  are  dwelt  upon  in  the  thoughts,  and  these 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  45 

are  told  of  from  time  to  time,  in  the  relation  tliey  give:  these  parts  grow 
brighter  ami  brighter  in  their  view ;  ami  others,  being  neglected,  grow  more 
and  more  obscure  :  and  what  they  have  experienced  is  insensibly  strained  to 
bring  all  to  an  exact  conformity  to  the  scheme  that  is  established.  And  it  be- 
comes natural  for  ministers,  who  have  to  deal  with  them,  and  direct  them  that 
insist  upon  distinctness  and  clearness  of  method,  to  do  so  too.  But  yet 
there  has  been  so  much  to  be  seen  of  tlie  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  of 
late,  that  they  who  have  had  much  to  do  with  souls,  and  are  not  blinded 
with  a  seven-fold  vail  of  prejudice,  must  know  that  the  Spirit  is  so  exceeding 
various  in  the  manner  of  his  operating,  that  in  many  cases  it  is  impossible  to 
trace  him,  or  find  out  his  w'ay. 

What  we  have  principally  to  do  with,  in  our  inquiries  into  our  own  state,  or 
directions  we  give  to  others,  is  the  nature  of  the  effect  that  God  has  brought  to 
pass  in  the  soul.  As  to  the  steps  which  the  Spirit  of  God  took  to  bring  that 
effect  to  jiass,  we  may  leave  them  to  him.  We  are  often  in  Scripture  express- 
ly directed  to  try  ourselves  by  the  nature  of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit;  but  no- 
where by  the  Spirit's  method  of  producing  them.*  Many  do  greatly  err  in 
their  notions  of  a  clear  work  of  conversion;  calling  that  a  clear  vvorlc,  where 
the  successive  steps  of  inlluence,  and  method  of  experience  are  clear :  whereas 
that  indeed  is  the  clearest  work  (not  where  the  order  of  doing  is  clearest,  but) 
where  the  spiritual  and  divine  nature  of  the  work  done,  and  effect  v)roug/U,  is 
most  clear. 

IX.  It  is  no  certain  sign  that  the  religious  affections  which  persons  have 
are  such  as  have  in  them  the  nature  of  true  religion,  or  that  they  have  not,  that 
they  dispose  persons  to  spend  much  time  in  religion,  and  to  be  zealously  en- 
gaged in  the  external  duties  of  worship. 

This  has,  very  unreasonably  of  late,  been  looked  upon  as  an  argument 
against  the  religious  affections  which  some  have  had,  that  they  spend  so  much 
time  in  reading,  praying,  singing,  hearing  sermons,  and  the  like.  It  is  plain 
from  the  Scripture,  that  it  is  the  tendency  of  true  grace  to  cause  persons  to 
delight  in  such  religious  exercises.  True  grace  had  this  effect  on  Anna  the  pro- 
phetess :  Luke  ii.  27,  "  She  departed  not  from  the  temple,  but  served  God  with 
fastings  and  prayers  night  and  day."  And  grace  had  this  effect  upon  the  primi- 
tive Christians  in  Jerusalem :  Acts  ii.  46,  47,  "  And  they  continuing  daily  with 
one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did  eat  their 
meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart,  praising  God."  Grace  made  Daniel 
delight  in  the  duty  of  prayer,  and  solemnly  to  attend  it  three  times  a  day,  as  it 
also  did  David :  Psal.  Iv.  17,  "  Evening,  morning,  and  at  noon  will  I  pray." 
Grace  makes  the  saints  delight  in  singing  praises  to  God:  Psal.  cxxxv.  3, 
"  Sing  praises  unto  his  name,  for  it  is  pleasant."  And  cxlvii.  1,  "  Praise  ye  the 
Lord  ;  for  it  is  good  to  sing  praises  unto  our  God  ;  for  it  is  pleasant,  and  praise 
is  comely."  It  also  causes  them  to  delight  to  hear  the  word  of  God  preached: 
it  makes  the  gospel  a  joyful  sound  to  them,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  15,  and  makes  the 
feet  of  those  who  publish  these  good  tidings  to  be  beautiful :    Isa.  lii.  7,  "  How 

♦  Mr.  Shepard,  speaking  of  the  soul's  closing  with  Christ,  says,  "  As  a  child  cannot  tell  how  his  soul 
comes  into  it,  nor  it  may  be  when  ;  but  afterwards  it  sees  and  feels  that  life  ;  so  that  he  were  as  bad  as  a 
beast,  that  should  deny  nn  immortal  soul  ;  so  here." — Parablenf  the  Ten  Viripns,  Part  IF.  p.  171. 

"  If  the  man  do  not  know  the  time  of  his  conversion,  or  first  closing  with  Christ ;  the  minister  may 
not  draw  any  peremptory  conclusion  from  thence,  that  ho  is  not  godly." — Stoddard's  Guide  to  Christ,  p.  83. 

"  Do  not  think  there  is  no  compunction,  or  sense  of  sin,  wrought  in  the  soul,  because  you  cannot  s« 
clearly  discern  and  feel  it ;  nor  the  time  of  the  working,  and  first  beginning  of  it.  1  have  known  many 
that  hive  come  with  their  compl;iinls,  that  they  were  never  humbled,  they  never  felt  it  go  ;  yet  there  it  hath 
been,  and  many  times  they  have  seen  it,  by  the  other  spectacles,  and  blessed  (rod  for  it." — Shepard's 
Sound  Believer,  page  38.     The  late  impression  in  Boston. 


46  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings !" 
&c.  It  makes  them  love  God't  public  worship  :  Psal.  xxvi.  S,  "  Lord,  I  have 
loved  the  habitation  of  thy  house,  and  the  place  where  thine  honor  dwelleth." 
And  xxvii.  4,  "  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after,  that 
I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple."  Psah  Ixxxiv.  1,  2,  &c., 
"  How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  0  Lord  of  hosts !  My  soul  longeth,  yea, 
even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord. — Yea,  the  sparrow  hath  found  a  house, 
and  the  swallow  a  nest  for  hei-self,  where  she  may  lay  her  young,  even  thine 
altars,  0  Lord  of  hosts,  iny  King  and  my  God.  Blessed  are  they  that  dwell  in  thy 
house  :  they  will  be  still  praising  ihee.  Blessed  is  the  man  in  whose  heart 
are  the  ways  of  them,  who  passing  through  the  valley  of  Baca — go  from 
strength  to  strength,  every  one  of  them  in  Zion  appeareth  before  God."  Ver. 
10,  "  A  day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand." 

This  is  the  nature  of  true  grace.  But  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  persons'  being 
disposed  to  abound  and  to  be  zealously  engaged  in  the  external  exercises  of  re- 
hgion,  apd  to  spend  much  time  in  them,  is  no  sure  evidence  of  grace  ;  because 
such  a  disposition  is  found  in  many  that  have  no  grace.  So  it  was  with  the  Is- 
raelites of  old,  whose  services  were  abominable  to  God ;  they  attended  the 
"  new  moons,  and  Sabbaths,  and  calling  of  assemblies,  and  spread  forth  their 
hands,  and  made  many  prayers,"  Isa.  i.  12 — 15.  So  it  was  with  the  Pharisees; 
they  "  made  long  prayers,  an<l  fasted  twice  a  week."  False  religion  nray  cau^e 
persons  to  be  loud  and  eai-nest  in  pi-ayer  :  Isa.  Iviii.  4,  "  Ye  shall  not  fas^  as  ye 
do  this  day,  to  cause  your  voice  to  be  heard  on  high."  That  religion  which  is 
not  spiritual  and  saving,  may  cause  men  to  delight  in  religious  duties  and  ordi- 
nances :  Isa.  Iviii.  2,  "  Yet  they  seek  me  daily,  and  delight  to  know  my  ways, 
as  a  nation  that  did  righteousness,  and  forsook  not  the  ordinance  of  their  God  : 
they  ask  of  me  the  ordinances  of  justice  :  they  take  delight  in  approaching  to 
God."  It  may  cause  them  to  take  delight  in  hearing  the  word  of  God  preached, 
as  it  was  with  Ezekiel's  hearers:  Ezek,  xxxiii.  31,  32,  "  And  they  come  unto 
thee  as  the  people  cometh,  and  they  sit  T)efore  thee  as  my  people,  and  they  hear 
thy  words,  but  they  will  not  do  them  :  for  with  their  mouth  they  show  much 
love,  but  their  heart  goeth  after  their  covetousness.  And  lo,  thou  art  unto  them 
as  a  very  lovely  song  of  one  that  hath  a  pleasant  voice,  and  can  play  well  on 
an  instrument :  for  they  hear  thy  words,  but  they  do  them  not."  So  it  was 
with  Herod  ;  he  heard  John  the  Baptist  gladly,  Mark  vi.  20.  So  it  was  with 
others  of  his  hearers,  "  for  a  season  they  rejoiced  in  his  light,'*  John  v.  35.  So 
the  stony  ground  hearers  heard  the  word  with  joy. 

Experience  shows,  that  persons,  from  false  religion,  may  be  inclined  to  be 
exceeding  abundant  in  the;  external  exercises  of  religion  ;  yea,  to  give  themselves 
up  to  them,  and  devote  almost  their  whole  time  to  them.  Formerly  a  sort 
of  people  were  very  numerous  in  the  Romish  church,  called  recluses,  who  for- 
sook the  world,  and  utterly  abandoned  the  society  of  mankind,  and  shut  them- 
selves up  close  in  a  narrow  cell,  with  a  vow  never  to  stir  out  of  it,  nor  to  see 
the  face  of  any  of  mankind  any  more  (unless  that  they  might  be  visited  in  cast 
of  sickness),  to  spend  all  their  days  in  the  exercise  of  devotion  and  converse  witl 
God.  There  were  also  in  old  time,  great  multitudes  called  Hermits  and  Ancho- 
rites,  that  left  the  world  to  spend  all  their  days  in  lonesome  deserts,  to  give  them- 
selves up  to  religious  contemplations  and  exercises  of  devotion  ;  some  sorts  of 
them  having  no  dwellings,  br^  the  caves  and  vaults  of  the  mountains,  and  no 
food,  but  the  spontaneous  ];rodaCtionsof  the  earth.  I  once  lived,  for  many 
months,  next  door  to  a  Jew  (the  houses  adjoining  one  to  another),  and  had 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  47 

much  opportunity  daily  to  observe  him  ;  who  appeared  to  me  the  dcvoutest 
person  liiat  I  ever  saw  in  my  life ;  great  part  of  liis  time  being  spent  in  acts  of 
devotion,  at  his  eastern  window,  which  opened  next  to  mine,  seeming  to  be  most 
earnestly  engaged,  not  only  in  the  daytime,  but  sometimes  whole  nights. 

X.  Nothing  c.'Hibe  certainly  Ivnown  of  the  nature  of  religious  ailections  by 
this,  that  they  much  dispose  persons  with  their  mouths  to  praise  and  glorify  God. 
This  indeed  is  irnplicil  in  what  has  been  just  now  observed,  of  abounding  anil 
spending  much  time  in  the  external  exercises  of  religion,  and  was  also  hinled 
before  ;  but  because  many  seem  to  look  upon  it  as  a  bright  evidence  of  gra- 
cious airection,  when  persons  appear  greatly  disposed  to  piaise  and  magnify  God, 
to  have  (heir  mouths  full  of  his  praises,  and  atiectionately  to  be  calling  on  others 
to  praise  and  extol  him,  I  thought  it  deserved  a  more  particular  consideration. 

No  Christian  will  make  it  an  argument  against  a  person,  that  he  seems  to 
have  such  a  disposition.  Nor  can  it  reasonably  be  looked  upon  as  an  evidence 
for  a  pei-son,  if  those  things  that  have  been  already  observed  and  proved,  be 
duly  considered,  viz.,  that  persons,  without  grace,  may  have  high  affections 
towards  God  and  Christ,  and  that  their  affections,  being  strong,  may  lill  their 
mouths,  and  incline  them  to  speak  much,  and  very  earnestly,  about  the  things 
they  .are  atfected  with,  and  tliat  there  may  be  counrerfeits  of  all  kinds  of  gra- 
cious affection.  But  it  will  appear  more  evidently  and  directly,  that  this  is  no 
certain  sign  of  grace,  if  we  consider  what  instances  the  Scripture  ^ivcs  us  of  it 
in  those  that  were  graceless.  We  often  have  an  account  of  this,  in  the  multi- 
tude that  were  present  when  Christ  preached  and  wrought  miracles ;  Mark  ii. 
12,  "  And  immediately  he  arose,  took  up  his  bed,  and  went  forth  before  them 
all,  insomuch  that  they  were  all  amazed,  and  glorified  God,  saying,  We  never 
saw  it  on  this  fashion."  So  Matt.  ix.  8,  and  Luke  v.  26.  Also  Matt.  xv.  31, 
"  Insomuch  that  the  multitude  wondered  when  they  saw  the  dumb  to  speak,  the 
maimed  to  be  ^vbole,  the  lame  to  walk,  and  the  blind  to  see :  and  they  glorified 
the  Go<l  of  Israel."  So  we  are  told,  that  on  occasion  of  Christ's  raising  the 
son  of  the  widow  of  Nain,  Luke  vii.  10,  "There  came  a  fear  on  all  :  and  they 
glorified  God,  saying.  That  a  great  prophet  is  risen  up  among  us  ;  and,  That 
God  hath  visited  his  people."  So  we  read  of  their  glorifying  Christ,  or  speak- 
ing exceeding  highly  of  him  :  Luke  iv.  15,  "  And  he  taught  in  their  syna- 
gogues, being  glorified  of  all."  And  how  did  they  praise  him,  with  loud  voices, 
crying,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David  ;  hosanna  in  the  highest ;  blessed  is  he 
that  Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  a  little  before  he  was  crucified  !  And 
after  Christ's  ascension,  when  the  apostles  had  healed  the  impotent  man,  we 
are  told,  that  all  men  glorified  God  for  that  which  was  done.  Acts  iv.  21.  When 
the  Gentiles  in  Antioch  of  Pisidia,  heard  from  Paul  and  Barnabas,  that  God 
would  reject  the  Jews,  and  take  the  Gentiles  to  be  his  people  in  their  room,  they 
were  affected  with  the  goodness  of  God  to  the  Gentiles,  "  and  glorified  the 
word  of  the  Lord  :"  but  all  that  did  so  were  not  true  believers  ;  but  only  a  certain 
elect  number  of  them  ;  as  is  intimated  in  the  account  we  have  of  it,  Acts  xiii. 
48  :  "  And  when  the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were  glad,  and  glorified  the  word 
of  the  Lord  :  and  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life,  believed."  So  of 
old  the  children  of  Israel  at  the  Red  Sea,  "  sang  God's  praise ;  but  soon  forgat 
his  works."  And  the  Jews  in  Ezekiel's  time,  "  with  their  mouth  showed  much 
love,  while  their  heart  went  after  their  covetousness."  And  it  is  foretold  of 
false  professoi-s,  and  real  enemies  of  religion,  that  they  should  show  a  forward- 
ness to  glorify  God  :  Isa.  Ixvi.  5,  "  Hear  the  word  of  the  I^rd,  ye  that  tremble 
at  his  word.  Your  brethren  that  hated  you,  that  cast  you  out  for  mv  name's 
sake,  said,  Let  the  Lord  be  glorified." 


48  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIOINS. 

It  is  no  certain  S5gn  that  a  person  is  graciously  affected,  if,  in  the  midst  of 
his  hopes  and  comforts,  he  is  greatly  aliected  with  God's  unmerited  mercy  to 
him  that  is  so  unworthy,  a-iid  seems  greatly  to  extol  and  magnify  free  grace. 
Those  that  yet  remain  with  unmortihed  pride  and  enmity  against  God,  may, 
when  they  imagine  that  they  have  received  extraordinary  kindness  from  God, 
cry  out  of  their  unworthiness,  and  magnify  God's  undeserved  goodness  to  them, 
from  no  other  conviction  of  their  ill  deservings,  and  from  no  higher  principle 
than  Saul  had,  who,  while  he  yet  remained  with  unsubdued  pride  and  enmity 
against  David,  was  brouglit,  though  a  king,  to  acknowledge  his  unworthiness, 
and  cry  out,  "  I  have  played  the  fool,  1  have  erred  exceedingly,"  and  with  great 
affection  and  admiration,  to  magnify  and  extol  David's  unmerited  and  unexam- 
pled kindness  to  him,  1  Sam.  xxv.  16 — 19,  and  xxvi.  21,  and  from  no  higher 
principle  than  that  from  whence  Nebuchadnezzar  was  affected  with  God's  dis- 
pensations, that  he  saw  and  was  the  subject  of,  and  praises,  extols  and  honors 
the  King  of  heaven  ;  and  both  he,  and  Darius,  in  their  high  affections,  call  upon 
all  nations  to  praise  God,  Dan.  iii.  28,  29,  30,  and  iv.  1,  2,  3,  34,  35,  37,  and 
vi.  25,  26,  27. 

XI.  It  is  no  sign  that  affections  are  right,  or  that  they  are  wrong,  that  they 
make  persons  that  have  them  exceeding  confident  that  what  they  experience  is 
divine,  and  that  they  are  in  a  good  estate. 

It  is  an  argument  with  some,  against  persons,  that  they  are  deluded  if  they 
pretend  to  be  assured  of  their  good  estate,  and  to  be  carried  beyond  all  doubting 
of  the  favor  of  God ;  supposing  that  there  is  no  such  thing  to  be  expected  in 
the  church  of  God,  as  a  full  and  absolute  assurance  of  hope ;  unless  it  be  in 
some  very  extraordinary  circumstances  ;  as  in  the  case  of  martyrdom  ;  contrary 
to  the  doctrine  of  Protestants,  which  has  been  maintained  by  their  most 
celebrated  writers  against  the  Papists ;  and  contrary  to  the  plainest  Scripture 
evidence.  It  is  manifest,  that  it  was  a  common  thing  for  the  saints  that  we 
have  a  histoiy  or  particular  account  of  in  Scripture,  to  be  assured.  God,  in  the 
plainest  and  most  positive  manner,  revealed  and  testified  his  special  favor  to 
Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Daniel,  and  others.  Job  often  speaks  ot 
his  sincerity  and  uprightness  with  the  greatest  imaginable  confidence  and  assur- 
ance, often  calling  God  to  witness  to  it ;  and  says  plainly,  "  I  know  that  my  Re- 
deemer liveth,  and  that  I  shall  see  him  for  myself,  and  not  another,"  Job  xix. 
25,  &c.  David,  throughout  the  book  of  Psalms,  almost  everywhere  speaks 
without  any  hesitancy,  and  in  the  most  positive  manner,  of  God  as  his  God  : 
gloiying  in  him  as  his  portion  and  heritage,  his  rock  and  confidence,  his  shield, 
salvation,  and  high  tower,  and  the  like.  Hezekiah  appeals  to  God,  as  one  that 
knew  that  he  had  walked  before  him  in  truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart,  2 
Kings  XX.  3.  Jesus  Christ,  in  his  dying  discourse  with  his  eleven  disciples,  in 
the  14th,  15th,  and  16th  chapters  of  John  (which  was  as  it  were  Christ's  last 
will  and  testament  to  his  disciples,  and  to  his  whole  church),  often  declares  his 
special  and  everlasting  love  to  them  in  the  plainest  and  most  positive  terms; 
and  promises  them  a  future  participation  with  him  in  his  glory,  in  the  most  ab- 
solute manner ;  and  tells  them  at  the  same  time  that  he  does  so,  to  tlie  end  that 
their  joy  might  be  full :  John  xv.  11,  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you, 
that  my  joy  might  remain  in  you,  and  that  your  joy  might  be  full."  See  also 
at  the  conclusion  of  his  whole  discourse,  chap.  xvi.  33  :  "  These  things  have  f 
spoken  unto  you,  that  in  me  ye  might  have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have 
tribulation  :  but  be  of  good  cheer,  I  have  overcome  the  world."  Christ  was 
not  afraid  of  speaking  too  plainly  and  positively  to  them ;  he  did  not  desire  to 
hold  them  in  the  least  suspense.     And  he  concluded  that  last  discourse  ot  his 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  49 

with  a  prayer  in  their  presence,  wherein  he  speaks  positively  to  his  Father  of  those 
eleven  disciples,  as  having  all  of  them  savingly  known  him,  and  believed  in 
him,  and  received  and  kept  his  word  ;  and  that  tlicy  were  not  of  the  world  ; 
and  >liat  i'ov  their  sakes  he  sanctified  himself;  and  that  liLs  will  was,  that  they 
should  be  with  him  in  his  glory  ;  and  tells  his  Father,  tliat  he  spake  those  things 
in  his  prayer,  to  the  end,  that  his  joy  might  be  fidfiUed  in  them,  verse  13.  By 
these  things  it  is  evident,  that  it  is  agreeable  to  Christ's  designs,  and  the  con- 
trived ordering  and  disposition  Christ  makes  of  things  in  his  church,  that  there 
should  be  sufficient  and  abundant  provision  made,  that  his  saints  might  have  full 
assurance  of  their  future  glory. 

The  Apostle  Paul,  through  all  his  epistles  speaks  in  an  assured  strain  ;  ever 
speaking  positively  of  his  special  relation  to  Christ,  his  Lord,  and  Master,  and 
Redeemer,  and  his  interes-t  in,  and  expectation  of  the  future  reward.  It  would 
be  endless  to  take  notice  of  all  places  that  might  be  enumerated ;  I  shall  men- 
tion but  three  or  four :  Gal.  ii,  20,  "  Christ  liveth  in  me ;  and  the  life  which  I 
now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and 
gave  himself  for  me  ;"  Phik  i.  21,  "  For  rne  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain ;" 
2  Tim.  i.  12,  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  I  am  persuaded  that  he  is 
able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day  ;"  2  Tim. 
iv.  7,  8,  "  1  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept 
the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which 
the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  will  give  me  at  that  day," 

And  the  nature  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  God's  declared  ends  in  the 
appointment  and  constitution  of  things  in  that  covenant,  do  plainly  show  it  to 
be  God's  design  to  make  ample  provision  for  the  saints  having  an  assured  hope 
of  eternal  life,  while  living  here  upon  earth.  For  so  are  all  things  ordered  and 
contrived  in  that  covenant,  that  every  thing  might  be  made  sure  on  God's  part. 
"  The  covenant  is  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure :"  the  promises  are  most  lull, 
and  very  often  repeated,  and  various  ways  exhibited  ;  and  there  are  many  wit- 
nesses, and  many  seals ;  and  God  has  confirmed  his  promises  with  an  oath. 
And  God's  declared  design  in  all  this,  is,  that  the  heirs  of  the  promises  might 
have  an  undoubting  hope  and  full  joy,  in  an  assmance  of  their  future  glory. 
Heb.  vi.  17,  18,  "  Wherein  God,  willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the 
heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath  :  that 
by  two  immutable  things,  in  v.-hich  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might 
have  a  strong  consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set 
before  us."  But  all  this  would  be  in  vain,  to  any  such  purpose,  as  the  saints' 
strong  consolation,  and  hope  of  their  obtaining  future  gloiy,  if  their  interest  in 
those  sure  promises  in  ordinary  cases  was  not  ascertainable.  For  God's  pro- 
mises and  oaths,  let  them  be  as  sure  as  they  will,  cannot  give  strong  hope  and 
comfort  to  any  particular  person,  any  further  than  he  can  know  that  those  pro- 
mises are  made  to  him.  And  in  vain  is  provision  made  in  Jesus  Christ,  that 
believers  might  be  perfect  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience,  as  is  signilied,  Heb. 
ix.  9,  if  assurance  of  freedom  from  the  guilt  of  sin  is  not  attainable. 

It  fiu-ther  appears  that  assurance  is  not  only  attainable  in  some  very  extra- 
ordinary cases,  but  that  all  Christians  are  directed  to  give  all  diligence  to  make 
their  calling  and  election  sure,  and  are  told  how  they  may  do  it,  2  Pet.  i.  5 — 8. 
And  it  is  spoken  of  as  a  thing  very  unbecoming  Christians,  and  an  argument 
of  something  very  blamable  in  them,  not  to  know  whether  Christ  be  in  them  or 
no :  2  Cor.  xiii.  5,  "  Know  ye  not  your  own  selves,  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in 
you,  except  ye  be  reprobates'?"  And  it  is  implied  that  it  is  an  argument  of  a 
very  blamable  negligence  in  Christians,  if  they  practise  Christianity  after  such 

Vol.  Ill  7 


50  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS 

a  manner  as  to  remain  uncertain  of  the  reward,  in  1  Cor.  Ix.  26  :  "I  therefore 
so  run,  as  not  uncertainly."  And  to  add  no  more,  it  is  manifest,  that  Christians' 
knowing  their  interest  in  the  saving  benefits  of  Christianity  is  a  thing  ordinarily 
attainable,  because  the  apostle  tells  us  by  what  means  Christians  (and  not  only 
the  apostles  and  martyrs)  were  wont  to  know  this  :  1  Cor.  ii.  12,  "  Now  we 
have  received,  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God ;  that 
we  might  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God."  And  1  John 
ii.  3,  "  And  hereby  we  do  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  command- 
ments." And  verse  5,  "  Hereby  know  we  that  we  are  in  him."  Chap.  iii.  14, 
"  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the 
brethren  ;"  ver.  19,  "  Hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  as- 
sure our  hearts  before  him  ;"  ver.  24,  "  Hereby  we  know  that  he  abideth  in  us, 
by  the  Spirit  which  he  hath  given  us."  So  chap.  iv.  13,  and  chap.  v.  2,  and 
verse  19. 

Therefore  it  must  needs  be  very  unreasonable  to  determine,  that  persons  are 
hypocrites,  and  their  affections  wrong,  because  they  seem  to  be  out  of  doubt  of 
their  own  salvation,  and  the  aflfections  they  are  the  subjects  of  seem  to  banish 
all  fears  of  hell. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  sufficient  reason  to  determine  that  men  are  saints, 
and  their  affections  gracious,  because  the  affections  they  have  are  attended  witli 
an  exceeding  confidence  that  their  state  is  good,  and  their  affections  divine.* 
Nothing  can  be  certainly  argued  from  their  confidence,  how  great  and  strong 
soever  it  seems  to  be.  If  we  see  a  man  that  boldly  calls  God  his  Father,  and 
commonly  speaks  in  the  most  bold,  familiar,  and  appropriating  language  in 
prayer,  "  My  Father,  my  dear  Redeemer,  my  sweet  Saviour,  my  Beloved,"  and 
the  like ;  and  it  is  a  common  thing  for  him  to  use  the  most  confident  expressions 
before  men,  about  the  goodness  of  his  state ;  such  as,  "  I  know  certainly  that 
God  is  my  Father  ;  I  know  so  surely  as  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  that  he  is  my 
God  ;  I  know  I  shall  go  to  heaven,  as  well  as  if  I  were  there;  I  know  that  God 
is  now  manifesting  himself  to  my  soul,  and  is  now  smiling  upon  me ;"  and  seems 
to  have  done  for  ever  with  any  inquiry  or  examination  into  his  state,  as  a  thing 
sufficiently  known,  and  out  of  doubt,  and  to  contemn  all  that  so  much  as  inti- 
mate  or  suggest  that  there  is  some  reason  to  doubt  or  fear  whether  all  is  right ; 
such  things  are  no  signs  at  all  that  it  is  indeed  so  as  he  is  confident  it  is.f  Such 
an  overbearing,  high-handed,  and  violent  sort  of  confidence  as  this,  so  affecting 
to  declare  itself  with  a  most  glaring  show  in  the  sight  of  men,  which  is  to  be 
seen  in  many,  has  not  the  countenance  of  a  true  Christian  assurance :  it  savors 

*  "  O  professor,  look  carefully  to  your  foundation  :  '  Be  not  high  minded,  but  fear.'  You  have,  it 
may  be,  done  and  suffered  many  things  in  and  for  religion  ;  you  have  excellent  gifts  and  sweet  comforts  ; 
a  warm  zeal  for  God,  and  high  confidence  of  your  integrity  :  all  this  may  be  right,  for  aught  that' I,  or  (it 
may  be)  you  know  ;  but  yet,  it  is  possible  it  ma>  be  false.  You  have  sometimes  judged  yourselves,  and 
pronounced  yourselves  upright ;  but  remember  your  final  sentence  is  not  yet  pronounced  by  your  Judge. 
And  what  if  God  weigh  you  over  again,  in  his  more  equal  balance,  and  should  say,  Mene  Tekel,  '  Thou 
art  weighed  in  the  balance,  and  art  found  wanting  V  What  a  confounded  man  wilt  thou  be,  under  such 
a  sentence  !  Qace  splendent  in  concpectu  hoininis,  sordent  in  cojtspectu  judicis ;  things  that  are  highly 
esteemed  of  men,  are  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God  :  He  seeth  not  as  man  secth.  Thy  heart  may 
3»e  false,  and  thou  not  know  it :  yea,  it  may  be  false,  and  thou  strongly  confident  of  its  integrity." — Fla- 
veVs  Touchstone  of  Sincerity,  chap.  ii.  sect.  5. 

"  !Some  hypocrites  are  a  great  deal  more  confident  than  many  saints." — Stoddard's  Discourse  on  the 
Way  to  know  Sincerity  and  Hypocrisy,  p.  128. 

I  "Doth  the  work  of  faith,  in  some  believers,  bear  upon  its  top  branches  the  full  ripe  fruits  of  a 
blessed  assurance  ?  Lo,  what  strong  confidence,  and  high  built  persuasions,  of  an  interest  in  God,  have 
sometimes  been  found  in  urisanctified  ones  !  Yea,  so  strong  may  this  false  assurance  be,  that  they  dare 
boldly  venture  to  go  to  the  judgment  seat  of  God,  and  there  defend  it.  Doth  the  Spirit  of  God  fill  the 
heart  of  the  assured  believer  with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of"  glory,  giving  him,  through  faith,  a  preliba- 
tion  or  foretaste  of  heaven  itself,  in  th.:;se  first  fruits  of  it  ?  How  near  to  this  come.s  what  the  Apostlo 
Bupposeis  may  be  found  in  apostates  !" —  FlaveVs  Husbandry  Spiritualized,  chap.  xii. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  61 

more  ot  the  spirit  of  the  Pharisees,  who  never  doubted  but  that  they  were 
samtS)  and  the  most  eminent  of  saints,  and  were  bold  to  go  to  God,  and  corae 
up  near  to  him,  and  lift  up  their  eyes,  and  thank  him  for  the  great  distinction 
he  had  made  between  thenr  and  other  men ;  and  when  Christ  intimated  that  they 
were  blind  and  graceless,  despised  the  suggestion :  John  ix.  40,  "  And  some  of 
the  PhariseCiJ  which  were  with  him,  heard  these  words,  and  said  unto  him.  Are 
we  blind  also?''  If  they  had  more  of  the  spirit  of  the  publican,  with  their  con- 
fidence, who,  in  a  sense  of  his  exceeding  unworthiness,  stood  afar  off,  and  durst 
not  so  much  as  lift  up  his  eyes  to  hea\en,  but  smote  on  his  breast,  and  cried  out 
of  himself  as  a  sinner,  their  coniideuce  would  have  more  of  the  aspect  of  the 
confidence  of  one  that  hmnbly  trusts  and  hopes  in  Christ,  and  has  no  confidence 
in  himself. 

If  we  do  but  consider  what  the  hearts  of  natural  men  are,  what  principles 
they  are  under  the  dominion  of,  what  blindness  and  deceit,  what  self-flattery, 
self-exaltation,  and  sell-confidence  reign  theie,  we  need  not  at  all  wonder  that 
their  high  opinion  of  themselves,  and  confidence  of  their  happy  circumstances, 
be  as  high  and  strong  as  mountains,  and  as  violent  as  a  tempest,  when  once 
conscience  is  Winded,  and  convictions  killed,  with  false  high  affections,  and 
those  forementioned  principles  let  loose,  fed  up  and  prompted  by  false  joys  and 
comforts,  excited  by  some  pleasing  imaginations,  impressed  by  Satan,  trans- 
forming himself  into  an  angel  of  light. 

When  once  a  hypocrite  is  thus  established  in  a  false  hope,  he  has  not  those 
things  to  cause  him  to  call  his  hope  in  question,  that  oftentimes  are  the  occasion 
of  the  doubting  of  true  saints ;  ■ds,Jirst,  he  has  not  that  cautious  spirit,  that  great 
sense  of  the  vast  importance  of  a  sure  foundation,  and  that  dread  of  being 
deceived.  The  comforts  of  the  true  saints  increase  awakening  and  caution,  and 
a  lively  sense  how  great  a  thing  it  is  to  appear  before  an  infinitely  holy,  just 
and  omniscient  Judge.  But  false  comforts  put  an  end  to  these  things  and 
dreadfully  stupify  the  mind.  Secondly,  The  hypocrite  has  not  the  knowledge 
of  his  own  blindness,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  his  own  heart,  and  that  mean 
opinion  of  his  own  understanding,  that  the  true  saint  has.  Those  that  are  delud- 
ed with  false  discoveries  and  aflections,  are  evermore  highly  conceited  of  their 
light  and  understanding.  Thirdly,  The  devil  does  not  assault  the  hope  of  the 
hypocrite,  as  he  does  tlie  hope  of  a  true  saint.  The  devil  is  a  great  enemy  to  a 
true  Christian  hope,  not  only  because  it  tends  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  him  that 
hath  it,  but  also  because  it  is  a  thing  of  a  holy,  heavenly  nature,  greatly  tending 
to  promote  and  cherish  grace  in  the  heart,  and  a  great  incentive  to  strictness 
and  diligence  in  the  Christian  life.  But  he  is  no  enemy  to  the  hope  of  a  hypo- 
crite, which  above  all  things  establishes  his  interest  in  him  that  has  it.  A  hypo- 
crite may  retain  his  hope  without  opposition,  as  long  as  he  lives,  the  devil  never 
disturbing  it,  nor  attempting  to  distmb  it.  But  there  is  perhaps  no  true  Chris- 
tian but  what  has  his  hope  assaulted  by  him.  Satan  assaulted  Christ  himself 
upon  this,  whether  he  were  the  Son  of  God  or  no :  and  the  servant  is  not  above 
his  Master,  nor  the  disciple  above  his  Lord  ;  it  is  enough  for  the  disciple,  that 
is  most  privileged  in  this  world,  to  be  as  his  Master.  Fourthly,  He  who  has  a 
false  hope,  has  not  that  sight  of  his  own  corruptions,  which  the  saint  has.  A 
true  Christian  has  ten  times  so  much  to  do  with  his  heart  and  its  corruptions,  as 
a  hypocrite  :  and  the  sins  of  his  heart  and  practice,  appear  to  him  in  their 
blackness ;  they  look  dreadful ;  and  it  often  appears  a  very  mysterious  thing, 
that  any  grace  can  be  consistent  with  such  corruption,  or  should  be  in  such  a 
heart  But  a  false  hope  hides  corruption,  covers  it  all  over,  and  the  hypocrite 
looks  clean  and  bright  in  his  own  eyes. 


52  riELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

There  are  two  sorts  of  hypocrites :  one  that  are  deceived  with  their  outward 
morahty  and  external  rehgion  ;  many  of  whom  are  professed  Arminians,  in  the 
doctrine  of  justification  :  and  the  other,  are  those  that  are  deceived  with  false 
discoveries  and  elevations ;  who  often  cry  down  works,  and  men's  own  right- 
eousness, and  talk  much  of  free  grace ;  but  at  the  same  time  make  a  righteous- 
ness of  their  discoveries  and  of  their  humiliation,  and  exalt  themselves  to  heaven 
with  them.  These  two  kinds  of  hypocrites,  Mr.  Shepard,  in  his  exposition  of 
the  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  distinguishes  by  the  name  of  legal  and  evangeli- 
cal hypocrites ;  and  often  speaks  of  the  latter  as  the  worst.  And  it  is  evident 
that  the  latter  are  commonly  by  far  the  roost  confident  in  their  hope,  and  with 
the  most  difficulty  brought  off  from  it :  I  have  scarcely  known  the  instance  of 
such  a  one,  in  my  life,  that  has  been  undeceived.  The  chief  grounds  of  the 
confidence  of  many  of  them,  are  the  very  same  kind  of  impulses  and  supposed 
revelations  (sometimes  with  texts  of  Scripture,  and  sometimes  without)  that  so 
many  of  late  have  had  concerning  future  events ;  calling  these  impulses  about  their 
good  estate,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit ;  entirely  misunderstanding  the  nature  of 
the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  as  I  shall  show  hereafter.  Those  that  have  had  visions 
and  impulses  about  other  things,  it  has  generally  been  to  reveal  such  things  as 
they  are  desirous  and  fond  of:  and  no  wonder  that  persons  who  give  heed  to 
such  things,  have  the  same  sort  of  visions  or  impressions  about  their  own  eternal 
salvation,  to  reveal  to  them  that  their  sins  are  forgiven  them,  that  their  names  are 
written  in  the  book  of  life,  that  they  are  in  high  favor  with  God,  &c.,  and  espe- 
cially when  they  earnestly  seek,  expect,  and  wait  for  evidence  of  their  election 
and  salvation  this  way,  as  the  surest  and  most  glorious  evidence  of  it.  Neither 
is  it  any  wonder,  that  when  they  have  such  a  supposed  revelation  of  their  good 
estate,  it  raises  in  them  the  highest  degree  of  confidence  of  it.  It  is  found  by 
abundant  experience,  that  those  who  are  led  away  by  impulses  and  imagined 
revelations,  are  extremely  confident :  they  suppose  that  the  great  Jehovah  has 
declared  these  and  those  things  to  them ;  and  having  his  immediate  testimony, 
a  strong  confidence  is  the  highest  virtue.  Hence  they  are  bold  to  say,  1  know 
this  or  that — I  know  certainly — I  am  as  sure  as  that  I  have  a  being,  and  the 
like  ;  and  they  despise  all  argument  and  inquiry  in  the  case.  And  above  all 
things  else,  it  is  easy  to  be  accounted  for,  that  impressions  and  impulses  about 
that  which  is  so  pleasing,  so  suiting  their  self-love  and  pride,  as  their  being  the 
dear  children  of  God,  distinguished  from  most  in  the  world  in  his  favor,  should 
make  them  strongly  confident;  especially  when  with  their  impulses  and  revela- 
tions they  have  high  aflfections,  which  they  take  to  be  the  most  eminent  exer- 
cises of  grace,  I  have  known  of  several  persons,  that  have  had  a  fond  desire 
of  something  of  a  temporal  nature,  through  a  violent  passion  that  has  possessed 
them ;  and  they  have  been  earnestly  pursuing  the  thing  they  have  desired  should 
come  to  pass,  and  have  met  with  great  difficulty  and  many  discouragements  in 
it,  but  at  last  have  had  an  impression,  or  supposed  revelation,  that  they  should 
obtain  what  they  sought ;  and  they  have  looked  upon  it  as  a  sure  })romise 
from  the  Most  High,  which  has  made  them  most  ridiculously  confident,  against 
all  manner  of  reason  to  convince  them  to  the  contrary,  and  all  events  working 
against  them.  And  there  is  nothing  hinders,  but  that  persons  who  are  seeking 
their  salvation,  may  be  deceived  by  the  like  delusive  impressions,  and  be  made 
confident  of  that,  the  same  way. 

The  confidence  of  many  of  this  sort  of  hypocrites,  that  Mr.  Shepard  calls 
evangelical  hypocrites,  is  like  the  confidence  of  some  mad  men,  who  think  they 
are  kings ;  they  will  maintain  it  against  all  manner  of  reason  and  evidence. 
And  in  one  sense,  it  is  much  more  immovable  than  a  truly  gracious  assurance ; 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  53 

a  true  assurance  is  not  upheld,  but  by  the  soul's  being  kept  in  a  holy  frame,  and 
grace  maintained  in  lively  exercise.  If  the  actings  of  grace  do  much  decay  in 
the  Christian,  and  he  ialls  into  a  lilckss  frame,  he  loses  his  assurance:  but  this 
kind  of  confidence  of  hypocrites  will  not  be  shaken  by  sin;  they  (at  least  some 
of  them)  will  maintain  their  boldness  in  their  hope,  in  the  most  corrupt  frames 
and  wicked  ways;  which  is  a  sure  eviilence  of  their  delusion.* 

And  here  1  cannot  but  observe,  that  there  are  certain  doctrines  often  preached 
to  the  people,  which  need  to  be  delivered  with  more  caution  and  explanation  than 
they  iiequenlly  are  ;  for,  as  they  are  by  many  understood,  they  tend  greatly  to 
establish  this  delusion  and  false  confidence  of  hypocrites.  The  doctrines  1  speak 
of  are  those  of  "  Christians  living  by  faith,  not  by  sight ;  their  giving  glory  to 
God,  by  trusting  him  in  the  dark  ;  living  upon  Christ,  and  not  upon  experiences  ; 
not  making  their  good  frames  the  foundation  of  their  faith  ;"  which  are  excellent 
and  important  doctrines  indeed,  rightly  understood,  but  corrupt  and  destructive, 
as  many  understand  them.  The  Scripture  speaks  of  living  or  walking  by  faith, 
and  not  by  sight,  in  no  other  way  than  these,  viz.,  a  being  governed  by  a  respect 
to  eternal  things,  that  are  the  objects  of  faith,  and  are  not  seen,  and  not  by  a 
respect  to  temporal  things,  which  are  seen  ;  and  believing  things  revealed,  that 
we  never  saw  with  bodily  eyes  ;  and  also  living  by  faith  in  the  promise  of  future 
things,  without  yet  seeing  or  enjoying  the  things  promised,  or  knowing  the  way 
how  they  can  be  fulfilled.  This  will  be  easily  evident  to  any  one  who  looks 
over  the  Scriptures,  which  speak  oi  faith  in  opposition  to  sight ;  as  2  Cor.  iv. 
18,  and  v.  7,  Heb.  xi.  1,  8,  13,  17,  27,  29,  Rom.  viii.  24,  John  xx.  29.  But 
this  doctrine,  as  it  is  understood  by  many,  is,  that  Christians  ought  firmly  to  be- 
lieve and  trust  in  Christ,  without  spiritual  sight  or  light,  and  although  they  are 
in  a  dark  dead  frame,  and,  for  the  present,  have  no  spiritual  experiences  or  dis- 
coveries. And  it  is  truly  the  duty  of  tliose  who  arc  thus  in  darkness,  to  come 
out  of  darkness  into  light  and  believe.  But  that  they  should  confidently  believe 
and  trust,  while  they  yet  remain  without  spiritual  light  or  sight,  is  an  anti-scrip- 
tural and  absurd  doctrine.  The  Sciipture  is  ignorant  of  any  such  faith  in 
Christ  of  the  operation  of  God,  that  is  not  founded  in  a  spiritual  sight  of  Christ. 
That  believing  on  Christ,  which  accompanies  a  title  to  everlasting  life,  is  a 
"  seeing  the  Son,  and  believing  on  him,"  John  vi.  40.  True  faith  in  Christ 
is  never  exercised,  any  further  than  persons  "  behold  as  in  a  glass  the  glory 
of  the  Lord,  and  have  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ,"  2  Cor.  iii.  IS,  and  iv.  6.  They  into  whose  minds  "  the  light  of  the 
glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  does  not  shine,  believe  not," 
2  Cor.  iv.  5.  That  faith,  which  is  without  spiritual  light,  is  not  the  faith  of  the 
children  of  the  light,  and  of  the  day  ;  but  the  presumption  of  the  children  of 
darkness.  And  therefore  to  press  and  urge  them  to  believe,  without  any  spirit- 
ual light  or  sight,  tends  greatly  to  help  forward  the  delusions  of  the  prince  of 
darkness.  Men  not  only  cannot  exercise  faith  without  some  spiritual  light,  but  they 
can  exercise  faith  only  just  in  such  proportion  as  they  have  spiritual  light.  Men 
will  trust  in  Go<l  no  further  than  they  know  him  ;  and  they  cannot  be  in  the 
exercise  of  faith  in  him  one  ace  further  than  they  have  a  sight  of  his  fulness 

♦  Mr.  Shcpard  speaks  of  it,  as  a  "  presumptuous  peace,  that  is  not  interrupted  and  broke  by  evil  works." 
And  says,  that  "  the  spirit  will  sigh,  and  not  sing  in  that  bosom,  whence  corrupt  dispositions  and  pas- 
siors  break  out."  And  tlint  "  though  men  in  sucli  iramcs  may  seem  to  maintain  the  consolation  of  the 
Spirit,  and  not  suspect  their  hypocrisy,  under  pretence  of  trusting  the  Lord's  mercy;  yet  they  cannot 
avoid  the  condemnation  of  the  world."     Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  139. 

Dr.  Ames  speaks  of  it  as  a  thing,  by  which  the  peace  of  a  wicked  man  may  be  distinguished  from  th? 
peace  of  a  godly  man,  "  that  the  peace  of  a  wicked  man  continues,  whether  he  performs  the  duties  of 
piety  and  righteousness  or  no  ;  provided  those  crimes  are  avoided  that  appear  horrid  to  nature  itself.' 
Cases  of  Conscience,  Lib.  III.  Chap,  vii. 


54  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

and  faithfulness  in  exercise.  Nor  can  they  have  the  exercise  of  ti  ast  In  God, 
any  further  than  they  are  in  a  gracious  frame.  They  that  are  in  a  dead  carnal 
frame,  doubtless  ought  to  trust  in  God  ;  because  that  would  be  the  same  thing 
as  coming  out  of  their  bad  frame,  and  turning  to  God ;  but  to  exhort  men  con- 
fidently to  trust  in  God,  and  so  hold  up  their  hope  and  peace,  though  they  are 
not  in  a  gracious  frame,  and  continue  still  to  be  so,  is  the  same  thing  in  effect,  as 
to  exhort  them  confidentially  to  trust  in  God,  but  not  with  a  gracious  trust :  and 
what  is  that  but  a  wicked  presumption  7  It  is  just  as  impossible  for  men  to 
have  a  strong  or  lively  trust  in  God,  when  they  have  no  lively  exercises  of  grace, 
or  sensible  Christian  experiences,  as  it  is  for  them  to  be  in  the  lively  exercises 
of  grace,  without  the  exercises  of  grace. 

It  is  true,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  God's  people  to  trust  in  him  when  in  darkness, 
and  though  they  remain  still  in  darkness,  in  that  sense,  that  they  ought  to  trust 
in  God  when  the  aspects  of  his  providence  are  dark,  and  look  as  though  God 
had  forsaken  them,  and  did  not  hear  their  prayers,  and  many  clouds  gather,  and 
many  enemies  surround  them,  with  a  formidable  aspect,  threatening  to  swallow 
them  up,  and  all  events  of  providence  seem  to  be  against  them,  all  circum- 
stances seem  to  render  the  promises  of  God  difficult  to  be  fulfilled,  and  God 
must  be  trusted  out  of  sight,  i.  e.,  when  we  cannot  see  which  way  it  is  possible 
for  him  to  fulfil  his  word  ;  every  thing  but  God's  mere  word  makes  it  look  un- 
likely, so  that  if  persons  believe,  they  must  hope  against  hope.  Thus  the  ancient 
Patriarchs,  and  Job,  and  the  Psalmist,  and  Jeremiah,  Daniel,  Shadrach,  Meshech, 
and  Abednego,  and  the  Apostle  Paul,  gave  glory  to  God  by  trusting  in  God  in 
darkness.  And  we  have  many  instances  of  such  a  glorious  victorious  faith  in 
the  eleventh  of  Hebrews.  Bnt  how  different  a  thing  is  this,  from  trusting  in  God, 
without  spiritual  sight,  and  being  at  the  same  time  in  a  dead  and  carnal  frame  ! 

There  is  also  such  a  thing  as  spiritual  light's  being  let  into  the  soul  in  one 
way,  when  it  is  not  in  another  ;  and  so  there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  saints  trust- 
ing in  God,  and  also  knowing  their  good  estate,  when  they  are  destitute  of 
some  kinds  of  experience.  As  for  instance,  they  may  have  clear  views  of  God's 
sufficiency  and  faithfulness,  and  so  confidently  trust  in  him,  and  know  that  they 
are  his  children  ;  and  at  the  same  time,  not  have  those  clear  and  sweet  ideas  of 
his  love  as  at  other  times :  for  it  was  thus  with  Christ  himself  in  his  last  pas- 
sion. And  they  may  have  views  of  much  of  God's  sovereignty,  holiness,  and  all 
sufficiency,  enabling  them  quietly  to  submit  to  him,  and  exercise  a  sweet  and 
most  encouraging  hope  in  God's  fulness,  when  they  are  not  satisfied  of  their 
own  good  estate.  But  how  different  things  are  these,  from  confidently  trusting 
in  God,  without  spiritual  light  or  experience  ! 

Those  that  thus  insist  on  persons  living  by  faith,  when  they  have  no  experi- 
ence, and  are  in  very  bad  frames,  are  also  veiy  absurd  in  their  notions  of  faith. 
What  they  mean  by  faiih  is,  believing  that  they  are  in  a  good  estate.  Hence 
they  count  it  a  dreadful  sin  for  them  to  doubt  of  their  state,  whatever  fiames 
they  are  in,  and  whatever  wicked  things  they  do,  because  it  is  the  great  and 
heinous  sin  of  unbelief ;  and  he  is  the  best  man,  and  puts  most  honor  upon  God, 
that  maintains  his  hope  of  his  good  estate  the  most  confidently  and  immovably, 
when  he  has  the  least  light  or  experience ;  that  is  to  say,  when  he  is  in  the 
worst  and  most  wicked  frame  and  way  ;  because,  forsooth,  that  is  a  sign  that  he 
is  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God,  and  against  hope  believes  in  hope.  But 
what  Bible  do  they  learn  this  notion  of  faith  out  of,  that  it  is  a  man's  confident- 
ly believing  that  he  is  in  a  good  estate  7*  If  this  be  faith,  the  Pharisees  had 

*  "  Men  do  not  know  that  they  are  godly  by  believing  that  they  are  godly.     We  know  many  things 


RELIGIOUS  AFFFXTIONS.  56 

faith  in  an  eminent  degree ;  some  of  which,  Christ  teaches,  committed  the  un- 
pardonable sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Scrijiture  represents  faith  as  that 
by  which  men  are  brought  into  a  good  estate  ;  and  thereibre  it  cannot  be  the 
same  thing  as  believing  that  they  are  already  in  a  good  estate.  To  suppose 
that  faith  consists  in  persons  believing  that  they  are  in  a  good  estate,  is  in  effect 
the  same  thing,  as  to  suppose  that  laith  consists  in  a  person's  believing  that  he 
has  faith,  or  believing  that  he  believes. 

Indeed  persons  doubting  of  their  good  estate,  may  in  several  respects  arise 
from  unbelief.  It  may  be  from  unbelief,  or  because  they  have  so  little  faith 
that  tiiey  have  so  little  evidence  of  their  good  estate :  if  they  had  more  experi- 
ence of  the  actings  of  faith,  and  so  more  experience  of  the  exercise  of  grace, 
they  would  have  clearer  evidence  that  their  state  was  good  ;  and  so  their  doubts 
would  be  removed.  And  then  their  doubting  of  their  state  may  be  from  unbe- 
lief thus,  when,  though  there  be  many  things  that  are  good  eviclences  of  a  work 
of  grace  in  them,  yet  they  doubt  very  much  whether  they  are  really  in  a  state 
of  favor  with  God,  because  it  is  they,  those  that  are  so  unworthy,  and  have 
done  so  much  to  provoke  God  to  anger  against  them.  Their  doubts  in  such  a 
case  arise  from  unbelief,  as  they  arise  from  want  of  a  sufficient  sense  of,  and 
reliance  on,  the  infinite  riches  of  God's  grace,  and  the  sufficiency  of  Christ  for 
the  chief  of  sinners.  They  may  also  be  from  unbelief,  when  they  doubt  of 
their  state,  because  of  the  mystery  of  God's  dealings  with  them ;  they  are  not 
able  to  reconcile  such  dispensations  with  God's  favor  to  them  ;  or  when  they  doubt 
whether  they  have  any  interest  in  the  promises,  because  the  promises  from  the 
aspect  of  providence  appear  so  unlikely  to  be  fulfilled ;  the  difficulties  that  are 
in  the  way  are  so  many  and  great.  Such  doubting  arises  from  want  of  depend- 
ence upon  God's  almighty  power,  and  his  knowledge  and  wisdom,  as  infinitely 
above  theirs.  But  yet,  in  such  persons,  their  unbelief,  and  their  doubting  of 
tlieir  state,  are  not  the  same  thing ;  though  one  arises  from  the  other. 

Persons  may  be  greatly  to  blame  for  doubting  of  their  state,  on  such  grounds 
as  these  last  mentioned  ;  and  they  may  be  to  blarne,  that  they  have  no  more 
grace,  and  no  more  of  the  present  exercises  and  experiences  of  it,  to  be  an  evi- 
dence to  them  of  the  goodness  of  their  state  :  men  are  doubtless  to  blame  for 
being  in  a  dead,  carnal  frame;  but  when  they  are  in  such  a  frame,  and  have 
no  sensible  experience  of  the  exercises  of  grace,  but  on  the  contrary,  are  much 
under  the  prevalence  of  their  lusts  and  an  unchristian  spirit,  they  are  not  to 
blame  for  doubting  of  their  state.  It  is  as  impossible,  in  the  nature  of  things,  that 
a  holy  and  Christian  hope  should  be  kept  alive,  in  its  clearness  and  strength,  in 
such  circumstances,  as  it  is  to  keep  the  light  in  the  room,  when  the  candle  is 
put  out ;  or  to  maintain  the  bright  sunshine  in  the  air,  when  the  sun  is  gone 
down.  Distant  experiences,  when  darkened  by  present  pre^•ailing  lust  and 
corruption,  never  keep  alive  a  gracious  confidence  and  assurance ;  but  that 
sickens  and  decays  upon  it,  as  necessarily  as  a  little  child  by  repeated  blows  on 
the  head  with  a  hammer.  Nor  is  it  at  all  to  be  lamented,  that  persons  doubt  of 
their  state  in  such  circumstances  :  but,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  desirable  and  every 
way  best  that  they  should.     It  is  agreeable  to  that  wise  and  merciful  constitu- 


oy  faith,  Hcl).  xi.  3.  '  By  faitli  wc  iinclorstand  that  the  worlds  were  made  by  the  word  of  God.'  Faith  is 
the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,  Heb.  xi.  1.  Thus  men  know  the  Trinity  of  persons  of  the  Godhead  ; 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  ;  th.it  he  that  believes  in  him  will  have  eternal  life  ;  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead.  And  if  God  should  tell  a  saint  that  he  hath  grace,  he  might  know  it  by  believing  the  word  of 
G^jd.  But  it  is  not  this  w.ay,  that  godly  men  do  know  that  they  have  grace.  It  is  not  revealed  in  th« 
word,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  dolL  not  testify  it  to  particular  persons."  Stoddard's  Nature  qf  Saving  Cott- 
iKTsioii,  p.  83,  M. 


56  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

tion  of  things,  which  God  hath  estabhshed,  that  it  should  be  so.  For  so  hath 
God  contrived  and  constituted  things,  in  his  dispensations  towards  his  own  peo- 
ple, that  when  their  love  decajLS,  and  the  exercises  of  it  fail,  or  become  weak, 
fear  should  arise ;  for  then  they  need  it  to  restrain  them  from  sin,  and  to  excite 
them  to  care  for  the  good  of  their  souls,  and  so  to  stir  them  up  to  watchfulness 
and  diho-ence  in  religion:  but  God  hath  so  ordered,  that  when  love  rises,  and 
IS  in  vigorous  exercise,  then  fear  should  vanish,  and  be  drivep  away  ;  for  then 
they  need  it  not,  having  a  higher  and  more  excellent  principle  in  exercise,  to 
restrain  them  from  sin,  and  stir  them  up  to  their  duty.  There  are  no  other 
principles,  which  human  nature  is  under  the  influence  of,  that  will  ever  make 
men  conscientious,  but  one  of  these  two,  fear  or  love  ;  and  therefore,  if  one  of 
these  should  not  prevail  as  the  other  decays,  God's  people,  when  fallen  into 
dead  and  carnal  frames,  when  love  is  asleep,  would  be  lamentably  exposed  in- 
deed :  and  therefore  God  has  wisely  ordained,  that  these  two  opposite  principles 
of  love  and  fear  should  rise  and  fall,  like  the  two  opposite  scales  of  a  balance ; 
when  one  rises  the  other  sinks.  As  light  and  darkness  necessarily  and  unavoid- 
ably succeed  each  other ;  if  light  prevails,  so  much  does  darkness  cease,  and  no 
more ;  and  if  light  decays,  so  much  does  darkness  prevail ;  so  it  is  in  the  heart 
of  a  child  of  God :  if  divine  love  decays  and  falls  asleep,  and  lust  prevails,  the 
light  and  joy  of  hope  go  out,  and  dark  fear  and  doubting  arises ;  and  if,  on  the 
contrary,  divine  love  pi'evails  and  comes  into  lively  exercise,  this  brings  in  the 
brightness  of  hope,  and  drives  away  black  lust,  and  fear  with  it.  Love  is  the 
spirit  of  adoption,  or  the  childlike  principle ;  if  that  slumbers,  men  fall  under 
fear,  which  is  the  spirit  of  bondage,  or  the  servile  principle ;  and  so  on  the  con- 
trary. And  if  it  be  so,  that  love,  or  the  spirit  of  adoption,  be  earned  to  a  great 
height,  it  quite  drives  away  all  fear,  and  gives  full  assurance  ;  agreeable  to  that 
of  the  apostle,  1  John  iv.  18,  "  There  is  no  fear  in  love,  but  perfect  love  casts  out 
fear."  These  two  opposite  principles  of  lust  and  holy  love,  bring  hope  and  fear 
into  the  hearts  of  God's  children,  in  proportion  as  they  prevail ;  that  is,  when 
left  to  their  own  natural  influence,  without  something  adventitious,  or  accidental 
intervening ;  as  the  distemper  of  melancholy,  doctrinal  ignorance,  prejudices  of 
education,  wrong  instruction,  false  principles,  pecuhar  temptations,  &c. 

Fear  is  cast  out  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  no  other  way  than  by  the  prevailing 
of  love  ;  nor  is  it  ever  maintained  by  his  Spirit  but  when  love  is  asleep.  At 
such  a  time,  in  vain  is  all  the  saint's  self-examinations,  and  poring  on  past  expe- 
rience, in  order  to  establish  his  peace,  and  get  assurance.  For  it  is  contrary  to 
the  nature  of  things,  as  God  hath  constituted  them,  that  he  should  have  assu- 
rance at  such  a  time. 

They  therefore  do  directly  thwart  God's  wise  and  gracious  constitution  of 
things,  who  exhort  others  to  be  confident  in  their  hope,  when  in  dead  frames ; 
under  a  notion  of  of  "  living  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight,  and  trusting  God  in  the 
dark,  and  living  upon  Christ,  and^^not  upon  experiences  ;"  and  warn  them  not 
to  doubt  of  their  good  estate,  lest  they  should  be  guilty  of  the  dreadful  sin  of 
unbelief  And  it  has  a  direct  tendency  to  establish  the  most  presumptuous  hypo- 
crites, and  to  prevent  their  ever  calling  their  state  in  question,  hoAV  much  so- 
ever wickedness  rages,  and  reigns  in  their  hearts,  and  prevails  in  their  lives ; 
under  a  notion  of  honoring  God,  by  hoping  against  hope,  and  confidently  trust- 
ing in  God,  when  things  look  very  dark.  And  doubtless  vast  has  been  the 
mischief  that  has  been  done  this  way. 

Persons  cannot  be  said  to  forsake  Christ,  and  live  on  their  experiences  of 
the  exercises  of  grace,  merely  because  they  take  them  and  use  them  as  eviden 
ces  of  grace ;  for  there  are  no  other  evidences  that  they  can  or  ought  to  take 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  '        57 

Bui  then  may  persons  be  said  to  live  upon  their  experiences,  when  the)  make 
a  rijThteousness  of  them,  and  instead  of  keepinc^  their  eye  on  God's  gloiy  and 
Christ's  exxelleiicy,  they  turn  thiir  eyes  o(T  these  objects  without  them,  on  to 
themselves,  to  entertain  ihcir  minds,  by  viewing  their  own  attainmoiits,  and 
high  experiences,  and  the  great  things  they  have  met  with,  and  are  biiglit  and 
beautiful  in  their  own  eyes,  and  are  rich  and  increased  Mith  goods  in  their  own 
apprehension?,  and  think  that  God  has  as  admiring  an  esteem  of  them,  on  the 
same  account,  as  they  have  of  themselves:  this  is  living  on  experiences,  and  not 
on  Christ ;  and  is  more  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God,  than  the  gross  immo- 
ralities of  those  who  make  no  pretences  to  religion.  But  this  is  a  far  different 
thing  from  a  mere  improving  experiences  as  evidences  of  an  interest  in  a  glori- 
ous Redeemer. 

But  to  return  from  this  digression,  I  would  mention  one  thing  more  under 
the  general  head  that  I  am  upon. 

XII.  Nothing  can  be  certainly  concluded  concerning  the  nature  of  religious 
affections,  that  any  are  the  subjects  of,  from  this,  that  the  outward  manifesta- 
tions of  them,  and  the  relation  persons  give  of  them,  are  very  affecting  and  pleas- 
ing to  the  truly  godly,  and  such  as  greatly  gain  their  charity,  and  win  their 
hearts. 

The  true  saints  have  not  such  a  spirit  of  discerning  that  they  can  certainly  de- 
termine who  are  godly,  and  who  are  not.  For  though  they  know  experimen- 
tally what  true  religion  is,  in  the  internal  exercises  of  it ;  yet  these  are  what 
they  can  neither  feel,  nor  see,  in  the  heart  of  another.*  There  is  nolhing  in 
others,  that  comes  within  their  view,  but  outward  manifestations  and  appear- 
ances ;  but  the  Scripture  plainly  intimates,  that  this  way  of  judging  what  is  in 
men  by  outward  appearances,  is  at  best  uncertain,  and  liable  to  deceit :  1  Sam. 
xvi.  7,  "  The  Lord  sccth  not  as  man  secth  ;  for  man  looketh  on  the  outward  ap- 
pearance, but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart."  Isa.  xi.  3,  "  He  shall  not  judge 
after  the  sight  of  his  eyes,  neither  reprove  after  the  hearing  of  his  ears."t  They 
commonly  are  but  poor  judges,  and  dangerous  counsellors  in  soul  cases,  who  are 
quick  and  peremptory  in  determining  persons'  states,  vaunting  themselves  in 
their  extraordinary  faculty  of  discerning  and  distinguishing,  in  these  great  affairs ; 
as  though  all  was  open  and  clear  to  them.  They  betray  one  of  these  three 
things:  either  that  they  have  had  but  little  experience  ;  or  are  persons  of  a 
weak  judgment;  or  that  they  have  a  great  degree  of  pride  and  self-confidence, 
and  so  ignorance  of  themselves.  Wise  and  experienced  men  will  proceed 
with  great  caution  in  such  an  affair. 

When  there  are  many  probable  appearances  of  piety  in  others,  it  is  the  duty 
of  the  saints  to  receive  them  cordially  into  their  charity,  and  to  love  them  and 
rejoice  in  them,  as  their  brethren  in  Christ  Jesus.  But  yet  the  best  of  men  may 
be  deceived,  when  the  appearances  seem  to  them  exceeding  fair  and  bright, 
even  so  as  entirely  to  gain  their  charity,  and  conquer  their  hearts.  It  has  been 
a  common  thing  in  the  church  of  God,  for  such  bright  professops,  that  are  re- 

•  Men  may  have  the  knowledge  of  their  own  conversion:  the  knowledge  that  other  men  have  of  it  is 
'incerlain,  because  no  man  can  look  into  the  heart  of  another  and  see  the  workings  of  grace  there."  Stod- 
dard's Knture  of  Savins  Conversion,  chap.  xv.  at  the  beginning.  ♦ 

t  Mr.  Siodiiard  observes,  that  "all  visil)le  signs  are  common  to  converted  and  unconverted  men  ; 
and  a  relation  of  experiences,  among  the  rest."     Appeal  to  the  Learned,  p.  75. 

"  O  how  hard  it  is  for  the  eye  of  man  to  discern  iietwixt  chaff  and  wheat !  And  how  many  upright 
hearts  aie  now  censured,  whom  God  will  clear  !  How  many  false  hearts  arc  now  approved  whom  God 
ttWX  condemn  !  Men  ordinarily  have  no  convictive  proofs,  but  only  probable  symptoms  ;  which  at  most 
t)eget  hut  a  conjectural  knowletke  of  another's  state.  And  they  that  shall  peremptorily  judge  either  way, 
may  jwssibly  wrong  the  generation  of  the  upright,  or  on  the  other  side,  absolve  and  justify  the  wicked 
knA  truly,  considering  what  has  been  said,  it  is  no  wonder  that  dangerous  mistakes  are  so  frequentlf 
made  in  tliis  matter."     FlaveVs  Husbandry  Spiritualized,  chap.  xii. 

Vol.  III.  8  • 


58      '  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

ceived  as  eminent  saints,  among  the  saints,  to  fall  away  and  come  to  nothing.* 
And  this  we  need  not  wonder  at,  if  we  consider  the  things  that  have  been  alrea- 
dy observed  ;  what  things  it  has  been  shown  may  appear  in  men  who  are  alto- 
gether graceless.  Nothing  hinders  but  that  all  these  things  may  meet  together 
in  men,  and  yet  they  be  without  a  spark  of  grace  in  their  hearts.  They  may 
have  religious  affections  of  many  kinds  together  ;  they  may  have  a  sort  of  affec- 
tion towards  God,  that  bears  a  great  resemblance  of  dear  love  to  him  ;  and  so 
a  kind  of  love  to  the  brethren,  and  great  appearances  of  admiration  of  God's 
perfections  and  works,  and  sorrow  for  sin,  and  reverence,  submission,  self-abase- 
ment, o-ratitude,  joy,  religious  longings,  and  zeal  for  religion  and  the  good  of 
souls.  And  these  affections  may  come  after  great  awakenings  and  convictions 
of  conscience  ;  and  there  may  be  great  appearances  of  a  work  of  humiliation  : 
and  counterfeit  love  and  joy,  and  other  affections  may  seem  to  follow  these,  and 
one  another,  just  in  the  same  order  that  is  commonly  observable  in  the  holy  af- 
fections of  true  converts.  And  these  religious  affections  may  be  carried  to  a 
great  height,  and  may  cause  abundance  of  tears,  yea,  may  overcome  the  nature 
of  those  who  are  the  subjects  of  them,  and  may  make  them  affectionate,  and 
fervent,  and  fluent,  in  speaking  of  the  things  of  God,  and  dispose  them  to  be 
abundant  in  it ;  and  may  be  attended  with  many  sweet  texts  of  Scripture,  and 
precious  promises,  brought  with  great  impression  on  their  minds  ;  and  may  dis- 
pose them  with  their  mouths  to  praise  and  glorify  God,  in  a  very  ardent  man- 
ner, and  fervently  to  call  upon  others  to  praise  him,  crying  out  of  their  unwor- 
thlness,  and  extolling  free  grace.  And  may,  moreover,  dispose  them  to  abound 
in  the  external  duties  of  religion,  such  as  prayer,  hearing  the  word  preached, 
singing,  and  religious  conference  ;  and  these  things  attended  with  a  great  re- 
semblance of  a  Christian  assurance,  in  its  greatest  height,  when  the  saints 
mount  on  eagles'  wings,  above  all  darkness  and  doubting.  I  think  it  has  been 
made  plain,  that  there  may  be  all  these  things,  and  yet  there  be  nothing  more 
than  the  common  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  joined  with  the  delusions  of 
Satan,  and  the  wicked  and  deceitful  heart. — To  which  I  may  add,  that  all  these 
things  may  be  attended  with  a  sweet  natural  temper,  and  a  good  doctrinal 
knowledge  of  religion,  and  a  long  acquaintance  with  the  saints'  way  of  talking, 
and  of  expressing  their  affections  and  experiences,  and  a  natural  ability  and 
subtilty  in  accommodating  their  expressions  and  manner  of  speaking  to  the  dis- 
positions and  notions  of  the  hearers,  and  a  taking  decency  of  expression  and  be- 
havior, formed  by  a  good  education.  How  great  therefore  may  the  resemblance 
be,  as  to  all  outward  expressions  and  appearances,  between  a  hypocrite  and  a 
true  saint !  Doubtless  it  is  the  glorious  prerogative  of  the  omniscient  God,  as 
.  the  great  searcher  of  hearts,  to  be  able  well  to  separate  between  sheep  and 

foats.     And  what  an  indecent  self-exaltation  and  arrogance  it  is,  in  poor,  fal- 
ble,  dark  mortals,  to  pretend  that  they  can  determine  and  know,  who  are  real- 
ly sincere  and  upright  belbre  God,  and  who  are  not ! 

Many  seem  to  lay  great  weight  on  that,  and  to  suppose  it  to  be  what  may 

*  "  Be  not  offended,  if  yovi  sog  ;:reat  uedars  fall,  stars  fall  from  heaven,  great  professors  die  and  decay  : 
do  not  think  they  be  all  such  :  do  not  think  that  the  elect  shall  fall.  Truly,  some  are  such  that  when  they 
fall,  one  would  ^\\k.  a  man  truly  sanctified  might  fall  away,  as  the  Arminians  think  :  1  John  ii.  19,  They 
were  not  nf  us.  I  speak  this,  because  the  Lord  is  shaking;  and  I  look  for  great  apostasies  :  for  God  is 
trying  all  his  friends,  through  all  the  Chrisiian  world.  In  Germany  what  profession  was  there!  Who 
would  have  thought  it  ?  Tlie  Lord,  wlio  delii^hls  to  manifest  that  openly,  which  was  hid  secretly,  sends 
a  sword  and  ihny  fall."     ShepartVs  Parah.     Part  I.  p.  ]  18,  119. 

"The  saints  may  approve  thee  and  God  condemn  ihee.  Rev.  lii.  \,  "Thou  hast  a  name  that  thou 
livest,  and  art  dead  "  Men  may  say,  1  here  is  a  true  Nathanael;  and  God  may  say,  There  is  aself-cozen- 
ing  Pharisee.  Reader,  thou  hast  heard  of  .Tudas  and  Demas,  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  of  Hymeneus 
and  Philetus,  onco  renowned  and  famous  professors,  and  thou  hast  hcsird  how  they  proved  at  last."  Fla- 
oel's  To-jchstone  of  Sincerity,  Chap.  ii.  Sect.  5. 


RFXIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS,  59 

Jotennlne  (hem  with  respect  to  others'  real  piety,  Avhcn  ihoy  nc-t  only  tell  a 
plausible  srory,  but  when,  in  giving;  an  account  of  their  experiences,  they  make 
such  a  representation,  anil  speak  alter  such  a  manner,  that  they  feel  their  talk ; 
that  is  to  say,  when  their  talk  seems  to  liarmonize  with  their  own  exjierience, 
and  their  hearts  arc  touched  and  aflectcd  and  delighted,  by  what  they  hear 
them  say,  and  drawn  out  by  it,  in  dear  love  to  them.  But  there  is  not  that  cei- 
tainty  in  such  things,  and  that  full  dependence  to  be  had  upon  tliem,  which 
many  imagine.  A  true  saint  greatly  delights  in  lioiiness ;  it  is  a  most  beautiful 
thing  in  his  eyes;  and  God's  work,  in  savingly  renewing  and  making  holy  and 
happy,  a  poor,  and  before  perishing  soul,  appears  to  him  a  most  glorious  work : 
no  wonder,  therefore,  that  his  heart  is  touched,  and  greatly  affected,  when  he 
hears  anoiher  give  a  probable  account  of  this  work,  wrought  on  his  own  heart, 
and  when  he  sees  in  him  probable  appearances  of  holiness ;  whether  those  pleas- 
ing appearances  have  any  thing  real  to  answer  them,  or  no.  And  if  he  uses 
the  same  words,  which  are  commoidy  made  use  of,  to  express  the  affections  of 
true  saint;;,  and  tells  of  many  things  following  one  another  in  an  order,  agreea- 
ble to  tlie  method  of  the  experience  of  him  that  hears  liim,  and  also  speaks  free- 
ly and  boldly,  and  with  an  air  of  assurance  ;  no  wonder  the  other  thinks  his 
experiences  harmonize  with  his  own.  And  if,  besides  all  this,  m  giving  his  re- 
lation, he  speaks  with  much  affection ;  and,  above  all,  if  in  speaking  he  seems 
to  show  much  affection  to  him  to  whom  he  speaks,  such  an  affection  as  the  Ga- 
latians  did  to  the  Apostle  Paul ;  these  things  will  naturally  have  a  powerful 
influence,  to  affect  and  draw  his  hearer's  heart,  and  open  wide  the  doors  of  his 
charity  towards  him.  David  speaks  as  one  who  had  felt  Ahithophel's  talk,  and 
had  once  a  sweet  savor  and  relish  of  it.  And  therefore  exceeding  great  was 
his  surprise  and  disappointment,  when  he  fell ;  it  was  almost  too  much  for  him : 
Psal.  Iv.  12,  13,  14,  "  It  was  not  an  enemy — then  I  could  have  borne  it ;  but 
it  was  thou,  a  man.,  mine  equal,  my  guide,  and  mine  acquaintance  :  we  took 
sweet  counsel  together,  and  walked  unto  the  house  of  God  in  company." 

It  is  with  professors  of  religion,  especially  such  as  become  so  in  a  time  of 
outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  it  is  with  blossoms  in  the  spring  ;*  there  are 
vast  numbers  of  them  upon  the  trees,  which  all  look  fair  and  promising ;  but 
yet  many  of  them  never  come  to  any  thing.  And  many  of  those,  that  in  a 
little  time  wither  up,  and  drop  off",  and  rot  under  the  trees ;  yet  for  a  while  look 
as  beautiful  and  gay  as  others  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  smell  sweet,  and  send  forth 
a  pleasant  odor  ;  so  that  we  cannot,  by  any  of  our  senses,  certainly  distinguish 
those  blossoms  which  have  in  ihem  that  secret  virtue,  which  will  afterwards 
appear  in  the  fruit,  and  that  inward  solidity  and  strength  which  shall  enable 
them  to  bear,  and  cause  them  to  be  perfected  by  the  hot  summer  sun,  that  will 
dry  up  the  others.  It  is  the  mature  fruit  which  comes  afterwards,  and  not  the 
beautiful  colors  and  smell  of  the  blossoms,  that  we  must  judge  by.  So  new 
converts  (professedly  so),  in  their  talk  about  tilings  of  religion,  may  appear  fair, 
and  be  very  savory,  and  the  saints  may  think  they  talk  feelingly.  Tlicy  may 
relish  their  talk,  and  imagine  they  perceive  a  divine  savor  in  it,  and  yet  all  may- 
come  to  nothing. 

It  is  strange  how  hardly  men  are  brought  to  be  contented  with  the  rules  and 
directions  Christ  has  given  them,  but  they  must  needs  go  by  other  rules  of  their 
own  inventing,  that  seem  to  them  wiser  and  better.  I  know  of  no  directions  or 
counsels  which  Christ  ever  delivered  more  plainly,  than  the  rules  he  has  given 

*  A  time  of  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  reviving  religion,  and  producing  the  pleasant  appearances 
of  it,  in  new  converts,  is  in  Scripture  compared  to  this  very  tHng,  viz.,  the  spring  season,  when  the  be- 
nign influences  of  the  lieavens  :iuse  the  blossoms  to  put  forth.  Cant.  ii.  11,  12. 


60  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

US,  to  guide  us  in  our  judging  of  others'  sincerity,  viz.,  that  we  should  judge  of  the 
tree  chiefly  by  the  fruit :  but  yet  this  will  not  do  ;  but  other  ways  aie  found  out, 
which  are  imagined  to  be  more  distinguishing  and  certain.  And  woful  have 
been  the  mischievous  consequences  of  this  arrogant  setting  up  men's  wisdom 
above  the  wisdom  of  Christ.  1  believe  many  saints  have  gone  much  out  of  the 
way  of  Christ's  word,  in  this  respect :  and  some  of  them  have  been  chastised 
with  whips,  and  (I  had  almost  said)  scorpions,  to  bring  them  back  again.  But 
many  things  v.-hich  have  lately  appeared,  and  do  now  appear,  may  convince, 
that  ordinaiily  those  who  have  gone  farthest  this  way,  that  have  been  most 
highly  conceited  of  their  faculty  of  discerning,  and  have  appeared  most  forward, 
perenjptorily  and  suddenly  to  determine  the  state  of  men's  souls,  have  been 
hypocrites,  who  have  known  nothing  of  true  religion. 

In  the  parable  of  the  wheat  and  tares,  it  is  said.  Matt,  xiii.  26,  "  When  the 
blade  was  sprung  up,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares  also," 
As  though  the  tares  were  not  discerned,  nor  distinguishable  from  the  wheat, 
until  then,  as  Mr.  Flavel  observes,*  who  mentions  it  as  an  observation  ot 
Jerome's,  that  "  wheat  and  tares  are  so  much  alike,  until  the  blade  of  the  wheat 
comes  to  bring  forth  the  ear,  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  distinguish  them." 
And  then  JMr.  Flavel  adds,  "  How  ditlicult  soever  it  be  to  discern  the  difference 
between  wheat  and  tares ;  yet  doubtless  the  eye  of  sense  can  much  easier  dis- 
criminate them,  than  the  most  quick  and  piercing  eye  of  man  can  discern  the 
difference  between  special  and  common  grace.  For  all  saving  graces  in  the 
saints,  have  their  counterfeits  in  hypocrites ;  there  are  similar  works  in  those, 
which  a  spiritual  and  very  judicious  eye  may  easily  mistake  for  the  saving  and 
genuine  effects  of  a  sanctifying  spirit." 

As  it  is  the  ear  or  the  fruit  which  distinguishes  the  wheat  from  the  tares,  so 
this  is  the  true  Shibboleth,  that  lie  who  stands  as  judge  at  the  passages  of  Jordan, 
makes  use  of  to  distingvush  those  that  shall  pass  over  Jordan  into  the  true 
Canaan,  from  those  that  should  be  slain  at  the  passages.  For  the  Hebrew 
word  Shibboleth  signifies  an  ear  of  corn.  And  perhaps  the  more  full  pronun- 
ciation of  Jephthah's  friends.  Shibboleth,  may  represent  a  full  ear  with  fiuit  in 
it,  typifying  the  fruits  of  the  friends  of  Christ,  the  antitype  of  Jephthah ;  and 
the  more  lean  pronunciation  of  the  Ephraimites,  his  enemies,  may  represent 
their  empty  ears,  typifying  the  show  of  religion  in  hypocrites,  without  substance 
and  fruit.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  doctrine  we  are  abundantly  taught  in  Scrip- 
ture, viz.,  that  he  who  is  set  to  judge  those  that  pass  through  death,  whether 
they  have  a  right  to  enter  into  the  heavenly  Canaan  or  no,  or  whether  they 
should  not  be  slain,  will  judge  every  man  according  to  his  works. 

We  seem  to  be  taught  the  same  things,  by  the  rules  given  for  the  priests 
discerning  the  leprosy.  In  many  cases  it  was  impossible  for  the  priest  to  deter- 
mine whether  a  man  had  the  leprosy,  or  whether  he  were  clean,  by  the  most 
narrow  inspection  of  the  appearances  that  were  upon  him,  until  he  had  waited 
to  see  what  the  appearances  would  come  to,  and  had  shut  up  the  person  who 
showed  himself  to  him,  one  seven  days  after  another  ;  and  when  he  judged,  he 
was  to  determine  by  the  hair,  which  grew  out  of  the  spot  that  was  showed  him, 
which  was  as  it  were  the  fruit  that  it  brought  forth. 

And  here,  before  I  finish  what  I  have  to  say  under  this  head,  I  would  say 
aomething  to  a  strange  notion  some  have  of  late  been  led  away  with,  of  cer- 
tainly knowing  the  good  estate  that  others  are  in,  as  though  it  were  immedi- 
ately revealed  to  them  from  heaven,  by  their  love  flowing  out  to  them  in  an 

*  Husbandry  Spiritualized,  Chap,  xii 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  61 

extraordinary  manner.  They  argue  tlius,  that  their  love  being  very  sensible 
and  great,  it  may  be  certainly  known  by  them  who  feel  it,  to  be  a  true  Chris- 
tian love  :  and  it"  it  be  a  true  Christian  love,  the  Spirit  of  God  must  be  the  au- 
thor of  it :  and  inasmuch  as  the  Spirit  of  (rod  who  knows  certainly,  whether 
others  are  the  children  of  (jod  or  no,  and  is  a  spirit  of  truth,  is  pleased  by  an 
uncommon  influ(?nce  upon  them,  to  cause  their  love  to  flow  out,  in  an  extraor- 
dinary manner,  towards  such  a  person  as  a  child  of  (lod  ;  it  must  needs  be,  that 
this  infallible  Spirit,  who  deceives  none,  knows  that  that  person  is  a  child  of 
God.  But  such  persons  might  be  convinced  of  the  falseness  of  their  reasoning, 
if  they  would  consider  whether  or  no  it  be  not  their  duty,  and  what  God  requires 
of  them,  to  love  those  as  the  children  of  God  who  they  think  are  the  children 
of  God,  and  whom  they  have  no  reason  1o  think  otherwise  of,  from  all  that  they 
can  see  in  them,  though  God,  who  searches  the  hearts,  knows  them  not  to  be 
his  children.  ' 

If  it  be  their  duty,  then  it  is  good,  and  the  want  of  it  sin  ;  and  therefore 
surely  the  Spirit  of  God  may  be  the  author  of  it :  the  Spirit  of  God,  without 
being  a  spirit  of  falsehood,  may  in  such  a  case  assist  a  person  to  do  his  duty, 
and  keep  him  from  sin.  But  then  they  argue  from  the  uncommon  degree  and 
special  manner,  in  which  their  love  flows  out  to  the  person,  which  they  think 
the  Spirit  of  God  never  would  cause,  if  he  did  not  know  the  object  to  be  a  child 
of  God.  But  then  I  would  ask  them,  whether  or  no  it  is  not  their  duty  to  love 
all  such  as  they  are  bound  to  think  are  the  children  of  God,  from  all  that  they 
can  see  in  them,  to  a  very  great  degree,  though  God,  from  other  things  which 
he  sees,  that  are  out  of  sight  to  them,  knows  them  not  to  be  so.  It  is  men's 
duty  to  love  all  whom  they  are  bound  in  charity  to  look  upon  as  the  children 
of  God,  with  a  vastly  dearer  affection  than  they  commonly  do.  As  we  ought 
to  love  Christ  to  the  utmost  capacity  of  our  nature,  so  it  is  our  duty  to  love 
those  who  we  think  are  so  near  and  dear  to  him  as  his  members,  with  an  ex- 
ceeding dear  affection,  as  Christ  has  loved  us ;  and  therefore  it  is  sin  in  us  not 
to  love  them  so.  We  ought  to  pray  to  God  that  he  would  by  his  Spirit  keep 
us  from  sin,  and  enable  us  to  do  our  duty :  and  may  not  his  Spirit  answer  our 
prayers,  and  enable  us  to  do  our  duty,  in  a  particular  instance,  without  lying  ? 
If  he  cannot,  then  the  Spirit  of  God  is  bound  not  to  help  his  people  to  do  their 
duty  in  some  instances,  because  he  cannot  do  it  without  being  a  spirit  of  false- 
hood. But  surely  God  is  so  sovereign  as  that  comes  to,  that  he  may  enable  us 
to  do  our  duty  when  he  pleases,  and  on  what  occasion  he  pleases.  When  per- 
sons think  others  are  his  children,  God  may  have  other  ends  in  causing  their 
exceedingly  endeared  love  to  flow  out  to  them,  besides  revealing  to  them  whe- 
ther their  opinion  of  them  be  right  or  no  :  he  may  have  that  mercilul  end  in  it, 
to  enable  them  to  know  their  duty,  and  to  keep  them  from  that  dreadful  infinite 
evil,  sin.  And  wnll  they  say  God  shall  not  show  them  that  mercy  in  such  a 
case  ?  If  I  am  at  a  distance  from  home,  and  hear,  that  in  my  absence  my  house 
is  burnt,  but  my  family  have,  in  some  extraordinary  manner,  all  escaped  the 
flames ;  and  every  thing  in  the  circumstances  of  the  story,  as  I  hear  it,  makes  it 
appear  very  credible,  it  would  be  sin  in  me,  in  such  a  case,  not  to  feel  a  very 
great  degree  of  gratitude  to  God,  though  the  story  indeed  be  not  true.  And  is  not 
God  so  sovereign,  that  he  may,  if  he  pleases,  show  me  that  mercy  on  that  oc- 
casion, and  enable  me  to  do  my  duty  in  a  much  further  degree  than  I  used  to 
d)  it,  and  yet  not  incur  the  charge  of  deceitfulness  in  confirming  a  falsehood  ? 

It  is  exceeding  manifest,  that  error  or  mistake  may  be  the  occasion  of  a 
gracious  exercise,  and  consequently  a  gracious  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
by  Rom.  xiv.  6  :  "He  that  eatelh  to  the  Lord  he  eateth,  and  giveth  God 


62  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

thanks  ;  and  he  that  eateth  not  to  the  Lord  he  eateth  not,  and  giveth  God 
thanks !"  The  apostle  is  speaking  of  those,  who  through  erroneous  and  need- 
less scruples,  avoided  eating  lej^lly  unclean  meats. — By  this  it  is  very  evident, 
that  there  may  be  true  exercises  of  grace,  a  true  respect  to  the  Lord,  and  par- 
ticularly, a  true  thankfulness,  which  may  be  occasioned,  both  by  an  erroneous 
judgment  and  practice.  And  consequently,  an  error  may  be  the  occasion  of 
those  true  holy  exercises  that  are  from  the  infallible  Spirit  of  God.  And  if  so, 
it  is  ceitainly  too  much  for  us  to  determine,  to  how  great  a  degree  the  Spirit  ol 
God  may  give  this  holy  exercise,  on  such  an  occasion. 

This  notion,  of  certainly  discerning  another's  state,  by  love  flowing  out,  is 
not  only  not  founded  on  reason  or  Scripture,  but  it  is  anti-scriptural,  it  is  against 
the  rules  of  Scripture ;  which  say  not  a  word  of  any  such  way  of  judging  the 
state  of  others  as  this,  but  direct  us  to  judge  chiefly  by  the  fruits  that  are  seen 
in  them.  And  it  is  against  the  doctrines  of  Scripture,  which  do  plainly  teach 
us,  that  the  state  of  others'  souls  towards  God  cannot  be  known  by  us,  as  in 
Rev.  ii.  17 :"  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna, 
and  I  will  give  him  a  white  stone^  and  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which 
no  man  knoweth,  saving  he  that  receiveth  it."  And  Rom.  ii.  29,  "  He  is  a  Jew, 
which  is  one  inwardly  ;  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit, 
and  not  in  the  letter,  whose  praise  Is  not  of  men,  but  of  God."  That  by 
this  last  expression,  "  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God,"  the  apostle  has 
respect  to  the  insufficiency  of  men  to  judge  concerning  him,  whether  he  be  in- 
wardly a  Jew  or  no  (as  they  could  easily  see  by  outward  marks,  whether  men 
were  outwardly  Jews),  and  would  signify,  that  it  belongs  to  God  alone  to  give  a 
determining  voice  in  this  matter,  is  confirmed  by  the  same  apostle's  use  of  the 
phrase,  in  1  Cor.  iv.  5  :  "  Therefore  judge  nothing  before  the  time,  until  the 
Lord  come,  who  both  will  bring  to  hght  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  will 
make  manifest  the  counsels  of  the  heart :"  and  then  shall  every  man  have 
praise  of  God.  The  apostle,  in  the  two  foregoing  verses,  says,  "  But  with  me 
it  is  a  very  small  thing  that  I  should  be  judged  of  you,  or  of  man's  judgment : 
yea,  I  judge  not  mine  own  self.  For  I  know  nothing  by  myself,  yet  am  I  not 
hereby  justified  ;  but  he  that  judgeth  me  is  the  Lord."  And  again,  it  is  further 
confirmed,  because  the  apostle,  in  this  second  chapter  to  the  Romans,  directs  his 
speech  especially  to  those  who  had  a  high  conceit  of  their  own  holiness,  made 
their  boast  of  God,  and  were  confident  of  their  own  discerning,  and  that  they 
knew  God's  will,  and  approved  the  things  which  were  excellent,  or  tried 
the  things  that  differ  (as  it  is  in  the  margin),  ver.  19:  "  And  were  confident 
that  they  were  guides  of  the  blind,  and  a  light  to  them  which  are  in  darkness, 
instructors  of  the  foolish,  teachers  of  babes  ;  and  so  took  upon  them  to  judge 
others."     See  ver.  1,  and  17,  IS,  19,  20. 

And  how  arrogant  must  the  notion  be,  that  they  have,  who  imagine  they 
can  certainly  know  otheis'  godliness,  when  that  great  Apostle  Peter  pretends 
not  to  say  any  more  concerning  Sylvanus,  than  that  he  was  a  faithful  brother, 
as  he  supposed  !  1  Pet.  v.  12.  Though  this  Sylvanus  appears  to  have  been 
a  very  eminent  minister  of  Chrisi,  and  an  evangelist,  and  a  famous  light  in  God's 
church  at  that  day,  and  an  intimate  companion  of  the  apostles.  See  2  Cor.  i. 
19,  iThess.  i.  l,and2Thess.  i   L 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 


PART    III 


VHOWLNG  WHAT  ARE  DISTINGUISHING  SIGNS  OF  TRULY  GRACIOUS  AND  HOI,Y  AFrECTIONS. 

I  COME  now  to  the  second  thing  appertaining  to  the  trial  of  religious  aflcc- 
tiotis.  which  was  proposed,  viz.,  To  take  notice  of  some  things,  wherein  those 
affections  that  are  spiritual  and  gracious,  do  differ  irom  those  that  are 
not  so. 

But  before  I  proceed  directly  to  the  distinguishing  characters,  I  would  pre- 
viously mention  some  things  which  I  desire  may  be  observed,  concerning  the 
marks  I  shall  lay  down. 

1.  That  I  am  far  from  undertaking  to  give  such  signs  of  gracious  affections, 
as  shall  be  sufficient  to  enable  any  certainly  to  distinguish  true  affection  from 
false  in  others  ;  or  to  determine  positively  which  of  their  neighbors  are  true  pro- 
feSvSors,  and  which  are  hypocrites.  In  so  doing,  I  should  be  guilty  of  that  arro- 
gance which  I  have  been  condemning.  Though  it  be  plain  that  Christ  has  given 
rules  to  all  Christians,  to  enable  them  to  judge  of  professors  of  religion,  whom 
they  are  concerned  with,  so  far  as  is  necessary  for  their  own  safety,  and  to  pre- 
vent their  being  led  into  a  snare  by  false  teachers,  and  false  pretenders  to  religion ; 
and  though  it  be  also  beyond  doubt,  that  the  Scriptures  do  abound  witii  rules, 
which  may  be  very  serviceable  to  ministers,  in  counselling  and  conducting  souls 
committed  to  their  care,  in  things  appertaining  to  their  spiritual  and  eternal 
state ;  yet  it  is  also  evident,  that  it  was  never  God's  design  to  give  us  any  rules, 
by  which  we  may  certainly  know,  who  of  our  fellow  professors  are  his,  and  to 
make  a  full  and  clear  separation  between  sheep  and  goats ;  but  that,  on  the 
contrary,  it  was  God's  design  to  reserve  this  to  himself,  as  his  prerogative.  And 
therefore  no  such  distinguishing  signs  as  shall  enable  Christians  or  ministers  to 
do  this,  are  ever  to  be  expected  to  the  world's  end :  for  no  more  is  ever  to  be  ex- 
pected from  any  signs,  that  are  to  be  found  in  the  word  of  God,  or  gathered  from 
it,  than  Christ  designed  them  for. 

2.  No  such  signs  are  to  be  expected,  that  shall  be  sufficient  to  enable  those 
saints  certainly  to  discern  their  own  good  estate,  who  are  very  low  in  grace,  or 
are  such  as  have  much  departed  from  God,  and  are  fallen  into  a  dead,  carnal, 

-and  unchristian  frame.  It  is  not  agreeable  to  God's  design  (as has  been  already 
obsei-ved),  that  such  should  know  their  good  estate  :  nor  is  it  desirable  that 
they  should  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  every  way  best  that  they  should  not ;  and  we 
have  reason  to  bless  God,  that  he  has  made  no  provision  that  such  should  cer- 
tainly know  the  state  that  they  are  in,  any  other  way  than  by  first  coming  out  of 
the  ill  frame  and  way  they  are  in.  Indeed  it  is  not  properly  through  the  defect 
of  the  signs  given  in  the  word  of  God,  that  every  saint  living,  whether  strong 
or  weak,  and  those  who  are  in  a  bad  frame,  as  well  as  others,  cannot  certainly 
know  their  good  estate  by  them.  For  the  rules  in  themselves  are  certain  and 
infallible,  and  every  saint  has,  or  has  had  those  things  in  himself,  wliich  are  sure 
evidences  of  grace  ;  for  every,  even  the  least  act  of  grace  is  so.  But  it  is  through 
his  defect  to  whom  the  signs  are  given.  There  is  a  twofold  defect  in  that  saint 
who  is  very  low  in  grace,  or  in  an  ill  frame,  which  makes  it  impossible  for  him 
to  know  certainly  that  he  has  true  grace,  by  the  best  signs  and  rules  which  can 
be  given  him.  First,  a  defect  in  the  object,  or  the  qualification  to  be  viewed 
and  examined.     I  do  not  mean  an  essential  defect ;  because  I  suppose  the  per- 


64  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

son  to  be  a  real  saint ;  but  a  defect  in  degree :  grace  being  very  small,  cannot 
be  clearly  and  certainly  discerned  and  distinguished. 

Things  that  are  very  small,  we  cannot  clearly  discern  their  form,  or  distin- 
guish them  one  from  another  ;  though,  as  they  are  in  themselves,  their  form 
may  be  very  different.  There  is  doubtless  a  great  difference  between  the  body 
of  man,  and  the  bodies  of  other  animals,  in  the  first  conception  in  the  womb  : 
but  yet  if  we  should  view  the  different  embryos,  it  might  not  be  possible  for  us 
to  discern  the  difference,  by  reason  of  the  imperfect  state  of  the  object ;  but  as 
it  comes  to  greater  perfection,  the  difference  becomes  very  plain.  The  difference 
between  creatures  of  very  contrary  qualities,  is  not  so  plainly  to  be  seen  while 
they  are  very  young  ;  even  after  they  are  actually  brought  forth,  as  in  their 
more  perfect  state.  The  difference  between  doves  and  ravens,  or  doves  and  vul- 
tures, when  they  first  come  out  of  the  egg,  is  not  so  evident ;  but  as  they  groAv 
to  their  perfection,  it  is  exceeding  great  and  manifest.  Another  defect  attend- 
ing the  grace  of  those  I  am  speaking  of  is  its  being  mingled  wdth  so  much  cor- 
ruption, which  clouds  and  hides  it,  and  makes  it  impossible  for  it  certainly  to  be 
known.  Though  different  things  that  are  before  us,  may  have  in  themselves 
many  marks  thoroughly  distinguishing  them  one  from  another ;  yet  if  we  see 
them  only  in  a  thick  smoke,  it  may  nevertheless  be  impossible  to  distinguish 
them.  A  fixed  star  is  easily  distinguishable  from  a  comet,  in  a  clear  sky  ;  but 
if  we  view  them  through  a  cloud,  it  may  be  impossible  to  see  the  difference 
When  true  Christians  are  in  an  ill  frame,  guilt  lies  on  the  conscience;  which 
will  bring  fear,  and  so  prevent  the  peace  and  joy  of  an  assm'ed  hope. 

Secondly.  There  is  in  such  a  case  a  defect  in  the  eye.  As  the  feebleness  of 
grace  and  prevalence  of  corruption,  obscures  the  object ;  so  it  enfeebles  the  sight ; 
it  daj-kens  the  sight  as  to  all  spiritual  objects,  of  which  grace  is  one.  Sin  is 
like  some  distempers  of  the  eyes,  that  make  things  to  appear  of  different  colors 
from  those  which  properly  belong  to  them,  and  like  many  other  distempers,  that 
put  the  mouth  out  of  taste  so  as  to  disenable  it  from  distinguishing  good  and 
wholesome  food  from  bad,  but  every  thing  tastes  bitter. 

Men  in  a  corrupt  and  carnal  frame,  have  their  spiritual  senses  in  but  poor 
plight  for  judging  and  distinguishing  spiritual  things. 

For  these  reasons  no  signs  that  can  be  given,  will  actually  satisfy  persons 
:,n  such  a  case :  let  the  signs  that  are  given  be  never  so  good  and  infallible,  and 
clearly  laid  down,  they  will  not  serve  them.  It  is  like  giving  a  man  rules,  how 
to  distinguish  visible  objects  in  the  dark  ;  the  things  themselves  may  be  very 
different,  and  their  difference  may  be  very  well  and  distinctly  described  to  him  ; 
yet  all  is  insufficient  to  enable  him  to  distinguish  them,  because  he  is  in  the 
dark.  And  therefore  many  persons  in  such  a  case  spend  time  in  a  fruitless 
labor,  in  poring  on  past  experiences,  and  examining  themselves  by  signs  they 
hear  laid  down  from  the  pulpit,  or  that  they  read  in  books  ;  when  there  is  other 
work  for  them  to  do,  that  is  much  more  expected  of  them ;  which,  while  they 
neglect,  all  their  self-examinations  are  like  to  be  in  vain  if  tliey  should  spend 
never  so  much  time  in  them.  The  accursed  thing  is  to  be  destroyed  from  their 
camp,  and  Achan  to  be  slain  ;  and  until  this  be  done  they  will  be  in  trouble. 
It  is  not  God's  design  that  men  should  obtain  assurance  in  any  other  way,  than 
by  mortifying  corruption,  and  increasing  in  grace,  and  obtaining  the  lively  exer- 
cises of  it. — And  although  self-examination  be  a  duty  of  great  use  and  impor- 
tance, and  by  no  means  to  be  neglected  ;  yet  it  is  not  the  principal  means,  by 
w'hich  the  saints  do  get  satisfaction  of  their  good  estate.  Assurance  is  not  to  be 
obtained  so  much  by  self-exaviincdion,  as  by  action.  The  Apostle  Paul  sought 
assurance  chiefly  this  way,  even  by  "  forgetting  the  things  that  were  behind. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  65 

and  reacliing  forth  unto  those  things  that  were  before,  pressing  towards  the 
mark  for  the  prize  of  tlie  high  calling  of  God  in  Ciirist  Jesus  j  if  by  any  means 
he  might  attain  unto  the  resurrection  of  the  dead."  And  it  was  by  this  means 
chiefly  that  he  obtained  assurance :  1  Cor.  ix.  26,  "  I  theretbre  so  run,  )iot  as 
uncertainly."  He  obtained  assurance  of  winning  the  prize,  more  by  running, 
than  by  considering.  The  swiftness  of  his  pace  (lid  more  towards  liis  assurance 
of  a  conquest,  than  the  strictness  of  his  examination.  Giving  all  diligence  to 
grow  in  grace,  by  adding  to  faith,  virtue,  &c.,  is  the  direction  that  the  Apostle 
Peter  gives  us,  ibr  "  making  our  calling  and  election  sure,  and  having  an  entrance 
ministered  to  us  abundantly,  into  Clirist's  everlasting  kingdom ;"  signilying  to 
us,  that  without  this,  our  eyes  will  be  dim,  and  we  shall  be  as  men  in  ijje  dark, 
that  cannot  plainly  see  things  past  or  to  come,  either  the  forgiveness  ol' our  sins 
past,  or  our  heavenly  inheritance  that  is  future,  and  far  off,  2  Pet.  i.  5 — 11.* 

Thereibre,  though  good  rules  to  distinguish  true  grace  from  counterfeit,  may 
tend  to  convince  hypocrites,  and  be  of  great  use  to  the  saints,  in  many  respects ; 
and  among  other  benefits  may  be  very  useful  to  them  to  remove  many  needless 
scruples,  and  establish  their  hope ;  yet  I  am  far  from  pretending  to  lay  down 
any  such  rules,  as  shall  be  sufficient  of  themselves,  without  other  means,  to  en- 
able all  true  saints  to  see  their  good  estate,  or  as  supposing  they  should  be  the 
principal  means  of  their  satisfaction. 

3.  Nor  is  there  much  encouragement,  in  the  experience  of  present  or  past 
times,  to  lay  down  rules  or  marks  to  distinguish  between  true  and  falsp  affec- 
tions, in  hopes  of  convincing  any  considerable  number  of  that  sort  of  hypocrites, 
who  have  been  deceived  with  great  false  discoveries  and  affections,  and  are  once 
settled  in  a  false  confidence,  and  high  conceit  of  their  own  supposed  great  expe- 
riences and  privileges.  Such  hypocrites  are  so  conceited  of  their  own  wisdom, 
and  so  blinded  and  hardened  with  a  very  great  self-righteousness  (but  very 
subtle  and  secret,  under  the  disguise  of  great  humility),  and  so  invincible  a  fond- 
ness of  their  pleasing  conceit  of  their  great  exaltation,  that  it  usually  signifies 
nothing  at  all  to  lay  before  them  the  most  convincing  evidences  of  their  hypo- 
crisy'. Their  state  is  indeed  deplorable,  and  next  to  those  who  have  committed 
the  unpardonable  sin.  Some  of  this  sort  of  persons  seem  to  be  most  out  of  the 
reach  of  means  of  conviction  and  repentance.  But  yet  the  laying  down  good 
rules  may  be  a  means  of  preventing  such  hypocrites,  and  of  convincing  many  of 
other  kinds  of  hypocrites ;  and  God  is  able  to  convince  even  this  kind,  and  his 
grace  is  not  to  be  limited,  nor  means  to  be  neglected.  And  besides,  such  rules 
may  be  of  use  to  the  true  saints,  to  detect  false  affections,  which  they  may  have 
mingled  with  true ;  and  be  a  means  of  their  religion's  becoming  more  pui  e,  and 
like  gold  tried  in  the  fire. 

Having  premised  these  things,  I  now  proceed  directly  to  take  notice  of  those 
things  in  which  true  religious  affections  are  distinguished  from  false. 

r  Affections  that  are  truly  spiritual  and  gracious,  do  arise  from  those  influ- 
ences and  operations  on  the  heart,  which  are  spiritual,  supernatural  and  divine. 

I  will  explain  what  I  mean  by  these  terms,  whence  will  appear  their  use  to 
distinguish  between  those  affections  which  are  spiritual,  and  those  which  are 
not  so. 

"We  find  that  true  saints,  or  those  persons  who  are  sanctified  by  the  Spirit  of 

The  way  to  know  your  godliness  is  to  renew  tlie  visible  exercises  of  prace. — The  more  the  visible 
exercises  of  grace  ure  renewed,  the  more  certain  you  will  be.  The  more  frequently  these  actings  are 
renewed,  the  more  abiding  and  confirmed  your  assurance  will  be. 

The  more  men's  grace  is  multiplied,  the  more  their  peace  is  multiplied  ;  2  Pet.  i.  2,  "  Grace  apd 
peace  be  muliipUcd  unto  you,  through  the  knowledge  of  God  and  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  StocUlarffs 
Way  to  know  Sincerity  and  Hypocrigy,  p.  139  and  142. 

Vol..  111.  S 


66  .  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  ^ 

God,  are  in  the  New  Testament  called  spiritual  persons.  And  their  being  spirii- 
ual  is  spoken  of  as  their  peculiar  character,  and  that  wherein  they  are  distin- 
guished from  those  who  are  not  sanctified.  This  is  evident,  because  those  who 
are  spiritual  are  set  in  opposition  to  natural  men,  and  carnal  men.  Thus  the 
spiritual  man  and  the  natural  man  are  set  in  opposition  one  to  another,  1  Cor. 
ii.  14,  15  :  "  The  natural  man  i-eceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for 
they  are  foolishness  unto  him ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are 
spiritually  discerned.  But  he  that  is  spiritual  judgeth  all  things."  The  Scrip- 
ture explains  itself  to  mean  an  ungodly  man,  or  one  that  has  no  grace,  by  a 
natural  man  :  thus  the  Apostle  Jude,  speaking  of  certain  ungodly  men,  that  had 
crept  ifk  unawares  among  the  saints,  ver.  4,  of  his  epistle,  says,  v.  19,  "  These 
are  sensual,  having  not  the  Spirit."  This  the  apostle  gives  as  a  reason  why 
they  behaved  themselves  in  such  a  wicked  manner  as  he  had  described.  Here 
the  word  translated  sensxial,  in  the  original  is  rpv/r/.ot,  which  is  the  very  same, 
which  in  those  verses  in  1  Cor.  chap.  ii.  is  translated  naturaL  In  the  like  man- 
ner, in  the  continuation  of  the  same  discourse,  in  the  next  verse  but  one,  spiritual 
men  are  opposed  to  carnal  men ;  which  the  connection  plainly  shows  mean  the 
same,  as  spiritual  men  and  natural  men,  in  the  foregoing  verses;  "  And  I, 
brethren,  could  not  speak  unto  you,  as  unto  spiritual,  but  as  unto  carnal ;"  i.  e., 
as  in  a  great  measure  unsanctified.  That  by  carnal  the  apostle  means  corrupt 
and  unsanctified,  is  abundantly  evident,  by  Rom.  vii.  25,  and  viii.  1,  4,  5,  6,  7. 
8,  9,  12,  13,  Gal.  v.  16,  to  the  end,  Col.  ii.  IS.  Now  therefore,  if  by  natural 
and  carnal  in  these  texts,  be  intended  unsanctified,  then  doubtless  by  spiritual, 
which  is  opposed  thereto,  is  meant  sanctified  and  gracious. 

And  as  the  saints  are  called  spiritual  in  Scripture,  so  we  also  find  that  there 
are  certain  properties,  qualities,  and  principles,  that  have  the  same  epithet  given 
them.  So  we  read  of  a  "  spiritual  mind,"  Rom.  A'iii.  6,  7,  and  of  "  spiritual 
wisdom,"  Col.  i.  9,  and  of  "  spiritual  blessings,"  Eph.  i.  3. 

Now  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  epithet  spiritual,  in  these  and  other  parallel 
texts  of  the  New  Testament,  is  not  used  to  signify  any  relation  of  persons  or 
things  to  the  spirit  or  soul  of  man,  as  the  spiritual  part  of  man,  in  opposition  to 
the  body,  which  is  the  material  part.  Qualities  are  not  said  to  be  spiritual,  because 
they  have  their  seat  in  the  soul,  and  not  in  the  body  :  for  there  are  some  pro- 
perties that  the  Scripture  calls  carnal  ovfiestily,  which  have  their  seat  as  much 
in  the  soul,  as  those  properties  that  are  called  spiritual.  Thus  it  is  with  pride 
and  self-righteousness,  and  a  man's  trusting  to  his  own  wisdom,  which  the 
apostle  calls  Jleshly,  Col.  ii.  IS.  Nor  are  things  called  spiritual,  because  they 
are  conversant  about  those  things  that  are  immaterial,  and  not  corporeal.  For 
so  was  the  wisdom  of  the  wise  men,  and  princes  of  this  world,  conversant  about 
spirits,  and  immaterial  beings;  which  yet  the  apostle  speaks  of  as  natural  men, 
totally  ignorant  of  those  things  that  are  spiritual,  1  Cor.  chap.  ii.  But  it  is  with 
relation  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  Spirit  of  God,  that  persons  or  things  are  termed 
spiritual  in  the  New  Testament.  Spirit,  as  the  word  is  used  to  signify  the  third 
person  in  the  Trinity,  is  the  substantive,  of  which  is  formed  the  adjective  spir- 
itual, in  the  holy  Scriptures.  Thus  Christians  are  called  spiritual  persons,  be- 
cause they  are  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  because  of  the  indwelling  and  holy  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  them.  And  things  are  called  spiritual  as  related 
to  the  Spirit  of  God ;  1  Cor.  li.  13,  14,  "  Which  things  also  we  speak,  not  in 
the  words  which  man's  wisdom  teacheth,  but  which  the  Holy  Ghcst  teacheth  , 
comparing  spiritual  things  with  spiritual.  But  the  natural  man  receiveth  noi 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God."  Here  the  apostle  himself  expressly  sig-niii'js, 
that  by  soiritual  things,  he  means  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  thingc 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  67 

whiih  the  Holy  Ghost  tcachetli.  The  same  is  yet  more  abundantly  apparent 
by  viewing  the  whole  context.  Again,  Rom.  viii.  6,  "To  be  carnally  minded, 
is  death ;  to  be  spiritually  niimied,  is  lite  and  peace."  The  apostle  explains 
what  he  means  by  being  carnally  and  spiritually  niimled  in  what  follows  in  the 
9th  verse,  and  shows  that  by  being  spiritually  minded,  he  means  a  having  the  in- 
dwelling and  holy  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  heart :  "  But  ye  are  not 
in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit,  it  so  be  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.  Now  if 
any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."  The  same  is  evident 
by  all  the  context.  But  time  would  fail  to  produce  all  the  evidence  there  is 
of  this,  in  the  New  Testament. 

And  it  must  be  here  observed,  that  althouo-h  it  is  with  relation  to  the  Spirit 
of  God  and  his  inOuences,  that  persons  and  things  are  called  spiritual ;  yet  not 
all  those  pel-sons  who  are  subject  to  any  kind  of  inHuence  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
are  ordinarily  called  spiritual  in  the  New  Testament.  They  who  have  only  the 
common  influences  of  God's  Spirit,  are  not  so  called,  in  the  places  cited  above, 
but  only  those  who  have  the  special,  gracious,  and  saving  influences  of  God's 
Spirit ;  as  is  evident,  because  it  has  been  already  proved,  that  by  spiritual  men 
is  meant  godly  men,  in  opposition  to  natural,  carnal,  and  unsanctified  men. 
And  it  is  most  plain,  that  the  apostle  by  spiritually  minded,  Rom.  viii.  6,  means 
graciously  minded.  And  though  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  which 
natural  men  might  have,  are  sometimes  called  spiritual,  because  they  are  from 
the  Spirit ;  yet  natural  men,  whatever  gifts  of  the  Spirit  they  had,  were  not,  in 
the  usual  language  of  the  New  Testament,  called  spiritual  persons.  For  it  was 
■not  by  men's  having  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  but  by  their  liaving  the  virtues  of 
the  Spirit,  that  they  were  called  spiritual;  as  is  apparent  by  Gal,  vi.  1 :  "  Bre- 
thren, if  any  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual,  restore  such  a 
one  in  the  spirit  of  meekness."  Meekness  is  one  of  those  virtues  which  the 
apostle  had  just  spoken  of,  in  the  verses  next  preceding,  showing  what  are  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit.  Those  qualifications  are  said  to  be  spiritual  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  New  Testament,  which  are  truly  giacious  and  holy,  and  peculiar 
to  the  saints. 

Thus,  when  we  read  of  spiritual  wisdom  and  understanding  (as  in  Col.  i.  9, 
"  We  desire  that  ye  may  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his  will,  in  all  wisdom 
and  spiritual  understanding"),  hereby  is  intended  that  wisdom  which  is  gracious, 
and  from  the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  For,  doubtless,  by 
spiritual  wisdom  is  meant  that  which  is  opposite  to  what  the  Scripture  calls 
natural  wisdom  ;  as  the  spiritual  man  is  opposed  to  the  natural  man.  And  there- 
fore spiritual  wisdom  is  doubtless  the  same  with  that  wisdom  which  is  from  above, 
that  the  Apastle  James  speaks  of,  Jam.  iii.  17  :  "  The  wisdom  that  is  from  above, 
is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,"  &c.,  for  this  the  apostle  opposes  to  natural 
wisdom,  ver.  15  :  "  This  wisdom  descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sen- 
sual"— the  last  word  in  the  original  is  the  same  that  is  translated  naluraJ,  in  1 
Cor.  ii.  14. 

So  that  although  natural  men  may  be  the  subjects  of  many  influences  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  as  is  evident  by  many  Scriptures,  as  Numb.  xxiv.  2,  1  Sam.  x. 
10,  and  xi.  6,  and  xvi.  14,  1  Cor.  xiii.  1,  2,  3,  Heb.  vi.  4,  5,  6,  and  many  others  ; 
yet  they  are  not,  in  the  sense  of  the  Scripture,  spiritual  persons  ;  neither  are  any 
of  those  effects,  common  gifts,  qualities,  or  aflJections,  that  are  from  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  them,  called  spiritual  things.  The  great  difference 
lies  in  these  two  things. 

1.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  given  to  the  true  saints  to  dwell  in  them,  as  hi& 
pioper  lasting  abode  ;  and  to  influence  their  hearts,  as  a  principle  oi  new  nature, 


#8  HELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

or  as  a  divine  supernatural  spring  of  life  and  action.  The  Scriptures  represent; 
tlie  Holy  Spirit  not  only  as  moving,  and  occasionally  influencing  the  saints,  bi£t 
as  dwelling  in  them  as  his  temple,  his  proper  abode,  and  everlasting  dwelling 
place,  1  Cor.  iii.  16,  2  Cor.  vi.  16,  John  xiv.  16,  17.  And  he  is  represented  as 
being  there  so  united  to  the  faculties  of  the  soul,  that  he  becomes  there  a  prin- 
ciple or  spring  of  new  nature  and  life. 

So  the  saints  are  said  to  live  by  Christ  living  in  them,  Gal.  ii.  20.  Christ 
by  his  Spirit  not  only  is  in  them,  but  lives  in  them ;  and  so  that  they  live  by 
his  life  ;  so  is  his  Spirit  united  to  them,  as  a  principle  of  life  in  them ;  they  do 
not  only  drink  living  water,  but  this  *'  living  water  becomes  a  well  or  fountain 
'of  water,"  in  the  soul,  "  springing  up  into  spiritual  and  everlasting  life,"  John  iv. 
14,  and  thus  becomes  a  principle  of  life  in  them.  This  living  w^ater,  this  evan- 
gelist himself  explains  to  intend  the  Spirit  of  God,  chap.  vii.  38,  39.  The  light 
of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  does  not  only  shine  upon  them,  but  is  so  communi- 
cated to  them  that  they  shine  also,  and  become  little  images  of  that  Sun 
which  shines  upon  them ;  the  sap  of  the  true  vine  is  not  only  conveyed  into 
them,  as  the  sap  of  a  tree  may  be  conveyed  into  a  vessel,  but  is  conveyed  as  sap 
is  from  a  tree  into  one  of  its  living  branches,  where  it  becomes  a  principle  of 
life.  The  Spirit  of  God  being  thus  communicated  and  united  to  the  saints,  they 
are  from  thence  properly  denominated  from  it,  and  are  called  spiritual. 

On  the  other  hand,  though  the  Spirit  of  God  may  many  ways  influence 
natural  men  ;  yet  because  it  is  not  thus  communicated  to  them,  as  an  indwell- 
ing principle,  they  do  not  derive  any  denomination  or  character  from  it :  for, 
there  being  no  union,  it  is  not  their  own.  The  light  may  shine  upon  a  body 
that  is  very  dark  or  black ;  and  tliough  that  body  be  the  subject  of  the  light,  yet, 
because  the  light  becomes  no  principle  of  light  in  it,  so  as  to  cause  the  body  to 
shine,  hence  that  body  does  not  properly  receive  its  denomination  from  it,  so  as 
to  be  called  a  lightsome  body.  So  the  Spirit  of  God  acting  upon  the  soul  only, 
without  communicating  itself  to  be  an  active  principle  in  it,  cannot  denominate 
it  spiritual.  A  body  that  continues  black,  may  be  said  not  to  have  light,  though 
the  light  shines  upon  it :  so  natural  men  are  said  "  not  to  have  the  Spirit,"  Jude 
19,  sensual  or  natural  (as  the  word  is  elsewhere  rendered),  having  not  the  Spirit. 

2.  Another  reason  why  the  saints  and  their  virtues  are  called  spiritual  (which 
is  the  principal  thing)  is,  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  dwelling  as  a  vital  principle 
in  their  souls,  there  produces  those  effects  wherein  he  exerts  and  communicates 
himself  in  his  own  proper  nature.  Holiness  is  the  nature  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
therefore  he  is  called  in  Scripture  the  Holy  Ghost.  Holiness,  which  is  as  it  were 
the  beauty  and  sweetness  of  the  divine  nature,  is  as  much  the  proper  nature  of 
tjie  Holy  Spirit,  as  heat  is  the  nature  of  fire,  or  sweetness  was  the  nature  of  that 
holy  anointing  oil,  which  was  the  principal  type  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  Mo- 
saic dispensation  ;  yea,  I  may  rather  say,  that  holiness  is  as  much  the  proper 
nature  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  sweetness  was  the  nature  of  the  sweet  odor  of 
that  ointment.  The  Spirit  of  God  so  dwells  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  that  he 
there,  as  a  seed  or  spring  of  life,  exerts  and  communicates  himself,  in  this  his 
sweet  and  divine  nature,  making  the  soul  a  partaken  of  God's  beauty  and 
Christ's  joy,  so  that  the  saint  has  truly  fellowship  with  the  Father,  and  with  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ,  in  thus  having  the  communion  or  participation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  grace  which  is  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  is  of  the  same  nature 
•with  the  divine  holiness,  as  much  as  it  is  possible  for  that  holiness  to  be,  which 
IS  infinitely  less  in  degree ;  as  the  brightness  that  is  in  a  diamond  which  the  sun 
shines  upon,  is  of  the  same  nature  with  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  but  only  that 
it  is  as  nothing  to  it  in  degree.     Therefore  Christ  says,  John  iii.  6,  "  That  which 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  69 

IS  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  spirit ;"  i.  e.,  the  grace  that  is  begotten  in  the  hearts  of 
the  saints,  is  sometliing  of  the  same  nature  with  that  Spirit,  and  so  is  properly 
called  a  spiritual  nature  ;  after  the  same  manner  as  that  which  is  born  of  the 
tlesh  is  ilesh,  or  that  which  is  born  of  corrupt  nature  is  corrupt  nature. 

But  the  Spirit  of  God  never  influences  the  minds  of  natural  men  after  this 
manner.  Though  he  may  influence  them  many  ways,  yet  he  never,  in  any  of 
his  influences,  communicates  himself  to  them  in  his  own  proper  nature.  Indeed 
he  never  acts  disagreeably  to  his  nature,  either  on  the  minds  of  saints  or  sinners: 
but  the  Spirit  of  God  may  act  upon  men  agreeably  to  his  own  nature,  and  not 
exert  his  proper  nature  in  the  acts  and  exercises  of  their  minds  :  the  Sj)irit  of 
God  may  act  so,  that  his  actions  may  be  agreeable  to  his  nature,  and  yet  may 
not  at  ail  communicate  himself  in  his  proptr  nature,  in  the  effect  of  that  action. 
Thus,  for  instance,  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  and 
there  was  nothing  disagreeable  to  his  nature  in  that  action  ;  but  yet  he  did  not 
at  all  communicate  himself  in  that  action,  there  was  nothing  of  the  proper  nature 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  that  motion  of  the  waters.  And  so  he  may  act  upon  the 
minds  of  men  many  ways,  and  not  communicate  himself  any  more  than  when 
he  acts  on  inaraimate  things. 

Thus  not  only  the  manner  of  the  relation  of  the  Spirit,  who  is  the  operator,  to 
the  subject  of  his  operations,  is  dill'erent ;  as  the  Spirit  operates  in  the  saints,  as 
dwelling  in  them,  as  an  abiding  principle  of  action,  whereas  he  doth  not  so  operate 
upon  sinnei-s ;  but  the  influence  and  operation  itself  is  different,  and  the  effect 
wrought  exceeding  different.     So  that  not  only  the  persons  are  called  spiritual, 
as  having  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  them  ;  but  those  qualificalions,  affections, 
and  experiences,  that  are  wrought  in  them  by  the  Spirit,  are  also  spirilual,  and 
therein  differ  vastly  in  their  nature  and  kind  from  all  that  a  natural  man  is  or 
can  be  the  subject  of,  while  he  remains  in  a  natural  state  ;  and  also  from  all  that 
men  or  devils  can  be  the  aulhoi-s  of.     It  is  a  spiritual  work  in  this  high  sense ; 
and  therefore  above  all  other  works  is  peculiar  to  the  Spirit  of  God.     There  is 
no  work  so  high  and  excellent;  for  there  is  no  work  wherein  God  doth  so  much 
communicate  himself,  and  wherein  the  mere  creature  hath,  in  so  high  a  sense, 
a  participation  of  God ;  so  that  it  is  expressed  in  Scriptm-e  by  the  saints  "  be- 
ing made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,"  2  Pet.  i.  4,  and  "  having  God  dwell- 
ing in  them,  and  they  in  God,"  1  John  iv.  12,  15,  16,  and  chap.  lii.  21 ;  "  and 
having  Christ  in  them,"  John  xvii.  21,  Rom.  viii.  10;  "  being  the  temples  of 
the  living  God,"  2  Cor.  vi.  16  ;  "  living  by  Christ's  life,"  Gal.  ii.  20 ; "  being  made 
partakers  of  God's  holiness,"  Heb.  xii.  10  ;  "  having  Christ's  love  dwelling  in 
them,"  John  xvii.  26  ;  "  having  his  joy  fulfilled  in  them,"  John  xvii.  1-3 ;  "  seeing 
light  in  God's  hght,  and  being  made  to  drink  of  the  river  of  God's  pleasures," 
Psal.  xxxvi.  8,  9  ;  "  having  fellowship  with  God,  or  communicating  and  partak- 
ing with  him  (as  the  word  signifies),"  1  John  i.  3.     Not  that  the  saints  are  made 
partakers  of  the  essence  of  God,  and  so  are  godded  with  God,  and  chrisfed  with 
Christ,  according  to  the  abominable  and  blasphemous  language  and  notions  of  • 
some  heretics :  but,  to  use   the  Scripture  phrase,  they  are  made  paitakcrs  of 
God's  fulness,  Eph.  iil.  17,  IS,  19,  John  i.  16,  that  is,  of  God's  spiritual  beauty 
and  happiness,  according  lo  the  measure  and  capacity  of  a  creature  ;  for  so  it  is 
evident  the  word  fulness  signifies  in  Scripture  language.     Grace  in  the  hearts 
of  the  saints,  being  therefore  the  most  glorious  work  of  God,  wherein  he  com- 
municates of  the  goodness  of  his  nature,  it  is  doubtless  his  peculiar  work,  and  in 
an  eminent  manner  above  the  power  of  all  creatures.     And  the  influences  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  in  this,  being  thus  peculiar  to  God,  and  being  those  wherein 
God  does,  in  so  high  a  manner,  communicate  himself,  and  make  the  creature 


70  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

partaker  of  the  divine  nature  (the  Spirit  of  God  communicating  itself  in  its  own 
proper  nature) ;  this  is  what  I  mean  by  those  influences  that  are  divine,  when  I 
say  that  "  truly  gracious  affections  do  arise  from  those  influences  that  are  spirit- 
ual and  divine." 

The  true  saints  only  have  that  which  is  spiritual ;  others  have  nothing 
which  is  divine,  in  the  sense  that  has  been  spoken  of.  They  not  only  have  not 
these  communications  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  so  high  a  degree  as  the  saints,  but 
have  nothing  of  that  nature  or  kind.  For  the  Apostle  James  tells  us,  that 
natural  men  have  not  the  Spirit ;  and  Christ  teaches  the  necessity  of  a  new 
birth,  or  of  being  born  of  the  Spirit,  from  this,  that  he  that  is  born  of  the  flesh, 
has  only  flesh,  and  no  spirit,  John  iii.  6.  They  have  not  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwelling  in  them  in  any  degree ;  for  the  apostle  teaches,  that  all  who  have  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  them,  are  some  of  his,  Rom.  viii.  9 — 11.  And  a  hav- 
ing the  Spirit  of  God  is  spoken  of  as  a  certain  sign  that  persons  shall  have  the 
eternal  inheritance  ;  for  it  is  spoken  of  as  the  earnest  of  it,  2  Cor.  i.  22,  and  v. 
5,  Eph.  i.  14 ;  and  a  having  any  thing  of  the  Spirit  is  mentioned  as  a  sure 
sign  of  being  in  Christ,  1  John  iv.  13  :  "  Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in 
him,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit."  Ungodly  men  not  only  have  not 
so  much  of  the  divine  nature  as  the  saints,  but  they  are  not  partakers  of  it ; 
which  implies  that  they  have  nothing  of  it ;  for  a  being  partaker  of  the  divine 
nature  is  spoken  of  as  the  peculiar  privilege  of  the  true  saints,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  Un- 
godly men  are  not  "  partakers  of  God's  holiness,"  Heb.  xii.  10.  A  natural 
man  has  no  experience  of  any  of  those  things  that  are  spiritual :  the  apostle 
teaches  us,  that  he  is  so  far  from  it,  that  he  knows  nothing  about  them,  he  is  a 
perfect  stranger  to  them,  the  talk  about  such  things  is  all  foolishness  and  non- 
sense to  him,  he  knows  not  what  it  means  ;  1  Cor.  ii.  14,  "  The  natural  man 
receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for  they  are  foolishness  to  him  : 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."  And  to 
the  like  purpose  Christ  teaches  us  that  the  world  is  wholly  unacquainted  with 
the  Spirit  of  God,  John  xiv.  17  :  "  Even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world 
cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him."  And  it  is  fur- 
ther evident,  that  natural  men  have  nothing  in  them  of  the  same  nature  with 
the  true  grace  of  the  saints,  because  the  apostle  teaches  us,  that  those  of  them 
who  go  farthest  in  religion  have  no  charity,  or  true  Christian  love,  1  Cor.  chap, 
xiii.  So  Christ  elsewhere  reproves  the  Pharisees,  those  high  pretenders  to  i-eli- 
gion,  that  they  "  had  not  the  love  of  God  in  them,"  John  v.  42.  Hence  natu- 
ral men  have  no  communion  or  fellowship  with  Christ,  or  participation  with 
him  (as  these  words  signify),  for  this  is  spoken  of  as  the  peculiar  privilege  of 
the  saints,  1  John  i.  3,  together  with  ver.  6,  7,  and  1  Cor.  i.  8,  9.  And  the 
Scripture  speaks  of  the  actual  being  of  a  gracious  principle  in  the  soul,  though 
in  its  first  beginning,  as  a  seed  there  planted,  as  inconsistent  with  a  man's  being 
a  sinner,  1  John  iii.  9.  And  natural  men  are  represented  in  Scripture,  as  hav- 
ing no  spiritual  light,  no  spiritual  life,  and  no  spiritual  being ;  and  therefore 
conversion  is  often  compared  to  opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  raising  the  dead, 
and  a  work  of  creation  (wherein  creatures  are  made  entirely  new),  and  becom- 
ing new-born  children. 

From  these  things  it  is  evident,  that  those  gracious  influences  which  the 
saints  are  subjects  of,  and  the  effects  of  God's  Spirit  which  they  experience,  are 
entirely  above  nature,  altogether  of  a  different  kind  from  any  thing  that  men 
find  within  themselves  by  nature,  or  only  in  the  exercise  of  natural  principles ; 
and  are  things  which  no  improvement  of  those  qualifications,  or  principles  that 
are  natural,  no  advancing  or  exalting  them  to  higher  degrees,  and  no  kind  of 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTION'S.  71 

composition  of  them,  will  ever  bring  men  to  ;  because  they  not  only  differ  from 
what  is  natural,  and  I'rom  every  thing  that  natural  men  experience,  in  degree 
and  circumstances,  but  also  in  kind  ;  and  are  of  a  nature  vastly  more  excellent. 
And  this  is  uhat  I  mean,  by  supernatural,  when  I  say  that  gracious  ail'ections 
aie  from  those  influences  that  are  supernatural. 

From  hence  it  follows,  that  in  those  gracious  exercises  and  affections  which 
are  wrought  in  the  minds  of  the  saints,  through  the  saving  influences  of  the 
Spirit  of  (j'od,  there  is  a  new  inward  perception  or  sensation  of  their  minds,  en- 
tirely different  in  its  nature  and  kind,  from  any  thing  that  ever  their  n)inds  were 
the  subjects  of  before  they  were  sanctified.  1- or  doubtless  if  God  by  his  nfighty 
power  produces  something  that  is  new,  not  only  in  degree  and  circumstances, 
but  in  its  whole  nature,  and  that  which  could  be  produced  by  no  exalting,  vary- 
ing, or  compounding  of  what  was  there  before,  or  by  adding  any  thing  of  the 
like  kind  ;  1  say,  if  God  produces  something  thus  new  in  a  mind,  that  is  a  per- 
ceiving, thinking,  conscious  thing  ;  then  doubtless  something  entirely  new  is 
felt,  or  perceived,  or  thought ;  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  there  is  some  new 
sensation  or  perception  of  the  mind,  which  is  entirely  of  a  new  sort,  and  which 
could  be  produced  by  no  exalting,  varying,  or  compounding  of  that  kind  of  per- 
ceptions or  sensations  which  the  mind  had  before  ;  or  there  is  what  some  meta- 
physicians call  a  new  simple  idea.  If  grace  be,  in  the  sense  above  described, 
an  entirely  new  kind  of  ])rinciple,  then  the  exercises  of  it  are  also  entirely  a 
new  kind  of  exercises.  And  if  there  be  in  the  soul  a  new  sort  of  exercises 
which  it  is  conscious  of,  which  the  soul  knew  nothing  of  before,  and  which  no 
improvement,  composition,  or  n)anas;ement  of  what  it  was  before  conscious  or 
sensible  of,  could  produce,  or  any  thmg  like  it ;  then  it  follows  that  the  mind 
has  an  entirely  new* kind  of  perception  or  sensation  ;  and  here  is,  as  it  were,  a 
new  spiritual  sense  that  the  mind  has,  or  a  principle  of  a  new  kind  of  percep- 
tion or  spiritual  sensation,  which  is  in  its  whole  nature  different  from  any  former 
kinds  of  sensation  of  the  mind,  as  tasting  is  diverse  from  any  of  the  other  senses; 
and  something  is  perceived  by  a  true  saint,  in  the  exercise  of  this  new  sense 
of  mind,  in  spiritual  and  divine  things,  as  entirely  diverse  from  any  thing  that 
is  perceived  in  them,  by  natural  men,  as  the  sweet  taste  of  honey  is  diverse 
from  the  ideas  men  have  of  honey  by  only  looking  on  it,  and  feeling  of  it.  So 
that  the  spiritual  perceptions  which  a  sanctified  and  spiritual  person  has,  are 
not  only  diverse  from  all  that  natural  men  have  after  the  manner  that  the  ideas 
or  perceptions  of  the  same  sense  may  differ  one  from  another,  but  rather  as  the 
ideas  and  sensations  of  different  senses  do  differ.  Hence  the  work  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  regeneration  is  often  in  Scripture  compared  to  the  giving  a  new  sense, 
giving  eyes  to  see,  and  ears  to  hear,  unst0[  ping  the  ears  of  the  deaf,  and  open- 
ing tiie  eyes  of  them  that  were  born  blind,  and  turning  from  darkness  unto 
light.  And  because  this  spiritual  sense  is  hnmensely  the  most  noble  and  excel- 
lent, and  that  without  which  all  other  principles  of  perception,  and  all  our 
faculties  are  useless  and  vain  ;  therefore  the  giving  this  new  sense,  with  the 
blessed  fruits  and  effects  of  it  in  the  soul,  is  compared  to  a  raising  the  dead,  and 
to  a  new  creation. 

Tiiis  new  spiritual  sense,  and  the  new  dispositions  that  attend  it,  ore  no  new 
faculties,  but  are  new  principles  of  nature.  I  use  the  word  jirinciples  for  want 
of  a  word  of  a  more  determinate  signification.  By  a  principle  of  nature  in  this 
place,  I  mean  that  foundation  which  is  laid  in  nature,  either  old  or  new,  for  any 
particular  manner  or  kind  of  exercise  of  the  faculties  of  the  soul ;  or  a  natural 
habit  or  foundation  for  action,  giving  a  personal  ability  and  disposition  to  exert 
the  faculties  in  exercises  of  such  a  certain  kind  ;  so  that  to  exert  the  faculties 


72  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

m  that  kind  of  exercises  may  be  said  to  be  his  nature.  So  this  new  spiritual 
sense  is  not  a  new  faculty  of  understanding,  but  it  is  a  new  foundation  laid  in 
the  nature  of  the  soul,  for  a  new  kind  of  exercises  of  the  same  faculty  of  under- 
standing. So  that  new  holy  disposition  of  heart  that  attends  this  new  sense  is 
not  a  new  faculty  of  will,  but  a  foundation  laid  in  the  nature  of  the  soul,  for  a 
new  kind  of  exercises  of  the  same  faculty  of  will. 

The  Spirit  of  God,  in  all  his  operations  upon  the  minds  of  natural  men,  only 
moves,  impresses,  assists,  improves,  or  some  way  acts  upon  natural  principles ; 
but  gives  no  new  spiritual  priticiple.  Thus  when  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  a 
natural  man  visions,  as  he  did  Balaam,  he  only  impresses  a  natural  principle, 
viz.,  the  sense  of  seeing,  immediately  exciting  ideas  of  that  sense ;  but  he  gives 
no  new  sense ;  neither  is  there  any  thing  supernatural,  spiritual,  or  divine  in  it. 
So  if  the  Spirit  of  God  impresses  on  a  man's  imagination,  either  in  a  dream,  or 
when  he  is  awake,  any  outward  ideas  of  any  of  the  senses,  either  voices,  or 
shapes  and  colors,  it  is  only  exciting  ideas  of  the  same  kind  that  he  has  by  nat- 
ural principles  and  senses.  So  if  God  reveals  to  any  natural  man  any  se- 
cret fact :  as,  for  instance,  something  that  he  shall  hereafter  see  or  hear ;  this 
is  not  infusing  or  exercising  any  new  spiritual  principle,  or  giving  the  ideas  of 
any  new  spiritual  sense  ;  it  is  only  impressing,  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  the 
ideas  that  will  hereafter  be  received  by  sight  and  hearing. — So  in  the  more  or- 
dinary influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  hearts  of  sinners,  he  only  assists 
natural  principles  to  do  the  same  work  to  a  greater  degree,  which  they  do  of 
themselves  by  nature.  Thus  the  Spirit  of  God  by  his  common  influences  may 
assist  men's  natural  ingenuity,  as  he  assisted  Bezaleel  and  Aholiab  in  the  cu- 
rious works  of  the  tabernacle  :  so  he  may  assist  men's  natural  abilities  in  politi- 
cal affairs,  and  improve  their  courage  and  other  natural  qualifications,  as  he  is 
said  to  have  put  his  spirit  on  the  seventy  elders,  and  on  Saul,  so  as  to  give  him 
another  heart :  so  God  may  greatly  assist  natural  men's  reason,  in  their  reason- 
ing about  secular  things,  or  about  the  doctrines  of  religion,  and  may  greatly 
advance  the  clearness  of  their  apprehensions  and  notions  of  things  of  religion  in 
many  respects,  without  giving  any  spiritual  sense.  So  in  those  awakenings 
and  convictions  that  natural  men  may  have,  God  only  assists  conscience,  which 
is  a  natural  principle,  to  do  that  work  in  a  further  degree,  which  it  naturally 
does.  Conscience  naturally  gives  men  an  apprehension  of  right  and  wrongs 
and  su^o-ests  the  relation  there  is  between  right  and  wrong,  and  a  retribution  : 
the  Spirit  of  God  assists  men's  consciences  to  do  this  in  a  greater  degree,  helps 
conscience  against  the  stupifying  influence  of  worldly  objects  and  their  lusts. 
And  so  many  other  ways  might  be  mentioned  wherein  the  Spirit  acts  upon,  as- 
sists, and  moves  natural  principles  ;  but  after  all  it  is  no  more  than  nature  moved, 
acted  and  improved  ;  here  is  nothing  supernatural  and  divine.  But  the  Spirit  of 
God  in  his  spiritual  influences  on  the  hearts  of  his  saints,  operates  by  infusing  or 
exercising  new,  divine,  and  supernatural  principles ;  principles  which  are  indeed 
a  new  and  spiritual  nature,  and  principles  vastly  more  noble  and  excellent  than 
all  that  is  in  natural  men. 

From  what  has  been  said  it  follows,  that  all  spiritual  and  gracious  affections 
are  attended  with  and  do  arise  from  some  apprehension,  idea,  or  sensation  of  mind, 
which  is  in  its  whole  nature  different,  yea,  exceeding  different,  from  all  that 
is,  or  can  be  in  the  mind  of  a  natural  man  ;  and  which  the  natural  man  discerns 
nothing  of,  and  has  no  manner  of  idea  of  (agreeable  to  1  Cor.  ii.  14),  and  conceives 
of  no  more  than  a  man  without  the  sense  of  tasting  can  conceive  of  the  sweet 
taste  of  honey,  or  a  man  without  the  sense  of  hearing  can  conceive  of  the  melody 
of  a  tune,  or  a  man  born  blind  can  have  a  notion  of  the  beauty  of  the  rainbow. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  73 

But  licre  two  tilings  must  be  observed,  in  order  to  the  right  understanding 
of  this. 

1.  On  the  one  hand  it  must  be  observed,  that  not  every  thing  which  in  any 
respect  appertains  to  spiritual  affections,  is  new  and  entirely  different  from  what 
natural  men  can  conceive  of,  and  do  experience ;  some  things  are  common 
to  gracious  atleclions  with  other  alfcctions ;  many  circumstances,  appendages 
and  ellects  are  common.  Thus  a  saint's  love  to  God  has  a  great  many  things 
appertaining  to  it,  which  are  common  with  a  man's  natural  love  to  a  near  rela- 
tion ;  love  to  God  makes  a  man  have  desires  of  the  honor  of  God,  and  a  desire 
to  please  him ;  so  does  a  natural  man's  love  to  his  friend  make  him  desire  hi;? 
honor,  ami  desire  to  please  him ;  love  to  God  causes  a  man  to  delight  in  the 
thoughts  of  God,  and  to  delight  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  to  desire  conformi- 
ty to  God,  and  the  enjoyment  of  God  :  and  so  it  is  with  a  man's  love  to  his 
friend  ;  and  many  other  things  might  be  mentioned  which  are  common  to  both. 
But  yet  that  idea  which  the  saint  has  of  the  loveliness  of  God,  and  that  sensation, 
and  that  kind  of  delight  he  has  in  that  view,  which  is  as  it  were  the  marrow 
and  quintessence  of  his  love,  is  peculiar,  and  entirely  diverse  from  any  thing 
that  a  natural  man  has,  or  can  have  any  notion  of.  And  even  in  those  things 
that  seem  to  be  common,  there  is  something  peculiar ;  both  spiritual  and  nat- 
ural love  cause  desires  after  the  object  beloved  ;  but  they  be  not  the  same  sort  of 
desires :  there  is  a  sensation  of  soul  in  the  spiritual  desires  of  one  that  loves  God, 
which  is  entirely  different  from  all  natural  desires :  both  spiritual  love  and  nat- 
•iral  love  are  attended  with  delight  in  the  object  beloved  ;  but  the  sensations  of 
delight  are  not  the  same,  but  entirely  and  exceedingly  diverse.  Natural  men 
may  have  conceptions  of  many  things  about  spiritual  affections ;  but  there  is 
something  in  them  which  is  as  it  were  the  nucleus,  or  kernel  of  them,  that  they 
have  no  more  conception  of,  than  one  born  blind,  has  of  colors. 

It  may  be  clearly  illustrated  by  this :  we  will  suppose  two  men  ;  one  is 
born  without  the  sense  of  tasting,  the  other  has  it ;  the  latter  loves  honey,  and 
is  greatly  delighted  in  it,  because  he  knows  the  sweet  taste  of  it ;  the  other 
loves  certain  sounds  and  colors  ;  the  love  of  each  has  many  things  that  apper- 
tain to  it,  Avhich  is  common ;  it  causes  both  to  desire  and  delight  in  the  object 
beloved,  and  causes  grief  when  it  is  absent,  &:c.,  but  yet  that  idea  or  sensation 
which  he  who  knows  the  taste  of  honey  has  of  its  excellency  and  sweetness, 
that  is  the  foundation  of  his  love,  is  entirely  different  from  any  thing  the  other 
has  or -can  have ;  and  that  delight  which  he  has  in  honey  is  wholly  diverse 
from  any  thing  that  the  other  can  conceive  of,  though  they  both  delight  in  their 
beloved  objects.  So  both  these  persons  may  in  som.e  respects  love  the  same 
object :  the  one  may  love  a  delicious  kind  of  fruit,  which  is  beautiful  to  the 
eye,  and  of  a  delicious  taste ;  i.ot  only  because  he  has  seen  its  pleasant  colors, 
but  knows  its  sweet  taste ;  the  other,  perfectly  ignorant  of  this,  loves  it  only  for 
its  beautiful  colors  :  there  are  many  things  seen,  in  some  respect,  to  be  com- 
mon to  both  ;  both  love,  both  desire,  and  both  delight ;  but  the  love  and  desire, 
and  delight  of  the  one,  is  altogether  diverse  from  that  of  the  other.  The  differ- 
ence between  the  love  of  a  natural  man  and  a  spiritual  man  is  like  to  this;  but 
only  it  must  be  observed,  that  in  one  respect  it  is  vastly  greater,  viz.,  that  the 
kinds  of  excellency  which  are  perceived  in  spiritual  objects,  by  these  different 
kinds  of  persons,  are  in  themselves  vastly  more  diverse  than  the  different  kinds 
of  excellency  perceived  in  delicious  fruit,  by  a  tasting  and  a  tasteless  man  ;  and 
in  another  respect  it  may  not  be  so  great,  viz.,  as  the  spiritual  man  may  have 
a  spiritual  sense  or  taste,  to  perceive  that  divine  and  most  peculiar  excellency 
but  in  small  begir.nings,  and  in  a  very  imperfect  degree. 

Vol.  III.  10 


74  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

2.  On  the  othei  nand,  It  must  be  observed  that  a  natural  man  may  have 
those  religious  apprehensions  and  affections,  which  may  be  in  many  respects 
very  new  and  surprising  to  him,  and  what  before  he  did  not  conceive  of;  and 
yet  what  he  experiences  be  nothing  like  the  exercises  of  a  principle  of  new- 
nature,  or  the  sensations  of  a  new  spiritual  sense ;  his  affections  may  be  very 
new,  by  extraordinarily  moving  natural  principles  in  a  very  new  degree,  and 
with  a  great  many  new  circumstances,  and  a  new  co-operation  of  natural  affec- 
tions, and  a  new  composition  of  ideas ;  this  may  be  from  some  extraordinary 
powerful  influence  of  Satan,  and  some  great  delusion  ;  but  there  is  nothing  but 
nature  extraordinarily  acted.  As  if  a  poor  man  that  had  always  dwelt  in  a 
cottage  and,  had  never  looked  beyond  the  obscure  village  where  he  was  born, 
should  in  a  jest  be  taken  to  a  magnificent  city  and  prince's  court,  and  there 
arrayed  in  princely  robes,  and  set  on  the  throne,  with  the  crown  royal  on  his 
head,  peers  and  nobles  bowing  before  him,  and  should  be  made  to  believe  that 
he  was  now  a  glorious  monarch  ;  the  ideas  he  would  have,  and  the  affections 
he  would  experience,  would  in  many  respects  be  very  new,  and  such  as  he  had 
no  imagination  of  before ;  but  all  this  is  no  more  than  extraordinarily  raising 
and  exciting  natural  principles,  and  newly  exalting,  varying,  and  compounding 
such  sort  of  ideas,  as  he  has  by  nature ;  here  is  nothing  like  giving  him  a  new 
sense. 

Upon  the  whole,  I  think  it  is  clearly  manifest,  that  all  truly  gracious  affec- 
tions do  arise  from  special  and  pecidiar  influences  of  the  Spirit,  working  that 
sensible  effect  or  sensation  in  the  souls  of  the  saints,  which  are  entirely  different 
from  all  that  is  possible  a  natural  man  should  experience,  not  only  different  in 
degree  and  circumstances,  but  different  in  its  whole  nature  ;  so  that  a  natural 
man  not  only  cannot  experience  that  which  is  individually  the  same,  but  can- 
not experience  any  thing  but  what  is  exceeding  diverse,  and  immensely  below 
it,  in  its  kind ;  and  that  which  the  power  of  men  or  devils  is  not  sufficient  to 
produce  the  like  of,  or  any  thing  of  the  same  nature. 

I  have  insisted  largely  on  this  matter,  because  it  is  of  great  importance  and 
use  evidently  to  discover  and  demonstrate  the  delusions  of  Satan,  in  many  kinds 
of  false  religious  affections,  which  multitudes  are  deluded  by,  and  probably  have 
been  in  all  ages  of  the  Christian  church ;  and  to  settle  and  determine  many 
articles  of  doctrine,  concerning  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  na- 
ture of  true  grace. 

Now,  therefore,  to  apply  these  things  to  the  purpose  of  this  discourse. 

From  hence  it  appears,  that  impressions  which  some  have  made  on  their 
unagination,  or  the  imaginary  ideas  which  they  have  of  God  or  Christ,  or  hea- 
ven, or  any  thing  appertaining  to  religion,  have  nothing  in  them  that  is  spiritual, 
or  of  the  nature  of  true  grace.  Though  such  things  may  attend  what  is  spirit- 
ual, and  be  mixed  with  it,  yet  in  themselves  they  have  nothing  that  is  spiritual, 
nor  are  they  any  part  of  gracious  experience. 

Here,  for  the  sake  of  common  people,  I  will  explain  what  is  intended  by 
impressions  on  the  imagination  and  imaginary  ideas.  The  imagination  is  that 
power  of  the  mind  whereby  it  can  have  a  conception,  or  idea  of  things  of  an 
external  or  outward  nature  (that  is,  of  such  sort  of  things  as  are  the  objects  of 
the  outward  senses)  when  those  things  are  not  present,  and  be  not  perceived  by 
the  senses.  It  is  called  imagination  from  the  word  image  ;  because  thereby  a 
person  can  have  an  image  of  som.e  external  thing  in  his  mind,  when  that  thing 
is  not  present  in  reality,  nor  any  thing  like  it.  All  such  thmgs  as  we  perceive 
oy  our  five  external  senses,  seeing,  hearing,  smelling,  tasting,  and  feehng,  are 
external  things  :  and  when  a  person  has  an  idea  or  image  of  any  of  these  sort? 


1 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  75 

of  thinp;s  in  his  mmd,  Avlicn  they  are  not  thero,  and  whti.  ne  does  not  really 
see,  hear,  smell,  taste,  nor  i'eel  them  ;  that  is  to  have  an  iina;rination  of  them, 
and  these  ideas  are  imaginary  ideas :  and  when  siicli  kinds  of  ideas  are  strongly 
impressed  upon  the  mind,  and  the  image  of  them  in  the  mind  is  very  lively, 
almost  as  if  one  saw  them,  or  heard  them,  &c,,  that  is  called  an  impression  on 
the  imagination.  Thus  colors  and  siiapes,  and  a  form  of  countenance,  they  are 
outward  things  ;  because  they  are  that  sort  of  things  which  are  the  objects  of 
the  outward  sense  of  seeing ;  ami  therefore  when  any  person  has  in  his  mind  a 
lively  idea  of  any  shape,  or  color,  or  form  of  countenance ;  that  is  to  have  an 
imagination  of  those  things.  So  if  he  has  an  idea,  of  such  sort  of  light  or  dark- 
ness, as  he  perceives  by  the  sense  of  seeing  ;  that  is  to  have  an  idea  of  outward 
light,  and  so  is  an  imagination.  So  if  he  has  an  idea  of  any  marks  made  on 
paper,  suppose  letters  and  words  written  in  a  book ;  that  is  to  have  an  external 
and  imatiinary  idea  of  such  kind  of  things  as  we  sometimes  perceive  by  our 
bodily  eyes.  And  when  we  have  the  ideas  of  that  kind  of  things  which  we 
perceive  by  any  of  the  other  senses,  as  of  any  sounds  or  voices,  or  words  spoken ; 
this  is  only  to  have  ideas  of  outward  things,  viz.,  of  such  kind  of  things  as  are 
perceived  by  the  external  sense  of  hearing,  and  so  that  also  is  imagination: 
and  when  these  ideas  are  livelily  impressed,  almost  as  if  they  were  really  heard 
with  the  ears,  this  is  to  have  an  impression  on  the  imagination.  Arid  so  I 
might  go  on,  and  instance  in  the  ideas  of  things  appertaining  to  the  other  three 
senses  of  smelling,  tastinjj,  and  feeling. 

Many  who  have  had  such  things  have  very  ignorantly  supposed  them  to  be 
of  the  nature  of  spiritual  discoveries.  They  have  had  lively  ideas  of  some 
external  shape,  and  beautiful  form  o^  countenance;  and  this  they  call  spiritually 
seeing  Christ.  Some  have  had  impressed  upon  them  ideas  of  a  great  outw^ard 
lic^ht ;  and  this  they  call  a  spiritual  discovery  of  God's  or  Christ's  glory.  Some 
have  had  ideas  of  Christ's  hanging  on  the  cross,  and  his  blood  running"  from  his 
wounds ;  and  this  they  call  a  spiritual  sight  of  Christ  crucified,  and  the  way  of 
salvation  by  his  blood.  Some  have  seen  him  with  his  arms  open  ready  to 
embrace  them  ;  and  this  they  call  a  discovery  of  the  sufficiency  of  Christ's  grace 
and  love.  Some  have  had  lively  ideas  of  heaven,  and  of  Christ  on  his  throne 
there,  and  shining  ranks  of  saints  and  angels  ;  and  this  they  call  seeing  heaven 
opened  to  them.  Some  from  time  to  time  have  had  a  lively  idea  of  a  person  of 
a  beautiful  countenance  smiling  upon  them  ;  and  this  they  call  a  spiritual  dis- 
covery of  the  love  of  Christ  to  their  souls,  and  tasting  the  love  of  Christ.  And 
they  look  upon  it  a  sufficient  evidence  that  these  .things  are  spiritual  discoveries, 
and  that  they  see  them  spiritually,  because  they  say  they  do  not  see  these  thinirj? 
with  their  bodily  eyes,  but  in  their  hearts ;  for  they  can  see  them  when  their 
eyes  are  shut.  And  in  like  manner,  the  imaginations  of  some  have  been  im- 
pressed with  ideas  of  the  sense  of  hearing;  they  have  had  ideas  of  w^ords,  as  if 
they  were  spoken  to  them,  sometimes  they  are  the  words  of  Scripture,  and 
sometimes  other  words :  they  have  had  ideas  of  Christ's  speaking  couifortable 
words  to  them.  These  things  they  have  called  having  the  inward  call  of  Christ, 
hearing  the  voice  of  Christ  spiritually  in  their  hearts,  having  the  witness  of  the 
Spirit,  and  the  inward  testimony  of  the  love  of  Christ,  &c. 

The  common  and  less  considerate  and  imderstanding  sort  of  people,  are  the 
more  easily  led  into  apprehensions  that  these  things  are  spiritual  things,  because 
spiritual  things  being  invisible,  and  not  things  that  can  be  pointed  forth  with 
the  finger,  we  are  forced  to  use  figurative  expressions  in  speaking  of  them,  and 
to  borrow  names  from  external  and  sensible  objects  to  sitrnify  them  by.  Thus 
we  call  a  clear  apprehension  of  things  spiritual  by  the  name  of  light ;  and  a 


76  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

having  such  an  apprehension  of  such  or  such  things,  by  the  name  of  seeing 
such  things  ;  and  the  conviction  of  the  judgment,  and  the  persuasion  of  the  will, 
by  the  word  of  Christ  in  the  gospel,  we  signify  by  spiritually  hearing  the  call 
of  Christ :  and  the  Scripture  itself  abounds  with  such  like  figurative  expressions. 
Persons  hearing  these  often  used,  and  having  pressed  upon  them  the  necessity 
of  having  their  eyes  opened,  and  having  a  discovery  of  spiritual  things,  and 
seeing  Christ  in  his  glory,  and  having  the  inward  call,  and  the  like,  they  igno- 
rantly  look  and  wait  for  some  such  external  discoveries,  and  imaginary  views 
as  have  been  spoken  of;  and  when  they  have  them  are  confident,  that  now  their 
eyes  are  opened,  now  Christ  has  discovered  himself  to  them,  and  they  are  his 
children  ;  and  hence  are  exceedingly  affected  and  elevated  with  their  deliver- 
ance and  happiness,  and  many  kinds  of  affections  are  at  once  set  in  a  violent 
motion  in  them. 

But  it  is  exceedingly  apparent  that  such  ideas  have  nothing  in  them  which 
is  spiritual  and  divine,  in  the  sense  wherein  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  all 
gracious  experiences  are  spiritual  and  divine.  These  external  ideas  are  in  no 
wise  of  such  a  sort,  that  they  are  entirely,  and  in  their  whole  nature  diverse 
from  all  that  men  have  by  nature,  perfectly  different  from,  and  vastly  above 
any  sensation  which  it  is  possible  a  man  should  have  by  any  natural  sense  or 
principle,  so  that  in  order  to  have  them,  a  man  must  have  a  new  spiritual  and 
divine  sense  given  him,  in  order  to  have  any  sensations  of  that  sort :  so  far  from 
this,  that  they  are  itieas  of  the  same  sort  which  we  have  by  the  external  senses, 
that  are  some  of  the  inferior  powers  of  the  human  nature  :  they  are  merely  ideas 
of  external  objects,  or  ideas  of  that  nature,  of  the  same  outward,  sensitive  kind  ; 
the  same  sort  of  sensations  of  mind  (diffe4jing  not  in  degree,  but  only  in  cir- 
cumstances) that  we  have  by  those  natural  principles  which  are  common  to  us 
with  the  beasts,  viz.,  the  five  external  senses.  This  is  a  low,  miserable  notion 
of  spiritual  sense,  to  suppose  that  it  is  only  a  conceiving  or  imagining  that  sort 
of  ideas  which  we  have  by  our  animal  senses,  which  senses  the  beasts  have  in 
as  great  perfection  as  we ;  it  is,  as  it  were,  a  turning  Christ,  or  the  divine 
nature  in  the  soul,  into  a  mere  animal.  There  is  nothing  wanting  in  the  soul, 
as  it  is  by  nature,  to  render  it  capable  of  being  the  subject  of  all  these  external 
ideas,  without  any  new  principles.  A  natural  man  is  capable  of  having  an 
idea,  and  a  lively  idea  of  shapes,  and  colors,  and  sounds,  when  they  are  absent, 
and  as  capable  as  a  regenerate  man  is  :  so  there  is  nothing  supernatural  in 
them.  And  it  is  known  by  abundant  experience,  that  it  is  not  the  advanc- 
ing or  perfecting  human  nature,  vvhich  makes  persons  more  capable  of  having 
such  lively  and  strong  imaginary  ideas,  but  that  on  the  contrary,  the  weakness 
of  body  and  mind,  and  cUstempers  of  body,  make  persons  abundantly  more 
susceptive  of  such  impressions.* 

As  to  a  truly  spiritual  sensation,  not  only  is  the  manner  of  its  coming  into 
the  mind  extraordinary,  but  the  sensation  itself  is  totally  diverse  from  all  that 
men  have,  or  can  have,  in  a  state  of  nature,  as  has  been  shown.  But  as  to 
these  external  ideas,  though  the  way  of  their  coming  into  the  mind  is  some- 
times unusual,  yet  the  ideas  in  themselves  are  not  the  better  for  that ;  they  are 
still  of  no  different  sort  from  what  men  have  by  their  senses;  they  are  of  no 
higher  kind,  nor  a  whit  )etter.    For  instance,  the  external  idea  a  man  has  now 

*  "  Conceits  and  whiinsies  alimind  most  in  men  of  weak  reason  ;  children,  and  such  as  are  cracked 
ia  their  understanding,  liave  most  ol'ihem;  strength  of  reason  banishes  them,  as  the  sun  does  mists  and 
vapors.  But  now  the  more  rational  any  gracious  person  is,  by  so  much  more  is  he  fixed  and  set'led.  and 
satisfied  in  the  grounds  of  religion  •  yea,  there  is  the  highest  and  purest  reason  in  religion  ;^  ind  when 
this  change  is  wrought  upon  men,  i?,  is  carried  on  in  a  rational  way.  Isa.  i.  18,  John  xix.  9.*'  FlaveVs 
Priparaiion  for  Sufferings,  O  lap.  vi. 


! 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  77 

of  Christ  hanging  on  the  cross,  and  shedding  his  blood,  is  no  better  in  itself,  than 
the  external  idea  that  the  Jews  his  enemies  had,  who  stood  round  his  c^o^^s,  and 
saw  this  with  tlieir  bodily  e}es.  The  imaginary  idea  which  men  have  now  of 
an  external  brightness  and  glory  of  God,  is  no  better  than  the  idea  the  wicked 
conirregation  in  the  wilderness  had  of  the  external  gloiy  of  the  Lord  at  Mount 
Sinai,  when  they  saw  it  with  their  bodily  eyes;  or  any  better  than  that  idea 
which  millions  of  cursed  reprobates  will  have  of  the  external  glory  ol  Christ  at 
the  day  of  judgment,  who  shall  see,  and  have  a  very  lively  idea  often  thousand 
times  greater  external  glory  of  Christ,  than  ever  yet  was  conceived  in  any  man's 
imagination  :*  yea,  the  image  of  Christ,  which  men  conceive  in  their  imagina- 
tions, is  not  in  its  own  nature  of  any  superior  kind  to  the  idea  the  Papists  con- 
ceive of  Christ,  by  the  beautiful  and  affecting  images  of  him  which  tiicy  see  in 
their  churches  (though  the  way  of  their  receiving  the  idea  may  not  be  so  bad); 
nor  are  the  affections  they  have,  if  built  piimarily  on  such  imaginations,  any  better 
than  the  affections  raised  in  the  ignorant  people,  by  the  sight  of  those  images, 
which  oftentimes  are  very  great ;  especially  when  these  images,  through  the  craft 
of  the  priests,  are  made  to  move,  and  speak,  and  weep,  and  the  like.f  Merely  the 
way  of  persons  receiving  these  imaginary  ideas,  does  not  alter  the  nature  of  the 
ideas  themselves  that  are  received ;  let  them  be  received  in  w  hat  way  they  will, 
they  are  still  but  external  ideas,  or  ideas  of  outward  appearances,  and  so  are 
not  spiritual.  Yea,  if  men  should  actually  receive  such  external  ideas  by  the 
immediate  power  of  the  most  high  God  upon  their  minds,  they  would  not  be 
spiritual,  they  would  be  no  more  than  a  common  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ; 
as  is  evident  in  fact,  in  the  instance  of  Balaam,  who  had  impressed  on  his  mind, 
by  God  himself,  a  clear  and  lively  outward  representation  or  idea  of  Jesus  Christ, 
as  "  the  Star  rising  out  of  Jacob,  when  he  heard  the  words  of  God,  and  knew 
the  knowledge  of  the  Most  High,  and  saw  the  vision  of  the  Almighty,  falling 
into  a  trance,"  Numb.  xxiv.  16,  17,  but  yet  had  no  manner  of  spiritual  discov- 
ery of  Christ ;  that  Day  Star  never  spiritually  rose  in  his  heart,  lie  being  but  a 
natural  man. 

And  as  these  external  ideas  have  nothing  divine  or  spiritual  in  their  nature 
and  nothing  but  what  natural  men,  without  any  new  principles,  are  capable  of; 
so  there  is  nothing  in  their  nature  which  requires  that  peculiar,  inimitable  and 
unparalleled  exercise  of  the  glorious  power  of  God,  in  order  to  their  production, 
which  it  has  been  shown  there  is  in  the  production  of  true  grace.  There  appears 
to.be  nothing  in  their  nature  above  the  power  of  the  devil.  It  is  certainly  not 
above  the  power  of  Satan  to  suggest  thoughts  to  men;  because  otherwise  he 
could  not  tempt  them  to  sin.  And  if  he  can  suggest  any  thoughts  or  ideas  at 
all,  doubtless  imaginary  ones,  or  ideas  of  things  external,  are  not  above  his  pow- 

♦  "  If  any  man  bhonld  see,  and  liehold  Christ  really  and  immediately,  this  is  not  the  saving  know  ledge 
of  him.  I  know  the  saints  do  know  Christ  as  if  immediately  present ;  they  are  not  strangrrs  liy  tlieir 
distance  :  if  others  have  seen  him  more  immediately,  I  will  not  dispute  it.  But  if  they  h:ive  seen  the 
Lord  .Tcsus  as  immediately  as  if  here  on  earth,  yet  Capernaum  saw  him  so  ;  nay,  some  of  them  were 
disciples  for  a  time,  and  followed  him,  John  vi.  And  yet  the  Lord  was  hid  from  their  eyes.  Nay,  all 
the  world  shall  see  him  in  his  plory,  which  shall  amaze  them  ;  and  yet  this  is  far  short  of  having  the 
saving  knowledge  of  him,  which  the  Lord  doth  communicate  to  the  elect.  So  that  ihouL-liyou  sec  the 
Lord  so  really,  as  that  you  become  familiar  with  him,  yet,  Luke  xiii.  26 :  '  Lord  have  we  not  eat  and 
drank,'  &c. — and  so  prrish."    ShcpartTs  Par.  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  197,  198. 

t  "  Satan  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light :  and  hence  we  have  heard  that  some  have  heard 
Toices ;  some  have  seen  the  very  blood  of  Christ  dropping  on  them,  and  his  wounds  in  his  side  :  .some 
have  seen  a  great  light  shinin:;  in  the  chamher  ;  some  h.-wc  been  womlerfully  affected  with  their  dreams  ; 
some  in  great  distress  have  had  inward  witness,  '  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  ;'  and  hence  such  liberty  and 
oy,  that  they  are  ready  to  leap  up  and  down  the  chamber.  O  adulte'rous  generation  !  this  is  natural  and 
usual  with  men,  they  would  fain  .see  Jesus,  and  have  him  present  to  give  them  peace  ;  and  hence  Papist: 
nave  his  images.  Wo  to  llicm  that  have  no  other  manifested  Christ,  but  such  a  one,"  Shepard's  Para>- 
Ue  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  198. 


78  RE-i-IGIOUS   AFFECTIONS. 

cr  ;*  for  the  external  ideas  men  have  are  the  lowest  sort  of  ideas.  These  ideas 
may  be  raised  only  by  impressions  made  on  the  body,  by  moving  the  animal 
spirits,  and  impressing  the  brain. — Abundant  experience  does  certainly  show, 
that  alterations  in  the  body  will  excite  imaginary  or  external  ideas  in  the  mind  ; 
as  often,  in  the  case  of  a  high  fever,  melancholy,  &c.  These  external  ideas  are 
as  much  below  the  more  intellectual  exercises  of  the  soul,  as  the  body  is  a  less 
noble  part  of  man  than  the  soul. 

And  there  is  not  only  nothing  in  the  nature  of  these  external  ideas  or  imagi- 
nations of  outward  appearances,  from  whence  we  can  infer  that  they  are  above 
the  power  of  the  devil ;  but  it  is  certain  also  that  the  devil  can  excite,  and  often 
hath  excited  such  ideas.  They  wei-e  external  ideas  which  he  excited  in  the 
dreams  and  visions  of  the  false  prophets  of  old,  who  were  under  the  influence  of 
lying  spirits,  that  we  often  read  of  in  Scripture,  as  Deut.  xiii.  i,,  1  Kings  xxri, 
22,  Isa.  xxviii,  7,  Ezek.  xiii.  7.  And  they  were  external  ideas  that  he  often 
excited  in  the  minds  of  the  heathen  priests,  magicians  and  sorcerers,  in  their 
visions  and  ecstasies,  and  they  v%'ere  external  ideas  that  he  excited  in  the  mind 
of  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  when  he  showed  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world, 
with  the  ^lory  of  them,  when  those  kingdoms  were  not  really  in  sight. 

And  if  Satan  or  any  created  being,  has  power  to  impress  the  mind  with 
outward  representations,  then  no  particular  sort  of  outward  representations  can 
be  any  evidence  of  a  divine  power.  Almighty  power  is  no  more  requisite  to 
represent  the  shape  of  man  to  the  imagination,  than  the  shape  of  any  thing  else : 
there  is  no  higher  kind  of  power  necessary  to  form  in  the  brain  one  bodily  shape 
or  color  than  another :  it  needs  a  no  more  glorious  power  to  represent  the  form 
of  the  body  of  a  man,  than  the  form  of  a  chip  or  block  ;  though  it  be  of  a  veiy 
beautiful  human  body,  with  a  sweet  smile  in  his  countenance,  or  arms  open,  of 
blood  running  from  the  hands,  feet  and  side :  that  sort  of  power  vs^hich  can  rep- 
resent black  or  darkness  to  the  imagination,  can  also  represent  white  and 
shining  brightness  :  the  power  and  skill  which  can  well  and  exactly  paint  a 
straw,  or  a  stick  of  wood,  on  a  piece  of  paper  or  canvass ;  the  same  in  kind,  only 
perhaps  further  improved,  will  be  sufficient  to  paint  the  body  of  a  man,  with 
great  beauty  and  in  royal  majesty,  or  a  magnificent  city,  paved  with  gold,  full 
of  brightness,  and  a  glorious  throne,  &c.  So  it  is  no  more  than  the  same  sort 
of  power  that  is  requisite  to  paint  one  as  the  other  of  these  on  the  brain.  The  same 
sort  of  power  that  can  put  ink  upon  paper,  can  put  on  leaf  gold.  So  that  it  is  evi- 
dent to  a  demonstration,  if  we  suppose  it  to  be  in  the  devil's  power  to  make  Any 
sort  of  external  representation  at  all  on  the  fancy  (as  without  doubt  it  is,  and 
never  any  one  questioned  it  who  believed  there  was  a  devil,  that  had  any  agency 
with  mankind) :  I  say,  if  so,  it  is  demonstrably  evident,  that  a  created  power 
may  extend  to  all  kinds  of  external  appearances  and  ideas  in  the  mind.  From 
hence  it  again  clearly  appears,  that  no  such  things  have  any  thing  in  them  that 
is  spiritual,  supernatural,  and  divine,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  has  been  proved 
that  all  truly  gracious  experiences  have.  And  though  external  ideas,  through 
man's  make  and  frame,  do  ordinarily  in  some  degree  attend  spiritual  experiences, 
yet  these  ideas  are  no  part  of  their  spiritual  experience,  any  more  than  the  motion 
of  the  blood,  and  beating  of  the  pulse,  that  attend  experiences,  are^  part  of 
spiritual  experience.  And  though  undoubtedly,  through  hien's  infirmity  in  the 
present  state,  and  especially  through  the  weak  constitution  of  some  persons, 

*  "  Consider  how  difficuJt.yea  and  impossible  it  is  to  determine  that  such  a  voice,  vision,  or  revela- 
tion is  of  God,  and  that  Satan  cannot  feign  or  counterfeit  :t :  seeing  he  hath  left  no  certain  marks  by 
which  we  may  distinguish  one  spirit  from  anotlier."  FlaveVs  Causes  and  Cures  of  Men'al  Terrors, 
Cause  14. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  79 

gracious  -iflTections  which  are  very  strontr,  do  excite  hvely  ideas  in  the  imagina- 
tion ;  >elit  is  also  undoubted,  tliat  when  persons'  afl'ections  are  founded  on 
ijnaiz;inalions,  which  is  often  the  case,  ihose  affections  are  merely  natural  and 
common,  because  they  are  built  on  a  foundation  that  is  not  spiritual ;  and  so  are 
entirely  ditferent  from  gracious  ali'ections,  which,  as  has  been  proved,  do  ever- 
more arise  from  those  operations  that  are  spiritual  and  divine. 

These  imaginations  do  ottentimes  raise  the  carnal  aflfections  of  men  to  an 
exceeding  great  height  :*  and  no  wonder,  when  the  subjects  of  them  have  an 
ignorant,  but  undoubting  persuasion,  that  they  are  divine  manifestations,  which 
the  great  Jehovah  immediately  makes  to  iheir  souls,  therein  giving  them  testi- 
monies in  an  extraordinary  manner,  of  his  hi'j.h  and  peculiar  lavor. 

A^rain,  it  is  evident  from  what  has  been  observed  and  ])roved  of  the  manner 
in  which  gracious  operations  and  etiects  in  the  heart  are  spiritual,  supernatural 
and  divine,  that  the  immediate  suggesting  of  the  words  of  Scripture  to  the  mind 
has  notliing  in  it  which  is  spiritual. 

I  have  had  occasion  to  say  something  of  this  already ;  and  wliat  has  been 
said  may  be  sufficient  to  evince  it ;  but  if  the  reader  bears  in  mind  what  has 
been  said  concerning  the  nature  of  spiritual  influences  and  effects,  it  will  be 
more  abundantly  manifest  that  this  is  no  spiritual  effect.     For  I  suppose  there  is 

•  There  !s  a  remarkable  passage  of  Mr.  John  Smith,  in  his  discourse  on  the  shortness  of  a  Pharisaic 
rishtcousness,  p.  370,  371,  of  hi:;  select  discourses,  describing  that  sort  of  religion  which  is  built  on  such 
a  foundation  as  I  am  here  speaking  of.  I  cannot  forbear  transcribing  the  whole  of  it.  Spctiking  of  a  sort 
of  Cluistians,  whose  life  i.s  nothing  but  a  strong  energy  of  fancy,  he  says:  "  Lest  their  religion  might  too 
grossly  di.»!Cover  itself  to  be  nothing  else  IhU  a  piece  of  art,  there  iiiny  be  sometimes  such  extraordinary 
motions  stirred  up  within  them,  which  may  prevent  all  their  own  thouKhts,  that  they  may  seem  to  be  a 
true  operation  of  the  divine  life ;  when  yet  all  this  is  nothing  else  but  the  energy  of  their  own  self-love, 
tr.uchcd  with  some  fleshly  apprehensions  of  divine  tiiinjs,  and  e.xcited  by  them.  There  are  such  things 
incur  Christian  religion,  wlicn  a  carnal,  unhallowed  mind  takes  the  chair  and  gets  the  expounding  of 
them,  may  seem  ver>-  delicious  to  the  fleshly  appetites  of  men  ;  some  doctrines  and  notions  of  free  grace 
and  justification,  the  magnificent  titles  of  sons  of  God  and  heirs  of  heaven,  ever  flowing  streams  of  joy 
and  plea-sure  that  blessed  souls  shall  swim  in  to  all  eternity,  a  glorious  paradise  in  the  world  to  come, 
always  springing  up  with  well  scented  and  fragrant  beauties,  a  new  Jerusalem  paved  with  gold,  and  be- 
spangled with  stars,  coinprehen<ling  in  its  vast  circuit  such  numbciiless  varieties,  that  a  busy  curiosity 
may  spend  itself  about  to  all  eternity.  I  doubt  not  but  that  son-.etiines  the  most  fleshly  and  earthly  men,  thai 
fly  in  their  ambition  to  the  pomp  of  this  world,  may  be  so  ravished  with  the  conceits  of  such  things  as 
these,  that  they  may  seem  to  be  made  partakers  of  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come.  I  doubt  not  but  that 
they  might  be  much  exalted  with  them,  a.s  the  souls  of  crazed  or  di.slracted  persons  seem  to  be  sometimes, 


vhen  their  fancies  play  with  ihose  quick  and  nimble  .spirits,  which  a  distempered  frame  of  body,  and 
innafural  heat  in  their  heads,  beget  within  them.  Thus  may  these  iilazing  comets  rise  up  above  the 
moon,  and  climb  higher  than  tJie  s"un  ;  which  yet,  because  they  have  no  solid  consistence  of  their  own. 


and  are  of  abase  and  earthly  .illoy,  will  soon  vanish  and  fall  down  again,  being  only  borne  up  by  an  ex- 
ternal force.  They  may  seem  to  themselves  to  have  attained  higher  than  those  noble  Christians  that  are 
gently  moved  by  the  natural  force  of  tine  goodness;  they  seem  to  be  plenwres  Deo  (i.  e.,  more  full  of 
God)  than  those  that  are  really  informed  and  actuated  by  the  divine  S[)irit,  and  do  move  on  steadily  and 
constantly  in  the  way  towards  heaven.  As  the  seed  tfiat  was  sown  in  stony  ground,  grew  up,  and 
lengthened  out  its  blade  faster,  than  that  which  was  sown  in  the  sood  and  fruitful  soil.  And  as  the 
motions  of  our  sense,  and  fancy,  and  passions,  while  our  souls  are  in  this  mortal  condition,  sunk  down 
deeply  into  the  body,  are  many  times  more  vigorous,  and  make  stronger  impressions  upon  us,  than  those 
of  the  hiaher  powers  of  the  soul,  which  are  more  subtle,  and  remote  from  these  mixed  animal  perceptions  : 
that  devotion  which  is  there  seated,  may  seem  to  have  more  energy  and  life  in  it,  than  that  which  gently, 
and  with  a  more  delicate  kind  of  touch  spreads  itself  upon  the  understanding,  and  from  thence  mildly 
derives  itself  through  our  wills  and  afl^eciions.  IJ\it  however  the  former  may  be  more  boisterous  foi  a 
time,  yet  this  is  of  a  more  consistent,  spermatical  and  thriving  nature.  For  that  proceeding  indeed  from 
nothing  but  a  sensual  and  fleshly  apprehension  of  God  and  true  happiness,  is  but  of  a  flitting  and  fading 
nature  ;  and  as  the  sensible  powers  and  faculties  grow  more  languid,  or  the  sun  of  divine  light  shines 
more  brightly  upon  us,  these  earthly  devotions,  like  our  culinary  fires,  will  abate  their  heat  and  fervor. 
But  a  true  celestial  warmth  will  never  be  extinguished,  because  it  is  of  an  immortal  nature  ;  and  being 
once  seated  vitally  in  the  souls  of  men,  it  will  regulate  and  order  all  the  motions  of  it  in  a  due  manner, 
as  the  natural  heat,  radicated  in  the  hearts  of  living  creatures,  hath  the  dominion  and  economy  of  the 
whole  body  under  it.  True  religion  is  no  piece  of  artifice  ;  it  is  no  boiling  up  of  our  imaginative  powers, 
nor  the  glowing  heats  of  passion  ;  though  these  are  too  often  mistaken  for  it,  when  in  our  jugglings  in 
religion  we  cast  a  rnist  before  our  own  eyes  :  but  it  is  a  new  nature,  informing  the  souls  of  men  ;  it  is  a 
Godlike  frame  of  spirit,  diseovi>ring  itself  most  of  all  in  serene  and  clear  minds,  in  deep  humility,  meek- 
ness, self-denial  universal  love  to  God  and  all  true  goodness,  without  partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy 
whereby  we  are  taught  to  know  God,  and  knowing  hiin  to  love  him,  and  conform  ourselves  as  much  ^ 
•na>  be  to  all  that  perfection  which  shines  in  him. 


80  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  1 

no  person  of  common  understanding,  who  will  say  or  imagine  that  the  bringing 
words  (let  them  be  what  words  they  will)  to  the  mind  is  an  effect  of  that  na- 
ture which  it  is  impossible  the  mind  of  a  natural  man,  while  he  remains  in  a 
state  of  nature,  should  be  the  subject  of,  or  any  thing  like  it ;  or  that  it  requires 
any  new  divine  sense  in  the  soul ;  or  that  the  bringing  sounds  or  letters  to  the 
mind,  is  an  effect  of  so  high,  holy,  and  excellent  a  nature,  that  it  is  impossible 
any  created  power  should  be  the  cause  of  it. 

As  the  suggesting  words  of  Scripture  to  the  mind,  is  only  the  exciting  in 
the  mind  ideas  of  certain  sounds  or  letters  ;  so  it  is  only  one  way  of  exciting 
ideas  in  the  imagination  ;  for  sounds  and  letters  are  external  ihings,  that  are  the 
objects  of  the  external  senses  of  seeing  and   hearing.     Ideas  of  .certain  marks 
upon  paper,  such  as  any  of  the  twenty-four  letters,  in  whatever  order,  or  any 
sounds  of  the  voice,  are  as  much  external  ideas,  as  of  any  other  shapes  or  sounds 
whatsoever;  and  therefore,  by  what  has  been  already  said  concerning  these 
external  ideas,  it  is  evident  they  are  nothing  spiritual ;  and  if  at  any  time  the 
Spirit  of  God  suggests  these  letters  or  sounds  to  the  mind,  this  is  a  common,  and 
not  any  special  or  gracious  influence  of  that  Spirit.     And  therefore  it  follows 
from  what  has  been  already  proved,  that  those  affections  which  have  this  effect 
for  their  foundation,  are  no  spiritual  or   gracious  affections.     But  let  it  be  ob- 
served what  it  is  that  I  say,  viz.,  when  this  effect,  even  the  immediate  and  extra- 
ordinary manner  of  word.-;  of  Scripture's  coming  to  the  mind,  is  that  which  ex- 
cites the  affections,  and  is  properly  the  foundation  of  them,  then  these  affections 
are  not  spiritual.    It  may  be  so,  that  persons  may  have  gracious  affection^going 
with  Scriptures  which  come  to  their  minds,  and   the  Spirit  of  God  may  make 
use  of  those  Scriptures  to  excite  them ;  when  it  is  some  spiritual  sense,  taste  or 
relish  they  have  of  the  divine  and  excellent  things  contained  in  those  Scriptures, 
that  is  the  thing  which  excites  their  affections,  and  not  the  extraordinary  and 
sudden  manner  of  words  being  brought  to  their  minds.     They  are  affected  with 
the  instruction  they  receive  from  the  words,  and  the  view  of  the  glorious  things 
of  God  or  Christ,  and  things  appertaining  to  them,  that  they  contain  and  teach ; 
and  not  because  the  words  came  suddenly,  as  though  some  person  had  spoken 
them  to  them,  thence  concluding  that  God  did  as  it  were  immediately  speak  to 
them.     Persons  oftentimes  are  exceedingly  affected  on  this  foundation ;  the 
words  of  some  great  and  high  promises  of  Scripture  came  suddenly  to  their 
minds,  and  they  look  upon  the  words  as  directed  immediately  by  God  to  them, 
as  though  the  words  that  moment  proceeded  out  of  the  mouth  of  God  as  spoken 
to  them :  so  that  they  take  it  as  a  voice  from  God,  immediately  revealing  to 
them  their  happy  circumstances,  and  promising  such  and  such  great  things  to 
them  :  and  this  it  is  that  effects  and  elevates  them.     There  is  no  new  spiritual 
understanding  of  the  divine  things  contained  in  the  Scripture,  or  new  spiritual 
sense  of  the  glorious  things  taught  in  that  part  of  the  Bible  going  before  their 
affection,  and  being  the  foundation  of  it.     All  the  new  understanding  they  have, 
or  think  they  have,  to  be  the  foundation  of  their  affection,  is  this,  that  the  words 
are  spoken  to  them,  because  they  come  so  suddenly  and  extraordinarily.     And 
so  this  affection  is  built  wholly  on  the  sand  I     Because  it  is  built  on  a  conclu- 
sion for  which  they  have  no  foundation.     For,  as  has  been  shown,  the  sudden 
coming  of  the  words  to  their  minds,  is  no  evidence  that  the  bringing  them  to 
their  minds  in  that  manner  was  from  God.    And  if  it  was  true  that  God  brought 
the  words  to  their  minds,  and  they  certainly  knew  it,  that  would  not  be  spir- 
itual knowledge ;  it  may  be  without  any  spiritual  sense :  Balaam  might  know 
,that  the  words  which  God  suggested  to  him,  were  indeed  suggested  to  him  by 
God,  and  yet  have  no  spiritual  knowledge.     So  that  these  affections  which  are 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  81 

built  on  that  notion,  that  texts  oi"  Scripture  are  sent  immediately  from  God,  are 
built  on  no  spiritual  foundation,  and  are  vain  and  delusive.  Persons  who  have 
their  affections  thus,  raised,  if  they  should  be  inquired  of,  whether  they  have 
any  new  sense  of  the  excellency  of  things  contained  in  those  Scriptures,  would 
probably  say,  Yes,  without  hesitation  :  hut  it  is  true  no  otherwise  than  thus,  that 
when  they  have  taken  up  that  notion,  that  the  words  are  spoken  immediately  to 
them,  that  makes  them  seem  sweet  to  them,  and  they  own  the  things  which 
these  Scriptures  say  to  them,  for  excellent  thini^s  and  wonderful  things.  As  for 
instance  supposing  these  were  the  words  which  were  suddenly  brought  to  their 
minds,  Fear  not,  it  is  your  Faflur's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom  ; 
they  having  confidently  taken  up  a  notion  that  the  words  were  as  it  were  im- 
mediately  spoken  from  heaven  to  them,  as  an  immediate  revelation  that  God 
was  their  Father,  and  had  given  the  kingdom  to  them,  they  are  greatly  atiected 
by  it,  and  the  words  seem  sweet  to  them  ;  and  oh,  they  say,  "  they  are  excel- 
lent things  that  are  contained  in  those  words  !"  But  the  reason  w  hy  the  pro- 
mise seems  excellent  to  them,  is  only  because  they  think  it  is  made  to  them  im- 
mediately ;  all  the  sense  they  have  of  any  glory  in  them,  is  only  from  self-love, 
and  from  their  own  imagined  interest  in  the  words  ;  not  that  they  had  any  view 
or  sense  of  the  holy  and  glorious  nature  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  the  spi- 
ritual gloiy  of  that  God  who  gives  it,  and  of  his  excellent  grace  to  sinful  men, 
in  offering  and  giving  them  this  kingdom,  of  his  own  good  pleasure  precedina- 
their  imagined  interest  in  these  things,  and  their  being  affected  by  them,  and 
being  the  foundation  of  their  affection,  and  hope  of  an  interest  in  them.  On  the 
contrary,  they  first  imagine  they  are  interested,  and  then  are  highly  affected 
with  that,  and  then  can  own  these  things  to  be  excellent.  So  that  tlie  sudden 
and  extraordinary  way  of  the  Scripture's  coming  to  their  mind  is  plainly  the 
first  foundation  of  the  whole ;  which  is  a  clear  evidence  of  the  wretched  delu- 
sion they  are  under. 

The  first  comfort  of  many  persons,  and  what  they  call  their  conversion,  is 
after  this  manner  :  after  awakening  and  terror,  some  comfortable  sweet  promise 
comes  suddenly  and  wonderfully  to  their  minds;  and  the  manner  of  its  coming 
makes  them  conclude  it  comes  from  God  to  them ;  and  this  is  the  very  thing 
that  is  all  the  foundation  of  their  f\iith,  and  hope,  and  comfort :  from  hence 
they  take  their  first  encouragement  to  trust  in  God  and  in  Christ,  because  they 
think  that  God,  by  some  Scripture  so  brought,  has  now  already  revealed  to  them 
that  he  loves  them,  and  has  already  promised  them  eternal  lile,  which  is  very 
absurd ;  for  ever^-  one  of  common  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  religion,  knows 
that  it  is  God's  manner  to  reveal  his  love  to  men,  and  their  interest  in  the  pro- 
mises, after  they  have  believed,  and  not  before,  because  they  must  first  believe 
before  they  have  any  interest  in  the  promises  to  be  revealed.  The  Spirit  of  God 
is  a  Spirit  of  truth  and  not  of  lies  :  he  does  not  bring  Scriptures  to  men's  minds, 
to  reveal  to  lliem  that  they  have  an  interest  in  God's  favor  and  promises,  when 
they  have  none,  having  not  yet  believed  :  which  would  be  the  case,  if  God's 
bringing  texts  of  Scripture  to  men's  minds,  to  reveal  to  them  that  their  sins  were 
forgiven,  or  that  it  was  God's  pleasure  to  give  them  the  kingdom,  or  any  thing 
of  that  nature,  went  before,  and  was  the  foundation  of  their  first  faith.  No 
promise  of  the  covenant  of  grace  belongs  to  any  man,  until  he  has  first  believed 
in  Christ ;  for  it  is  by  faith  alone  that  we  become  interested  in  Christ,  and  the 
promises  of  the  new  covenant  made  in  him  :  and  therefore  whatever  spirit  ap- 
plies the  promises  of  that  covenant  to  a  person  who  has  not  first  believed,  as 
being  already  his,  must  be  a  lying  spirit,  and  that  faith  which  is  first  built  on 
such  an  application  of  promises  is  built  upon  a  lie.     God's  manner  is  not  to 

Vol..  III.  11 


82  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

bring  comfortable  texts  of  Scripture  to  give  men  assurance  of  bis  love,  and  that 
they  shall  be  happy,  before  they  have  had  a  faith  of  dependence.*  And  if  the 
Scripture  which  comes  to  a  person's  mind,  be  not  so  properly  a  promise,  as  an 
invitation  ;  yet  if  he  makes  the  sudden  or  unusual  manner  of  the  invitation's 
coming  to  his  mind,  the  ground  on  which  he  beheves  that  he  is  invited,  it  is 
not  true  faith ;  because  it  is  built  on  that  which  is  not  the  true  ground  of  faith. 
True  faith  is  built  on  no  precarious  foundation :  but  a  determination  that  the 
■words  of  such  a  pai-ticular  text  were,  by  the  immediate  power  of  God,  suggest- 
ed to  the  mind,  at  such  a  time,  as  though  then  spoken  and  directed  by  God  to 
him,  because  the  words  came  after  such  a  manner,  is  Avholly  an  uncertain  and 
precarious  determination,  as  has  been  now  shown;  and  therefore  is  a  false  and 
sandy  foundation  for  faith ;  and  accordingly  that  faith  which  is  built  upon  it  is 
false.  The  only  certain  foundation  which  any  person  has  to  believe  that  he  is 
invited  to  partake  of  the  blessings  of  the  gospel,  is,  that  the  word  of  God  de- 
clares that  persons  so  qualified  as  he  is,  are  invited,  and  God  who  declares  it, 
is  true,  and  cannot  lie.  If  a  sinner  be  once  convinced  of  the  veracity  of  God, 
and  that  the  Scriptures  are  his  word,  he  will  need  no  more  to  convince  and  sat- 
isfy him  that  he  is  invited  ;  for  the  Scriptures  are  full  of  invitations  to  sinners, 
to  the  chief  of  sinners,  to  come  and  partake  of  the  benefits  of  the  gospel ;  he 
will  not  want  any  new  speaking  of  God  to  him ;  what  he  hath  spoken  already 
will  be  enough  with  him. 

As  the  first  comfort  of  many  persons,  and  their  affections  at  the  time  of  their 
supposed  conversion,  are  built  on  such  grounds  as  these  which  have  been  men- 
tioned ;  so  are  their  joys  and  hopes  and  other  affections,  from  time  to  time 
afterwards.  They  have  often  particular  words  of  Scripture,  sweet  declarations 
and  promises  suggested  to  them,  which  by  reason  of  the  manner  of  their  coming, 
they  think  are  immediately  sent  from  God  to  them,  at  that  time,  which  they  look 
upon  as  their  warrant  to  take  them,  and  which  they  actually  make  the  main 
ground  of  their  appropriating  them  to  themselves,  and  of  the  comfort  they  take 
in  them,  and  the  confidence  they  receive  from  them.  Thus  they  imagine  a  kind 
of  conversation  is  carried  on  between  God  and  them  ;  and  that  God,  from  time 
to  time,  does,  as  it  were,  immediately  speak  to  them,  and  satisfy  their  doubts, 

♦  Mr.  Stoddard  in  his  Guide  to  Christ,  p.  8,  says,  that  "  sometimes  men,  after  they  have  been  in 
trouble  a  while,  have  some  promises  come  to  them,  with  a  great  deal  of  refreshing  ;  and  they  hope  God 
has  accepted  them  :"  and  says  that,  "  In  this  case,  the  minister  may  tell  them,  that  God  never  gives 
a  faith  of  assurance,  before  he  gives  a  faith  of  dependence  ;  for  he  never  manifests  his  love,  until  men 
are  in  a  state  of  favor  and  reconciliation,  which  is  by  faith  of  dependence.  When  inen  have  comforta- 
ble Scriptures  come  to  them,  they  are  apt  to  take  them  as  tokens  of  God's  love:  but  men  must  be 
brought  into  Christ,  by  accepting  the  offer  of  the  gospel,  before  they  are  fit  for  such  manifestations. 
God's  method  is,  first  to  make  the  soul  accept  of  theofi'ers  of  grace,  and  then  to  manifest  his  good  estate 
unto  him."  And  p.  76,  speaking  of  them  "  that  seem  to  be  brought  to  lie  at  God's  foot,  and  give  an 
account  of  their  closing  with  Christ,  and  that  God  has  revealed  Christ  to  them,  and  drawTi  their  hearts 
to  him,  and  they  do  accept  of  Christ,"  he  says:  "In  this  case,  it  is  best  to  examine  whether  by  that 
light  that  was  given  him,  he  saw  Christ  and  salvation  ofl'ered  to  him,  or  whether  he  saw  that  God 
loved  him,  or  pardoned  him  :  for  the  offer  of  grace  and  our  acceptance  goes  before  pardon,  and  tliere- 
fore,  much  more  before  the  knowledge  of  it." 

Mr.  Shepard,  in  his  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgint,  Part  II.  p.  15,  says,  that  "  Grace  and  iheiov* 
of  Christ  (the  fairest  colors  under  the  sun)  maybe  pretended;  but  if  you  shall  receive,  under  this  ap- 
pearance, that  God  witnesseth  his  love,  first  by  an  absolute  promise,  take  heed  there  ;  for  under  this 
appearance  you  may  as  well  bring  in  immediate  revelations,  and  from  thence  come  to  forsake  the  Scrip- 
tures." 

And  in  Part  I.  p.  86,  he  says,  "  Is  Christ  yours  1  Yes,  I  see  it.  How  ?  By  any  word  or  promise  ■? 
No  ;  this  is  delusion."  And  p.  136,  speaking  of  them  that  have  no  solid  ground  of  peace,  he  reckons 
"  those  that  content  themselves  with  the  revelation  of  the  Lord's  love  without  the  sight  of  any  work, 
ornot  looking  to  it."  And  says  presently  after,  "  The  testimony  of  the  Spirit  does  not  make  a  man 
more  a  Christian,  but  only  evidenceth  it ;  as  it  is  the  nature  of  a  wiii,ess  not  to  make  a  thing  to  be  true, 
but  to  clear  and  evidence  it."  And  p.  140,  speaking  of  them  that  say  they  have  the  witness  of  the 
Spirit,  that  makes  a  difference  between  them  and  hypocrites,  he  says,  "  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  makes 
not  the  fiist  difference  :  for  first  i  man  is  a  believer,  and  in  Christ,"and  justified,  called  and  sanctified, 
before  the  Spirit  does  witness  it;    else  the  Spirit  should  witness  to  an  untruth  and  lie." 


REUGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  83 

and  testifies  liis  love  to  them,  and  promises  them  snppoiis  and  supplies,  and  his 
blessinir  in  such  and  such  cases,  and  reveals  to  them  clearly  their  interest  in 
eternal  blessings.  And  tluis  they  are  ollten  elevated,  and  have  a  course  of  a 
sudden  and  tumultuous  kind  of  joys,  mingled  with  a  strong  confidence,  and 
high  opinion  of  themselves  ;  when  indeed  the  main  ground  of  these  joys,  and 
this  confidence,  is  not  any  thing  contained  in,  or  taught  by  these  Scriptures,  as 
they  lie  in  the  Bible,  but  the  manner  of  their  coming  to  them ;  which  is  a  cer- 
tain evidence  of  their  delusion.  There  is  no  particular  promise  in  the  word  of 
God  that  is  the  saint's,  or  is  any  otherwise  made  to  him,  or  spoken  to  him, 
than  all  the  piomises  of  the  covenant  of  grace  are  his,  and  are  made  to  him 
and  spoken  to  him  ;*  though  it  be  true  that  some  of  these  promises  may  be 
more  peculiarly  adapted  to  his  ease  than  others,  and  God  by  his  Spirit 
may  enable  him  better  to  understaml  some  than  others,  and  to  have  a  greater 
sense  of  the  preciousness,  and  glory,  and  suitableness  of  the  blessings  contained 
in  them. 

But  here  some  may  be  ready  to  say.  What,  is  there  no  such  thing  as  any 
particular  spiritual  application  of  the  promises  of  Scripture  by  the  Spirit  oi 
God  ?  I  answer,  there  is  doubtless  such  a  thing  as  a  spiritual  and  saving  ap- 
plication of  the  invitations  and  promises  of  Scripture  to  the  souls  of  men ;  but 
it  is  also  certain,  that  the  nature  of  it  is  wholly  misunderstood  by  many  persons, 
to  the  great  ensnaring  of  their  own  souls,  and  the  giving  Satan  a  vast  advan- 
tage against  them,  and  against  the  interest  of  religion,  and  the  church  of  God. 
The  spiritual  application  of  a  Scripture  promise  does  not  consist  in  its  being 
immediately  suggested  to  the  thoughts  by  some  extrinsic  agent,  and  being  borne 
into  the  mind  with  this  strong  apprehension,  that  It  is  particularly  spoken  and 
directed  to  them  at  that  time  ;  there  is  nothing  of  the  evidence  of  the  hand  of 
God  in  this  effect,  as  events  have  proved,  in  many  notorious  instances  ;  and  it 
is  a  mean  notion  of  a  spiritual  application  of  Scripture  ;  there  is  nothing  in  the 
nature  of  it  at  all  beyond  tlie  power  of  the  devil,  if  he  be  not  restrained  by 
God;  for  there  is  nothing  in  the  nature  of  the  effect  that  is  spiritual,  implying 
any  vital  communication  of  God.  A  truly  spiritual  application  of  the  word  of 
God  is  of  a  vastly  higher  nature  ;  as  much  above  the  devil's  power,  as  it  is,  so 
to  apply  the  word  of  God  to  a  dead  corpse,  as  to  raise  it  to  life ;  or  to  a  stone, 
to  turn  "it  into  an  angeh  A  spiritual  application  of  the  word  of  God  consists  in 
applying  it  to  the  heart,  in  spiritually  enhghtening,  sanctifying  influences.  A 
spiritual  application  of  an  invitation  or  offer  of  the  gospel  consists,  in  giving 
the  soul  a  spiritual  sense  or  rellsli  of  the  holy  and  divine  blessings  offered,  and 
the  sweet  and  wonderful  grace  of  the  offerer,  in  making  so  gracious  an  offer, 
and  of  his  holy  excellency  and  faithfulness  to  fulfil  what  he  offers,  and  his  glo- 
rious sufficiency  for  it ;  so  leading  and  drawing  forth  the  heart  to  embrace  the 
offer ;  and  thus  giving  the  man  evidence  of  his  title  to  the  thing  offered.  And 
so  a  spiritual  application  of  the  promises  of  Scripture,  for  the  comfort  of  the 
saints,  consists  in  enlightening  their  minds  to  see  the  holy  excellency  and  sweet- 
ness of  the  blessings  promised,  and  also  the  holy  excellency  of  the  promiser, 
and  his  faithfulness  and  sufficiency ;  thus  drawing  forth  their  hearts  to  embrace 

*"  Mr.  Shepard,  in  his  Sound  Believer,  p.  159,  of  the  late  impression  at  Boston,  says,  "  Embrace  in 
ihy  bosom,  not  only  some  few  promises,  but  all."  And  then  he  asks  the  question,  "  When  may  a  Chris 
lian  take  a  promise  without  presumption,  as  spoken  to  him  ?"  He  answers,  "  The  rule  is  very  sweet, 
but  certain  ;  when  he  take.s  all  the  Scripture,  and  embraces  it  as  spoken  unto  him,  he  may  then  take 
any  particular  promise  boldly.  My  meaning  is,  when  a  Christian  takes  hold,  and  wrestles  with  God 
for  the  accomplishment  of  all  the  promises  of  the  New  Testament,  when  he  sets  all  the  commands  be- 
lore  him,  as  a  compass  and  guide  to  walk  after,  when  he  applies  all  the  thrcatenings  to  drive  him  nearer 
unto  Christ,  the  end  of  them.  This  no  hypocrite  can  do  ;  this  the  saints  shall  do ;  and  by  this  Ihej- 
may  know  when  the  Lord  speaks  in  particular  unto  them." 


84  '  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

the  promlser,  and  thing  promised  ;  and  by  this  means,  giving  the  sensible  act- 
ings of  grace,  enabhng  them  to  see  their  grace,  and  so  their  title  to  the  prom- 
ise. An  application  not  consisting  in  this  divine  sense  and  enlightening  of  the 
mind,  but  consisting  only  in  the  word's  being  borne  into  the  thoughts,  as  if  im- 
mediately then  spoken,  so  making  persons  beheve,  on  no  other  foundation,  that 
the  proniise  is  theirs,  is  a  blind  application,  and  belongs  to  the  spirit  of  dark- 
ness, and  not  of  light. 

When  persons  have  their  affections  raised  after  this  manner,  those  affections 
are  really  not  raised  by  the  word  of  God  ;  the  Scripture  is  not  the  foundation 
of  them  ;  it  is  not  any  thing  contained  in  those  Scriptures  which  come  to  their 
minds,  that  raise  their  affections ;  but  truly  that  effect,  viz.,  the  strange  manner 
of  the  word's  being  suggested  to  their  mintls,  and  a  proposition  from  thence  taken 
up  by  them,  which  indeed  is  not  contained  in  that  Scripture,  nor  any  other;  as 
that  his  sins  are  forgiven  him,  or  that  it  is  the  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
him  in  particular  the  kingdom,  or  the  like.  There  are  propositions  to  be  found 
in  the  Bible,  declaring  that  persons  of  such  and  such  qualiBcations  are  forgiven 
and  beloved  of  God  :  but  there  are  no  propositions  to  be  found  in  the  Bible, 
declaring  that  such  and  such  particular  persons,  independent  on  any  previous 
knowledge  of  any  qualifications,  are  forgiven  and  beloved  of  God  :  and  there- 
fore, when  any  person  is  comforted,  and  affected  by  any  such  proposition,  it  is 
by  another  word,  a  word  newlj^  coined,  and  not  any  word  of  God  contained  in 
the  Bible.*     And  thus  many  persons  are  vainly  affected  and  deluded. 

Again,  it  plainly  appears  from  what  has  been  demonstrated,  that  no  revela- 
tion of  secret  facts  by  immediate  suggestion,  is  any  thing  spiritual  and  divine, 
in  that  sense  wherein  gracious  effects  and  operations  are  so. 

By  secret  facts,  I  mean  things  that  have  been  done,  or  are  come  to  pass,  or 
shall  hereafter  come  to  pass,  which  are  secret  in  that  sense  that  they  do  not  ap- 
pear to  the  senses,  nor  are  known  by  any  argumentation,  or  any  evidence  to 
reason,  nor  any  other  way,  but  only  by  that  revelation  by  immediate  suggestion 
of  the  ideas  of  them  to  the  mind.  Thus  for  instance,  if  it  should  be  revealed 
to  me,  that  the  next  year  this  land  would  be  invaded  by  a  fleet  from  France,  or 
that  such  and  such  persons  would  then  be  converted,  or  that  1  myself  should 
then  be  converted  ;  not  by  enabling  me  to  argue  out  these  events  from  any  thing 
which  now  appears  in  providence,  but  immediately  suggesting  and  beaiing  in 
upon  my  mind,  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  the  apprehension  or  ideas  of  these 
facts,  with  a  strong  suggestion  or  impression  on  my  mind,  that  I  had  no  hand 
in  myself,  that  these  things  would  come  to  pass  :  or  if  it  should  be  revealed  to 
me,  that  this  day  there  is  a  battle  fought  between  the  armies  of  such  and  such 
powers  in  Europe  ;  or  that  such  a  prince  in  Europe  was  this  day  converted,  or  is 
now  in  a  converted  state,  having  been  converted  formerly,  or  that  one  of  my 
neighbors  is  converted,  or  that  I  myself  am  converted  ;  not  by  having  any  other 
evidence  of  any  of  these  facts,  from  whence  I  argue  them,  but  an  immediate 
extraordinary  suggestion  or  excitation  of  these  ideas,  and  a  strong  impression  of 
them  upon  my  mind  :  this  is  a  revelation  of  secret  facts  by  immediate  sugges- 
tion, as  much  as  if  the  facts  were  future  ;  for  the  facts  being  past,  present,  or 

<■■  "  Some  Christians  have  rested  with  a  work  without  Christ,  which  is  abominable  :  but  after  a  man 
IS  in  Christ,  not  to  judge  by  the  work,  is  first  not  to  judge  from  a  word.  For  though  there  is  a  word, 
which  may  give  a  man  a  dependence  on  Christ,  without  feeling  any  work,  nay  when  he  feels  none  rvs 
absolute  promises  ;  yet  no  word  givir.!g  assurance,  but  that  which  is  made  to  some  work,  he  that  bclieveth, 
or  is  poor  in  spirit,  &c.,  until  that  work  is  seen,  has  no  assurance  from  that  promise."  Shepard's  Parable 
of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  86. 

"  If  God  should  tell  a  saint  that  he  has  grace,  he  might  know  it  by  believing  the  word  sf  God  :  but  it 
IS  not  in  this  way  that  godly  men  do  know  that  they  have  grace  :  it  is  not  revealed  in  the  word,  and  the 
Spirit  of  God  doth  not  testify  it  to  particular  persons."     Stoddard's  Nature  of  Saving  Conversion,  p.  84.  85. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  85 

[future,  alters  not  the  case,  as  long  as  they  are  secret  and  hidden  from  my  senses 
I  and  reason,  and  not  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  nor  known  by  me  any  other  way  than  by 
I  immediate  suggestion.  If  1  have  it  revealed  to  me,  that  such  a  revolution  is  come 
to  pass  this  day  in  the  Ottoman  Empire,  it  is  the  very  same  sort  of  revelation, 
'as  if  it  were  revealed  lo  me  that  such  a  revolution  would  come  to  pass  there  this 
day  come  twelvemonth  ;  because,  though  one  is  present  and  the  other  future, 
yet  both  are  cqualf)-  hidden  iiom  me,  any  other  way  than  by  immediate  revela- 
tion. AVhen  Sanmel  told  Saul  that  the  asses  which  he  went  to  seek  were  found, 
and  that  his  father  had  left  caring  for  Ihc  asses  and  sorrowed  for  him ;  this  was 
by  the  same  kind  of  revelation,  as  that  by  which  he  told  Saul,  that  in  the  plain 
of  Tabor  there  should  meet  him  three  men  going  up  to  God  to  Bethel  (1  Sam. 
X.  2,  3),  though  one  of  these  things  was  future,  and  the  other  was  not.  So 
when  Elisha  told  the  king  of  Israel  the  words  that  the  king  of  Syria  spake  in 
his  bed-chamber,  it  was  by  the  same  kind  of  revelation  with  that  by  which  he 
foretold  many  things  to  come. 

It  is  evident  that  this  revelation  of  secret  facts  by  immediate  suggestions, 
has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  a  spiritual  and  divine  operation,  in  the  sense  fore- 
mentioned  ;  there  is  nothing  at  all  in  the  nature  of  the  perceptions  or  ideas 
themselves,  which  are  excited  in  the  mind,  that  is  divinely  excellent,  and  so,  far 
above  all  the  ideas  of  natiual  men  ;  though  the  manner  of  exciting  the  ideas  be 
extraordinary.  In  those  things  which  are  spiritual,  as  has  been  shown,  not  only 
the  manner  of  producing  the  effect,  but  the  effect  wrought  is  divine,  and  so  vastly 
above  all  that  can  be  in  an  unsanctified  mind.  Now  simply  the  having  an  idea 
of  facts,  setting  aside  the  manner  of  producing  those  ideas,  is  notliing  beyond 
what  the  minds  of  wicked  men  are  susceptible  of,  without  any  goodness  in  themj 
and  they  all,  either  have  or  will  have,  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  of  the  gi'eat- 
est  and  most  important  facts,  that  have  been,  are,  or  shall  be. 

And  as  to  the  extraordinary  manner  of  producing  the  ideas  or  perception  of 
facts,  even  by  immediate  suggestion,  there  is  nothing  in  it,  but  what  the  minds 
of  natural  men,  while  they  are  yet  natural  men,  are  capable  of,  as  is  manifest 
in  Balaam,  and  others  spoken  of  in  the  Scripture.  And  therefore  it  appears 
that  there  is  nothing  appertaining  to  this  immediate  suggestion  of  secret  facts 
that  is  spiritual,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  has  been  proved  that  gracious  operations 
are  so.  If  there  be  nothing  in  the  ideas  themselves,  which  is  holy  and  divine, 
and  so  nothing  but  what  may  be  in  a  mind  not  sanctified,  then  God  can  put  them 
into  the  mind  by  immediate  power  Avithout  sanctifying  it.  As  there  is  nothing 
in  the  idea  of  a  rainbow  itself,  that  is  of  a  holy  and  divine  nature ;  so  that 
nothing  hinders  but  that  an  unsanctified  mind  may  receive  that  idea  ;  so  God, 
if  he  pleases,  and  when  he  pleases,  immediately,  and  in  an  extraordinary  man- 
ner, may  excite  that  idea  in  an  unsanctified  mind.  So  also,  as  there  is  nothing 
in  the  idea  or  knowledge  that  such  and  such  particular  persons  are  forgiven  and 
accepted  of  God,  and  entitled  toheaven,  but  what  unsanctified  minds  may  have  and 
will  have  concerning  many  at  the  day  of  judgment;  so  God  can,  if  he  pleases, 
extraordinarily  and  immediately,  suggest  this  to,  and  impress  it  upon  an  un- 
sanctified mind  now  :  there  is  no  principle  wanting  in  an  unsanctified  mind,  to 
make  it  capable  of  such  a  suggestion  or  impression,  nor  is  there  any  thing  in 
it  to  exclude,  or  necessarily  to  prevent  such  a  suggestion. 

And  if  these  suggestions  of  secret  facts  be  attended  with  texts  of  Scripture, 
immediately  and  extraordinarily  brought  to  mind,  about  some  other  facts  that 
seem  in  some  respects  similar,  that  does  not  make  the  operation  to  be  of  a  spir- 
itual and  divine  nature.  For  that  suggestion  of  words  of  Scripture  is  no  more 
:livine,  than  the  suggestion  of  the  facts  themselves  ;  as  has  been  just  now  de- 


86  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

monstrated :  and  two  effects  together,  which  are  neither  of  them   spiritual, 
cannot  make  up  one  complex  effect,  that  is  spiritual. 

Hence  it  follows,  from  what  has  been  already  shown,  and  often  repeated, 
that  those  affections  which  are  properly  founded  on  such  immediate  suo-p-estions' 
or  supposed  suggestions,  of  secret  facts,  are  not  gracious  affections.  ^  Not  but 
that  it  is  possible  that  such  suggestions  may  be  the  occasion,  or  accidental  cause 
of  gracious  affections ;  for  so  may  a  mistake  and  delusion  ;  but  it  is  never  pro- 
perly the  foundation  of  gracious  affections  :  for  gracious  affections,  as  has  been 
shown,  are  all  the  effects  of  an  influence  and  operati-^n  which  is  spiritual, 
supernatural,  and  divine.  But  there  are  many  affections,  and  high  affections' 
which  some  _  have,  that  have  such  kind  of  suggestions  or  revelations  for  their 
very  foundation  :  they  look  upon  these  as  spiritual  discoveries,  which  is  a  gross 
delusion,  and  this  delusion  is  truly  the  spring  whence  their  affections  flow. 

Here  it  may  be  proper  to  observe,  that  it  is  exceedingly  manifest  from  what 
has  been  said,  that  what  many  persons  call  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  that  they 
are  the  children  of  God,  has  nothing  in  it  spiritual  and  divine ;  and  consequently 
that  the  affections  built  upon  it  are  vain  and  delusive.    That  which  many  call  the 
witness  of  the  Spirit,  is  no  other  than  an  immediate  suggestion  and  impression 
of  that  fact,  otherwise  secret,  that  they  are  converted,  or  made  the  children  of 
God,  and  so  that  their  sins  are  pardoned,  and  that  God  has  given  them  a  title 
to  heaven.    This  kind  of  knowledge,  viz.,  knowing  that  a  certain  person  is  con- 
verted, and  delivered  from  hell,  and  entitled  to  heaven,  is  no  divine  sort  of 
knowledge  in  itself     This  sort  of  fact,  is  not  that  which  requires  any  higher  or 
more  divine  kind  of  suggestion,  in  order  to  impress  it  on  the  mind,  th'an  any 
other  fact  which  Balaam  had  impressed  on  his  mind.     It  requires  no  hio-her  sort 
of  idea  or  sensation,  for  a  man  to  have  the  apprehension  of  his  own  cmiversion 
impressed  upon  him,  than  to  have  the  apprehension  of  his  neighbor's  conversion, 
in  like  manner  impressed  :  but  God,  if  he  pleased,  might  impress  the  knowledge 
of  this  fact,  that  he  had  forgiven  his  neighbor's  sins,  and  given  him  a  title  to 
heaven,  as  well  as  any  other  fact,  without  any  communication  of  his  holiness : 
the  excellency  and  importance  of  the  fact,  do  not  at  all  hinder  a  natural  man's 
mind  being  susceptible  of  an  immediate  suggestion  and  impression  of  it.    Balaam  • 
had  as  excellent,  and  important,  and  gloiious  facts  as  this,  immediately  impress- 
ed on  his  mind,  without  any  gracious  influence ;  as  particularly,  the  comiuo-  of 
Christ,  and  his  setting  up  his  glorious  kingdom,  and  the  blessedness  of  the  spiritual 
Israel  in  his  peculiar  favor,  and  their  happiness  living  and  dying.    Yea,  Abime- 
lech,  king  of  the  Philistines,  had  God's  special  favor  to  a  particular  person, 
even  Abraham,  revealed  to  him,  Gen.  xx.  6,  7.     So  it  seems  that  he  revealed 
to  Laban  his  special  favor  to  Jacob,  see  Gen.  xxxi.  24,  and  Psal.  cv.  15,    And 
if  a  truly  good  man  should  have  an  immediate  revelation  or  suggestion  from 
God,  after  the  like  manner,  concerning  his  favor  to  his  neighbor,  or  himself  • 
it  would  be  no  higher  kind  of  influence ;  it  would  be  no  more  than  a  common 
sort  of  influence  of  God's  Spirit ;  as  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  all  revelation  by 
immediate  suggestion  is ;  see  1  Cor.  xiii.  2.     And  though  it  be  true,  that  it  is 
not  possible  that  a  natural  man  should  have  that  individual  suggestion  from  the 
Spirit  of  God,  that  he  is  converted,  because  it  is  not  true ;  yet  that  does  not 
arise  from  the  nature  of  the  influence,  or  because  that  kind  of  influence  which 
suggests  such  excellent  facts,  is  too  high  for  him  to  be  the  subject  of;  but  purely 
from  the  defect  of  a  fact  to  be  revealed.    The  influence  which  immediately  sug- 
gests this  fact,  when  it  is  true,  is  of  no  different  kind  from  that  which  immedi- 
ately suggests  other  true  facts :  and  so  the  kind  and  nature  of  the  influence  is 
not  above  what  is  common  to  natural  men,  with  o-ood  men. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  87 

But  this  is  a  mean,  ignoble  notion  of  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  of  Go<l  girca 
to  his  tlcar  children,  to  suppose  tiiat  there  is  nothing  in  the  kind  and  nature  of 
that  intluence  of  the  Spirit  ot"  CJod,  in  imparting  this  higli  and  glorious  hencfit, 
but  nhat  is  common  to  natural  nun,  or  which  men  are  capable  ol".  and  be  in  the 
mean  time  altogether  unsffiictificd  and  the  children  of  hell;  and  that  therefore 
the  benefit  or  gift  itself  has  nothing  of  the  holy  nature  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in 
it,  nothing  of  a  vital  communication  of  that  Spirit.  This  notion  greatly  debases 
that  high  and  most  exalted  kind  of  inducnce  and  operation  of  the  Spirit,  which 
there  is  in  the  true  witness  of  the  Spirit.*  That  which  is  called  the  witness  of 
the  Spirit,  Rom.  viii.,  is  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament  called  the  seal  of  the 
Spirit,  2  Cor.  i.  22,  Eph.  i.  13,  and  iv.  13,  alluding  to  the  seal  of  princes,  an- 
nexed to  the  instrument,  by  which  they  advanced  any  of  their  subjects  to  some 
high  honor  and  dignity,  or  peculiar  privilege  in  the  kingdom,  as  a  token  of  their 
special  favor.  Which  is  an  evidence  that  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  of  the 
Prince  of  princes,  in  sealing  his  favorites,  is  far  from  being  of  a  common  kind; 
and  that  there  is  no  effect  of  God's  Spirit  whatsoever,  which  is  in  its  nature 
more  divine;  nothing  more  holy,  peculiar,  inimitable  and  distinguishing  of 
divinity  :  as  nothing  is  more  royal  than  the  royal  seal ;  nothing  more  sacred, 
that  belongs  to  a  prince,  and  more  peculiarly  denoting  what  belongs  to  him  ;  it 
being  the  very  end  and  design  of  it,  to  be  the  most  peculiar  stamp  and  confir- 
mation of  the  royal  authority,  and  great  note  of  distinction,  whereby  that  which 
proceeds  from  the  king,  or  belongs  to  him,  may  be  known  from  every  thing 
else.  And  therefore  undoubtedly  the  seal  of  the  great  King  of  heaven  and 
earth  enstamped  on  the  heart,  is  something  high  and  holy  in  its  own  nature, 
some  excellent  communication  from  the  infinite  fountain  ol  divine  beauty  and 
glory;  and  not  merely  a  making  known  a  secret  Aict  by  revelation  or  sugges- 
tion ;  which  is  a  sort  of  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  the  children  of  the 
devil  have  often  been  the  subjects  of.  The  seal  of  the  Spirit  is  a  kind  of  effect 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  heart,  which  natural  men,  while  such,  are  so  far 
from  a  capacity  of  being  the  subjects  of,  that  they  can  have  no  manner  of  notion 
or  idea  of  it,  agreeable  to  Rev.  ii.  17  :  "  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to 
eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  I  will  give  him  a  Avhite  stone,  and  in  the  stone  a 
new  name  written,  which  no  man  knoweth,  saving  he  that  receiveth  it."  There 
is  all  reason  to  suppose  that  what  is  here  spoken  of,  is  the  same  mark,  evidence, 
or  ble&sed  token  of  special  favor,  which  is  elsewhere  callcxl  the  seal  of  the 
Spirit. 

What  has  misled  many  in  their  notion  of  that  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
we  are  s]ieaking  of,  is  the  word  wifness,  its  being  called  the  wntness  of  the 
Spirit.  Hence  they  have  taken  it,  not  to  be  any  effect  or  work  of  the  Spirit 
upon  the  heart,  giving  evidence,  from  whence  men  may  argue  that  they  are  the 
children  of  God ;  but  an  inward  immediate  suggestion,  as  though  God  inwardly 

•  The  Lite  veneral.le  Stoddard,  in  his  youngor  time,  fallinc  in  with  the  opinion  of  some  others,  re- 
ceived this  notion  of  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  by  way  of  immediate  suggestion  ;  but,  in  the  latter  part  of 
his  life,  wlien  he  had  more  thoroughly  wei^'hed  things,  and  had  more  experience,  he  entirely  rejected  it; 
as  appears  by  his  treatise  of  the  Nature  of  Saving  Conversion,  p.  84:  "The  Spirit  of  (Jod  doth  not 
testify  lo  particular  persons,  that  they  are  godly. — Some  think  that  the  Spirit  of  God  doth  testify  to 
some';  and  they  ground  it  on  Rom.  viii.  IG,  'The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we 
are  the  children  of  God.'  They  think  the  Spirit  reveals  it  by  giving  an  inward  testimony  to  it ;  and  some 
godly  men  think  they  have  bad  experience  of  it :  but  t'^icy  may  easily  mistake  when  the  Spirit  of  God 
doth"  eminently  stir  up  the  spirit  of  faith,  and  siieds  abroad  the  love  of  God  n  the  heart,  it  is  easy  to 
njistwke  it  for  a  testimony.  And  that  is  not  the  meai;ing  of  Paul's  words.  Tne  Spirit  reveals  things  to 
us,  by  opening  our  eyes  to  see  what  is  revealed  in  the  word  ;  but  the  Spirit  dutli  not  reveal  new  truths, 
Dot  r-^vtal  d  in  the  word.  The  Spirit  discovers  the  grace  of  God  in  Clirist,  and  therejiy  draws  forth 
ipecial  actings  of  faith  and  love,  which  are  evidential ;  but  it  doth  not  work  in  way  of  testimony.  If  God 
.lo  but  help  us  to  receive  the  revelations  in  the  word,  we  shall  have  comfort  enough  without  new  revela- 
tions." 


88  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

spoke  to  the  man,  and  testified  to  him,  and  told  him  that  he  was  his  child  by  a 
kmd  of  a  secret  voice,  or  impression  :  not  observing  the  manner  in  which  the 
word  witness,  or  testimony,  is  often  used  in  the  New  Testament,  where  such 
.erms  oiten  signify,  not  only  a  mere  declaring  and  asserting  a  thing  to  be  true 
but  holding  forth  evidence  Irom  whence  a  thing  may  be  argued,  and  proved  to 
be  true.  Thus  Heb.  n.  4,  God  is  said  to  "  bear  witness,  with  signs  and  wonders 
and  divers  miracles,  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Now  these  miracles,  here 
spoken  of,  are  called  God  s  witness,  not  becaus^^  they  are  of  the  nature  of  asser- 
tions, but  evidences  and  proofs.  So  Acts  xiv.  3  :  "Long  time  therefore  abode 
they  speaking  boldly  in  the  Lord,  which  gave  testimony  unto  the  word  of  his 
grace,  and  granted  signs  and  wonders  to  be  done  by  their  hands."     And  John 

1  F  n  '  .u  '^'  ^''''^"'  T^-T'  ^^''"  ^^'^  °^  "^^^^^  •  f°^'  the  works  which 
the  Father  hath  given  me  to  finish,  the  same  works  that  1  do,  bear  witness  of 
me,_that  the  Father  hath  sent  me."  Again,  chap.  x.  25 :  "  The  works  that  I 
do  in  my  iather  s  name,  they  bear  witness  of  me."  So  the  water  and  the 
b  ood  are  said  to  bear  witness,  1  John  v.  8,  not  that  they  spoke  or  asserted  any 
thing,  but  they  were  proofs  and  evidences.  So  God's  works  of  providence,  in 
the  rain  and  fruitful  seasons,  are  spoken  of  as  witnesses  of  God's  beine  and 
ITr'f  i"-'  Fr^  evidences  of  these  things.  And  when  the  Sci^ture 
speaks  of  the  seal  of  the  Spirit,  it  is  an  expression  which  properly  denotes  not 
animmediate  voice  or  suggestion,  but  some  work  or  effect  of  the*  Spirit  that  is 
^  h  r'"'  ™^'%"P«"  the  soul,  to  be  an  evidence  by  which  God's  children 
mignt  be  known.  The  seals  of  princes  were  the  distinguishing  marks  of  prin^ 
ces  :  and  thus  God's  seal  is  spoken  of  as  God's  mark.  Rev.  vii.  3  :  "  Hurt  not 
the  earth  neither  the  sea  nor  the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our 
God  m  their  foreheads;"  together  with  Ezek.  ix.  4,  "  Set  a  mark  upon  the 
foreheads  of  the  men  that  sigh  and  that  cry  for  all  the  abominations  hat  are 
done  in  the  midst  thereof"  When  God  sets  his  seal  on  a  man's  heart  by  his 
bpirit,  there  IS  some  holy  stamp,  some  image  impressed  and  left  upon  the  heart 
by  the  Spin  ,  as  by  the  seal  upon  the  wax.  And  this  holy  stamp,  or  impressed 
'.Vlf'r"?  !,£"'"'  evidence  to  the  conscience,  that  the  subject  of  it  is  the 
chi  d  of  God,  is  the  very  thing  which  in  Scripture  is  called  the  seal  of  the  Spirit 
and  the  witness,  or  evidence  of  the  Spirit.  And  this  image  enstamped  by  the 
Spirit  on  God's  children's  hearts,  is  his  own  image;  that  is  the  evidence  bv 
which  they  are  known  to  be  God's  children,  tliat  they  have  the  image  oflel 

fnl'v.f  n'^.f  T""  '\T-  ^'''''  \'^'  ^'^''''  "^  '^^'«Pt^°"-  Seals  andently  had 
eng.  aven  on  them  two  things,  viz.,  the  image  and  the  name  of  the  person  whose 
seal  It  was.  Therefore  when  Christ  says  to  his  spouse.  Cant.  viii.  6,  "Set  me 
as  a  seal  upon  thine  heart,  as  a  seal  upon  thine  arm ;"  it  is  as  much  as  to  say 
ul?LT%?  "''^'  ''"'T  ''''^''''''^  ^^'''''  The  seals  of  princes  were 
had  their  image  left  on  it.  It  was  the  manner  of  princes  of  old  to  have  their 
image  engraven  on  then- jewels  and  precious  stones;  and  the  image  of  Auo-us- 
tus  engraven  on  a  precious  stone,  was  used  as  the  seal  of  the  Roman  empe;. 
ors,inChnsts  and  the  Apostle's  times.*  And  the  saints  are  the  lewek  of 
Jesus  Christ,  the  great  potentate,  who  has  the  possession  of  the  emp  re  of  the 
universe;  and  these  jewels  have  his  image  enstlmped  upon  them,  by  his  ro  al 
signet,  v.hidi  IS  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  this  is  undoubtedly  what  the  ScriSre 
^eans  by  the  seal  o  the  Spint;  especially  when  it  is  stLped  in  so  f  ifand 
clear  a  manner,  as  to  be  plain  to  the  eye  of  conscience;  which  is  what  the 

»  See  Chambers'  Dictionaiy,  under  the  word  ENGRAViNa. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  89 

Sciiplure  calls  our  spirit.  This  is  trulj'  an  cifect  that  is  spiritual,  supernatural 
and  divine.  This  is  in  itself  of  a  holy  nature,  being  a  communicalion  of  the 
divine  nature  and  beauty.  That  kind  of  influence  of  the  Spirit  which  gives  and 
leaves  this  stamp  upon  the  heart,  is  such  that  no  natural  man  can  be  the  sub- 
ject ot  any  thing  of  the  like  nature  with  it.  This  is  the  highest  sort  of  witness 
of  the  Spirit,  which  it  is  possible  the  soul  vshould  be  the  subject  of :  if  there  were 
any  such  tiling  as  a  witness  of  the  Sijiril  by  immediate  suggestion  or  revelation, 
this  would  be  vastly  more  noble  and  excellent,  and  as  !nucli  above  it  as  the  heaven 
is  above  the  earth.  This  the  devil  cannot  imitate;  as  to  an  inward  suggestion 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  a  kind  of  secret  voict;  speaking,  and  immediati'ly  as- 
serting and  revealing  a  iact,  he  can  do  that  which  is  a  thousand  times  so  like 
to  this,  as  he  can  to  that  holy  and  divine  eflcct,  or  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which 
has  now  been  spoken  of. 

Another  thing  which  is  a  full  proof  that  the  seal  of  the  Spirit  is  no  revela- 
tion of  any  fact  by  immediate  suggestion,  but  is  grace  itself  in  the  soul,  is,  that 
the  seal  of  the  Spirit  is  called  in  tiie  Scripture,  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit.  It  is 
very  plain  that  the  seal  of  the  Spirit  is  the  same  thing  with  the  earnest  of  the 
Spirit,  by  2  Cor.  i.  22  :  "  Who  hath  also  sealed  us,  and  given  the  earnest  of 
the  Spirit  in  our  hearts  j"  and  Eph.  i.  13,  14, '  In  whom,  after  that  ye  believed, 
ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our 
inheritance,  until  the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession  unto  the  praise  of 
his  glory."  Now  the  earnest  is  part  of  the  money  agreed  for,  given  in  hand,  as 
a  token  of  the  whole,  to  be  paid  in  due  time  ;  a  part  of  the  pronjised  inheritance 
granted  now,  in  token  of  full  possession  of  the  whole  heieafter.  But  surely 
that  kind  of  communication  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  of  the  nature  of  eter- 
nal glory,  is  the  highest  and  most  excellent  kind  of  communication,  something 
that  is  in  its  own  nature  spiritual,  holy  and  divine,  and  far  Irom  any  thing  that 
is  common  :  and  therefore  high  above  any  thing  of  the  nature  of  inspiration,  or 
revelation  of  hidden  facts  by  suggestion  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  many  natur- 
al men  have  had.  What  is  the  earnest,  and  beginning  of  glory,  but  grace  it- 
self, especially  in  the  more  lively  and  clear  exercises  of  it  1  It  is  not  prophecy, 
nor  tongues,  nor  knowledge,  but  that  more  excellent  divine  thing,  "  charity 
that  never  faifeth,"  which  is  a  prelibation  and  beginning  of  the  light,  sweetness 
and  blessedness  of  heaven,  that  world  of  love  or  charity.  It  is  grace  that  is  the 
seed  of  glory  and  dawning  of  glory  in  the  heart,  and  therefore  it  is  grace  that 
is  the  earnest  of  the  future  inheritance.  What  is  it  that  is  the  beginning  or 
earnest  of  eternal  life  in  the  soul,  but  spiritual  life  ;  and  w  hat  is  that  but  grace  '? 
The  inheritance  that  Christ  has  purchased  for  the  elect,  is  the  Spirit  of  God ;  not 
in  any  extraordinary  gifts,  but  in  his  vital  indwelling  in  the  heait,  exerting  and 
communicating  himself  there,  in  his  own  proper,  lioly,  or  divine  nature ;  and 
this  is  the  sum  total  of  the  inheritance  that  Christ  purchased  for  the  elect.  For 
so  are  things  constituted  in  the  affair  of  our  redemption,  that  the  Father  pro- 
vides the  Saviour  or  purchaser,  and  the  purchase  is  made  of  him  ;  and  the  Son  is 
the  purchaser  and  the  ]>rice;  and  the  Holy  Si)irit  is  the  great  blessing  or  inhe- 
ritance purchased,  as  is  intimated,  Gal.  iii.  13,  14 ;  and  hence  the  Spirit 
of^en  is  spoken  of  as  the  sum  of  the  blessings  promised  in  the  gospel,  Luke  xxiv. 
49,  Acts  i.  4,  and  chap.  ii.  38,  39,  Gal.  iii.  14,  Eph.  i.  13.  This  inheritance 
was  the  grand  legacy  which  Chsist  left  his  disciples  and  church,  in  his  last  will 
and  leslnment,  John  chap,  xiv.,  xv.,  xvi.  This  is  the  sum  of  tlie  blessings  of 
eternal  life,  which  shall  be  given  in  Leaven.  (Compare  John  vii.  37,  38,  39, 
and  John  iv.  14,  with  Rev.  xxi.  6,  and  xxii.  1,  17.)  It  is  through  the  vital 
communications  and  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  that  the  saints  have  all  their  hght. 

Vol.  III.  12  ^ 


90  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

life,  holiness,  beauty,  and  joy  in  heaven ;  and  it  is  through  the  vital  communica- 
tions and  indwelling  of  the  same  Spirit  that  the  saints  have  all  light,  life,  holi- 
ness, beauty  and  comfort  on  earth  ;  but  only  communicated  in  less  measure.  And 
this  vital  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  in  the  saints,  in  this  less  measure  and  small  begin- 
ning, is,  "  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit,  the  earnest  of  the  future  inheritance,  and  the 
first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  as  the  apostle  calls  it,  Rom,  viii.  22,  where,  by  "the 
iirst  fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  the  apostle  undoubtedly  means  the  sameA'ital,  gracious 
principle  that  he  speaks  of  in  all  the  preceding  part  of  the  chapter,  which  he 
calls  Spirit,  and  sets  in  opposition  to  flesh  or  corruption. — Therefore  this  earn- 
est of  the  Spirit,  and  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  which  has  been  shown  to  be  the 
same  with  the  seal  of  the  Spirit,  is  the  vital,  gracious,  sanctifying  communica- 
tion and  influence  of  the  Spirit,  and  not  any  immediate  suggestion  or  revelation 
of  facts  by  the  Spirit.* 

And  indeed  the  apostle,  when  in  that,  Rom.  viii.  16,  he  speaks  of  the  Spi- 
rit's bearing  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  does  suffi- 
ciently explain  himself,  if  his  words  were  but  attended  to.  What  is  here  ex- 
pressed is  connected  with  the  two  preceding  verses,  as  resulting  from  what  the 
apostle  had  said  there,  as  every  reader  may  see.  The  three  verses  together  are 
thus  :  "  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God  : 
for  ye  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear ;  but  ye  have  receiv- 
ed the  spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father  :  the  Spirit  itself  bear- 
eth  witness  with  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  children  of  God."  Here,  wdrat  the 
apostle  says,  if  we  take  il  together,  plainly  shows  that  w^hat  he  has  respect  to, 
when  he  speaks  of  the  Spirit's  giving  us  witness  or  evidence  that  w^e  are  God's 
children,  is  his  dwelling  in  us,  and  leading  us,  as  a  spirit  of  adoption,  or  spirii 
of  a  child,  disposing  us  to  behave  towards  God  as  to  a  Father.  This  is  the  wit- 
ness or  evidence  which  the  apostle  speaks  of  that  we  are  children,  that  we  havC' 
the  spirit  of  children,  or  spirit  of  adoption.  And  what  is  that  but  the  spirit  of 
love  ?  There  are  two  kinds  of  spirits  the  apostle  speaks  of,  the  spirit  of  a  slave^ 
or  the  spirit  of  bondage,  that  is  fear  ;  and  the  spirit  of  a  child,  or  spirit  of  adop- 
tion, and  that  is  love.  The  apostle  says,  we  have  not  received  the  spirit  of 
bondage,  or  of  slaves,  which  is  a  spirit  of  fear ;  but  we  have  received  the  more 
ingenuous  noble  spirit  of  children,  a  spirit  of  love,  which  naturally  disposes  us  to 
go  to  God  as  children  to  a  father,  and  behave  towards  God  as  children.  And 
this  is  the  evidence  or  witness  which  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  us  that  we  are  his 
children.  This  is  the  plain  sense  of  the  apostle ;  and  so  undoubtedly  he  here 
is  speaking  of  the  very  same  Avay  of  casting  out  doubting  and  fear  and  the  spi- 
rit of  bondage,  which  the  Apostle  John  speaks  of,  1  John  iv.  18,  viz.,  by  th(=: 
prevailing  of  love,  that  is  the  spirit  oi"  a  child.  The  spirit  of  bondage  works  by 
fear,  the  slave  fears  the  rod  :  but  love  cries,  Abba,  Father  ;  it  disposes  us  to 
go  to  God,  and  behave  ourselves  towards  God  as  children ;  and  it  gives  us  clear 
evidence  of  our  union  to  God  as  his  children,  and  so  casts  out  fear.  So  that  it 
appears  that  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  the  apostle  speaks  of,  is  far  from  being 
any  whisper,  or  immediate  suggestion  or  revelation  ;  but  that  gracious  holy 
effect  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  the  disposition  and  temper 
of  children,  appearing  in  sw^eet  childlike  love  to  God,  which  casts  out  fear,  or 
a  spirit  of  a  slave. 

*  "  After  a  man  is  in  Christ,  not  to  judge  by  the  work,  is  not  to  judge  by  the  Spirit.  For  the  apostle 
makes  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  to  be  the  seal — Now  earnest  is  part  of  the  money  bargained  for  ;  the 
beginning  uf  heaven,  of  the  light  and  life  of  it.  He  that  sees  not  that  the  Lord,  is  his  by  that,  sees  no 
God  of  his  at  all.  Oh,  therefore,  do  not  If  ok  for  a  Spirit,  without  a  word  to  reveal,  nor  a  word  to  reveal, 
without  seeing  and  feeling  of  some  work  first.  I  thank  the  Lord,  I  do  but  pity  those  that  think  otherwise. 
tf  a  sheep  of  Christ,  Oh,  wonder  not."     ShepanVs  Par.  Part  I.  p.  26. 


REUGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  91 

And  the  same  thing  is  evident  from  all  the  context  :  it  is  plain  the  apostle 
speaks  of  the  Spirit,  over  and  over  aj^ain,  as  dwelling  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints, 
as  a  gracious  principle,  set  in  opposition  to  the  flesli  or  corruption :  and  so  he 
does  in  the  words  that  imnifthati'ly  introduce  this  passage  we  are  upon,  ver.  13, 
"  For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die:  but  if  ye  through  the  Spirit  do 
mortify  the  deeds  of  the  flesh,  ye  shall  live." 

Imleed  it  is  past  doubt  with  me,  that  the  apostle  has  a  more  special  respect 
to  the  spirit  of  grace,  or  the  spirit  of  love,  or  spirit  of  a  child,  in  its  more  lively 
actings ;  lor  it  is  perfect  love,  or  strong  love  only,  which  so  witnesses  or  eviden- 
ces that  we  are  children,  as  to  cast  out  fear,  and  wholly  deliver  from  the  spirit 
of  bondage.  The  strong  and  lively  exercises  of  a  spirit  of  childlike,  evan-  j 
gelical,  humble  love  to  God,  give  clear  evidence  of  the  soul's  relation  to  God  as  ' 
his  child  ;  which  does  very  greatly  and  directly  satisfy  the  soul.  And  though  ' 
it  be  far  from  being  true,  that  the  soul  in  this  case,  judges  only  by  an  immediate 
witness,  without  any  sign  or  evidence ;  for  it  judges  and  is  assured  by  the  great- 
est sign  and  clearest  evidence ;  yet  in  this  case  the  saint  stands  in  no  need  of 
raultijilied  signs,  or  any  long  reasoning  upon  them.  And  though  the  sight  of 
his  relative  union  with  Goil,  and  his  being  in  his  favor,  is  not  without  a  medium, 
because  he  sees  it  by  that  medium,  viz.,  his  l^-ve  ;  yet  his  sight  of  the  union  of 
his  Ueart  to  God  is  immediate  :  love,  the  bond  of  union,  is  seen  intuitively  :  the 
saint  sees  and  feels  plainly  the  union  between  his  soul  and  God ;  it  is  so  strong 
and  lively,  that  he  cannot  doubt  of  it.  And  hence  he  is  assured  that  he  is  a 
child.  How  can  he  doubt  whether  he  stands  in  a  childlike  relation  to  God, 
when  he  plainly  sees  a  childlike  union  between  God  and  his  soul,  and  hence 
does  boldly,  and  as  it  were  naturally  and  necessarily  cry,  Abba,  Father  ? 

And  whereas  the  apostle  says,  the  Spirit  bears  witness  with  our  spirits;  by 
our  spirit  here,  is  meant  our  conscience,  which  is  called  the  spirit  of  man,  Prov. 
XX.  17,  "  The  spirit  of  man  is  the  candle  of  the  Lord,  searching  all  the  inward 
parts  of  the  belly.".  We  elsewhere  read  of  the  witness  of  this  spirit  of  ours: 
2  Cor.  i.  12,  "  For  our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience."  And 
1  John  iii.  19,  20,  21  :  "  And  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and 
shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him.  For  if  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  great- 
er than  our  heart,  and  knowcth  all  things.  Beloved,  if  our  heart  condenm  us 
not,  then  have  we  confidence  towards  God."  When  the  Apostle  Paul  speaks 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  bearing  witness  with  our  spirit,  he  is  not  to  be  understood 
of  two  spirits  that  are  two  separate,  collateral,  independent  witnesses  ;  but  it  is 
by  one  that  we  receive  the  witness  of  the  other :  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  the 
evidence  by  infusing  and  shedding  abroad  the  love  of  God,  the  spirit  of  a  child, 
in  the  heart,  and  our  spirit,  or  our  conscience,  receives  and  declares  this  evi- 
dence for  our  rejoicing. 

Many  have  been  the  mischiefs  that  have  arisen  from  that  false  and  delusive 
notion  of  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  that  it  is  a  kind  of  inward  voice,  suggestion, 
or  declaration  from  God  to  man,  that  he  is  beloved  of  him,  and  pardoned,  elect- 
ed, or  the  like,  sometimes  with,  and  sometimes  without  a  text  of  Scripture ;  and 
many  have  been  the  false  and  vain  (though  very  high)  affections  that  have 
arisen  from  hence.  And  it  is  to  be  feared  that  multitudes  of  souls  have  been 
eternally  undone  by  it.  I  have  therefore  insisted  the  longer  on  this  head.  But 
I  proceed  now  to  a  second  characteristic  of  gracious  affections. 

II.  The  first  objective  ground  of  gracious  aflfections,  is  the  transcendently 
excellent  and  amiable  nature  of  divine  things  as  they  are  themselves;  and  not 
any  conceived  relation  they  bear  to  self,  or  self-interest. 

I  say,  that  the  supremely  excellent  nature  of  divine  things,  is  the  first,  or 


92  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

primary  and  original  objective  foundation  of  the  spiritual  affections  of  tru-e 
saints ;  for  I  do  not  suppose  that  all  relation  which  divine  things  bear  to  them- 
selves, and  their  own  particular  interest^  is  wholly  excluded  from  all  influence  in 
their  gracious  affections.  For  this  may  have,  and  indeed  has,  a  secondary  and 
consequential  influence  in  those  atfections  that  are  truly  holy  and  spiritual,  as  1 
shall  show  how  by  and  by. 

It  was  before  observed  that  the  affection  of  love  is,  as  it  were,  the  fountain 
of  all  affection ;  and  particularly  that  Christian  love  is  the  fountain  of  all  gra- 
cious affections  :  now  the  divine  excellency  and  glory  of  God  and  Jesus  Christ, 
the  word  of  God,  the  works  of  God,  and  the  ways  of  God,  &c.,  is  the  primary 
reason  why  a  true  saint  loves  these  things ;  and  not  any  supposed  interest  that 
he  has  in  them,  or  any  conceived  benefit  that  he  has  received  from  them,  or  shall  re- 
ceive from  thein,  or  any  such  imagined  relation  which  they  bear  to  his  interest,  that 
self-love  can  properly  be  said  to  be  the  first  foundation  of  his  love  to  these  things. 
Some  say  that  all  love  arises  from  self-love ;  and  that  it  is  impossible  in  the 
nature  of  things,  for  any  man  to  have  any  love  to  God,  or  any  other  being,  but 
that  love  to  himself  must  be  the  foundation  of  it.     But  I  humbly  suppose  it  is 
for  want  of  consideration  that  they  say  so.     They  argue,  that  whoever  loves 
God,  and  so  desires  his  glory  or  the  enjoyment  of  him,  he  desires  these  things  as 
his  own  happiness  ;  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  beholding  and  enjoying  his'per- 
fections  are  considered  as  things  agreeable  to  him,  tending  to  maice  him  happy  ; 
he  places  his  happiness  in  them,  and  desires  them  as  things,  which  (if  they 
were  obtained)  would  be  delightful  to  him,  or  Avould  fill  him  with  delight  and 
joy,  and  so  make  him  happy.     And  so,  they  say,  it  is  from  self-love,  or  a  desire 
of  his  own  happiness,  that  he  desires   God  should  be  glorified,  and  desires  to 
behold  and   enjoy  his  glorious  perfections.     But  then  they  ought  to  consider  a 
little  further,  and  inquire  how  the  man  came  to  place  his  happiness  in  God's 
being  glorified,  and  in  contemplating  and  enjoying  God's  perfections. — There 
is  no  doubt  but  that  after  God's  glory,  and  the  beholding  his  perfections,  are 
become  so  agreeable  to  him,  that  he  places  his  highest  happiness  in  these  things, 
then  he  will  desire  them,  as  he  desires  his  own  happiness.    But  how  came  these 
things  to  be  so  agreeable  to  him,  that  he  esteems  it  his  highest  happiness  to 
glorify  God,  &c.  ?     Is  not  this  the  fruit  of  love  ?     A  man  must  first  love  God, 
or  have  his  heart  united  to  him,  before  he  will  esteem  God's  good  his  own,  and 
before  he  will  desire  the  glorifying,  and  enjoying  of  God  as  his  happiness.     It 
is  not  strong  arguing,  that  because   after  a  man  has  his  heart  united  to  God  in 
love,  as  a  fruit  of  this,  he  desires  his  glory  and  enjoyment,  as  his  own  happiness, 
that  therefore  a  desire  of  this  happiness  of  his  own  must  needs  be  the  cause  and 
foundation  of  his  iove ;  unless  it  be  a  strong  arguing,  that  because  a  father  begat 
a  son,  therefore  his  son   certainly  begat  him.     If  after  a  man  loves  God,  and 
has  his  heart  so  united  to  him,  as  to  look  upon  God  as  his  chief  good,  and  on 
God's  good  as  his  own,  it  will  be  a  consequence  and  fruit  of  this,  that  even  self- 
love,  or  love  to  his  own  happiness,  will  cause  him  to  desire  the  glorifying  and 
enjoying  of  God  ;  it  will  not  thence  follow,  that  this  very  exercise  of  self-love, 
went  before  his  love  to  God,  and  that  his  love  to  God  was  a  consequence  and 
fruit  of  that.     Something  else,  entirely  distinct  from  self-love,  might  be  the 
cause  of  this,  viz.,  a  change  made  in  the  views  of  his  mind,  and  relish  of  his 
heart ;  whereby  he  apprehends  a  beauty,  glory,  and  supreme  good,  in   God's 
nature,  as  it  is  in  itself     This  may  be  the  thing  that  first  draws  his  heart  to 
him,  and  causes  his  heart  to  be  united  to  him,  prior  to  all  considerations  of  hia 
own  interest  or  happiness,  although  after  this,  and  as  a  fruit  of  this,  he  necessa- 
rily seeks  his  interest  and  happiness  in  God. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  93 

There  is  such  a  thing  as  a  kind  of  love  or  aflection  that  a  man  may  have  to- 
wards pei-sons  or  things,  which  docs  properly  arise  from  self-love ;  a  precon- 
ceived relation  to  himself,  or  some  respect  already  iniinifested  by  another  to 
him,  or  some  benefit  already  received  or  dependeil  on,  is  titily  the  first  founda- 
lion  of  his  love,  and  what  his  affection  does  wholly  arise  from  ;  and  is  what 
precedes  any  relish  of,  or  delight  in  the  nature  and  qualities  inherent  in  the 
being  beloved,  as  beautiful  and  amiable.  When  the  first  thing  that  draws  a 
man's  benevolence  to  another,  is  the  beholding  those  qualifications  and  jiroper- 
ties  in  him,  which  appear  to  him  lovely  in  themselves;  and  the  subject  ol'  them, 
on  this  a(X'ount,  worthy  of  esteem  and  good  will,  love  arises  in  a  very  diilerent 
manner,  than  when  it  first  arises  from  some  gift  bestowed  by  another  or  de- 
pended Oil  from  him,  as  a  judge  loves  and  favors  a  man  that  has  bribed  him  ; 
or  irom  the  relation  he  supposes  another  has  to  him,  as  a  man  who  loves 
another,  because  he  looks  upon  him  as  his  child.  Wht-n  love  to  another  arises 
thus,  it  docs  truly  and  properly  arise  from  self-love. 

That  kind  of  aflection  to  God  or  Jesus  Christ,  which  does  thus  properly 
arise  from  self-love,  cannot  be  a  truly  gracious  and  spiritual  love,  as  appears 
from  what  has  been  said  already :  for  self-love  is  a  principle  entirely  natural, 
and  as  much  in  the  hearts  of  devils  as  angels ;  and  therefore  surely  nothing  that 
is  the  mere  result  of  it  can  be  supernatural  and  divine,  in  the  nmnner  before  de- 
scribed.* Christ  plainly  speaks  of  this  kind  of  love,  as  what  is  nothing  beyond 
the  love  of  wicked  men :  Luke  vi.  32,  "  If  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what 
thank  have  ye  ?  For  sinners  also  love  those  that  love  them."  And  tlie  devil 
himself  knew  that  that  kind  of  respect  to  God  which  was  so  mercenaiy,  as  to 
be  only  for  benefits  received  or  depended  on  (which  is  all  one),  is  worthless  in 
the  sight  of  God ;  otherwise  he  never  would  have  made  use  of  such  a  slander 
before  God,  against  Job,  as  in  Job  i.  9,  10  :  "  Doth  Job  serve  God  for  nought  'i 
Has  not  thou  made  a  hotlge  about  him,  and  about  his  house,"  &c.  Nor 
would  God  ever  have  implicitly  allowed  the  objection  to  have  been  good,  in 
case  the  accusation  had  been  true,  by  allowing  that  that  matter  should  be  tried, 
and  that  Job  should  be  so  dealt  with,  that  it  might  appear  in  the  event,  whether 
Job's  respect  to  God  was  thus  mercenary  or  no,  and  by  putting  the  proof  of  the 
sincerity  and  goodness  of  his  respect  upon  that  issue. 

It  is  unreasonable  to  think  otherwise,  than  that  the  first  foundation  of  a  true 
love  to  God,  is  that  whereby  he  is  in  himself  lovely,  or  worthy  to  be  loved,  or 
the  supreme  loveliness  o^  his  nature.  This  is  certainly  what  makes  him  chiefly 
amiable.  What  chiefly  makes  a  man,  or  any  creature  lovely,  is  his  excellency  ; 
and  so  what  chiefly  renders  God  lovely,  and  must  undoubtedly  be  the  chief 
ground  of  true  love,  is  his  excellency.  God's  nature,  or  the  divinity,  is  infin- 
itely excellent ;  yea  it  is  infinite  beauty,  brightness,  and  glory  itself.  But  how 
can  that  be  true  love  of  this  excellent  and  lovely  nature,  which  is  not  built  on 
the  foundation  of  its  true  loveliness  1  How  can  that  be  true  love  of  beauty  and 
brightness,  which  is  not  for  beauty  and  brightness'  sake  ?  How  can  that  be  a 
true  prizing  of  that  which  is  in  itself  infinitely  worthy  and  precious,  which  is 
not  for  the  sake  of  its  worthiness  and  preciousness  ?  This  infinite  excellency 
of  the  divine  nature,  as  it  is  in  itself,  is  the  true  ground  of  all  that  is  good  in 
God  in  any  respect ;  but  how  can  a  man  truly  and  rightly  love  God,  without 
loving  him  for  that  excellency  in  him,  which  is  the  foundation  of  all  that  is  in 
any  manner  of  respect  good  or  desirable  in  him  ?  They  whose  affection  to 
God  is  founded  first  on  his  profitableness  to  them,  their  affection  begins  at  the 

•  "  There  is  a  natural  love  to  Chrret,  a.s  to  one  that  doth  thee  good,  and  for  thine  own  ends  ;  and  spir 
i'mal,  for  himself,  whereby  the  Lord  only  is  eacalted."     Hhepard's  Far.  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p  25 


94  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

wrong  end  j  they  regard  God  only  for  the  utmost  limit  o.'^  the  stream  of  divine 
good,  where  it  touches  them,  arid  reaches  their  interest;  and  have  no  respect 
to  that  infinite  glory  of  God's  nature,  which  is  the  original  good,  and  the  true 
fountain  of  all  good,  the  first  fountain  of  all  loveliness  of  every  kind,  and  so  the 
first   foundation  of  all  true  love. 

A  natural  principle  of  self-love  may  be  the  foundation  of  great  affections 
towards  God  and  Christ,  without  seeing  any  thing  of  the  beauty  and  glory  of 
the  divine  nature.  There  is  a  certain  gratitude  that  is  a  mere  natural  thing. 
Gratitude  is  one  of  the  natural  affections  of  the  soul  of  man,  as  well  as  anger; 
and  there  is  a  gratitude  that  arises  from  self-love,  very  much  in  the  same  man- 
ner that  anger  does.  Anger  in  men  is  an  affection  excited  against  anot^ier,  or 
.n  opposition  to  another,  for  something  in  him  that  crosses  self-love  :  gratitude 
is  an  affection  one  has  towards  another,  for  loving  him,  or  gratifying  him,  or 
for  something  in  him  that  suits  self-love.  And  there  may  be  a  kind  of  gratitude, 
without  any  true  or  proper  love  :  as  there  may  be  anger  without  any  proper 
hatred,  as  in  parents  towards  their  children,  that  they  may  be  angry  with,  and 
yet  at  the  same  time  have  a  strong  habitual  love  to  them.  This  gratitude  is 
the  principle  which  is  an  exercise  in  wicked  men,  in  that  which  Christ  declares 
concerning  them,  in  the  6th  of  Luke,  where  he  says,  sinners  love  those  that  love 
them  ;  and  which  he  declares  concerning  even  the  publicans,  who  were  some  of 
the  most  carnal  and  profligate  sort  of  men.  Matt.  v.  46.  This  is  the  very  principle 
that  is  wrought  upon  by  bribery,  in  unjust  judges;  audit  is  a  principle  that 
even  the  brute  beasts  do  exercise ;  a  dog  will  love  his  master  that  is  kind  to 
him.  And  we  see  in  innumerable  instances,  that  mere  nature  is  sufficient  to 
excite  gratitude  in  men,  or  to  atfect  their  hearts  with  thankfulness  to  others  for 
kindnesses  received ;  and  sometimes  towards  them,  whom  at  the  same  time  they 
have  a  habitual  enmity  against.  Thus  Saul  was  once  and  again  greatly  affect- 
ed, and  even  dissolved  with  gratitude  towards  David,  for  sparing  his  life,  and 
yet  remained  a  habitual  enemy  to  him.  And  as  men,  from  mere  nature,  may 
be  thus  affected  towards  men  ;  so  they  may  towards  God.  There  is  nothing 
hinders  but  that  the  same  self-love  may  woi  k  after  the  same  manner  towards  God 
as  towards  men.  And  we  have  manifest  instances  of  it  in  Scripture  ;  as  indeed 
the  children  of  Israel,  who  sang  God's  praises  at  the  Red  Sea,  but  soon  forgat 
God's  works:  and  in  Naaman  the  Syrian,  who  was  greatly  affected  with  the 
miraculous  cure  of  his  leprosy,  so  as  to  have  his  heart  engaged  thenceforward  to 
worship  the  God  that  had  healed  him,  and  him  only,  excepting  when  it  would 
expose  him  to  be  ruined  in  his  temporal  interest.  So  was  Nebuchadnezzar  greatly 
affected  with  God's  goodness  to  him,  in  restoring  him  to  his  reason  and  kingdom, 
after  his  dwelling  with  the  beasts. 

Gratitude  being  thus  a  natural  principle,  it  renders  ingratitude  so  much  the 
more  vile  and  heinous  ;  because  it  shows  a  dreadful  prevalence  of  wickedness, 
when  it  even  overbears  and  suppresses  the  better  principles  of  human  nature : 
as  it  is  mentioned  as  an  evidence  of  the  high  degree  of  the  wickedness  of  many  of 
the  heathen,  that  they  w^ere  without  natural  affection,  Rom.  ii.  31.  But  that  the 
want  of  gratitude,  or  natural  affection,  is  evidence  of  a  high  degree  of  vice,  is 
no  argument  that  all  gratitude  and  natural  affection  has  the  nature  of  virtue, 
or  saving  grace. 

Self-love,  through  the  exercise  of  mere  natural  gratitude,  may  be  the  foun- 
dation of  a  sort  of  love  to  God  many  ways.  A  kind  of  love  may  arise  from  a 
false  notion  of  God,  that  men  have  been  eiucated  in,  or  have  some  way  im- 
bibed ;  as  though  he  were  only  goodness  and  mercy,  and  not  revenging  justice  ; 
or  as  though  the  exercises  of  his  goodness  were  necessary,  and  not  free  and 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  96 

sovereign ;  or  as  though  liis  goodness  were  dependent  on  what  is  in  them,  and 
as  it  were  constrained  by  them.  Men  on  such  grounds  as  these,  may  love  a  God 
ot"  their  own  forming  in  their  imaginations,  when  they  are  far  from  loving  such 
a  God  as  reigns  in  heaven. 

Again,  self-love  may  be  the  foundation  of  an  affection  in  men  towards  God, 
through  a  great  insensibility  of  their  slate  with  regard  to  God,  and  lor  want  of 
conviction  of  conscience  to  make  them  sensible  how  dreadfully  they  have  provok- 
ed God  to  anger  ;  tiiey  have  no  sense  of  the  heinousness  of  sin,  as  against  God, 
and  of  the  infinite  and  terrible  opposition  of  the  holy  nature  of  God  against  it : 
and  so,  having  formed  in  their  minds  sucli  a  (Jod  as  suits  them,  and  thinking 
God  to  be  such  a  one  as  themselves,  who  favors  and  agrees  with  them,  they 
may  like  him  very  well,  and  feel  a  sort  of  love  to  him,  when  they  are  far  from 
loving  the  true  God.  And  men's  afTections  may  be  much  moved  towards  God, 
from  self-love,  by  some  remarkable  outward  benefits  received  from  God;  as  it 
was  with  Naaman,  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  the  children  of  Israel  at  the  Red  Sea. 

Again,  a  very  high  affection  towards  God  may,  and  often  docs,  arise  in 
men,  from  an  opinion  of  the  favor  and  love  of  God  to  them,  as  the  first  founda^ 
tion  of  their  love  to  him.  After  awakenings  and  distress,  through  fears  of  hell, 
they  may  suddenly  get  a  notion,  through  some  impression  on  their  imagination, 
or  immediate  suggestion  with  or  without  texts  of  Scripture,  or  by  some  other 
means,  that  God  loves  them,  and  has  forgiven  their  sins,  and  made  them  his 
children  ;  and  this  is  the  first  thing  that  causes  their  affections  to  flow  towards 
God  and  Jesus  Christ :  and  then  after  this,  and  upon  this  foundation,  many 
things  in  God  may  appear  lovely  to  them,  and  Christ  may  seem  excellent.  And 
if  such  persons  are  asked,  whether  God  apjiears  lovely  and  amiable  in  himself, 
they  would  perhaps  readily  answer,  yes  ;  when  indeed,  if  the  matter  be  strict- 
ly examined,  this  good  opinion  of  God  was  purchased  and  paid  for  before  ever 
they  afforded  it,  in  the  distinguishing  and  infinite  benefits  they  imagined  they 
received  from  God :  and  they  allow  God  to  be  lovely  in  himself,  no  otherwise 
than  that  he  has  forgiven  them,  and  accepted  them,  and  loves  them  above  most 
in  the  world,  and  has  engaged  to  improve  all  his  infinite  power  and  wisdom  in 
preferring,  dignifying,  and  exalting  them,  and  will  do  for  them  just  as  they 
would  have  him.  When  once  they  are  firm  in  this  apprehension,  it  is  easy  to 
own  God  and  Christ  to  be  lovely  and  glorious,  and  to  admire  and  extol  them. 
It  is  easy  for  them  to  own  Christ  to  be  a  lovely  person,  and  the  best  in  the 
world,  when  they  are  first  firm  in  it,  that  he,  though  Lord  of  the  universe,  is 
captivated  with  love  to  them,  and  has  his  heart  swallowed  up  in  them,  and 
prizes  them  far  beyond  most  of  their  neighbors,  and  loved  them  from  eternit}-, 
and  died  for  them,  and  will  make  them  reign  in  eternal  glory  with  him  in  hea- 
ven. When  this  is  the  case  with  carnal  men,  their  very  lusts  will  make  him 
seem  lovely :  pride  itself  will  prejudice  them  in  favor  of  that  which  they  call 
Christ :  selfish,  proud  man  naturally  calls  that  lovely  that  greatly  contributes 
to  his  interest,  and  gratifies  his  ambition. 

And  as  this  sort  of  persons  bej^in,  so  they  go  on.  Their  aflTections  are 
raised  from  time  to  time,  primarily  on  this  foundation  of  self-love  and  a  conceit 
of  God's  love  to  them.  Many  have  a  false  notion  of  communion  with  God,  as 
though  it  were  carried  on  by  impulses,  and  whispers,  and  external  representa- 
tions, immediately  made  to  their  imaginvition.  These  things  they  often  have; 
which  they  take  to  be  manifestations  of  God's  great  love  to  them,  and  eviden- 
ces of  their  high  exaltation  above  others  of  mankind  ;  and  so  their  af^iections 
are  often  renewedly  set  agoing. 

Whereas  the  exercises  of  true  and  holy  love  in  .:he  saints  arise  in  anothei 


96  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  ] 

way.  They  do  not  first  see  that  God  loves  them,  and  then  see  that  he  is  love- 
ly, but  they  first  see  that  God  is  lovely,  and  that  Christ  is  excellent  and  glorious, 
and  their  hearts  are  first  captivated  with  this  view,  and  the  exercises  of  their 
love  are  wont  from  time  to  time  to  begin  here,  and  to  arise  primarily  from  these 
views  ;  and  then,  consequentially,  they  see  God's  love,  and  great  favor  to 
them.*  The  saint's  affections  begin  with  God  ;  and  self-love  has  a  hand  in 
these  affections  consequentially,  and  secondarily  only.  On  the  contrary,  those 
false  atlections  begin  with  self,  and  an  acknowledgment  of  an  excellency  in 
God,  and  an  aifectedness  with  it,  is  only  consequential  and  dependent.  In  the 
love  of  the  true  saint  God  is  the  lowest  foundation  ;  the  love  of  the  excellency 
of  his  nature  is  the  foundation  of  all  the  affections  which  come  afterwards, 
wherein  self-love  is  concerned  as  a  handmaid  :  on  the  contrary,  the  hypocrite 
lays  himself  at  the  bottom  of  all,  as  the  first  foundation,  and  lays  on  God  as  the 
superstructure  ;  and  even  his  acknowledgment  of  God's  glory  itself  depends  on 
his  regai'd  to  his  private  interest. 

Self-love  may  not  only  influence  men,  so  as  to  cause  them  to  be  affected 
with  God's  kindness  to  them  separately  ;  but  also  with  God's  kindness  to  them 
as  parts  of  a  community  :  as  a  natural  principle  of  self-love,  without  any  other 
principle,  may  be  sufficient  to  make  a  man  concerned  for  the  interest  of  the 
nation  to  which  he  belongs  :  as  for  instance,  in  the  present  war,  self-love  may 
make  natural  men  rejoice  at  the  successes  of  our  nation,  and  sorry  for  their  dis- 
advantages, they  being  concerned  as  members  of  the  body.  So  the  same  natu- 
ral principle  may  extend  further,  and  even  to  the  world  of  mankind,  and  might 
be  affected  with  the  benefits  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  have,  beyond  those  of 
the  inhabitants  of  other  planets,  if  we  knev*^  that  such  there  were,  and  how  it 
was  with  them.  So  this  principle  may  cause  men  to  be  affected  with  the  bene- 
fits that  mankind  have  received  beyond  the  fallen  angels.  And  hence  men, 
from  this  principle,  may  be  much  affected  with  the  wonderful  goodness  of  God 
to  mankind,  his  great  goodness  in  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  fallen  m^in,  and  the 
marvellous  love  of  Christ  in  suffering  such  great  things  for  us,  and  with  the  great 
glory  they  hear  God  has  provided  in  heaven  for  us  ;  looking  on  themselves  as 
persons  concerned  and  interested,  as  being  some  of  this  species  of  creatures  so 
highly  favored :  the  same  principle  of  natural  gratitude  may  influence  men  here, 
as  in  the  case  of  personal  benefits. 

But  these  things  that  1  have  said  do  by  no  means  imply,  that  all  gratitude 
to  God  is  a  mere  natural  thing,  and  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  spiritual 
gratitude,  which  is  a  holy  and  divine  affection  :  they  imply  no  more,  than  that 
there  is  a  gratitude  which  is  merely  natural,  and  that  when  persons  have  affec- 
tions towards  God  only  or  primarily  for  benefits  received,  their  affection  is  only 
the  exercise  of  a  natural  gratitude.  There  is  doubtless  such  a  thing  as  a  gra- 
cious gratitude,  which  does  greatly  differ  from  all  that  gratitude  which  natural 
men  experience.     It  differs  in  the  following  respects : 

1.  True  gratitude  or  thankfulness  to  God  for  his  kindness  to  us,  arises  from 
a  foundation' laid  before,  of  love  to  God  for  what  he  is  in  himself;  whereas  a 
natural  gratitude  has  no  such  antecedent  foundation.  The  gracious  stirrings  of 
grateful  affection  to  God,  for  kindness  received,  always  are  from  a  stock  of  love 
already  in  the  heart,  established  in  the  first  place  on  other  grounds,  viz.,  God's 
own  excellency  ;  and  hence  the  affections  are  disposed  to  flow  out  on  occasions 
of  God's  kindness.     The  saint,  having  seen  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  heart 

♦  "  There  is  a  seeing  of  Christ  after  a  man  believes,  wliich  is  Christ  in  his  love,  &c.  But  I  speak 
of  that  first  sight  of  him  that  precedes  the  second  act  of  faith  ;  and  it  is  an  intuitive,  or  real  sight  of  hira 
as  he  is  in  his  glory."     SheparcTs  Par.  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  74. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  97 

being  overcome  by  it,  and  captivated  Avilh  love  to  him  on  that  account,  his 
heart  hereby  becomes  tender,  and  easily  affected  v.itii  kindnesses  received.  If  a 
man  has  no  love  to  another,  yet  gratitude  may  be  moved  by  some  extraordinary 
kindness  ;  as  in  Saul  towanls  David  :  but  this  is  not  the  same  kind  of  thing,  as 
a  man's  gratitude  to  a  dear  friend,  that  his  heart  was  before  possessed  with  a 
liigh  esteem  of,  and  love  to  ;  whose  heart  by  this  means  became  tender  towards 
him,  and  more  easily  afl'ccted  with  gratitude,  and  afHscled  in  another  manner. 
Self-love  is  not  excluded  from  a  gracious  gratitude  ;  the  saints  love  God  for  his 
kindness  to  them  :  Psal.  cxvi.  1,  "  I  love  the  Lord,  because  he  hath  heard  the 
voice  of  my  supplication."  But  something  else  is  included  ;  and  another  love 
prepares  the  way,  and  lays  the  foundation  for  these  grateful  afl'ections. 

2.  In  a  gracious  gratitude  men  are  aflected  with  the  attribute  of  God's  good- 
ness and  free  grace,  not  only  as  they  are  concerned  in  it,  or  as  it  aflects  their 
interest,  but  as  a  part  of  the  gloiy  and  beauty  of  God's  nature.  Tliat  wonder- 
ful and  unparalleled  grace  of  God,  which  is  manifested  in  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, and  shines  forth  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  infinitely  glorious  in  itself, 
and  appears  so  to  the  angels ;  it  is  a  great  part  of  the  moral  perfection  and 
beauty  of  God's  nature.  This  would  be  glorious,  whether  it  weie  exercised 
towards  us  or  no ;  and  the  saint  who  exercises  a  gracious  thankfulness  for  it, 
sees  it  to  be  so,  and  delights  in  it  as  such  :  though  his  concern  in  it  serves  the 
more  to  engage  his  mind  and  raise  the  attention  and  affection  ;  and  self-love 
here  assists  as  a  handmaid,  being  subservient  to  higher  principles,  to  lead  forth 
the  mind  to  the  view  and  contemplation,  and  engage  and  fix  the  attention,  and 
heighten  the  joy  and  love. — God's  kindness  to  them  is  a  glass  that  God  sets 
before  them,  wherein  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  attribute  of  God's  goodness  : 
the  exercises  and  displays  of  this  attribute,  by  this  means,  are  brought  near  to 
them,  and  set  right  before  them.  So  that  in  a  holy  thankfulness  to  God,  the 
concern  our  interest  has  in  God's  goodness,  is  not  the  first  foundation  of  our 
being  affected  with  it ;  that  w^as  laid  in  the  heart  before,  in  that  stock  of  love 
■which  was  to  God,  for  his  excellency  in  himself,  that  makes  the  heart  tender 
and  susceptive  of  such  impressions  from  his  goodness  to  us.  Nor  is  our  own 
interest,  or  the  benefits  we  have  received,  the  only,  or  the  chief  objective  ground 
of  the  present  exercises  of  the  affection,  but  God's  goodness,  as  part  of  the 
beauty  of  his  nature  ;  although  the  manifestations  of  that  lovely  attribute,  set 
immediately  before  our  eyes,  in  the  exercises  of  it  for  us,  be  the  special  occasion 
of  the  mind's  attention  to  that  beauty,  at  that  time,  and  serves  to  fix  the  attention, 
and  heighten  the  affection. 

Some  may  perhaps  be  ready  to  object  against  the  whole  that  has  been  said, 
that  text,  1  John  iv.  19  :  "  We  love  him,  because  he  first  loved  us,"  as  though 
this  implied  that  God's  love  to  the  true  saints  were  the  first  foundation  of  their 
love  to  him. 

In  answer  to  this,  I  would  observe,  that  the  apostle's  drift  in  these  words,  is 
to  magnify  the  love  of  God  to  us  from  hence,  that  he  loved  us,  while  we  had 
no  love  to  him ;  as  will  be  manifest  to  any  one  who  compares  this  verse  and  the 
two  following  with  the  9th,  lOth,  and  11th  verses.  And  that  God  loved  us, 
when  we  had  no  love  to  him,  the  apostle  proves  by  this  argument,  that  God's 
love  to  the  elect  is  the  ground  of  their  love  to  him.  And  that  it  is  three  ways. — 
L  The  saints'  love  to  God  is  the  fruit  of  God's  love  to  them,  as  it  -is  the 
gift  of  that  love.  God  gave  them  a  spirit  of  love  to  him,  because  he  loved 
them  from  eternity.  And  in  this  respect  God's  love  to  his  elect  is  the  first 
foundation  of  their  love  to  him,  as  it  is  the  foundation  of  their  regeneration, 
and  the   whole  of  their  redemption.     2.  The   exercises  and  discoveries  that 

Vol.   III.  13 


98  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

God  has  made  of  his  wonderful  love  to  sinful  raen,  by  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  work 
of  redemption,  is  one  of  the  chief  manifestations,  which  God  has  made  of  the 
glory  of  his  moral  perfection,  to  both  angels  and  men  ;  and  so  is  one  main  ob- 
jective ground  of  the  love  of  both  to  God  ;  in  a  good  consistence  with  what  was 
said  before.  3.  God's  love  to  a  particular  elect  person,  discovered  by  his  co-n- 
version,  is  a  great  manifestation  of  God's  moral  perfection  and  glory  to  him,  and 
a  proper  occasion  of  the  excitation  of  the  love  of  holy  gratitude,  agreeable  to 
what  was  before  said.  And  that  the  saints  do  in  these  respects  love  God,  because 
he  first  loved  them,  fully  answers  the  design  of  the  apostle's  argument  in  that 
place.  So  that  no  good  argument  can  be  drawn  from  hence,  against  a  spiritual 
and  gracious  love  in  the  saints,  arising  primarily  from  the  excellency  of  divine 
things,  as  they  are  in  themselves,  and  not  from  any  conceived  relation  they  bear 
to  their  interest. 

And  as  it  is  with  the  love  of  the  saints,  so  it  is  with  their  joy,  and  spiritual 
dehght  and  pleasure  :  the  first  foundation  of  it  is  not  any  consideration  or  con- 
ception of  their  interest  in  divine  things ;  but  it  primarily  consists  in  the  sweet 
entertainment  their  minds  have  in  the  view  or  contemplation  of  the  divine  and 
holy  beauty  of  these  things,  as  they  are  in  themselves.  And  this  is  indeed  the 
very  main  difference  between  the  joy  of  the  hypocrite,  and  the  joy  of  the  true 
saint.  The  former  rejoices  in  himself;  self  is  the  first  foundation  of  his  joy  : 
the  latter  rejoices  in  God.  The  hypocrite  has  his  mind  pleased  and  delighted, 
in  the  first  place,  with  his  own  privilege,  and  the  happiness  which  he  supposes 
he  has  attained  to,  or  shall  attain  to.  True  saints  have  their  minds,  in  the  first 
place,  inexpressibly  pleased  and  delighted  with  the  sweet  ideas  of  the  glorious  and 
amiable  nature  of  the  things  of  God.  And  this  is  the  spring  of  all  their  delights, 
and  the  cream  of  all  their  pleasures  :  it  is  the  joy  of  their  joy.  This  sweet  and 
ravishing  entertainment  they  have  in  the  view  of  the  beautiful  and  dehghtfiil  na- 
ture of  divine  things,  is  the  foundation  of  the  joy  that  they  have  afterwards,  in  the 
consideration  of  their  being  theirs.  But  the  dependence  of  the  affections  of  hypo- 
crites is  in  a  contrary  order :  they  first  rejoice  and  are  elevated  with  it,  that  they 
are  made  so  much  of  by  God  ;  and  then  on  that  ground  he  seems,  in  a  sort,  lovely 
to  them. 

The  first  foundation  of  the  delight  a  true  saint  has  in  God,  is  his  own  per- 
fection ;  and  the  first  foundation  of  the  delight  he  has  in  Christ,  is  his  own 
beauty ;  he  appears  in  himself  the  chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether 
lovely.  The  way  of  salvation  by  Christ  is  a  delightful  way  to  him,  for  the 
sweet  and  admirable  manifestations  of  the  divine  perfections  in  it :  the  holy  doc- 
trines of  the  gospel,  by  which  God  is  exalted  and  man  abased,  holiness  honored 
and  promoted,  and  sin  greatly  disgraced  and  discouraged,  and  free  and  sove- 
reign love  manifested,  are  glorious  doctrines  in  his  eyes,  and  sweet  to  his  taste, 
prior  to  any  conception  of  his  interest  in  these  things.  Indeed  the  saints  rejoice 
jin  their  interest  in  God,  and  that  Christ  is  theirs :  and  so  they  have  great  reason , 
but  this  is  not  the  first  spring  of  their  joy.  They  first  rejoice  in  God  as  glorious 
and  excellent  in  himself,  and  then  secondarily  rejoice  in  it,  that  so  glorious  a 
God  is  theirs. — They  first  have  their  hearts  filled  with  sweetness,  from  the  view 
of  Christ's  excellency,  and  the  excellency  of  his  grace  and  the  beauty  of  the 
way  of  salvation  by  him,  and  then  they  have  a  secondaiy  joy  in  that  so  excel- 
lent a  Saviour,  and  such  excellent  grace  are  theirs.*  But  that  which  is  the 
true  saint's  superstructure  is  the  hypocrite's  foundation.     When  they  hear  of  the 

*  Dr.  Owen,  on  the  Spirit,  p.  199,  speaking  of  a  common  work  of  the  Spirit,  says  :  "  Tlie  effects  of 
this  work  on  the  mind,  which  is  the  first  subject  affected  with  it,  proceeds  not  so  far  as  to  give  delight, 
eomplacency  and  satisfaction,  in  th)  lovely  spiritual  nature  and  excellency  of  the  tilings  revealed  unto  it. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  99 

wonderful  things  of  tlic  gospel,  of  God's  great  love  in  sending  his  Son,  of  Christ's 
dying  love  to  sinners,  and  the  great  things  Clirist  has  purcliased  and  promised 
to  the  saints,  and  hear  these  things  livehiy  and  eloquently  set  forth  ;  they  may 
hear  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure,  and  be  lifted  up  with  what  they  hear;  but 
if  their  joy  be  examined,  it  will  be  found  to  have  no  other  foundation  than  this, 
that  they  look  upon  these  things  as  theirs,  all  this  exalts  them,  they  love  to  hear 
of  the  great  love  of  Christ,  so  vastly  distinguishing  some  from  others  ;  lor  self- 
love,  and  even  pride  itself  makes  tlieni  affect  great  distinction  from  others.  No 
wonder,  in  this  confident  opinion  of  their  own  good  estate,  that  they  feel  well 
under  such  doctrine,  and  are  pleased  in  the  highest  degree,  in  hearing  how  much 
God  and  Christ  makes  of  them.  So  that  their  joy  is  really  a  joy  in  themselves, 
and  not  in  God. 

And  because  the  joy  of  hypocrites  is  in  themselves,  hence  it  comes  to  pass 
that  in  their  rejoicings  and  elevations,  they  are  wont  to  keep  their  eye  upon 
themselves  :  having  received  what  they  call  spiritual  discoveries  or  experiences, 
their  minds  are  taken  up  about  them,  admiring  their  own  experiences ;  and 
what  they  are  principally  taken  and  elevated  with,  is  not  the  glory  of  God,  or 
beauty  of  Christ,  but  the  beauty  of  their  experiences.  They  keep  thinking  with 
themselves,  What  a  good  experience  is  this !  What  a  great  discovery  is  this  ! 
What  wonderful  things  have  I  met  with  I  And  so  they  put  their  experiences  in 
the  place  of  Christ,  and  his  beauty  and  fulness;  and  instead  of  rejoicing  in  Christ 
Jesus,  they  rejoice  in  their  admirable  experiences  ;  instead  of  feeding  and  feasting 
their  souls  in  the  view  of  wliat  is  without  them,  viz.,  the  innate,  sweet  refresh- 
ing amiableness  of  the  things  exhibited  in  the  gospel,  their  eyes  are  off  from 
these  things,  or  at  least  they  view  them  only  as  it  were  sideways ;  but  the  object 
that  fixes  their  contemplation,  is  their  experience ;  and  they  arc  feeding  their 
souls,  and  feasting  a  selfish  principle,  with  a  view  of  their  discoveries  :  they 
take  more  comfort  in  their  discoveries  than  in  Christ  discovered,  which  is  the 
true  notion  of  living  upon  experiences  and  frames,  and  not  a  using  experiences 
as  the  signs  on  which  they  rely  for  evidence  of  their  good  estate,  which  some  call 
living  on  experiences ;  though  it  be  veiy  observable,  that  some  of  them  who  do 
so  are  most  notorious  for  living  upon  experiences,  according  to  the  true  notion  of  it. 

The  affections  of  hypocrites  are  very  often  after  this  manner  ;  they  are  fii-st 
much  affected  with  some  impression  on  their  imagination,  or  some  impulse  which 
they  take  to  be  an  immediate  suggestion  or  testimony  from  God  of  his  love  and 
their  happiness,  and  high  privileges  in  some  respect,  either  with  or  without  a 
text  of  Scripture ;  they  are  mightily  taken  w-ith  this  as  a  great  discovery,  and 
hence  arise  high  affections.  And  when  their  affections  are  raised,  then  they 
view  those  high  affections,  and  call  them  great  and  wonderful  experiences ;  and 
they  have  a  notion  that  God  is  greatly  pleased  with  those  affections  ;  and  this 
affects  them  more  ;  and  so  they  are  affected  with  their  affections.  And  thus 
their  affections  rise  higher  and  higher,  until  they  sometimes  are  perfectly  swal- 
lowed up  :  and  sell-conceit,  and  a  fierce  zeal  rises  withal ;  and  all  is  built  like 
:i  castle  in  the  air,  on  no  other  foundation  but  imagination,  self-love,  and  pride. 
And  as  the  thoughts  of  this  sort  of  persons  are,  so  is  their  talk  ;  for  out  of 
the  abundance  of  their  heart  their  mouth  speaketh.  As  in  their  high  affections 
they  keep  their  eye  upon  the  beauty  of  their  experiences,  and  greatness  of  their 
rtttainments ;  so  they  are  great  talkers  about  themselves. — The  true  saint,  when 
under  great  spiritual  affections,  from  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  is  ready  to  be 

The  true  nature  ol  saving  illumination  consists  in  this,  that  it  aives  the  mind  such  a  direct  intuitive  it: 
sight  and  prospect  into  spiritual  things,  as  that  in  their  own  spiritual  nature  they  suit,  please,  and  satisly 
ix  ;  so  that  it  is  transformed  into  them,  cast  into  the  mould  of  iheia,  and  rests  in  them." 


100  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

speakinsr  much  of  God,  and  his  glorious  perfections  and  works,  and  of  Ih?^ 
beauty  and  amiableness  of  Christ,  and  the  glorious  things  of  the  gospel :  but 
hypocrites,  in  their  high  affections,  talk  more  of  the  discovery,  than  they  do  of 
the  thing  discovered  ;  they  are  full  of  talk  about  the  great  things  they  have 
met  with,  the  wonderful  discoveries  they  have  had,  how  sure  they  are  of  the 
love  of  God  to  them,  how  safe  their  condition  is,  and  how  they  know  they  shall 
go  to  heaven,  &c. 

A  true  saint,  when  in  the  enjoyment  of  true  discoveries  of  the  sweet  glor}' 
of  God  and  Christ,  has  his  mind  too  much  captivated  and  engaged  by  what  he 
views  without  himself,  to  stand  at  that  time  to  view  himself,  and  his  ov/n  attain- 
ments :  it  would  be  a  diversion  and  loss  which  he  could  not  bear,  to  take  his 
eye  off  from  the  ravishing  object  of  his  contemplation,  to  survey  his  own 
experience,  and  to  spend  time  in  thinking  with  himself,  what  a  high  attainment 
this  is,  and  what  a  good  story  I  now  have  to  tell  others.  Nor  does  the  pleasure 
and  sweetness  of  his  mind  at  that  time  chiefly  arise  from  the  considei-ation  of 
the  safety  of  his  state,  or  any  thing  he  has  in  view  of  his  own  quahiications,  ex- 
periences, or  circumstances ;  but  irom  the  divine  and  supreme  beauty  of  what 
is  the  object  of  his  direct  view,  without  himself;  which  sweetly  entertahis,  and 
strongly  holds  his  mind. 

As  the  love  and  joy  of  hypocrites  are  all  from  the  source  of  self-love ;  so 
it  is  with  their  other  affections,  their  sorrov/  for  sin,  their  humiliation  and  sub- 
mission, their  religious  desires  and  zeal :  every  thing  is,  as  it  wei-e,  paid  for 
beforehand,  in  God's  highly  gratifying  their  self-love,  and  their  lusts,  by  making 
so  much  of  them,  and  exalting  them  so  highly,  as  things  are  in  their  imagination. 
It  is  easy  for  nature,  as  corrupt  as  it  is,  under  a  notion  of  being  already  some 
of  the  highest  favorites  of  heaven,  and  having-  a  God  who  does  so  protect  them 
and  favor  them  in  their  sins,  to  love  this  imaginary  God  that  suits  them  so  well, 
and  to  extol  him,  and  submit  to  him,  and  to  be  fierce  and  zealous  for  him.  The 
high  affections  of  many  are  all  built  on  the  supposition  of  their  being  eminent 
samts.  If  that  opinion  which  they  have  of  themselves  M'ere  taken  away,  if  they 
thouo-ht  they  were  some  of  the  lower  form  of  saints  (though  thev  should  yet 
suppose  themselves  to  be  real  saints),  their  high  affections  Avould  fall  to  the 
ground.  If  they  only  saw  a  little  of  the  sinfulness  and  vileness  of  their  own 
hearts,  and  their  deformity,  in  the  midst  of  their  best  duties  and  their  best  af- 
fections, it  Vv-ould  knock  their  affections  on  the  head  ;  because  their  affections 
are  built  upon  self,  therefore  self-knowledge  would  destroy  them.  But  as  to 
truly  gracious  affections,  they  are  built  elsewhere ;  they  have  their  foundation 
out  of  self  in  God  and  Jesus  Christ ;  and  therefore  a  discovery  of  themselves,  of 
their  own  deformity,  and  the  meanness  of  their  experiences,  though  it  will  purify 
their  affections,  yet  it  will  not  destroy  them,  but  in  some  respects  sweeten  and 
heighten  them. 

III.  Those  affections  that  are  truly  holy,  are  primarily  founded  on  the  love- 
hness  of  the  moral  excellency  of  divine  things.  Or  (to  express  it  otherwise)  a 
love  to  divine  things  for  the  beauty  and  sweetness  of  their  moral  excellency,  is 
the  first  beginning  and  spring  of  all  holy  affections. 

Here,  for  the  sake  of  the  more  illiterate  reader,  I  will  explain  what  I  mean 
by  the  moral  excellency  of  divine  things. 

And  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  word  moral  is  not  to  be  understood  here, 
according  to  the  common  and  vulgar  acceptation  of  the  word,  when  men  speak 
of  morality,  and  a  moral  behavior  ;  meaning  an  outward  conformity  to  the  duties 
of  the  moral  law,  and  especially  the  duties  of  the  second  table  ;  or  intending 
no  more  at  farthest,  than  such  seeming  virtues,  as  proceed  from  natural  princi- 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  101 

pics,  in  opposition  to  those  virtues  that  are  more  inward,  spiritual,  and  divine  j 
as  the  honesty,  justice,  c;enerosity,  good  nature,  and  public  spirit  of  many  of  the 
heathen  are  called  moral  virtues,  in  distinction  from  the  holy  faith,  love,  humility, 
and  hcavenly-mindedncss  of  true  Christians :  I  say,  the  \vord  moral  is  not  to  be 
understood  thus  in  this  place. 

But  in  order  to  a  right  understanding  what  is  meant,  it  must  be  observed, 
ihat  divines  commonly  mal<c  a  distinction  between  moral  good  and  evil,  and 
natural  good  and  evil.  By  moral  evil,  they  mean  the  evil  of  sin,  or  that  evil 
which  is  against  duly,  and  contrary  lo  what  is  right  and  ought  to  be.  By  natural 
evil,  they  do  not  mean  that  evil  which  is  properly  opposed  to  duty;  but  that 
which  is  contrary  to- mere  nature,  without  any  respect  to  a  rule  of  duty.  So  the 
evil  of  snllering  is  called  natural  evil,  such  as  pain  and  torment,  disgrace,  and 
the  like  :  these  things  are  contrary  to  mere  nature,  contrary  to  the  nature  of 
both  bad  and  good,  hateful  to  wicked  men  and  devils,  as  well  as  good  men  and 
angels.  So  likewise  natural  defects  are  called  natural  evils,  as  if  a  child  be 
monstrous,  or  a  natural  fool ;  these  are  natural  evils,  but  are  not  moral  evils,  be- 
cause they  have  not  properly  the  natme  of  the  evil  of  sin.  On  the  other  hand, 
as  by  moral  evil,  divines  mean  the  evil  of  sin,  or  that  which  is  contrary  to  what 
is  right ;  so  by  moral  good,  they  mean  that  which  is  contrary  to  sin,  or  that 
good  in  beings  v.ho  have  will  and  choice,  whereby,  as  voluntaiy  agents,  they 
are,  and  act,  as  it  becomes  them  lo  be  and  to  act,  or  so  as  is  most  fit,  and  suitable, 
and  lovely.  By  natural  good,  they  mean  that  good  that  is  entirely  of  a  different 
kind  Irom  holiness  or  virtue,  viz.,  that  which  perfects  or  suits  nature,  considering 
nature  abstractly  from  any  holy  or  unholy  qualifications,  and  without  any  relation 
to  any  rule  or  measure  of  right  and  wrong. 

Thus  pleasure  is  a  natural  good  ;  so  is  honor,  so  is  strength  ;  so  is  specula- 
tive knowledge,  human  learning,  and  j'-olicy. — Thus  there  is  a  distinction  to  be 
made  between  the  natural  good  that  men  are  possessed  of,  and  their  moral  good  ; 
and  also  between  the  natural  and  moral  good  of  the  angels  in  heaven:  the  great 
capacity  of  their  understandings,  and  their  great  strength,  and  the  honorable 
circumstances  they  are  in  as  the  great  ministers  of  God's  kingdom,  whence  they 
are  called  thrones,  dominions,  principalities,  and  powers,  is  the  natural  good 
which  they  are  possessed  of ;  but  their  perfect  and  glorious  holiness  and  goodness, 
their  pure  and  flaming  love  to  God,  and  to  the  saints  and  to  one  another,  is  their 
moral  good.  So  divines  make  a  distinction  between  the  natural  and  moral 
perfections  of  God  :  by  the  moral  perfections  of  God,  they  mean  those  attributes 
which  God  exercises  as  a  moral  agent,  or  whereby  the  heart  and  will  of  God 
are  good,  right,  and  infinite!)  becoming  and  lovely  ;  such  as  his  righteousness, 
truth,  faithfulness,  and  goodness;  or,  in  one  word,  his  holiness.  By  God's 
natural  attributes  or  perfections,  they  mean  those  attributes,  wherein,  according 
to  our  way  of  conceiving  of  God,  consists,  not  the  holiness  or  moral  goodness  of 
God,  but  his  greatness;  such  as  his  ])ower,  his  knowledge,  whereby  he  knows 
all  things,  and  his  being  eternal,  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  his  omnipre- 
sence, and  his  awful  and  terrible  majesty. 

The  moral  excellency  of  an  intelligent  voluntary  being  is  more  immediately 
seated  in  the  heart  or  will  of  moral  agents.  That  intelligent  being,  whose  will 
is  truly  riglit  and  lovely,  is  morally  good  or  excellent. 

This  moral  excellency  of  an  intelligent  being,  when  it  is  true  and  real,  and 
not  only  external,  or  merely  seeming  and  counterfeit,  is  holiness.  Therefore  ho- 
liness comprehends  all  the  true  moral  excellency  of  intelligent  beings  :  there  is 
no  other  true  virtue,  but  real  holiness.  Holiness  comprehends  all  the  true  vir- 
tue of  a  good  man,  his  love  to  (Jod,  his  gracious  love  to  men,  his  justice,  his 


102  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

charity,  and  bowels  of  mercies,  his  gracious  meekness  and  gentleness,  and  all 
other  true  Christian  virtues  that  he  has,  belong  to  his  holiness.  So  the  holiness 
of  God  in  the  more  extensive  sense  of  the  word,  and  the  sense  in  which  the 
word  is  commonly,  if  not  universally  used  concerning  God  in  Scripture,  is  the 
same  with  the  moral  excellency  of  the  divine  nature,  or  his  purity  and  beauty 
as  a  moral  agent,  comprehending  all  his  moral  perfections,  his  righteousness, 
faithfulness,  and  goodness.  As  in  holy  men,  their  charity.  Christian  kindness 
and  mercy,  belong  to  their  hoUness  ;  so  the  kindness  and  mercy  of  God  belong 
to  his  holiness.  Holiness  in  man  is  but  the  image  of  God's  holiness  ;  there  are 
not  more  virtues  belonging  to  the  image  ihan  are  in  the  original :  derived  holi- 
ness has  not  more  in  it  than  is  in  that  underived  hohness  which  is  its  fountain  : 
there  is  no  more  than  grace  for  grace,  or  grace  in  the  image,  answerable  to 
grace  in  the  original. 

As  there  are  two  kinds  of  attributes  in  God,  according  to  our  way  of  con- 
ceiving of  him,  his  moral  attributes,  which  arc  summed  up  in  his  holiness,  and 
his  natural  attributes  of  strength,  knowledge,  &c.,  that  constitute  the  greatness 
of  God  ;  so  there  is  a  twofold  image  of  God  in  man,  his  moral  or  spiritual  image, 
which  is  his  holiness,  that  is  the  image  of  God's  moral  excellency  (M'hich  image 
was  lost  by  the  fall),  and  God's  natural  image,  consisting  in  man's  reason  and 
understanding,  his  natural  ability,  and  dominion  over  the  creatures,  which  is  the 
image  of  God's  natural  attribute. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  may  easily  be  understood  what  I  intend,  when 
I  say  that  a  love  to  divine  things  for  the  beauty  of  their  moral  excellency,  is 
the  beginning  and  spring  of  all  holy  affections.  It  has  been  already  shown, 
under  the  former  head,  that  the  first  objective  ground  of  all  holy  affections  is  the 
supreme  excellency  of  divine  things  as  they  are  in  themselves,  or  in  their  own 
nature;  I  now  proceed  further,  and  say  more  particularly,  that  that  kind  of  ex- 
cellency of  the  nature  of  divine  things,  which  is  the  first  objective  ground  of  all 
holy  affections,  is  their  moral  excellency,  or  their  holiness.  Holy  persons,  in 
the  exercise  of  holy  affections,  do  love  divine  things  primarily  for  their  holiness : 
they  love  God,  in  the  first  place,  for  the  beauty  of  his  holiness  or  moral  perfec- 
tion, as  being  supremely  amiable  in  itself.  Not  that  the  saints,  in  the  exercise 
of  gracious  affections,  do  love  God  only  for  his  holiness;  all  his  attributes  are 
amiable  and  glorious  in  their  eyes  ;  they  delight  in  every  divine  perfection ;  the 
contemplation  of  the  infinite  greatness,  power,  and  knowledge,  and  terrible  ma- 
jesty of  God,  is  pleasant  to  them.  But  their  love  to  God  for  his  holiness  is  what 
is  most  fundamental  and  essential  in  their  love.  Here  it  is  that  true  love  to 
God  begins ;  all  other  holy  love  to  divine  things  flows  from  hence  :  this  is  the 
most  essential  and  distinguishing  thing  that  belongs  to  a  holy  love  to  God,  with 
regard  to  the  foundation  of  it.  A  love  to  God  for  the  beauty  of  his  moral  at- 
tributes, leads  to,  and  necessarily  causes  a  delight  in  God  for  all  his  attributes ; 
for  his  moral  attributes  cannot  be  without  his  natural  attributes :  for  infinite  ho- 
liness supposes  infinite  wisdom,  and  an  infinite  capacity  and  greatness  ;  and  all 
the  attributes  of  God  do  as  it  were  imply  one  another. 

The  true  beauty  and  loveliness  of  all  intelligent  beings  does  primarily  and 
most  essentially  consist  in  tln;ir  moral  excellency  or  holiness.  Herein  consists 
the  loveliness  of  the  angels,  without  which,  with  all  their  natural  perfections, 
their  strength,  and  their  knowledge,  they  would  have  no  more  loveliness  than 
devils.  It  is  a  moral  excfllency  alone,  that  is  in  itself,  and  on  its  own  account, 
the  excellency  of  intelligent  beings  :  it  is  this  that  gives  beauty  to,  or  rather  is 
the  beauty  of  their  natural  perfections  and  qualifications.  Moral  excellency  is 
the  excellency  of  natural  excellencies.     Natural  qualifications  are  either  exceJ 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  103 

lent  or  otherwise,  according  as  they  are  joined  \vilh  moral  excellency  or  not. 
Strenoth  and  knowledge  do  not  render  any  being  lovely,  without  lioliness,  but 
more  hateful ;  tiiouoh  they  render  them  more  lovely,  when  joined  with  holiness. 
Thus  the  elect  angels  arc!  the  more  glorious  for  their  strength  and  knowledge, 
Ijecause  these  natural  perfections  of  theirs  are  sanctified  by  their  moral  perfec- 
tion. But  though  the  devils  are  very  strong,  and  of  great  mitural  understand- 
ing, they  be  not  the  more  lovely  :  they  are  more  terrible  indeed,  but  not  the 
more  amiable;  but  on  the  contrary,  the  more  hateful.  The  holiness  of  an  in- 
telligent creature,  is  the  beauty  of  all  his  natural  perfections.  And  so  it  is  in 
God,  according  to  our  way  of  conceiving  of  the  divine  Being  :  holiness  is  in  a 
peculiar  manner  the  beauty  of  the  divine  nature.  Hence  we  often  read  of  the 
beauty  of  holiness,  Psal.  xxix.  2,  Psal.  xcvi.  9,  and  ex.  3.  This  renders  all 
his  other  attributes  glorious  and  lovely.  It  is  the  glory  of  God's  wisdom,  that 
it  is  a  holy  wisdom,  and  not  a  wicked  subtilty  and  ciaitiness.  This  makes  his 
majesty  lovely  ;  and  not  merely  dreadful  and  horrible,  that  it  is  a  holy  majesty. 
It  is  the  glory  of  God's  immutability,  that  it  is  a  holy  immutability,  and  not  an 
inflexible  obstinacy  in  wickedness. 

And  therefore  it  must  needs  be,  that  a  sight  of  God's  loveliness  must  begin 
here.  A  true  love  to  God  must  begin  with  a  delight  in  his  holiness,  and  not  with 
a  delight  in  any  other  attribute ;  for  no  other  attribute  is  truly  lovely  without 
this,  and  no  otherwise  than  as  (acconhng  to  our  way  of  conceiving  of  God)  it 
derives  its  loveliness  from  this  ;  and  therefore  it  is  impossible  that  other  attri- 
butes should  appear  lovely,  in  their  true  loveliness,  until  this  is  seen  :  and  it  is  im- 
possible that  any  perfection  of  the  divine  nature  should  be  loved  with  true  love 
until  this  is  loved.  If  the  true  loveliness  of  all  God's  perfections  arises  from  the 
loveliness  of  his  holiness  ;  then  the  true  love  of  all  his  perfections  arises  from 
the  love  of  his  holiness.  They  that  do  not  see  the  glory  of  God's  holiness,  can- 
not see  any  thing  of  the  true  glory  of  his  mercy  and  grace :  they  see  nothing 
of  the  glory  of  those  attributes,  as  any  excellency  of  God's  nature,  as  it  is  in 
itself;  thou^'-h  they  may  be  jiflected  with  them,  and  love  them,  as  they  concern 
their  interest :  for  "these  attributes  are  no  part  of  the  excellency  of  God's  nature, 
as  that  is  excellent  in  itself,  any  otherwise  than  as  they  are  included  in  his  ho- 
liness, more  largely  taken  ;  or  as  they  are  a  part  of  his  moral  perfection. 

As  the  beauty  of  the  divine  nature  does  primarily  consist  in  God's  holiness, 
so  does  the  beauty  of  all  divine  things.  Herein  consists  the  beauty  of  the  saints, 
that  they  are  saints,  or  holy  ones ;  if  is  the  moral  image  of  God  in  them,  which 
is  their  beauty ;  and  that  is  their  holiness.  Herein  consists  the  beauty  and 
brightness  of  the  angels  of  heaven,  that  they  are  holy  angels,  and  so  not  devils. 
Dan.  iv.  13,  17,  23,  Matt.  xxv.  31,  Mark'viii.  38,  Acts  x.  22,  Rev.  xiv.  10. 
Herein  consists  the  beauty  of  the  Christian 'feligion,  above  all  other  religions, 
that  it  is  so  holy  a  religion.  Herein  consists  the  excellency  of  the  word  of  God, 
that  it  is  so  holy  :  Psal.  cxix.  140,  "  Thy  word  is  very  pure,  therefoie  thy  ser- 
vant loveth  it."'  Ver.  128,  "  I  esteem  all  thy  precepts  concerning  all  things  to  be 
right;  and  I  hate  every  false  way."  Ver.  138,  "  Thy  testimonies  that  thou 
hast  commanded  are  righteous,  and  very  faithful."  And  172,  "  My  tongue 
shall  speak  of  thy  word  ;  for  all  thy  commandments  are  righteousness."  And 
Psal.  xix.  7 — 10,  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul ;  the 
testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple.  The  statutes  of  the 
Lord  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart :  the  conunandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure,  en- 
lightening the  eyes.  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean,  enduring  forever :  the  judg- 
ments of  the  Lord  are  true,  and  righteous  altogether.  More  to  be  desired 
are  they  than  gold,  yen,  thin  much  fine  gold  :  sweeter  also  than  honey,  and  the 


104  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

honey  comb."  Herein  does  primarily  consist  the  amiableness  and  beauty  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  whereby  he  is  the  chief  among  ten  thousands,  and  akogether 
lovely,  even  in  that  he  is  the  holy  one  of  God,  Acts  iii.  14,  and  God's  holy 
child,  Acts  iv.  27,  and  he  that  is  holy,  and  he  that  is  true,  Rev.  iii.  7.  All  the 
spiritual  beauty  of  his  human  nature,  consisting  in  his  meekness,  lowliness,  pa- 
tience, heavenliness,  love  to  God,  love  to  men,  condescension  to  the  mean  and 
vile,  and  compassion  to  the  miserable,  &c.,  all  is  summed  up  in  his  holiness. 
And  the  beauty  of  his  divine  nature,  of  which  the  beauty  of  his  human  nature  is 
the  imao-e  and  refiection,  does  also  primarily  consist  in  his  holiness.  Herein 
primarily  consists  the  glory  of  the  gospel,  that  it  is  a  holy  gospel,  and  so  bright 
an  emanation  of  the  holy  beauty  of  God  and  Jesus  Christ:  herein  consists  the 
spiritual  beauty  of  its  doctrines,  that  they  are  holy  doctrines,  or  doctrines  accord- 
ing to  goodness.  And  herein  does  consist  the  spiritual  beauty  of  the  way  of  sal- 
vation by  Jesus  Christ,  that  it  is  so  holy  a  way.  And  herein  chiefly  consists  the 
glory  of  heaven,  that  it  is  the  holy  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  the  habitation  of 
God's  holiness,  and  so  of  his  glory,  Isa.  Ixiii.  15.  All  the  beauties  of  the  new 
Jerusalem,  as  it  is  described  in  the  two  last  chapters  of  Revelation,  are  but 
various  representations  of  this.  See  chap.  xxi.  2,  10,  11,  18,21,  27,  chap, 
xxii.  1,  3. 

And  therefore  it  is  primarily  on  account  of  this  kind  of  excellency,  that  the 
saints  do  love  all  these  things.  Thus  they  love  the  word  of  God,  because  it  is 
very  pure.  It  is  on  this  account  they  love  the  saints  ;  and  on  this  account  chief- 
ly it  is,  that  heaven  is  lovely  to  them,  and  those  holy  tabernacles  of  God  amia- 
ble in  their  eyes  :  it  is  on  this  account  that  they  love  God  ;  and  on  this  account 
primarily  it  is,  that  they  love  Christ,  and  that  their  hearts  delight  in  the  doctrines 
of  the  gospel,  and  sweetly  acquiesce  in  the  way  of  salvation  therein  revealed.* 

Under  the  head  of  the  first  distinguishing  characteristic  of  gracious  affections, 
I  observed,  that  there  is  given  to  those  that  are  regenerated,  a  new  supernatural 
sense,  that  is  as  it  were  a  certain  divine  spiritual  taste,  which  is,  in  its  whole 
nature,  diverse  fi'om  any  former  kinds  of  sensation  of  the  mind,  as  tasting  is  di- 
verse from  any  of  the  other  five  senses,  and  that  something  is  perceived  by  a 
true  saint  in  tlie  exercise  of  this  new  sense  of  mind,  in  spiritual  and  divine  things, 
as  entirely  different  from  any  thing  that  is  perceived  in  them  by  natural  men,  as 
the  sweet  taste  of  honey  is  diverse  from  the  ideas  men  get  of  honey  by  looking 
on  it  or  feeling  it.  Now  this  that  I  have  been  speaking  of,  viz.,  the  beauty  of 
holiness,  is  that  thing  in  spiritual  and  divine  things,  which  is  perceived  by  this 
spiritual  sense,  that  is  so  diverse  from  all  that  natural  men  perceive  in  them ; 
this  kind  of  beauty  is  the  quality  that  is  the  immediate  object  of  this  spiritual 
sense  ;  this  is  the  sweetness  that  is  \he  proper  object  of  this  spiritual  taste.  The 
Scripture  often  represents  the  beauty  and  sweetness  of  holiness  as  the  grand 
object  of  a  spiritual  taste  and  spiritual  appetite.  This  v.'as  the  sweet  food  of 
the  holy  soul  of  Jesus  Christ,  John  iv.  32,  34  :  "I  have  meat  to  eat  that  ye 
know  not  of — My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  his 
work."  I  know  of  no  part  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  where  the  nature  and  evi- 
dences of  true  and  sincere  godliness  are  so  much  of  set  purpose  and  so  fully  and 

*  "  To  the  right  closing  with  Christ's  Derson,  this  is  alwrvj-s  required,  to  taste  the  bitterness  of  sin,  as 
the  greatest  evil :  else  a  man  will  never  close  with  Christ,  for  his  holiness  in  him,  and  from  him,  as  the 
greatest  good.  For  we  told  you,  that  tiiat  is  the  right  closing  with  Christ  for  himself,  when  it  is  for  his 
holiness.  For  ask  .1  whorish  heart,  what  lieauty  he  sees  in  the  person  of  Christ ;  ho  will,  after  he  has 
looked  over  his  kingdom,  his  righteousness,  and  all  his  works,  see  a  beauty  in  them,  because  they  do  serve 
his  turn,  to  comfort  him  only.  Ask  a  virgin,  he  will  see  his  happiness  in  all ;  bat  that  which  makes  tho 
Lord  amiable  is  his  holiness,  which  is  in  him  to  make  him  holy  too.  As  in  marriage,  it  is  the  personal 
beauty  draws  the  heart.  And  hence  I  have  thouL'ht  it  reason,  that  he  that  loves  the  brethren  for  a  little 
grace,  will  love  Chtr.st  much  more."     Shepard's  ParaUe,  Part  I.  p.  84. 


RELIGIOUS  AFJ-ECriOiNS.  106 

larnjeiy  insisted  on  ami  ilelincnU-d,  as  the  119lh  Psalm  ;  the  Psalmist  declares  his 
design  in  the  first  vei-ses  ol'  the  Psahn,  and  he  keeps  his  eye  on  this  design  all 
along,  and  pursues  it  to  the  end  :  but  in  this  Psalm  the  excellency  ol"  hohness  is 
represented  as  the  immediate  object  of  a  spiritual  taste,  relish,  appetite,  and  de- 
light ol'  God's  law  ;  that  grand  expression  and  emanation  of  the  hofnu^s  of  God's 
nature,  and  prescription  of  iioliness  to  the  creature,  is  all  along  re  [resented  as  the 
food  and  entertainment,  and  as  tiie  great  object  of  the  love,  the  appetite,  the 
complacence  and  rejoicing  of  the  gracious  nature,  which  prizes  God's  command- 
ments above  gold,  yea,  the  finest  goKI,  and  to  which  they  arc  sweeter  than  the 
honey  and  honey  comb  ;  and  that  upon  account  of  their  holiness,  as  1  observed 
before.  The  same  Psalmist  declares,  that  this  is  the  sweetness  that  a  spiritual 
taste  relishes  in  God's  law  :  Psal.  xix.  7,  8,  9, 10,  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  per- 
fect ;  thecommandnjent  of  the  Lord  is  pure  ;  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean  ;  the 
statutes  of  the  Loril  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart ; — the  judgments  of  the  Lord 
are  true,  and  righteous  altogether  ;  more  to  be  desired  are  they  than  gold,  yea, 
than  much  fine  gold  ;  sweeter  also  than  honey,  and  the  honey  comb." 

A  holy  love  has  a  holy  object.  The  holiness  of  love  consists  especially  in 
this,  that  it  is  the  love  of  that  which  is  holy,  as  holy,  or  for  its  holiness  ;  so  that 
it  is  the  holiness  of  the  object,  which  is  the  quality  whereon  it  fixes  and  termi- 
nates. A  holy  nature  must  needs  love  that  in  holy  things  chiefly,  which  is 
most  agreeable  to  itself;  but  surely  that  in  divine  things,  which  above  all  others 
is  agreeable  to  a  holy  nature,  is  holiness,  because  holiness  must  be  above  all 
other  things  agreeable  to  holiness  ;  for  nothing  can  be  more  agreeable  to  any 
nature  than  itself;  holy  nature  must  be  above  all  things  agreeable  to  holy  nature  : 
and  so  the  holy  nature  of  God  and  Christ,  and  the  v.ord  of  God,  and  other 
divine  things,  must  be  above  all  other  things  agreeable  to  the  holy  nature  that 
is  in  the  saints. 

And  again,  a  holy  nature  doubtless  loves  holy  things,  especially  on  the  ac- 
count of  that  for  which  sinful  nature  has  enmity  against  them  ;  but  that  for 
which  chiefly  sinful  nature  is  at  enmity  against  holy  things,  is  their  holiness ; 
it  is  tor  this,  that  the  carnal  mind  is  at  enmity  against  God,  and  against  the  law 
of  God,  and  the  people  of  God.  Now^  it  is  just  arguing  from  contraries;  from 
contrary  causes  to  contrary  efTects  ;  from  opposite  natures  to  opposite  tendencies. 
We  know  that  holiness  is  of  a  directly  contrary  nature  to  wickedness  ;  as  there- 
fore it  is  the  nature  of  wickedness  chiefly  to  oppose  and  hate  holiness  ;  so  it  must 
be  the  nature  of  holiness  chiefiy  to  tend  to,  and  delight  in  holiness. 

The  holy  nature  in  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven  (where  the  true  tenden- 
cy of  it  best  appears)  is  principally  engaged  by  the  holiness  of  divine  things. 
This  is  the  divine  beauty  which  chiefly  engages  the  attention,  admiration,  and 
praise  of  the  bright  and  burning  seraphim  :  Isa.  vi.  3,  "  One  cried  unto  another, 
and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Loid  of  hosts,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his 
glory."  And  Rev.  iv.  8,  "  They  rest  not  day  and  night,  saying,  Holy,  holy, 
holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come."  So  tlie  glorified 
saints,  chap.  xv.  4,  "  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  0  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  1 
For  thou  only  art  holy." 

And  the  Scriptures  represent  the  saints  on  earth  as  adoring  God  primarily 
on  this  account,  and  ailmiring  and  extolling  all  God's  attributes,  eithir  as  deriv- 
ing loveliness  from  his  holiness,  or  as  being  a  part  of  it.  Thus  when  they  praise 
God  for  his  power,  his  holiness  is  the  beauty  that  engages  them  :  Psal.  xcviii.  1, 
•' 0  sing  unto  the  Lord  a  new  song,  for  he  hath  done  marvellous  things:  his 
right  hand,  and  his  holy  arm  hath  gotten  him  the  victory."  So  when  they 
praise  him  for  his  justice  and  terrible  majesty  :  Psal.  xcix.  2,  3,  "  The  Lord  is 

Vol    IIL  14 


106  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

great  in  Zion,  and  he  is  high  above  all  people.  Let  them  praise  thy  great  and 
terrible  name  ;  for  it  is  holy."  Ver.  5,  "  Exalt  ye  the  Lord  our  God,  and  wor- 
ship at  his  footstool ;  for  he  is  holy."  Ver.  S,  9,  "  Thou  wast  a  God  that 
forgavest  them,  though  thou  tookest  vengeance  of  their  inventions.  Exalt  ye 
the  Lord  our  God,  and  worship  at  his  holy  hill :  for  the  Lord  our  God,  is  holy." 
So  w^hen  they  praise  God  for  his  mercy  and  faithfulness:  Psal.  xcvii.  11,  12, 
"  Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the  upright  in  heart.  Rejoice 
in  the  Lord,  ye  righteous;  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his  holiness." 
1  Sara.  ii.  2,  "  There  is  none  holy  as  the  Lord  :  for  there  is  none  besides  thee  ; 
neither  is  there  any  rock  like  our  God." 

By  this  therefore  all  may  try  their  affections,  and  particularly  their  love  and 
joy.  Various  kinds  of  creatures  show  the  difference  of  their  natures,  very  much 
in  the  different  things  they  relish  as  their  proper  good,  one  delighting  in  that 
which  another  abhors.  Such  a  difference  is  there  between  true  saints,  and  natural 
men  :  natural  men  have  no  sense  of  the  goodness  and  excellency  of  holy  things, 
at  least  for  their  holiness;  they  have  no  taste  for  that  kind  of  good;  andsoinay 
be  said  not  to  know  that  divine  good,  or  not  to  see  it ;  it  is  wholly  hid  from 
them  ;  but  the  saints,  by  the  mighty  power  of  God,  have  it  discovered  to  them  ; 
they  have  that  supernatural,  most  noble  and  divine  sense  given  them,  by  which 
they  pel  ceive  it ;  and  it  is  this  that  captivates  their  hearts,  and  delights  them 
above  all  things ;  it  is  the  most  amiable  anil  sweet  thing  to  the  heart  of  a  tru>'- 
saint,  that  is  to  be  found  in  heaven  or  earth ;  that  which  above  all  others  attracts 
and  engages  his  soul ;  and  that  wherein,  above  all  things,  he  places  his  happi- 
ness, and  which  he  lots  upon  for  solace  and  entertainment  to  his  mind,  in  this 
world,  and  full  satisfaction  and  blessedness  in  another.  By  this,  )^ou  may  ex- 
amine your  love  to  God,  and  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the  word  of  God,  and  your 
joy  in  them,  and  also  your  love  to  the  people  of  God,  and  your  desires  after 
heaven;  whether  they  be  from  a  supreme  delight  in  this  sort  of  beauty,  without 
being  primarily  moved  from  your  imagined  interest  in  them,  or  expectations 
from  them.  There  are  many  high  affections,  great  seeming  love  and  rapturous 
joj^s,  which  have  nothnigof  this  holy  relish  belonging  to  them. 

Particularly,  by  M^hathas  been  saidyou  may  try  your  discoveries  of  the  glory 
of  God's  grace  and  love,  and  your  affections  arising  from  them.  The  grace  of 
God  may  appear  lovely  two  ways;  either  as  homttn  utile,  a  profitable  good  to 
me,  that  which  greatly  serves  my  interest,  and  so  suits  my  self-love  ;  or  as  bonwn 
formo.mm,  a  beautiful  good  in  itself,  and  part  of  the  moral  and  spiritual  excel- 
lency of  the  divine  nature.  In  this  latter  respect  it  is  that  the  true  saints  have 
their  hearts  affected,  and  love  captivated  by  the  free  grace  of  God  in  the 
first  place. 

From  the  things  that  have  been  said,  it  appears,  that  if  persons  have  a  great 
sense  of  the  natural  perfections  of  God,  and  are  greatly  affected  with  them,  or 
have  any  other  sight  or  sense  of  God  than  that  which  consists  in,  or  implies  a 
sense  of  the  beauty  of  his  moral  perfections,  it  is  no  certain  sign  of  grace  ;  as 
particularly  men's  having  a  great  sense  of  the  awful  greatness  and  terrible  ma- 
jesty of  God  ;  for  this  is  only  God's  natural  perfection,  and  what  men  may  see, 
and  yet  be  entirely  blind  to  the  beauty  of  his  moral  perfection,  and  have  nothing 
of  that  spiritual  taste  which  relishes  this  divine  sweetness. 

It  has  been  shown  already,  in  what  was  said  upon  the  first  distinguishing 
mark  of  gracious  affections,  that  that  which  is  spiritual,  is  entirely  different  in 
its  nature,  from  all  that  it  is  possible  any  graceless  person  should  be  the  subject 
of,  while  he  continues  graceless.  But  it  is  possible  that  those  who  are  wholly 
without  grace  should  have  a  cWr  sight  and  very  great  and  afi'ecting  sense  of 


1 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  107 

God's  greatness,  his  mighty  power,  and  awful  majesly  ;  for  (his  is  wliat  the 
devils  have,  though  they  have  lost  the  spiritual  knowletig;'  cf  (jod,  consisting  in 
a  sense  of  the  aniiableness  of  his  moral  perfections ;  they  are  perfectly  destitute 
of  any  sense  or  relish  of  that  kind  of  beauty,  yet  they  have  a  very  great  know- 
ledge of  the  natural  glory  of  God  (if  I  may  so  speak),  or  his  awlul  greatness 
and  majesty;  this  they  behold,  and  are  atfected  with  the  apj)rehensions  of,  and 
therefore  tremble  before  him.  This  glory  of  God  all  shall  l)ehold  at  the  day  of 
judgment;  God  will  make  all  rational  beings  to  behold  it  to  a  great  degree  in- 
deed, angels  and  devils,  saints  and  sinners:  Christ  will  manifest  his  infinite 
greatness,  and  awful  majesty,  to  every  one,  in  a  most  open,  clear,  and  convinc- 
ing manner,  and  in  a  light  that  none  can  resist,  "  when  he  shall  come  in  the 
glory  of  his  Father,  and  every  eye  shall  see  him  ;''  when  they  shall  cry  to  tlie 
mountains  to  fall  upon  them,  to  hide  them  from  the  face  of  him  that  sits  upon 
the  throne,  they  are  represented  as  seeing  the  glory  of  God's  majesty,  Isa.  ii.  10, 
19,  21.  God  will  make  all  his  enemies  to  behold  this,  and  to  live  in  a  most 
clear  and  affecting  view  of  it,  in  hell,  to  all  eternity.  God  hath  often  declared 
his  immutable  purpose  to  make  all  his  enemies  to  know  him  in  this  respect,  in 
so  often  annexing  these  words  to  the  threatenings  he  denounces  against  them  : 
"  And  they  shall  know  that  1  am  the  Loid  ;"  yea  he  hath  sworn  that  all  men 
shall  see  his  glory  in  this  respect:  Numb.  xiv.  21,  "  As  truly  as  I  live,  all  the 
earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  the  Lord."  And  this  kind  of  manifesta- 
tion of  God  is  very  often  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  as  made,  or  to  be  made,  in  the 
sight  of  God's  enemies  in  this  world,  Exod.  ix.  16,  and  chap.  xiv.  18,  and  xv. 
16,  Psal.  Ixvi.  3,  and  xlvi.  10,  and  other  places  innumerable.  This  was  a 
manifestation  which  God  made  of  himself  in  the  sight  of  that  wicked  congrega- 
tion at  Mount  Sinai ;  deeply  affecting  them  with  it ;  so  that  all  the  people  in 
the  camp  trembled.  Wicked  men  and  devils  will  see,  and  have  a  great  sense  of 
every  thing  that  appertains  to  the  glory  of  God,  but  only  the  beauty  of  his  moral 
perfection  ;  they  will  see  his  infinite  greatness  and  majesty,  his  infinite  power, 
and  will  be  fully  convinced  of  his  omniscience,  and  his  eternity  and  immuta- 
bility ;  and  they  will  see  and  know  every  thing  appertaining  to  his  moral  attri- 
butes themselves,  but  only  the  beauty  and  amiableness  of  them  ;  they  will  see 
and  know  that  he  is  perfectly  just,  and  righteous,  and  true,  and  that  he  is  a  holy 
God,  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  who  cannot  look  on  iniquity  ;  and  they 
will  see  the  wonderful  manifestations  of  his  infinite  goodness  and  tree  grace  to 
the  saints  ;  and  there  is  nothing  will  be  hid  from  iheir  eyes,  but  only  the  beauty 
of  these  moral  attributes,  and  that  beauty  of  the  other  attributes,  which  arises 
from  it.  And  so  natural  men  in  this  world  are  capable  of  having  a  very  affect- 
ing sense  of  every  thing  else  that  appertains  to  God,  but  this  only.  Nebuchad- 
nezzar had  a  great  and  veiy  affecting  sense  of  the  infinite  greatness  and  awful 
majesty  of  God,  of  his  supreme  and  absolute  dominion,  and  mighty  and  irresisti- 
ble power,  and  of  his  sovereignty,  and  that  he,  and  all  th-e  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  were  nothing  before  him;  and  also  had  a  great  conviction  in  liis  con- 
science of  his  justice,  and  an  affecting  sense  of  hi?  great  goodness,  Dan.  iv.  1,  2, 
3,  34,  35,  37.  And  the  sense  that  Darius  had  of  God's  perfections,  seems  to 
be  very  much  like  his,  Dan.  vi.  25,  &c.  But  the  saints  and  angels  do  behold 
the  glory  of  God  consisting  in  the  beauty  of  his  holiness ;  and  it  is  this  sight 
only  that  will  melt  and  humble  the  hearts  of  men,  and  wean  them  from  the 
world,  and  draw  them  to  God,  and  effectually  change  them.  A  sight  of  the 
awful  greatness  of  God,  may  overpower  men's  strength,  and  be  more  than  they 
can  enclire;  but  if  the  moral  beauty  of  God  be  hid,  the  enmity  of  the  heart  will 
remain  in  its  full  streniith,  no  love  will  be  enkindled,  all  will  not  be  eflectual 


108  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

to  gain  the  will,  but  that  will  remain  inflexible ;  whereas  the  first  glimpse  of 
the  inoral  and  spiritual  glory  of  God  shining  into  the  heart,  produces  all  these 
effects  as  it  were  with  omnipotent  power,  which  nothing  can  withstand. 

The  sense  that  natural  men  may  have  of  the  awful  greatness  of  God  raaj 
affect  them  various  v/ays ;  it  may  not  only  terrify  them,  but  it  may  elevate  them, 
and  raise  their  joy  and  praise,  as  their  circumstances  may  be.     This  will  be  the 
natural  elFect  of  it,  under  the  real  or  supposed  receipt  of  some  extraordinary 
mercy  from  God,  by  the  influence  of  mere  principles  of  nature.     It  has  been 
shown  already,  that  the  receipt  of  kindness  may,  by  the  influence  of  natural 
principles,  affect  the  heart  with  gratitude  and  praise  to  God;  but  if  a  person,  at 
the  same  time  that  he  receives  remarkable  kinfhiess  from  God,  has  a  sense  of  his 
infinite  greatness,  and  that  he  is  but  nothing  in  comparison  of  him,  surely  this 
will  naturally  raise  his  gratitude  and  praise  the  higher,  for  kindness  to  one  so  i 
much  inferior.     A  sense  of  God's  greatness  had  this  effect  upon  Nebuchadnezzar 
under  the  receipt  of  that  extraordinary  favor  of  his  restoration,  after  he  had  been  ij 
driven  from  men,  and  had  his  dwelling  with  the  beasts  :  a  sense  of  God's  ex 
ceeding  greatness  raises  his  gratitude  very  high  ;  so  that  he  does,  in  the  most  | 
lofty  terms,  extol  and  magnify  God,  and  calls  upon  all  the  world  to  do  it  with 
him ;  and  much  more  if  a  natural  man,  at  the  same  time  that  he  is  greatly  af- 
fected with  God's  infinite  greatness  and  majesty,  entertains  a  strong  conceit  that 
this  great  God  has  made  him  his  child  and  special  favorite,  and  promised  him 
eternal  glory  in  his  highest  love,  will  this  have  a  tendency,  according  to  the 
course  of  nature,  to  raise  his  joy  and  praise  to  a  great  height. 

Therefore,  it  is  beyond  doubt  that  too  much  weight  has  been  laid,  by  many  . 
persons  of  late,  on  discoveries  of  God's  greatness,  awful  majesty,  and  natural 
perfection,  operating  after  this  manner,  without  any  real  view  of  the  holy 
majesty  of  God.  And  experience  does  abundantly  witness  to  what  reason  and 
Scripture  declare  as  to  this  matter ;  there  having  been  veiy  many  persons,  who 
have  seemed  to  be  overpowered  with  the  greatness  and  majesty  of  God,  and. 
consequently  elevated  in  the  manner  that  has  been  spoken  of,  w^ho  have  been 
very  far  from  having  appearances  of  a  Christian  spirit  and  temper,  in  any 
manner  of  proportion,  or  fruits  in  practice  in  any  wise  agreeable ;  but  their 
discoveries  have  worked  in  a  way  conti-aiy  to  the  operation  of  truly  spiritual 
discoveries. 

Not  that  a  sense  of  God's  greatness  and  natural  attributes  is  not  exceeding 
useful  and  necessary.  For,  as  I  observed  before,  this  is  implied  in  a  manifes- 
tation of  the  beauty  of  God's  holiness.  Though  that  be  something  beyond  it,  il 
supposes  it,  as  the  greater  supposes  the  less.  And  though  natural  men  may 
have  a  sense  of  the  natural  perfections  of  God ;  yet  undoubtedly  this  is  more 
frequent  and  common  with  the  saints  than  with  natural  men ;  and  grace  tends 
to  enable  men  to  see  these  things  in  a  better  manner  than  natural  men  do ;  and 
not  only  enables  them  to  see  God's  natural  attributes,  but  that  beauty  of  those, 
attributes,  which  (according  to  our  way  of  conceiving  of  God)  is  derived  from 
his  holiness. 

IV.  Gracious  affections  do  arise  from  the  mind's  being  enlightened,  richly 
and  spiritually  to  underctimd  or  apprehend  divine  things. 

Holy  affections  are  not  heat  without  light ;  but  evermore  arise  from  the  in- 
formation of  the  understanding,  some  spiritual  instruction  that  the  mind  receives, 
some  light  or  actual  knowledge.  The  child  of  God  is  graciously  affected,  be- 
cause he  sees  and  understands  something  more  of  divine  things  than  he  did 
before,  more  of  God  or  Christ,  and  of  the  glorious  things  exhibited  in  the  gos- 
pel J  he  has  some  clearer  and  better  view  than  he  had  before,  when  he  was 


ire 
irel 

inpos-si 


RELIGIOUS   AFFECTIONS.  109 

ot  alTecteii :  cither  he  receives  some  vinilerstanding  of  divine  things  that  is  new 
0  him  •  or  has  his  former  kiiowk-iljre  renewed  aller  the  view  was  decayed  :  1 
oh]i  iv.  7,  '•  Every  one  that  lovelh,  knowelh  tJod."  Phil.  i.  9,  "  1  pray  that 
our  love  may  abound  more  and  more  in  knowledge,  and  in  all  juilgrnent." 
flom.  X.  -2,  "  Tiiey  have  a  zeal  of  Ciod,  but  not  accordmg  to  knowledge."  Col. 
■i  10  '*  The  new  man,  which  is  renewed  in  knowledge."  Psalm  xliii.  3,4, 
■■  0  svnd  out  thy  light  and  thy  truth ;  let  them  lead  me,  let  them  bring  me  unto 
liv  holy  hill."  John  vi.  45,  "  It  is  written  in  the  prophets.  And  they  shall  Ixi  all 
aiu^ht  of  God.  Every  man  therefore  that  hath  iieard,  and  learned  of  the  Fa- 
kr,  cometh  unto  me."  Knowledge  is  the  key  that  fust  opens  the  hard  heart, 
iiul  enlarges  the  affections,  and  so  opens  the  way  for  men  mto  the  kmgilom  oi 
leavL-n  ;  Luke  xi.  52,  "  Ye  have  taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge." 

Now  there  are  many  atfections  which  do  not  arise  irom  any  light  in  the 
•nderslandincr.     And  when  it  is  thus,  it  is  a  sure  evidenct;  that  these  aiiections 

not  spiritual,  let  them  be  ever  so  high.*  Indeed  they  have  some  new  ap- 
liensi'-ns  which  they  had  not  before.  Such  is  the  nature  ot  man,  Uiat  it  is 
,o-isible  his  mind  should  be  affected,  unless  it  be  by  something  that  he  appre- 
iciuh  or  that  his  mind  conceives  of.  But  in  many  pei-sons  those  apprehensions 
)r  coi'ueptions  that  they  have,  wherewith  they  are  aiiected,  have  nothing  ol  the 
laturc  ot  knowledge  or  instruction  in  them.  As  Ibr  instance,  when  a  pereon  is 
iffected  with  a  Uvely  idea,  suddenly  excited  in  his  mind,  of  some  shape  or  very 
)eautiful  pleasant  form  of  countenance,  or  some  shining  hght,  or  other  glorious 
)utward  appearance :  here  is  something  apprehended  or  conceived  by  the  mind  ; 
3ut  there  is  nothing  of  the  nature  of  instruction  in  it ;  persons  become  never  the 
^viser  by  such  things,  or  more  knowing  about  God,  or  a  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  or  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ,  or  any  thing  contained  in  any  ol 
he  doctrines  of  the  gospel.  Persons  by  these  external  ideas  liave  no  lurther 
acquaintance  with  God,  as  to  any  of  the  attributes  or  perfections  of  his  nature; 
nor  have  they  any  further  understanding  of  his  word,  or  any  oi  his  ways  or 
works  Truly  spiritual  and  gracious  affections  are  not  raised  alter  this  manner ; 
these  arise  from  the  enlightening  of  the  understanding  to  understand  the  things 
that  are  tau^^ht  of  God  and  Christ,  in  a  new  manner,  the  coming  to  a  new  un- 
derstandin<r  of  the  excellent  nature  of  God,  and  his  wonderiul  perfections,  some 
new  view  of  Christ  in  his  spiritual  excellencies  and  fulness,  or  thmgs  opened  to 
him  in  a  new  manner,  that  appertain  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ  where- 
by he  now  sees  how  it  is,  and  understands  those  divmc  and  spiritual  doctrinas 
which  once  were  foolishness  to  him.  Sucii  enlightenings  of  the  uiulei-standing 
as  these  are  things  entirely  different  in  their  nature  from  strong  ideas  ot  shapes 
and  colors,  and  outward  brightness  and  glory,  or  sounds  and  voices.  That  aL 
gracious  aliections  do  arise  from  some  instruction  or  enlightening  ot  the  imder- 
standin>r  is  therefore  a  further  proof,  that  affections  which  arise  from  such  im- 
pression on  the  imagination,  are  not  gracious  allections,  besides  the  thing-s  ob- 
served before,  which  make  this  evident. 

Hence  also  it  appears,  that  affections  arising  from  texts  of  Scripbjve  coming 
to  the  mind  are  vain,  when  no  instruction  received  in  the  understanding  fron. 
Ihose  texts,  or  any  thing  taught  in  those  texts,  is  the  ground  of  the  atlection, 
but  the  manner  of  their  coming  to  the  mind.  When  Christ  makes  the  Scripturo 
a  means  of  the  heart's  burning  with  gracious  affection,  it  is  by  opening  the 

'  "Many  that  ha.e  had  mi,;hty  stron;;  affections  at  first  conversion,  afterwards  become  dry.  and 
either  and  consume,  and  pine,  and  die  away  :  and  now  the.r  hypocr.sy  is  ninn..'est  ;  if  not  to  all  the 
wor  d  ,v  ooen  urofaneness  vet  to  the  discerning  eye  ol  living  Christians,  by  a  fonual.  barren,  uiisavor;  , 
:^™ufi;iTarrandrur:e\'t.^^       they  nevir  .lad  light  to  conviction  enough  as  yet.' 


110  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

Scriptures  to  their  understandings ;  Luke  xxiv.  32, "  Did  not  our  heart  burn 
within  us,  while  lie  talked  with  us  by  the  way,  and  while  he  opened  to  us  the 
Scriptures  V  It  appears  also  that  the  affection  which  is  occasioned  by  the  com- 
ing of  a  text  of  Scripture  must  be  vain,  when  the  affection  is  founded  on  some- 
thino-  that  is  supposed  to  be  taught  by  it,  which  really  is  not  contained  in  it, 
nor  m  any  other  Scripture  ;  because  such  supposed  instruction  is  not  real  instruc- 
tion, but  a  mistalce  and  misapprehension  of  the  mind.  As  for  instance,  when 
persons  suppose  that  they  are  expressly  taught  by  some  Scripture  coming  to 
their  minds,  that  they  in  particular  are  beloved  of  God,  or  that  their  sins  are 
forgiven,  that  God  is  their  Father,  and  the  like,  this  is  a  mistake  or  misappre- 
hension ;  for  the  Scripture  nowhere  reveals  the  individual  persons  who  are  be- 
loved, expressly ;  but  only  by  consequence,  by  revealing  the  qualifications  of 
persons  that  are  beloved  of  God :  am!  therefore  this  matter  is  not  to  be  learned 
from  Scripture  any  other  way  than  by  consequence,  and  from  these  qualifica- 
tions ;  for  things  are  not  to  be  learned  from  the  Scripture  any  other  way  than 
they  are  taught  in  the  Scripture. 

Affections  really  arise  from  ignorance,  rather  than  instruction,  in  these  in- 
stances which  have  been  mentioned  ;  as  likewise  in  some  others  that  might  be 
mentioned.  As  some,  when  they  find  themselves  free  of  speech  in  prayer,  they 
call  it  God's  being  with  them  ;  and  this  affects  them  more ;  and  so  their  affec- 
tions are  set  agoing  and  mcreased ;  when  they  look  not  into  the  cause  of  this 
freedom  of  speech,  which  may  arise  many  other  ways  besides  God's  spiritual 
presence.  So  some  are  much  affected  with  some  apt  thoughts  that 'come  into 
their  minds  about  the  Scripture,  and  call  it  the  Spirit  of  God  teaching  them. 
So  they  ascribe  many  of  the  workings  of  their  own  minds,  which  they  have  a 
high  opinion  of,  and  are  pleased  and  taken  with,  to  the  special  immediate  influ- 
ences of  God's  Spirit ;  and  so  are  mightily  affected  with  their  privilege.  And 
there  are  some  instances  of  persons,  in  whom  it  seems  manifest,  that  the  first 
ground  of  their  affection  is  some  bodily  sensation.  The  animal  spirits,  by  some 
cause  (and  probably  sometimes  by  the  devil)  are  suddenly  and  unaccountably 
put  into  a  very  agreeable  motion,  causing  persons  to  feel  pleasantly  in  their 
bodies  ;  the  animal  spirits  are  put  into  such  a  motion  as  is  wont  to  be  connected 
with  the  exhilaration  of  the  mind ;  and  the  soul,  by  the  laws  of  the  union  of  ' 
soul  and  body,  hence  feels  pleasure.  The  motion  of  the  animal  spirits  does  not 
first  arise  from  any  affection  or  apprehension  of  the  mind  whatsoever  ;  but  the 
very  first  thing  that  is  felt,  is  an  exhilaration  of  the  animal  spirits,  and  a  pleas- 
ant external  sensation  it  may  be  in  their  breasts.  Hence  through  ignorance, 
the  person  being  surprised,  begins  to  think,  surely  this  is  the  Holy  Ghost  com- 
ing into  him.  And  then  the  mind  begins  to  be  affected  and  raised.  There  is 
first  great  joy  ;  and  then  many  other  affections,  in  a  very  tumultuous  manner, 
putting  ali  nature,  both  body  and  mind,  into  a  mighty  ruffle.  For  though,  as  I 
observed  before,  it  is  the  soul  only  that  is  the  seat  of  the  affections ;  yet  this 
hinders  not  but  that  bodily  sensations  may,  in  this  manner,  be  an  occasion  of 
affections  in  the  mind. 

And  if  men's  religious  affections  do  truly  arise  from  some  instruction  or 
hght  m  the  understanding  ;  yet  the  affection  is  not  gracious,  unless  the  light 
which  is  the  ground  of  it  be  spiritual.  Affections  may  be  excited  by  that  un- 
derstanding of  things,  which  they  ot)tain  merely  by  human  teaching,  with  the 
common  improvement  of  the  facuUies  of  the  mind.  Men  may  be  much  affect- 
ei\  by  knowledge  of  things  of  religion  that  they  obtain  this  way  ;  as  some 
philosophers  have  been  mightily  affecfp'',  and  almost  carried  beyond  themselves, 
by  the  discjvexies  they  have  made  m  r-i:-.'.nematics  and  natural  philosophy.     So 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  Ill 

men  may  be  much  afTected  from  common  illuminations  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in 
which  God  assists  men's  faculties  to  a  greater  degree  of  that  kind  of  undcr- 
staiidin<T  of  religious  matters,  which  they  have  in  home  degree,  hy  only  the  or- 
dinary exercise  and  improvement  of  their  own  facullits.  Such  illuminations 
may  much  allect  the  mind  ;  as  in  many  whom  we  read  of  in  Scripture,  that 
were  once  enlightened  ;  but  these  aflections  are  not  spiritual. 

There  is  such  a  thing,  if  the  Scrijitures  are  of  any  use  to  teacli  us  any  thing, 
as  a  spiritual,  supernatural  understanding  of  divine  things,  that  is  jieculiar  to 
the  saints,  and  which  those  who  are  not  saints  have  nothing  of.  It  is  certainly 
a  kind  of  understanding,  apprehending  or  discerning  of  divine  things,  that  natu- 
ral men  have  nothing  of,  which  tlie  apostle  speaks  of,  1  Cor.  ii.  14  :  "  But  the 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  S])irit  of  God  ;  for  they  are  foolish- 
ness unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discern- 
ed." It  is  certainly  a  kind  of  seeing  or  discerning  spiritual  things  peculiar  to 
the  saints,  which  is  spoken  of,  1  John  iii.  G  :  "  \\'hosoever  sinneth,  hath  not 
seen  him,  neither  known  him.''  3  John  11,  "  He  that  doeth  evil,  hath  not  seen 
God."  And  John  vi.  40,  "  This  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  eveiy 
one  that  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life." 
Chan.  xiv.  19,  "  The  world  seeth  me  no  more ;  but  ye  see  me."  Chap.  xvii.  3, 
"  This  is  eternal  life,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent."  Malt.  xi.  27,  "  No  man  knoweth  the  Son,  but 
the  Father  ;  neither  knoweth  any  man  the  Father,  but  the  Son,  and  he  to 
whomsoever  the  Son  Avill  reveal  him."  John  xii.  45,  "  He  that  seeth  me,  seeth 
him  that  sent  me."  Psal.  ix.  10,  "  They  that  know  thy  name,  will  put  their 
trust  in  thee."  Phil.  iii.  8,  "  1  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord  :" — ver.  10,  "  That  I  may  know  him." 
And  innumerable  other  places  ihere  are,  all  over  the  Bible,  wliich  show  the 
same.  And  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  an  undei-standing  of  divine  things, 
which  in  its  nature  and  kind  is  wholly  dilierent  from  all  knowledge  that  natu- 
ral men  have,  is  evident  from  this,  that  there  is  an  understanding  of  divine 
things,  which  the  Scripture  calls  spiritual  understanding.  Col.  i.  9  :  "  We  do 
not  cea.^e  to  pray  for  you,  and  to  desire  that  you  may  be  tilled  with  the  know- 
ledge of  his  will,  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understanding."  It  has  been  al- 
ready shown,  that  that  which  is  spiritual,  in  the  ordinary  use  of  the  word  in  the 
New  Testament,  is  entirely  different  in  nature  and  kind,  from  all  which  natural 
men  are,  or  can  be  the  sulDJects  of. 

From  hence  it  may  be  sm-ely  inferred  wherein  spiritual  understanding  con- 
sists. For  if  there  be  in  the  samts  a  kind  of  apprehension  or  perception,  which 
is  in  its  nature  perfectly  diverse  from  all  that  natural  men  have,  or  that  it  is 
possible  they  should  have,  until  they  have  a  new  nature ;  it  must  consist  in 
their  having  a  certain  kind  of  ideas  or  sensations  of  mind,  which  are  simply 
diverse  from  all  that  is  or  can  be  in  the  minds  of  natural  men.  And  that  is 
the  same  thing  as  to  say,  that  it  consists  in  the  sensations  of  a  new  spiritual 
sense,  which  the  souls  of  natural  men  have  not ;  as  is  evident  by  what  has 
been  before,  once  and  again  observed.  But  I  have  already  shown  what  that 
new  spiritual  sense  is  which  the  saints  have  given  them  in  regeneration,  and 
w-hat  is  the  object  of  it.  I  have  shown  that  the  immediate  object  of  it  is  the 
supreme  beauty  and  excellency  of  the  nature  of  divine  things,  as  they  are  in 
themselves.  And  this  is  agreeable  to  the  Scripture  ;  the  apostle  very  plainly 
teaches,  that  the  great  thing  discovered  by  spiritual  light,  and  understood  by 
spiritual  knowledge,  is  the  glory  of  divine  things,  2  Cor  iv.  3,  4  :  "  But  if  our 
gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost  j  in  whom  the  god  of  this  world 


112  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  that  beheve  not,  lest  the  hght  of  the  gloriouj 
gospel  of  Christ,  Avho  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them  ;"  together 
with  ver.  6  :  "  For  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
hath  shined  into  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  And  chap.  iii.  18,  preceding:  "  But  we  all 
with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into 
the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord."  And 
it  must  needs  be  so,  for,  as  has  been  before  observed,  the  Scripture  often  teaches, 
that  all  true  religion  summarily  consists  in  the  love  of  divine  things.  And 
therefore  that  kind  of  undeistanding  or  knowledge,  which  is  the  proper  founda- 
tion of  tiue  rehgion,  m.ust  be  the  knowledge  of  the  loveliness  of  divine  things. 
For  doubtless,  that  knowledge  which  is  the  proper  foundation  of  love,  is  the 
knowledge  of  loveliness.  What  that  beauty  of  divine  things  is,  which  is  the 
proper  and  immediate  object  of  a  spiritual  sense  of  mind,  was  showed  under 
the  last  head  insisted  on,  viz.,  that  it  is  the  beauty  of  their  moral  perfection. 
Therefore  it  is  in  the  view  or  sense  of  this,  that  spiritual  understanding  does 
more  immediately  and  primarily  consist.  And  indeed  it  is  plain  it  can  be  no- 
thing else ;  for  (as  has  been  shown)  there  is  nothing  pertaining  to  divine  things, 
besides  the  beauty  of  their  moral  excellency,  and  those  properties  and  qualities 
of  divine  things  which  this  beauty  is  the  foundation  of,  but  what  natural  men 
and  devils  can  see  and  know,  and  will  know  fully  and  clearly  to  all  eternity. 

From  what  has  been  said,  therefore,  we  corne  necessarily  to  this  conclusion, 
concerning  that  wherein  spiritual  understanding  consists,  viz.,  that  it  consists 
in  "  a  sense  of  the  heart,  of  the  supreme  beauty  and  sweetness  of  the  holiness 
or  moral  perfection  of  divine  things,  together  with  all  that  discerning  and 
knowledge  of  things  of  religion,  tliat  depends  upon,  and  flows  from  such  a 
sense." 

Spiritual  imderstanding  consists  primarily  in  a  sense  of  heart  of  that  spirit- 
ual beauty.  T  say,  a  sense  of  heart;  for  it  is  not  speculation  merely  that  is 
concerned  in  this  kind  of  imderstanding  ;  nor  can  there  be  a  clear  distinction 
made  between  the  two  faculties  of  understanding  and  will,  as  acting  distinctly 
and  separately,  in  this  matter.  When  the  mind  is  sensible  of  the  sweet  beauty 
and  araiableness  of  a  thing,  that  implies  a  sensibleness  of  sweetness  and  delight 
in  the  presence  of  the  idea  of  it  :  and  this  sensibleness  of  the  amiableness  or 
delightful ness  of  beauty,  carries  in  the  very  nature  of  it  the  sense  of  the  heart ; 
or  an  eliect  and  impression  the  soul  is  the  subject  of,  as  a  substance  possessed  of 
taste,  inclination  and  wilL 

There  is  a  distinction  to  be  made  between  a  mere  notional  imderstanding, 
wherein  the  mind  only  beholds  things  in  the  exercise  of  a  speculative  faculty  ; 
and  the  sense  of  the  "heart,  wherein  the  mind  does  not  only  speculate  and  be- 
hold, but  relishes  and  feels.  That  sort  of  knowledge,  by  which  a  man  has  a 
sensible  perception  of  amiableness  and  loathsomeness,  or  of  sweetness  and  nau- 
seousness,  is  not  just  the  same  sort  of  knowledge  with  that  by  which  he  knows 
what  a  triangle  is,  and  what  a  sqviare  is.  The  one  is  mere  speculative  know- 
ledge, the  other  sensible  knowledge,  in  which  more  than  the  mere  intellect  is 
concerned  ;  the  heart  is  the  proper  subject  of  it,  or  the  soul,  as  a  being  that  not 
only  beholds,  but  has  inchnation,  and  is  pleased  or  displeased.  And  yet  there 
is  the  nature  of  instruction  in  it ;  as  he  that  has  perceived  the  sweet  taste  of 
honey,  knows  much  more  about  it,  than  he  who  has  only  looked  upon,  and 
felt  of  it. 

The  apostle  seems  to  make  a  distinction  between  mere  speculative  know- 
ledge of  the  things  of  religion,  and  spiritual  knowledge,  in  calling  that  the  form 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  113 

of  knowledge,  and  of  the  truth  in  the  law,  Rom.  ii.  20,  "  Which  ha.st  the  form 
of  knowledge  and  of  the  truth  in  the  law."  The  latter  is  often  repre.sented  by 
relishing,  smelling,  or  tasting  :  2  Cor.  ii.  14,  "  Now  thanks  be  to  God,  which 
always  causeth  us  to  triumph  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  makelh  manifest  the  savor  oi 
liis  knowledge  in  every  place."  Malt.  xvi.  23,  "  Thou  savorest  not  the  things 
that  be  of  God,  but  those  things  that  be  of  men."  1  Pet.  ii.  2,  3,  ''  As  new  born 
babes,  desire  the  sincere  n/ilk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby ;  if  so  be 
ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious."  Cant.  i.  3,  "  Because  of  the  savor  of 
thy  gootl  ointments,  thy  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth,  therefore  do  the 
virgins  love  thee  ;"  compared  with  1  John  ii.  20,  "  But  ye  have  an  unction 
from  the  Holy  One,  and  ye  know  all  things." 

Spiritual  understanding  primarily  consists  in  this  sense,  of  taste  of  the  moral 
beauty  of  divine  things  ;  so  that  no  knowledge  can  be  called  spiritual,  any  fur- 
ther than  it  arises  from  this,  and  has  this  in  it.  But  secondarily  it  includes  all  that 
discerning  and  knowledge  of  things  of  religion,  which  depend  upon  and  flow 
from  such  a  sense. 

When  the  true  beauty  and  amiableness  of  the  holiness  or  true  moral  good 
that  is  in  divine  things  is  discovered  to  the  soul,  it  as  it  were  opens  a  new  world 
to  its  views.  This  shows  the  glory  of  all  the  perfections  of  God,  and  of  every 
thing  appertaining  to  the  divine  Being.  For,  as  was  observed  before,  the 
beauty  of  all  arises  from  God's  moral  perfection.  This  shows  the  gloiy  of  all 
God's  works,  both  of  creation  and  providence.  For  it  is  the  special  glory  of 
them,  that  God's  holiness,  righteousness,  faithfulness,  and  goodness,  are  so  mani- 
fested in  them  ;  and  without  these  moral  perfections,  there  would  be  no  glory 
in  that  power  and  skill  with  which  they  are  wrought.  The  glorifying  of  God's 
moral  perfections,  is  the  special  end  of  all  the  works  of  God's  hands.  By  this 
sense  of  the  moral  beauty  of  divine  things,  is  understood  the  sufficiency  of  Christ 
as  a  mediator  ;  for  it  is  only  by  the  discovery  of  the  beauty  of  the  moral  perfec- 
tion of  Christ,  that  the  believer  is  let  into  the  knowledge  of  the  excellency  of 
his  person,  so  as  to  know  any  thing  more  of  it  than  the  devils  do  ;  and  it  is  only 
by  the  knowledge  of  the  excellency  of  Christ's  person,  that  any  know  his  suffi- 
ciency as  a  mediator ;  for  the  latter  depends  upon,  and  arises  from  the  former.  It  is 
by  seeing  the  excellency  of  Christ's  person,  that  the  saints  are  made  sensible  of 
the  preciousness  of  his  blood,  and  its  sufficiency  to  atone  for  sin ;  for  therein 
consists  the  preciousness  of  Christ's  blood,  that  it  is  the  blood  of  so  excellent 
and  amiable  a  person.  And  on  this  depends  the  meritoriousness  of  his  obedi- 
ence, and  sufficiency  and  prevalence  of  his  intercession.  By  this  sight  of  the 
moral  beauty  of  divine  things,  is  seen  the  beauty  of  the  way  of  salvation  by 
Christ ;  for  that  consists  in  the  beauty  of  the  moral  perfections  of  God,  which 
wonderfully  shines  f«rth  in  every  step  of  this  method  of  salvation,  from  begin- 
ning to  end.  By  this  is  seen  the  fitness  and  suitableness  of  this  way  :  lor  this 
wholly  consists  in  its  tendency  to  deliver  us  from  sin  and  hell,  and  to  bring  us 
lo  the  happiness  which  consists  in  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  moral  good, 
m  a  way  sweetly  agreeing  with  God's  moral  perfections.  And  in  the  way's 
being  contrived  so  as  to  attain  these  ends,  consists  the  excellent  wisdom  of 
that  way.  By  this  is  seen  the  excellency  of  the  word  of  God.  Take  away  all 
the  moral  beauty  and  sweetness  in  the  word,  and  the  Bible  is  left  wholly  a  dead 
letter,  a  dry,  lifeless,  tasteless  thing.  By  this  is  seen  the  true  foundation  of  our 
duty,  the  worthiness  of  God  to  be  so  esteemed,  honored,  loved,  submitted  to, 
and  served,  as  he  requires  of  us,  and  the  amiableness  of  the  duties  themselves 
that  are  required  of  us.  And  by  this  is  seen  the  true  evil  of  sin  ;  for  he  who 
sees  the  beauty  of  holiness,  must  necessarily  sec  the  hatefulness  of  sin,  its  con- 

VoL.  Ill  15 


114  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

trary.  By  this  men  understand  the  true  glory  of  heaven,  which  consists  in  the 
beauty  and  happiness  that  is  in  hohness.  By  this  is  seen  the  amiableness  and 
happiness  of  both  saints  and  angels.  He  that  sees  the  beauty  of  holiness,  or 
true  moral  o-ood,  sees  the  greatest  and  most  important  thing  in  the  world,  which 
is  the  fulness  of  all  things,  without  which  all  the  world  is  empty,  no  better  than 
nothino-,  yea,  worse  than  nothing.  Unless  this  is  seen,  nothing  is  seen  that  is 
worth  the  seeing  ;  for  there  is  no  other  ti-ue  excellency  or  beauty.  Unless  this  be 
understood,  nothing  is  understood  that  is  worthy  of  the  exercise  of  the  noblt 
faculty  of  understanding.  This  is  the  beauty  of  the  Godhead,  and  the  divinitj 
of  divinity  (if  I  may  so  speak),  the  good  of  the  infinite  fountain  of  good  ;  with- 
out which,  God  himself  (if  that  were  possible)  would  be  an  infinite  evil ;  with- 
out which  we  ourselves  had  better  never  have  been ;  and  without  wdiich  there 
had  better  have  been  no  being.  He  thei-efore  in  effect  knows  nothing,  that 
loiows  not  this ;  his  knowledge  is  but  the  shadow  of  knowledge,  or  the  form  ot 
knowledo"e,  as  the  apostle  calls  it.  Well  therefore  may  the  Scriptures  represent 
those  who  are  destitute  of  that  spiritual  sense  by  which  is  perceived  the  beauty 
of  hohness,  as  totally  blind,  deaf,  and  senseless,  yea,  dead.  And  well  may  re- 
generation, in  which  this  divine  sense  is  given  to  the  soul  by  its  Creator,  be 
represented  as  opening  the  blind  eyes,  and  raising  the  dead,  and  bringing  a 
person  into  a  new  world.  For  if  what  has  been  said  be  considered,  it  ^vill 
be  manifest,  that  when  a  person  has  this  sense  and  knowledge  given  him,  he 
will  view  nothing  as  he  did  before;  though  before  he  knew  all  things  "  after 
the  flesh,  yet  henceforth  he  will  know  them  so  no  more ;  and  he  is  become  a 
new  creature ;  old  things  are  passed  away,  behold  all  tilings  are  become  new ;" 
agreeable  to  2  Cor.  v.  16,  17. 

And  besides  the  things  that  have  been  already  mentioned,  there  arises  from 
this  sense  of  spiritual  beaut}',  all  true  experimental  knowledge  of  religion, 
which  is  of  itself  as  it  were  a  new  w-orld  of  knowdedge.  He  that  sees  not  the 
beauty  of  holiness,  knows  not  what  one  of  the  graces  of  God's  Spirit  is,  he  is 
destitute  of  any  idea  or  conception  of  all  gracious  exercises  of  the  soul,  and  all 
holy  comforts  and  delights,  and  all  effects  of  the  saving  influences  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  on  the  heart ;  and  so  is  ignorant  of  the  greatest  works  of  God,  the  most 
important  and  glorious  effects  of  his  power  upon  the  creature ;  and  also  is 
wholly  ignorant  of  the  saints  as  saints,  he  knows  not  what  they  are ;  and  in 
effect  is  ignorant  of  the  whole  spiritual  world. 

Things  being  thus,  it  plainly  appears,  that  God's  implanting  that  spiritual 
supernatural  sense  which  has  been  spoken  of,  makes  a  great  change  in  a  man. 
And  were  it  not  for  the  very  imperfect  degree,  in  which  this  sense  Is  commonly 
given  at  first,  or  the  small  degree  of  this  glorious  light,  that  first  dawns  upon 
the  soul ;  the  change  made  by  this  spiritual  opening  of  the  eyes  in  conversion, 
would  be  much  greater  and  more  remarkable  every  way,  than  if  a  man,  who 
had  been  born  blind,  and  with  only  the  other  four  senses,  should  continue  so 
a  long  time,  and  then  at  once  shouJd  have  the  sense  of  seeing  imparted  to  him, 
in  the  midst  of  the  clear  light  of  the  sun,  discovering  a  world  of  visible  objects. 
For  though  sight  be  more  noble  than  any  of  the  other  external  senses,  yet  this 
spiritual  sense  which  has  been  spoken  of,  is  infinitely  more  noble  than  that,  or 
any  other  principle  of  discerning  that  a  man  naturally  has,  and  the  object  of 
this  sense  infinitely  greater  and  more  important. 

This  sort  of  understanding  or  knowledge,  is  that  knowledge  of  divine  things 
from  whence  all  truly  gracious  affections  do  proceed  ;  by  which  therefore  all  af- 
fections are  to  be  tried.  Those  affections  that  arise  wholly  from  any  other  kind  of 
knowledge,  or  do  result  from  any  other  kind  of  apprehensions  of  mind,  are  vain. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  116 

From  what  has  been  said,  ma)-  be  learned  wherein  the  most  essential  differ- 
ence lies  between  that  light  or  understanding  which  is  given  by  the  common 
induences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  on  the  heails  of  natural  men,  and  that  saving 
instruction  which  is  given  to  the  saints.  The  latter  primarily  and  most  essen- 
tially lies  in  beholding  the  holy  beauty  that  is  in  divine  things  ;  Avhich  is  the  only 
true  moral  good,  and  wliich  the  soul  of  fallen  man  is  by  nature  totally  blind  to. 
The  former  consists  only  in  a  fiuthcr  understanding,  through  the  assistance  of 
natural  principles,  of  those  things  which  men  may  know,  m  some  measure,  by 
the  alone  ordinary  exercise  of  theii-  laculties.  And  this  knowledge  consists 
only  in  the  knowledge  of  those  things  pertaining  to  religion,  which  are  natiiral. 
Thus  for  instance,  in  those  awakenings  of  the  conscience,  that  natural  men  are 
often  subject  to,  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  no  knowledge  of  the  true  moral  beaut)- 
which  is  in  divine  things ;  but  only  assists  the  mind  to  a  clearer  idea  of  the 
guilt  of  sin,  or  its  relation  to  puni-shment,  and  connection  with  the  evil  of  suffer- 
ing (without  any  sight  of  its  moral  evil,  or  odiousness  as  sin),  and  a  clearer  idea 
of  the  natural  perfections  of  Goil,  wherein  consists,  not  his  holy  beauty  and 
glor}',  but  liis  awful  and  terrible  greatness.  It  is  a  clear  sight  of  this,  that  will 
fully  awaken  the  consciences  of  wicked  men  at  the  day  of  judgment,  without 
any  spiritual  light.  And  it  is  a  less  degree  of  the  same  that  awakens  the  con- 
sciences of  natm-al  men,  without  spiritual  light  in  this  world.  The  same  dw- 
coveries  are  in  some  measure  given  in  the  conscience  of  an  awakened  sinner  in 
this  world,  which  will  be  given  more  fully,  in  the  consciences  of  sinners  at  the 
day  of  judgment.  The  same  kind  of  sight  or  apprehension  of  God,  in  a  less 
degree,  makes  awakened  sinnei-s  in  this  world  sensible  of  the  dreadful  guilt  ot 
sin,  against  so  great  and  terrible  a  God,  and  sensible  of  its  amazing  punish- 
ment, and  fills  them  with  fearful  apprehensions  of  divine  wrath,  thatwill  tho- 
roughly convince  all  wicked  men,  of  the  infinitely  dreadful  nature  and  <niilt  of 
sin,  and  astonish  them  with  apprehensions  of  wrath,  when  Christ  shall  come  in 
the  glory  of  his  power  and  majesty,  and  cveiy  eye  shall  see  him,  and  all  the 
kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him.  And  in  those  common  illumi- 
nations wliich  are  sometimes  given  to  natural  men,  exciting  in  them  some  kind 
of  religious  desire,  love,  and  joy,  the  mind  is  only  assisted  to  a  clearer  apprehen- 
sion of  the  natural  good  that  is  in  divine  things.  Thus  sometimes,  imder  com- 
mon illuminations,  men  are  raised  with  the  ideas  of  the  natural  good  that  is  in 
heaven ;  as  its  outward  glory,  its  ease,  its  honor  and  advancement,  a  being  there  the 
object  of  the  high  favor  of  God,  and  the  great  respect  of  men,  and  angels,  &c. 
So  there  are  many  things  exliibited  in  the  gospel  concerning  God  and  Christ, 
and  the  way  of  salvation,  that  have  a  natural  good  in  them,  which  suits  the 
natural  principle  of  self-love.  Thus  in  that  great  goodness  of  God  to  sinners, 
and  the  wonderful  djing  love  of  Christ,  there  is  a  natural  good  which  all  men 
love,  as  they  love  themselves  ;  as  well  as  a  spiritual  and  holy  beauty,  which  is 
seen  only  by  the  regenerate.  Therefore  there  are  many  things  appertaining  to 
the  word  of  God's  grace  delivered  in  the  gospel,  which  may  cause  natural  men, 
when  they  hear  it,  anon  with  joy  to  receive  it.  All  that  love  which  natural 
racn  have  to  God  and  Christ,  and  Christian  virtues,  and  good  men,  is  not  from  any 
sight  of  the  amiableness  of  the  holiness,  or  true  moral  excellency  of  these  things ; 
but  only  for  the  sake  of  the  natural  good  there  is  in  them.  All  natural  men's 
hatred  of  sin,  is  as  much  from  principles  of  nature,  as  men's  hatred  of  a  tiger 
for  his  rapaciousness,  or  their  aversion  to  a  serpent  for  his  poison  and  hurtful- 
ness ;  and  all  their  love  of  Christian  virtue,  is  from  no  higher  principle,  than 
their  love  of  a  man's  good  nature,  which  appears  amiable  to  natural  men ;  but 
no  otherwise  than  silver  and  gold  appears  amiable  in  the  eyes  of  a  merchant, 
or  than  the  blackness  of  the  soil  is  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  the  fanner. 


116  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS 

From  what  has  been  said  of  the  nature  of  spiritual  understanding,  it  appears 
that  spiritual  understanding  does  not  consist  in  any  new  doctrinal  knowledge, 
or  in  having  suggested  to  the  mind  any  new  proposition,  not  before  read  or 
heard  of ;  for  it  is  plain  that  this  suggesting  of  new  propositions,  is  a  thing  en- 
tirely diverse  from  giving  the  mind  a  new  taste  or  relish  of  beauty  and  sweet- 
ness.* It  is  also  evident  that  spiritual  knowledge  does  not  consist  in  any  new 
doctrinal  explanation  of  any  part  of  the  Scripture ;  for  still,  this  is  but  doctrinal 
knowledge,  or  the  knowledge  of  propositions ;  the  doctrinal  explaining  of  any 
part  of  Scripture,  is  only  giving  us  to  understand  what  ai-e  the  propositions  con- 
tained or  taught  in  that  part  of  Scripture. 

Hence  it  appears,  that  the  spiritual  understanding  of  the  Scripture,  does  not 
consist  in  opening  to  the  mind  the  mystical  meaning  of  the  Scripture,  in  its  pa- 
rables, types,  and  allegories ;  for  this  is  only  a  doctrinal  explication  of  the 
Scripture.  He  that  explains  what  is  meant  by  the  stony  ground,  and  the  seed's 
springing  up  suddenly,  and  quickly  withering  away,  only  explains  what  propo- 
sitions or  doctrines  are  taught  in  it.  So  he  that  explains  what  is  typified  by 
Jacob's  ladder,  and  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending  on  it,  or  what 
was  typified  by  Joshua's  leading  Israel  through  Jordan,  only  shows  Avhat  pro- 
positions are  hid  in  these  passages.  And  many  men  can  explain  these  types, 
who  have  no  spiritual  knowledge.  It  is  possible  that  a  man  might  know  how 
to  interpret  all  the  types,  parables,  enigmas,  and  allegories  in  the  Bible,  and  not 
have  one  beam  of  spiritual  light  in  his  mind  ;  because  he  may  not  have  the  least 
degree  of  that  spiritual  sense  of  the  holy  beauty  of  divine  things  which  has  been 
spoken  of,  and  may  see  nothing  of  this  kind  of  glory  in  any  thing  contained 
in  any  of  these  mysteries,  or  any  other  part  of  the  Scripture.  It  is  plain,  b}^  what 
the  apostle  says,  that  a  man  might  understand  all  such  mysteries,  and  have  no 
saving  grace,  1  Cor.  xiii.  2  :  "  And  though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and 
understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowleclge,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profitetb 
me  nothing."  They  therefore  are  very  foohsh,  who  are  exalted  in  an  opinion 
of  their  own  spiritual  attainments,  from  notions  that  come  into  their  minds,  of 
the  mystical  meaning  of  these  and  those  passages  of  Scripture,  as  though  it  was 
a  spiritual  understanding  of  these  passages,  immediately  given  them  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  and  hence  have  their  affections  highly  raised ;  and  what  has  been  said, 
shows  the  vanity  of  such  affections. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  also  evident,  that  it  is  not  spiritual  know- 
ledge for  persons  to  be  informed  of  their  duty,  by  having  it  immediately  suggest- 
ed to  their  minds,  that  such  and  such  outward  actions  or  deeds  are  the  will  of 
God.  If  we  suppose  that  it  is  truly  God's  manner  thus  to  signify  his  will  to  his 
people,  by  immediate  inward  suggestions,  such  suggestions  have  nothing  of  the 
nature  of  sphitual  hght.  Such  kmd  of  knowledge  would  only  be  one  kind  of 
doctrinal  knowdedge  ;  a  proposition  concerning  tJie  will  of  God,  is  as  properly 
a  doctrine  of  religion,  as  a  proposition  concerning  the  nature  of  God,  or  a  work 
of  God  ;  and  a  havmg  cither  of  these  kinds  of  propositions,  or  any  other  propo- 
sition, declared  to  a  man,  either  by  speech,  or  inward  suggestion,  differs  vastly 
from  a  having  the  holy  beauty  of  divine  things  manifested  to  the  soul,  where- 
in spiritual  knowledge  does  most  essentially  consist.  Thus  there  was  no  spiritual 
light  in  Balaam ;  though  he  had  the  will  of  God  immediately  suggested  to  him 

*  Calvin,  in  his  Institutions,  Book  I.  Chap,  ix,  §  1,  says,  "  It  is  net  the  office  of  the  Spirit  that  is 
promised  us,  to  nwke  new  and  before  unheard  of  revelations,  or  to  coin  some  new  kind  of  doctrine,  which 
tends  to  draw  us  away  from  the  received  doctrine  of  the  gospel ;  but  lo  seal  and  confirm  to  us  that  very 
doctrme  which  is  by  the  gospel."  And  in  the  s.arr,e  place  he  speaks  of  some  that  in  those  days  maintain- 
ed the  contrary  notion,  "  pretending  to  l)e  immediately  led  by  the  Spirit,  as  persons  that  were  governed 
by  a  most  haughty  self-conceit :  and  not  so  properly  to  be  looked  upon  as  only  laboring  under  u  mistake 
as  driven  by  a  sort  of  ravins;  madness." 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  117 

by  the  Spirit  of  (Jod  from  time  to  time,  concerning  the  way  that  Le  should  go, 
and  what  he  should  do  and  say. 

It  is  manifest,  therefore,  that  a  being  led  and  directed  in  this  manner,  is 
not  tiial  holy  and  spiritual  leading  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  peculiar  to  the 
sainL^,  and  a  distinguishing  mark  of  the  sons  of  God,  spoken  of,  Rom.  viii.  14: 
"  tor  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  are  tlie  sons  of  God."  Gal.  v. 
18,  "  But  if  ye  be  led  by  the  Spirit,  ye  are  not  under  the  law." 

And  it  persons  have  the  will  of  (Jod  concerning  their  actions,  suggested  to 
them  by  some  text  of  Scripture,  suddenly  and  extraordinarily  brought  to  their 
minds,  which  text,  as  the  words  lay  in  the  Bible  before  they  came  to  their  minds, 
related  to  the  action  and  behavior  of  some  other  person,  but  they  suppose,  as 
God  sent  the  words  to  them,  he  intended  something  further  by  them,  and  meant 
such  a  particular  action  of  tlieirs  ;  I  say,  if  persons  should  have  the  will  of  God 
thas  suggested  to  them  with  texts  of  Scripture,  it  alters  not  the  case.  The  sug- 
gestion being  accompanied  with  an  apt  text  of  Scripture,  does  not  make  the 
suggestion  to  be  the  nature  of  spiritual  instruction.  As  for  instance,  if  a  person 
in  New  England,  on  some  occasion,  were  at  a  loss  whether  it  was  his  duty  to  go 
into  some  popi.sh  or  heathenish  land,  where  he  was  like  to  be  exposed  to  many 
difficulties  and  dangers,  and  should  pray  to  God  that  he  would  show  him  the 
way  of  his  dut}^ ;  and  after  earnest  prayer,  should  have  those  words  which  God 
spake  to  Jacob,  Gen.  xlvi.,  suddenly  and  extraordinarily  brought  to  his  mind, 
as  if  they  were  spoken  to  him ;  "  Fear  not  to  go  down  into  Egjpt ;  for  I  will 
go  with  thee  ;  and  I  will  also  surely  bring  you  up  again."  In  wlijch  words, 
though  as  they  lay  in  the  Bible  before  they  came  to  his  mind,  they  related  only 
to  Jacob,  and  his  behavior;  yet  he  supposes  that  God  has  a  further  meaning, 
as  they  were  brought  and  applied  to  him  ;  that  thus  they  are  to  be  understood 
in  a  new  sense,  that  by  EgN-^it  is  to  be  undei-stood  this  particular  countr}- he  has 
in  his  inind,  and  that  the  action  intended  is  his  going  thither,  and  that  the 
meaning  of  the  promise  is,  that  God  would  bring  him  back  into  New  England 
again.  There  is  nothing  of  the  nature  of  a  spiritual  or  gracious  leading  of  the 
Spirit  in  this  ;  for  there  is  nothing  of  the  nature  of  spiritual  understanding  in  it. 
Thas  to  understand  texts  of  Scripture,  is  not  to  have  a  spiritual  understanding  of 
them.  Spiritually  to  understand  the  Scriptures,  is  rightly  to  understand  what  is 
in  the  Scripture,  and  what  was  in  it  before  it  was  understood  :  it  is  to  under- 
stand rightly,  what  used  to  be  contained  in  the  meaning  of  it,  and  not  the  mak- 
ing of  a  new  meaning.  "When  the  mind  is  enlightened  spiritually  and  rightly  to 
understand  the  Scripture,  it  is  enabled  to  see  that  in  the  Scripture,  which  before 
was  not  seen  by  reason  of  blindness.  But  if  it  was  by  reason  of  blindness,  that 
IS  an  evidence  that  the  same  meaning  was  in  it  before,  otherwise  it  would  have 
been  no  blindness  not  to  see  it ;  it  is  no  blindness  not  to  see  a  meaning  which  is 
not  there.  Spiritually  enlightening  the  eyes  to  understand  the  Scripture,  is  to 
open  the  eyes :  Psal.  cxix.  18,  "  Open  thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  won- 
drous things  out  of  thy  law ;"  which  argues  that  the  reason  why  the  same 
was  not  seen  in  the  Scriptm-e  before,  was  that  the  eyes  were  shut ;  wliich  M'ould 
not  be  the  case,  if  the  meaning  that  is  now  understood  was  not  there  before,  but 
is  now  newly  added  to  the  Scriptme,  by  the  manner  of  the  Scripture's  coming 
to  my  mind.  This  making  a  new  meaning  to  the  Scripture,  is  the  same  thing 
as  making  a  new  Scripture;  it  is  pro]ierly  adding  to  the  word,  which  is  threat- 
ened with  so  dreadful  a  curse.  Spiritually  to  understand  the  Scripture,  is  to 
have  the  eyes  of  the  mind  opened,  to  behold  the  wonderful  spiritual  excellency 
of  the  glorious  things  contained  in  the  true  meaning  of  it,  and  that  always  were 
contained  in  it,  ever  since  it  was  written;  to  behold  the  amiable  and  bright  ma- 


ll8  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS 

nifestations  of  the  divine  perfections,  and  of  the  excellency  and  sufficiency  of 
Christ,  and  the  excellency  and  suitableness  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ, 
and  the  spiritual  glory  of  the  precepts  and  promises  of  the  Scripture,  &c.,  which 
things  are,  and  always  were  in  the  Bible,  and  would  have  been  seen  before,  if  it  had 
not  been  for  blindness,  without  having  any  new  sense  added,  by  the  words  being 
sent  by  God  to  a  particular  person,  and  spoken  anew  to  him,  with  a  new  meaning. 

And  as  to  a  gracious  leading  of  the  Spirit,  it  consists  in  two  things :  partly 
in  instructing  a  person  in  his  duty  by  the  Spirit,  and  partly  in  powerfully  indu- 
cing him  to  comply  with  that  instruction.  But  so  far  as  the  gracious  leading 
of  the  Spirit  lies  in  instruction,  it  consists  in  a  person's  being  guided  by  a  spir- 
itual and  distinguishing  taste  of  that  which  has  in  it  true  moral  beauty.  I  have 
shown  that  spiritual  knowledge  primarily  consists  in  a  taste  or  relish  of  the 
amiableness  and  beauty  of  that  which  is  truly  good  and  holy :  this  holy  relish  is  a 
thing  that  discerns  and  distinguishes  between  good  and  evil,  between  holy  ana 
unholy,  without  being  at  the  trouble  of  a  train  of  reasoning.  As  he  who  has  a 
true  relish  of  external  beauty,  knows  what  is  beautiful  by  looking  upon  it ;  he 
stands  in  no  need  of  a  train  of  reasoning  about  the  proportion  of  the  featui'es,  in 
order  to  determine  whether  that  which  he  sees  be  a  beautiful  countenance  or  no ; 
he  needs  nothing,  but  only  the  glance  of  his  eye.  He  who  has  a  rectified  musical 
ear,  knows  whether  the  sound  he  hears  be  true  harmony  ;  he  does  not  need 
first  to  be  at  the  trouble  of  the  reasonings  of  a  mathematician  about  the  propor- 
tion of  the  notes.  He  that  has  a  rectified  palate  knows  what  is  good  food,  as 
soon  as  he  tastes  it,  without  the  reasoning  of  a  physician  about  it.  There  is  a 
holy  beauty  and  sweetness  in  words  and  actions,  as  well  as  a  natural  beauty  in 
countenances  and  sounds,  and  sweetness  in  food  :  Job  xii.  11,  "Doth  not  the 
ear  try  words,  and  the  mouth  taste  his  meat  ?"  When  a  holy  and  amiable  ac- 
tion is  suggested  to  the  thoughts  of  a  holy  soul,  that  soul,  if  in  the  lively  exer- 
cise of  its  spiritual  taste,  at  once  sees  a  beauty  in  it,  and  so  inclines  to  it,  and 
closes  with  it.  On  the  contrary,  if  an  unworthy,  unholy  action  be  suggested  to 
it,  its  sanctified  eye  sees  no  beauty  in  it,  and  is  not  pleased  with  it ;  its  sancti- 
fied taste  relishes  no  sweetness  in  it,  but  on  the  contrary,  it  is  nauseous  to  it.  Yea, 
its  holy  taste  and  appetite  leads  it  to  think  of  that  which  is  truly  lovely,  and 
naturally  suggests  it ;  as  a  healthy  taste  and  appetite  naturally  suggests  the 
idea  of  its  proper  object.  Thus  a  holy  person  is  led  by  the  Spirit,  as  he  is  in- 
structed and  led  by  his  hol^  taste  and  disposition  of  heart ;  whereby,  in  the 
lively  exercise  of  grace,  he  easily  distinguishes  good  and  evil,  and  knows  at 
once  what  is  a  suitable  amiable  behavior  towards  God,  and  towards  man,  in  this 
case  and  the  other,  and  judges  what  is  right,  as  it  were  spontaneously,  and 
of  himself,  without  a  particular  deduction,  by  any  other  arguments  than  the 
beauty  that  is  seen,  and  goodness  that  is  tasted.  Thus  Christ  blames  the  Pha- 
risees, that  they  "  did  not,  even  of  their  own  selves,  judge  what  was  right," 
without  needing  miracles  to  prove  it,  Luke  xii.  57.  The  apostle  seems  plainly 
to  have  respect  to  this  way  of  judging  of  spiritual  beauty,  in  Rom.  xii.  2  :  "Be 
ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye  may  prove  what  is  that 
good,  and  perfect,  and  acceptable  will  of  God." 

There  is  such  a  thing  as  good  taste  of  natural  beauty  (which  learned  men 
often  speak  of)  that  is  exercised  about  temporal  things,  in  judging  of  them ;  as 
about  the  justness  of  a  speech,  the  goodness  of  style,  the  beauty  of  a  poem,  the 
gracefulness  of  deportment,  &c.  A  late  great  philosopher  of  our  nation,  writes 
thus  upon  it  :*  "  To  have  a  taste,  is  to  give  things  their  real  value,  to  be  touched 
with  the  good,  to  be  shocked  with  the  ill ;  not  to  be  dazzled  with  false  lustres, 

*  Chambers'  Dictionary,  uodair  the  word  taste. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  119 

out  in  spite  of  all  colors,  and  every  thing  that  might  deceive  or  amuse,  to 
iiulgc  soundly.  Taste  and  judgment,  then,  should  be  the  same  thing  ;  and  yet 
It  is  easy  to  discern  a  dillcriiu-e.  The  juilgnient  forms  its  opinions  iiom  reflec- 
lior  :  the  reason  on  this  occasion  ietches  a  kind  ot"  circuit,  to  arrive  at  its  end ; 
it  supposes  principles,  it  draws  consequences,  and  it  judges ;  but  not  without  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  case;  so  tliat  after  it  has  pronounced,  it  is  ready  to 
render  a  reason  of  its  decrees.  Ciood  taste  observes  none  of  these  formalities; 
ere  it  has  time  to  consult,  it  has  taken  its  side ;  as  soon  as  ever  the  object  is 
presented,  the  impression  is  made,  the  sentiment  formed,  ask  no  more  of  it.  As 
the  ear  is  wounded  with  a  harsh  sound,  as  the  smell  is  soothed  with  an  agreea- 
ble odor,  beibre  ever  the  reason  have  nudilled  with  those  oljjects  to  judge  of 
them,  so  the  taste  opens  itself  at  once,  and  prevents  all  reflection.  They  may 
come  afterwards  to  confirm  it,  and  discover  the  secret  reasons  of  its  conduct; 
but  it  was  not  in  its  power  to  wait  for  them.  Frequently  it  happens  not  to  know 
them  at  all,  and  what  pains  soever  it  uses,  cannot  discover  what  it  was  deter- 
mined it  to  think  as  it  did.  This  conduct  is  very  different  from  what  the  judg- 
ment observes  in  its  decisions:  unless  we  choose  to  say,  that  good  taste  is,  as  it 
were,  a  fiist  motion,  or  a  kind  of  instinct  of  right  reason,  which  hurries  on  with 
rapidity,  and  conducts  more  securely,  than  all  the  reasonings  she  could  make  ; 
it  is  a  iirst  glance  of  the  eye,  which  discovers  to  us  the  nature  and  relations  of 
things  in  a  moment. 

Now  as  there  is  such  a  kind  of  taste  of  the  mind  as  this,  which  philosophers 
speak  of,  whereby  persons  are  guided  in  their  judgment,  of  the  natural  beauty, 
gracefulness,  piopriety,  nobleness,  and  sublimity  of  speeches  and  action,  where- 
by they  judge  as  it  were  by  the  glance  of  the  eye,  or  by  inward  sensation,  and 
the  first  "impression  of  the  object ;  so  there  is  likewise  such  a  thing  as  a  divine 
taste,  given  and  maintained  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints, 
whereby  they  are  in  like  manner  led  and  guided  in  discerning  and  distinguish- 
ing the  true  spiritual  and  holy  beauty  of  actions ;  and  that  more  easily,  readily,  and 
accurately,  as  they  have  more  or  less  of  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  them.  And 
thus  "  the  sons  of  God  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  their  behavior  in  the  world." 
A  holy  disposition  and  spiritual  taste,  where  grace  is  strong  and  lively,  will 
enable  the  soul  to  determine  what  actions  are  right  and  becoming  Christians, 
not  only  more  speedily,  but  far  more  exactly,  than  the  greatest  abilities  without 
it,  Tliis  may  be  illustrated  by  the  manner  in  which  some  habits  of  mind,  and 
dispositions  of  heart,  of  a  nature  inferior  to  true  grace,  will  teach  and  guide  a 
man  in  his  actions.  As  for  instance,  if  a  man  be  a  very  good  natured  man,  his 
good  nature  will  teach  him  better  how  to  act  benevolently  amongst  mankind, 
and  will  direct  him,  on  eveiy  occasion,  to  those  speeches  and  actions,  which  are 
agreeable  to  rules  of  goodness,  than  the  strongest  reason  will  a  man  of  a  n:iorose 
temper.  So  if  a  man's  heart  be  under  the  influence  of  an  entire  friendship,  and 
most  endeared  affection  to  another  ;  though  he  be  a  man  of  an  indifferent  capa- 
city, yet  this  habit  of  his  mind  will  direct  him,  far  more  readily  and  exactly,  to 
a  speech  and  deportment,  or  manner  of  behavior,  which  shall  in  all  respects  be 
sweet  and  kind,  and  agreeable  to  a  benevolent  disposition  of  heart,  than  the 
greatest  capacity  without  it.  He  has  as  it  were  a  spirit  within  him,  that  guides 
him ;  the  habit  of  his  mind  is  attended  with  a  taste,  by  which  he  immcchately 
relishes  that  air  and  mien  which  is  benevolent,  and  disrelishes  the  contrary,  and 
causes  him  to  distinguish  between  one  and  the  other  in  a  moment,  more  precise- 
ly, than  the  most  accurate  reasonings  can  find  out  in  many  hours.  As  the  nature 
and  inward  tendency  of  a  stone,  or  other  heavy  body,  that  is  let  fall  from  aloft, 
shows  the  way  to  the  centre  of  the  earth,  more  exactly  in  an  instant,  than  the 


120  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

ablest  mathematician,  without  it,  could  determine,  by  his  most  accurate  observ« 
ations,  in  a  whole  day.  Thus  it  is  that  a  spiritual  d"isposition  and  taste  teaches 
and  guides  a  man  in  his  behavior  in  the  world.  So  an  eminently  humble,  or 
meek,  or  charitable  disposition,  will  direct  a  person  of  mean  capacity  to  such  a 
behavior,  as  is  agreeable  to  Christian  rules  of  humility,  meekness  and  charity, 
far  more  readily  and  precisely  than  the  most  diligent  study,  and  elaborate  reason- 
ings, of  a  man  of  the  strongest  faculties,  who  has  not  a  Christian  spirit  within 
him.  So  also  will  a  spirit  of  love  to  God,  and  holy  fear  and  reverence  towards 
God,  and  filial  confidence  in  God,  and  a  heavenly  disposition,  teach  and  fuidp 
a  man  in  his  behavior. 

It  is  an  exceedingly  difficult  thing  for  a  wicked  man,  destitute  of  Christian 
principles  in  his  heart  to  guide  him,  to  know  how  to  demean  liimself  like  a  Christian, 
with  the  life  and  beauty,  and  heavenly  sweetnessof  a  truly  holy,  humble.  Christ- 
like behavior.  He  knows  not  how  to  put  on  these  garments,  neither  do  they  fit 
him :  Eccl.  x.  2,  3,  "  A  wise  man's  heart  is  at  his  right  hand  ;  but  a  fool's  heart 
is  at  his  left.  Yea  also,  when  he  that  is  a  fool  walketh  by  the  way,  his  wisdom 
faileth  him,  and  he  saith  to  every  one  that  he  is  a  fool;"  with  ver.  15,  "The 
labor  of  the  foolish  wearieth  every  one  of  them,  because  he  knoweth  not  how 
to  go  to  the  city."  Prov.  x.  32,  "  The  lips  of  the  righteous  know  what  is 
acceptable."  Chap.  xv.  2,  "  The  tongue  of  the  wise  useth  knowledge  aright ; 
but  the  mouth  of  fools  poureth  out  Ibolishness."  And  chap.  xvi.  23,  "  The 
heart  of  the  righteous  teacheth  his  mouth,  and  addeth  learning  to  his  lips." 

The  saints  in  thus  judging  of  actions  by  a  spiritual  taste,  have  not  a  parti- 
cular recourse  to  express  rules  of  God's  word,  with  respect  to  every  word  and 
action  that  is  before  them,  the  good  or  evil  of  which  they  thus  judge :  but  yet 
their  taste  itself,  in  general,  is  subject  to  the  rule  of  God's  word,  and  must  be 
tried  by  that,  and  a  right  reasoning  upon  it.  As  a  man  of  a  rectified  palate 
judges  of  particular  morsels  by  his  taste  ;  but  yet  his  palate  itself  must  be  judg- 
ed of,  whether  it  be  right  or  no,  by  certain  rules  and  reasons.  But  a  spiritual 
taste  of  soul  mightily  helps  the  soul  in  its  reasonings  on  the  word  of  God,  and 
in  judging  of  the  true  meaning  of  its  rules :  as  it  removes  the  prejudices  of  a 
depraved  appetite,  and  naturally  leads  the  thoughts  in  the  right  channel,  casts  a 
light  on  the  word  of  God,  and  causes  the  true  meaning  most  naturally  to  come 
to  mind,  through  the  harmony  there  is  between  the  disposition  and  relish  of  a  sanc- 
tified soul,  and  the  true  meaning  of  the  rules  of  God's  word.  Yea,  this  harmony 
tends  to  bring  the  texts  themselves  to  mind,  on  proper  occasions ;  as  the  parti- 
cular state  of  the  stomach  and  palate  tends  to  bring  such  particular  meats  and 
drinks  to  mind,  as  are  agreeable  to  that  state.  "  Thus  the  children  of  God  are 
led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,"  in  judging  of  actions  themselves,  and  in  their  medi- 
tations upon,  and  judging  of,  and  applying  the  rules  of  God's  holy  word  :  and 
so  God  "  teaches  them  his  statutes,  and  causes  them  to  underetand  the  way  of 
his  precepts ;"  which  the  Psalmist  so  often  prays  for. 

But  this  leading  of  the  Spirit  is  a  thing  exceedingly  diverse  from  that  which 
some  call  so ;  which  consists  not  in  teaching  them  God's  statutes  and  precepts, 
that  he  has  already  given ;  but  in  giving  them  new  precepts,  by  immediate  in- 
ward speech  or  suggestion ;  and  has  in  it  no  tasting  the  true  excellency  of 
things,  or  judging  or  discerning  the  nature  of  things  at  all.  They  do  not  de- 
termine what  is  the  will  of  God  by  any  taste  or  relish,  or  any  manner  of  judg- 
ing of  the  nature  of  things,  but  by  an  immediate  dictate  concerning  the  thing 
to  be  done  ;  there  is  no  such  thing  as  any  judgment  or  wisdom  in  the  case. 
Whereas  in  that  leading  of  the  Spirit  wliich  is  peculiar  to  God's  children,  is 
imparted  that  true  wisdom,  and  holy  discretion,  so  often  spoken  of  in  the  word 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  12  i 

of  Goil ;  which  is  high  above  the  other  way,  as  the  stars  are  higher  than  a 
glow  worm ;  and  that  whicli  Balaam  and  Saul  (who  sometimes  were  led  by 
the  S])irit  in  that  other  way)  never  had,  and  no  natural  man  can  have,  without 
a  chaiit;e  ot  nature. 

VViiat  has  been  said  ot"  the  nature  of  spiritual  unddstanding,  as  consisting 
most  essentially  in  a  divine  supernaUiral  sense  and  relish  ol'  the  heart,  not  only 
shows  that  there  is  nothing  of"  it  in  this  falsely  supposed  leading  of  the  Spirit, 
which  has  been  now  spoken  of;  but  also  shows  the  diU'erence  between  spirit- 
ual understanding,  and  all  kinds  and  lorms  of  enthusiasm,  all  imaginary  sights 
of  God,  and  Christ,  and  heaven,  nil  supposed  witnessing  of  the  Spirit,  and  tes- 
timonies of  the  love  of  God  by  inuiudiate  inward  suggestion  :  and  all  impres- 
sions of  future  events,  and  unmediale  revelations  of  any  secret  facts  whatso- 
ever ;  all  enthusiaslical  impressions  and  applications  of  words  of  Scripture,  as 
though  they  were  words  now  immediately  spoken  by  (iod  to  a  particular  per- 
son, in  a  new  meaning,  and  carrying  something  more  in  them,  than  the  words 
contain  as  they  lie  in  the  Bible  ;  and  all  interpretations  of  the  mystical  meaning 
of  the  Scripture,  by  supposed  immediate  revelation.  None  of  these  things  con- 
sists in  a  divine  sense  and  relish  of  the  heart,  of  the  lioly  beauty  and  excellency 
of  divine  things ;  nor  have  they  any  thing  to  do  with  such  a  sense ;  but  all  con- 
sists in  impressions  in  the  head  ;  ail  are  to  be  referred  to  the  head  of  im])ression.s 
on  the  imagination,  and  consist  in  the  exciting  external  ideas  in  the  mind,  either 
in  ideas  o(  outward  shapes  and  colors,  or  words  spoken,  or  letters  written,  or 
ideas  of  things  external  and  sensible,  belonging  to  actions  done,  or  events  ac- 
complished or  to  be  accomplished.  An  enthusiastical  supposed  manifestation 
of  the  love  of  God,  is  made  by  the  exciting  an  idea  of  a  smiling  countenance, 
or  some  other  pleasant  outward  appearance,  or  by  the  idea  of  pleasant  words 
spoken,  or  written,  excited  in  the  imagination,  or  some  pleasant  bodily  sensation. 
So  when  persons  have  an  imaginary  revelation  of  some  secret  fact,  it  is  by  ex- 
citing external  ideas;  eitherof  some  w'ords,  implying  a  declaration  of  that  fact, 
or  some  visible  or  sensible  circumstances  of  such  a  fact.  So  the  supposed  lead- 
ing of  the  Spirit,  to  do  the  will  of  God,  in  outward  behavior,  is  either  by  excit- 
ing the  idea  of  words  (which  are  outward  things)  in  their  minds,  either  the  words 
of  Scripture,  or  other  w^ords,  which  they  look  upon  as  an  immediate  command 
of  God  ;  or  else  by  exciting  and  impressing  strongly  the  ideas  of  the  outward 
actions  themselves.  So  when  an  interpretation  of  a  Scripture  type  or  allegory-, 
is  immediately,  in  an  extraordinaiy  way,  strongly  suggested,  it  is  by  suggesting 
words,  as  though  one  secretly  whispered  and  told  the  meaning,  or  by  exciting 
other  ideas  in  the  imagination. 

Such  sort  of  experiences  and  discoveries  as  these,  commonly  raise  the  affec- 
tions of  such  as  are  deluded  by  them,  to  a  great  height,  and  make  a  mighty 
uproar  in  both  soul  and  body.  And  a  very  great  part  of  the  false  religion  that 
has  been  in  the  world,  from  one  age  to  another,  consists  in  such  discoveries  as 
these,  and  in  the  affections  that  flow  from  them.  In  such  things  consisted  the 
experiences  of  the  ancient  Pythagoreans  among  the  heathen,  and  many  others 
among  them,  who  had  strange  eci^tasies  and  raptures,  and  pretended  to  a  divine 
afflatus,  and  immediate  revelations  from  heaven.  In  such  things  ajs  these  seem 
to  have  consisted  the  experiences  of  the  Essenes,  an  ancient  sect  among  the 
Jews,  at  and  after  the  time  of  the  apostles.  In  such  things  as  these  consisted 
the  experiences  of  manv  of  the  ancient  Gnostics,  and  the  Montanists,  and  many 
other  sects  of  ancient  heretics,  in  the  primitive  ages  of  the  Christian  church. 
And  in  such  things  as  these  consisted  the  pretended  immediate  converse  with 
God  and  Christ,  and  saints  and  angels  of  heaven,  of  the  Monks,  Ancliorites,  and 

Vol..  III.  16 


122  RELIGIOUS   AFFECTIONS. 

Recluses,  that  formerly  abounded  in  the  Church  of  Rome.  In  such  things  con- 
sisted the  pretended  high  experiences,  and  great  spirituality  of  many  sects  of 
enthusiasts,  that  swarmed  in  the  world  after  the  Relbrmation  ;  such  as  the  Ana- 
baptists, Antinomians,  and  Familists,  the  followers  of  N.  vStork,  Th.  Muncer, 
Jo.  Becold,  Henry  Pfeiser,  David  George,  Casper  Swenckfield,  Henry  Nicolas, 
Johannes  Agrcola  Eislebius  ;  and  the  many  wild  enthusiasts  that  were  in  Eng- 
land in  the  days  of  Oliver  Cromwell;  and  the  followers  of  Mrs.  Hutchison  in 
New  England ;  as  appears  by  the  particular  and  large  accounts  given  of  all 
these  sects  by  that  eminently  holy  man,  Mr.  Samuel  Rutherford,  in  his  "Dis- 
play of  the  Spiritual  Antichrist."  And  in  such  things  as  these  consisted  the  ex- 
periences of  the  late  French  prophets,  and  their  followers.  And  in  these  things 
seems  to  lie  the  religion  of  the  many  kinds  of  enthusiasts  of  the  present  day.  It 
is  by  such  sort  of  religion  as  this,  chiefly,  that  Satan  transforms  himself  into  an 
ungel  of  light :  and  it  is  that  which  he  has  ever  most  successfully  made  use  of 
to  confound  hopeful  and  happy  revivals  of  religion,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  church  to  this  day.  When  the  Spirit  of  God  is  poured  out,  to  begin 
a  glorious  Avork,  then  the  old  serpent,  as  fast  as  possible,  and  by  all  means,  in- 
troduces this  bastard  religion,  and  mingles  it  with  the  true ;  which  has  from 
time  to  time  soon  brought  all  things  into  confusion.  The  pernicious  consequence 
of  it  is  not  easily  imagined  or  conceived  of,  until  we  see  and  are  amazed 
with  the  awful  effects  of  it,  and  the  dismal  desolation  it  has  made.  If  the  re- 
vival of  true  religion  be  very  great  in  its  beginning,  yet  if  (lis  bastard  comes  in, 
there  is  danger  of  its  doing  as  Gideon's  bastard  Abimelech  did,  who  never  left 
until  he  had  slain  all  his  threescore  and  ten  true-born  sons,  excepting  one,  that 
was  forced  to  fly.  Great  and  strict  therefore  should  be  the  watch  and  guard 
that  ministers  maintain  against  such  things,  especially  at  a  time  of  great  awak- 
ening :  for  men,  especially  the  common  people,  are  easily  bewitched  with  such 
things ;  they  having  such  a  glaring  and  glistering  show  of  high  religion  ;  and 
the  devil  hiding  his  own  shape,  and  appearing  as  an  angel  of  light,  that  men 
may  not  be  afraid  of  him,  but  may  adore  him. 

The  imagination  or  phantasy  seems  to  be  that  wherein  are  formed  all  those 
delusions  of  Satan,  which  those  are  carried  away  with,  who  are  under  the  in- 
fluence of  false  reUgion,  and  counterfeit  graces  and  affections.  Here  is  the 
devil's  grand  lurking  place,  the  very  nest  of  foul  and  delusive  spirits.  It  is  very 
much  to  be  doubted,  whether  the  devil  can  come  at  the  soul  of  man  at  all  to 
affect  it,  or  to  excite  any  thought  or  motion,  or  produce  any  effect  whatsoever 
in  it,  any  other  way,  than  by  the  phantasy ;  which  is  that  power  of  the  soul,  by 
which  it  receives,  and  is  the  subject  of  the  species,  or  ideas  of  outward  and  sen- 
sible things.  As  to  the  laws  and  means  which  the  Creator  has  established,  for 
the  intercourse  and  communication  of  unbodied  spirits,  we  know  nothing  about 
them ;  we  do  not  know  by  what  medium  they  manifest  their  thoughts  to  each 
other,  or  excite  thoughts  in  each  other.  But  as  to  spirits  that  are  united  to 
bodies,  those  bodies  God  has  united  them  to,  are  their  medium  of  communication. 
They  have  no  other  medium  of  acting  on  other  creatures,  or  being  acted  on  by 
them,  than  the  body.  Therefore  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  Satan  can  excite 
any  thought,  or  produce  any  effect  in  the  soul  of  man,  any  otherwise,  than  by 
some  motion  of  the  animal  spirits,  or  by  causing  some  motion  or  alteration  in  some- 
thing which  appertains  to  the  body.  There  is  this  reason  to  think  that  the  devil 
cannot  produce  thoughts  in  the  soul  immediately,  or  any  other  way  than  by  the 
medium  of  the  body,  viz.,  that  he  cannot  immediately  see  or  know  the  thoughts 
of  the  soul :  it  is  abundantly  declared  in  the  Scripture,  to  be  peculiar  to  the 
omniscient  God  to  do  that.     But  it  is  not  likely  that  the  devil  can  immediately 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  123 

|)io(luce  an  CiTeol,  which  is  out  of  the  reach  of  his  iniinedirite  view.  It  seems 
Uiiiea:»opab]e  to  LUjppose,  (hat  his  immediate  agency  sliotild  be  out  of  his  oAvn 
sigiit,  or  (hat  it  .siioald  he  impossible  for  him  to  see  wliat  he  himself  immediately 
tloes.  Is  it  not  utircasonable  to  suppose,  (iiat  any  spirit  or  intelligent  agent, 
should  by  (he  act  of  his  will,  produce  elfects  according  to  his  understanding,  or 
agreeable  to  his  own  thoughts,  and  that  immediately,  and  yet  the  effects  produced 
be  beyond  the  reach  of  his  \mderstanding,  or  where  he  can  have  no  immediate 
percejition  or  discerning  at  all  ?  But  ii'  this  be  so,  (hat  the  devil  cannot  produce 
thoughts  in  (he  soul  inunediately,  or  any  other  way  than  by  the  animal  spirits, 
or  by  the  lx)dy,  then  it  follows,  that  he  never  brings  to  pass  any  thing  in  the 
soul,  but  liy  the  imagination  or  phantasy,  or  by  exciting  external  ideiis.  For 
we  know  (hat  alterations  in  the  body  do  immeiliately  excite  no  other  sort  of  ideas 
in  the  mind,  but  external  ideas,  or  ideas  of  (he  ou(ward  senses,  or  ideas  which 
are  of  (he  same  outw  ard  nature.  As  (o  renec(ion,  abs(rac(ion,  reasoning,  &.C.,  and 
those  (hough(s  and  inward  motions  which  are  the  tiuits  of  these  actsof  (he  mind, 
they  are  not  the  next  elfects  of  im})ressions  on  the  body.  So  that  it  nnist  be 
only  by  the  imagination,  (hat  Satan  has  access  to  (he  soul,  to  tempt  and  delude 
it,  or  suggest  any  thing  to  it.*  And  this  seems  to  be  the  leason  why  persons 
that  are  under  the  disease  of  melancholy,  are  commonly  so  visibly  and  remarka- 
bly subject  to  the  suggestions  and  temptations  of  Satan  ;  that  being  a  disease 
which  peculiarly  affects  the  animal  spirits,  and  is  attended  with  weakness  of  that 
part  ol  the  body  which  is  the  fountain  of  the  animal  spirits,  even  the  brain,  which 
is,  as  it  were,  the  seat  of  the  phantasy.  It  is  by  impressions  made  on  the  brain, 
that  any  ideas  are  excited  in  the  mind,  by  the  motion  of  the  animal  spirits,  or 
any  changes  made  in  the  body.  The  brain  being  thus  weakened  and  diseased, 
it  is  less  under  tlie  command  of  the  higher  faculties  of  (he  soul,  and  yields  (he 
more  easily  to  extrinsic  impressions,  and  is  overpowered  by  the  disordered  mo- 
tions of  the  animal  spirits;  and  so  the  devil  has  greater  advantage  to  affect  the 
mind,  by  working  on  the  imagination.  And  thus  Satan,  when  he  casts  in  those 
horrid  suggestions  into  the  minds  of  many  melancholy  persons,  in  which  they 
have  no  hand  themselves,  he  does  it  by  exciting  imaginary  ideas,  either  of  some 
dreadful  words  or  sentences,  or  other  horrid  outward  ideas.  And  when  he 
tempts  other  persons  who  are  not  melancholy,  he  does  it  by  presenting  to  the 
imagination,  in  a  lively  and  alluring  manner,  the  objects  of  their  lusts,  or  by 
exciting  ideas  of  words,  and  so  by  them  exciting  thoughts  ;  or  by  promoting  an 
imagination  of  outward  actions,  events,  circumstances,  Sec     Innumerable  are 


♦  "  The  imagination  is  that  room  of  the  soul  wherein  the  devil  doth  often  appear.  Indeed  (to  speak 
exactly)  the  devil  hath  no  efficient  power  over  the  rational  part  of  a  man  :  he  cannot  change  the  will,  he 
cannot  alter  the  heart  of  a  man.  So  that  the  utmost  he  can  do,  in  tempting  a  man  to  sin,  is  by  suasion 
and  suggestion  only.  But  how  doth  the  devil  do  this  ?  F.ven  hy  working  upon  the  imagination.  He 
observeth  the  temper,  and  bodily  constitution  of  a  man  ;  and  thereupon  suggests  to  his  fancy,  ami  injects 
his  fiery  darts  thereinto,  by  which  the  mind  will  come  to  be  wrought  upon.  The  devil  then,  though  he 
hath  no  imperious  efficacy  over  thy  will,  yet  because  lie  can  thus  stir  and  move  thy  imagination,  and 
thou  being  naturally  destitute  of  grace,  canst  not  withstand  these  suggestions  :  hence  it  is  that  any  sin  in 
thy  imagination,  though  but  in  the  outward  works  of  the  soul,  yet  doth  quickly  lay  hold  on  all.  And  in- 
deed, by  tiiis  means,  do  ari.-ic  those  horrible  delusions,  that  arc  in  many  erroneous  ways  of  religion  ;  all  is 
because  their  imaginations  are  corrupted.  Yea,  how  often  are  these  diabolical  delusions  of  the  iningination 
.akcc  iir  the  gracious  operation  of  God's  Spirit !  It  is  from  hence  that  many  have  pretended  to  enthu- 
fliasms  ;  they  leave  the  Scriptures,  and  wholly  attend  to  what  they  perceive  and  feel  wiiliin  them." 
Burgesx  on  Ori/^inal  Sin,  p.  369. 

The  great  Turretine,  speaking  on  that  question.  What  is  the  power  of  angels?  says,  "As  to  bodiFS 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  they  <;:in  do  a  great  deal  upon  all  sorts  of  elementary  and  sublunary  lK)dies,  to 
move  them  locally  and  variously  to  agitate  them.  It  is  also  certain,  that  thry  can  act  upon  the  extenial 
and  internal  senses,  to  excite  them  or  to  bind  them.  But  as  to  the  rational  soul  itself,  they  can  do  nothing 
nnmediiitely  upon  that ;  for  to  God  alone,  who  knows  ard  searches  the  bearts,  and  who  has  them  in  his 
hands,  docs  it  also  appertain  to  bow  and  move  them  vrbiisersoever  ho  will.  But  angels  can  act  upon  the 
ralionai  soiil,  only  mediately,  by  imaginations."     Theoi^g.  Blench.     Loc.  VII.  Quest.  7. 


124  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  i 

the  ways  by  wliicli  the  mind  might  be  led  onto  all  kind  of  evil  thoughts,  by 
exciting  external  ideas  in  the  imagination. 

If  persons  keep  no  guard  at  these  avenues  of  Satan,  by  which  he  has  access 
to  the  soul,  to  tempt  and  delude  it,  they  will  be  likely  to  have  enough  of  him. 
And  especially,  if  instead  of  guarding  against  him,  they  lay  themselves  open  to 
him,  and  seek  and  invite  him,  because  he  appears  as  an  angel  of  hght,  and 
counterfeits  the  illuminations  and  graces  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  inward  whis- 
pers, and  immediate  suggestions  of  facts  and  events,  pleasant  voices,  beautiful 
imao-es,  and  other  impressions  on  the  imagination.  There  are  many  who  arc 
deluded  by  such  things,  and  are  lifted  up  with  them,  and  seek  after  them,  that 
have  a  continued  course  of  them,  and  can  have  them  almost  when  they  will ; 
and  especially  when  their  pride  and  vainglory  has  most  occasion  for  them,  to 
make  a  show  of  them  before  company.  It  is  with  them,  something  as  it  is  with 
those  who  are  professors  of  the  art  of  telling  where  lost  things  are  to  be  found, 
by  impressions  made  on  their  imaginations ;  they  laying  themselves  open  to  the 
devil,  he  is  always  on  hand  to  give  them  the  desired  impression. 

Before  I  finish  what  I  would  say  on  this  head  of  imaginations,  counterfeit- 
ing spiritual  light,  and  affections  arising  from  them,  I  would  renewedly  (to  pre- 
vent mismiderstanding  of  what  has  been  said)  desire  it  may  be  observed,  that  I 
am  far  from  determining,  that  no  affections  are  spiritual  which  are  attended 
with  unaginary  ideas.  Such  is  the  nature  of  man,  that  he  can  scarcely  think 
of  anythintj-  intensely,  without  some  kind  of  outward  ideas.  They  arise  and  in- 
terpose themselves  unavoidably,  in  the  course  of  a  man's  thoughts ;  though 
oftentimes  they  are  very  confused,  and  are  not  what  the  mind  regards.  When 
the  mind  is  much  engaged,  and  the  thoughts  intense,  oftentimes  the  imagination 
is  more  strong,  and  the  outward  idea  more  lively,  especially  in  persons  of  some 
constitutions  of  body.  But  there  is  a  great  difference  between  these  two  things, 
viz.,  lively  imaginations  arising  from  sti'ong  affections,  and  strong  affections 
arising  from  lively  imaginations.  The  former  may  be,  and  doubtless  often  is, 
in  case  of  truly  gracious  affections.  The  affections  do  not  arise  from  the  imagi- 
nation, nor  have  any  dependence  upon  it ;  but  on  the  contrary,  the  imagination 
is  only  the  accidental  effect,  or  consequent  of  the  affection,  through  the  infirmi- 
ty of  human  nature.  But  when  the  latter  is  the  case,  as  it  often  is,  that  the 
affection  arises  from  the  imagination,  and  is  built  upon  it,  as  its  foundation,  in- 
stead of  a  spiritual  illumination  or  discovery,  then  is  the  affection,  however  ele- 
vated, worthless  and  vain.  And  this  is  the  drift  of  what  has  been  now  said,  of 
impressions  on  the  imagination.  Having  observed  this,  I  proceed  to  another 
mark  of  gracious  affections. 

V.  Truly  gracious  affections  are  attended  with  a  reasonable  and  spiritual 
conviction  of  the  judgment,  of  the  reality  and  certainty  of  divine  things. 

This  seems  to  be  implied  in  the  text  that  was  laid  as  the  foundation  of  this 
discourse  ;  "  Whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love;  in  whom,  though  now  ye  see 
him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory." 

All  those  who  are  truly  gracious  persons  have  a  solid,  full,  thorough  and 
effectual  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  great  things  of  the  gospel ;  I  mean,  that 
they  no  longer  halt  between  two  opinions ;  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel  cease 
to  be  any  lono^er  doubtful  things,  or  matters  of  opinion,  which,  though  probable, 
are  yet  disputable  ;  but  with  them,  they  are  points  settled  and  determined,  as 
undoubted  and  indisputable  ;  so  that  they  are  not  afraid  to  venture  their  all  upon 
their  truth.  Their  conviction  is  an  effectual  conviction;  so  that  the  gi-eat, 
spiritual,  mysterious,  and  invisible  things  of  the  gospel,  have  the  influence  of 
real  and  certain  things  upon  them  ;  they  have  the  weight  and  power,  of  real 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  126 

hincjs  HI  ilieir  hearts ;  and  accordinfj^ly  rule  in  llieir  affections,  and  govern  them 
hrouTh  t  he  course  of  their  lives.  VYitii  respect  to  Christ's  being  the  Son  of 
aod,  and  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  the  great  things  he  has  revealed  conceining 
limself,  and  his  Father,  and  another  world,  they  have  not  only  a  predominating 
opinion  that  these  things  are  true,  and  so  yield  their  assent,  as  they  do  in  many 
3ther  matters  of  doubtful  speculation  ;  but  they  see  that  it  is  really  so  ;  their 
L'yes  are  opened,  so  tliat  they  see  that  really  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
living  God.  And  as  to  the  things  which  Christ  has  revealed,  of  God's  eternal 
purposes  and  designs,  concerning  fallen  man,  and  the  glorious  and  everlasting 
things  prepared  for  the  saints  in  another  world,  they  see  that  they  are  so  in- 
leed  ;  and  therefore  these  things  are  of  great  weight  with  them,  and  have 
a  mighty  power  upon  their  hearts,  and  influence  over  their  practice,  in  some 
measure  answerable  to  their' infinite  importance. 

That  all  true  Christians  have  such  a  kind  of  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the 
thintjs  of  the  gospel,  is  abundantly  manifest  from  the  Holy  Scriptures.  I  will 
mention  a  few  places  of  many :  Matt.  xvi.  15,  16,  17,  "But  whom  say  ye  that 
[  am  ?  Simon  Peter  answered  and  said.  Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Barjona  ; 
— My  Father  which  is  in  heaven  hath  revealed  it  unto  thee."  John  vi.  68,  69, 
"  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  And  we  believe  and  are  sure  that  thou 
art  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  John  xvii.  6,  7,8,  "  1  have  mani- 
fested thy  name  unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world.  Now 
they  have  known  that  all  things  whatsoever  thou  hast  given  me,  are  of  thee. 
For  I  have  given  unto  them  the  words  which  thou  gavest  me ;  and  they  have 
received  them,  and  have  known  surely  that  I  came  out  from  thee,  and  they 
have  believed  that  thou  didst  send  me."  Acts  viii.  37,  "  If  thou  believest  witli 
all  thy  heart,  thou  mayest."  2.  Cor.  iv.  11,  12,  13,  14,  "  We  which  live,  are 
always  delivered  unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake. — Death  worketh  in  us. — We  hav 
ing  tile  spirit  of  faith,  according  as  it  is  written,  I  believed,  and  therefore  ha\c 
I  spoken  ;  we  also  believe,  and  therefore  speak ;  knowing,  that  he  which  raised 
up  the  Lord  Jesus,  shall  raise  up  us  also  by  Jesus,  and  shall  present  us  with 
you."  Together  with  ver.  16,  "  For  which  cause  we  faint  not."  And  ver.  18, 
*'  While  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,"  &c.  And  chap.  v.  1,  "  For 
we  know,  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have 
a  building  of  God."  And  ver.  6,  7,  8,  "  Therefore  we  are  always  confident, 
knowing  that  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from  tlie  Lord ; 
for  we  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight.  We  are  confident,  I  say,  and  willing  rather 
to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  present  with  the  Lord."  2  Tim.  i.  12,  "  For 
the  which  cause  I  also  suffer  these  things ;  nevertheless  I  am  not  ashamed  ;  fori 
know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  I  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which 
I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day."  Heb.  iii.  6,  "  Whose  house  are 
we,  if  we  hold  fast  the  confidence,  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  firm  unto  the 
end."  Heb.  xi.  1,  "  Now  faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for.  and  the 
evidence  of  things  not  seen ;"  together  with  that  whole  chapter.  1  John  iv. 
13,  14,  15,  16,  "  Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  because 
he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.  And  we  have  seen,  and  do  testify,  that  the  Father 
sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God.  And  we  have  known 
and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  to  us."  Chap.  v.  4,  5,  "  For  whatsoever  is 
born  of  God,  overcometh  the  world  ;  and  this  is  the  victory  that  overcoraeth 
the  world,  even  our  faith.  Who  is  he  that  over-rometh  the  world,  but  he  that 
believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?" 


126  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONa 

Therefore  truly  gracious  affections  are  attended  with  such  a.  kind  of  convic- 
tion and  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  things  of  the  gospel,  and  sight  of  theu 
evidence  and  reality,  as  these  and  other  Scriptures  speak  of. 

There  are  many  religious  affections,  which  are  not  attended  with  s'lch  a 
conviction  of  the  judgment.  There  are  many  apprehensions  and  ideas  n'hich 
some  have,  that  they  call  divine  discoveries,  which  are  affecting,  but  not  con- 
vincing. Though  for  a  little  while  they  may  seem  to  be  more  persuaded  ol 
the  truth  of  the  things  of  religion  than  they  used  to  be,  and  may  yield  a  for- 
ward assent,  like  many  of  Christ's  hearers,  who  believed  for  a  while  ;  yet  they 
have  no  thorough  and  effectual  conviction ;  nor  is  there  any  great  abiding 
change  in  them,  in  this  respect,  that  whereas  tbrraerly  they  did  not  realize  the 
gi-eat  things  of  the  gospel,  now  these  things,  with  regard  to  reality  and  certain- 
ty, appear  new  to  them,  and  they  behold  them,  quite  in  another  view  than  they 
used  to  do.  There  are  many  persons  who  have  been  exceedingly  raised  witli 
Keligious  affections,  and  think  they  have  been  converted,  that  do  not  go  about 
the  world  any  more  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  than  they  used  to  be  ; 
or  at  least,  there  is  no  remarkable  alteration  :  they  are  not  men  who  live  under 
the  influence  and  power  of  a  realizing  conviction  of  the  infinite  and  eternal 
things  which  the  gospel  reveals ;  if  they  were,  it  would  be  impossible  for  them 
to  live  as  they  do.  Because  their  affections  are  not  attended  with  a  thorough 
conviction  of  the  mind,  they  are  not  at  all  to  be  depended  on ;  however  great 
a  show  and  noise  they  make,  it  is  like  the  blaze  of  tow,  or  crackling  of  thorns, 
or  like  the  forward  flourishing  blade  on  stony  ground,  that  has  no  root,  nor 
deepness  of  earth  to  maintain  its  life. 

Some  persons,  under  high  affections,  and  a  confident  persuasion  of  their 
good  estate,  have  that,  which  they  very  ignorantly  call  a  seeing  the  truth  ol 
the  word  of  God,  and  which  is  very  far  from  it,  after  this  manner  ;  they  have 
some  text  of  Scripture  coming  to  their  minds  in  a  sudden  and  extraordinary 
manner,  immediately  declaring  unto  them  (as  they  suppose)  that  their  sins  are 
forgiven,  or  that  God  loves  them,  and  will  save  them ;  and  it  may  be,  have  ^ 
chain  of  Scriptures  coming  one  after  another,  to  the  same  purpose ;  and  they 
are  convinced  that  it  is  truth  ;  i.  e.,they  are  confident  that  it  is  certainly  so,  that 
their  sins  are  forgiven,  and  God  does  love  them,  &c, — they  say  they  know  it  is 
so ;  and  when  the  words  of  Scripture  are  suggested  to  them,  and  as  they  sup- 
pose immediately  spoken  to  them  by  God,  in  this  meaning,  they  are  ready  to 
cry  out,  Truth,  truth  !  It  is  certainly  so !  The  word  of  God  is  true !  And  this 
they  call  a  seeing  the  truth  of  the  word  of  God.  Whereas  the  whole  of  their 
faith  amounts  to  no  more,  than  only  a  strong  confidence  of  theu'  own  good  es- 
tate, and  so  a  confidence  that  these  words  are  true,  which  they  suppose  tell 
them  they  are  in  a  good  estate  :  when  indeed  (as  was  shown  before)  there  is 
no  Scripture  which  declares  that  any  person  is  in  a  good  estate  directly,  or  any 
other  way  than  by  consequence.  So  that  this,  instead  of  being  a  real  sight 
of  the  truth  of  the  word  of  God,  is  a  sight  of  nothing  but  a  phantom,  and  is 
wholly  a  delusion.  Truly  to  see  the  truth  of  the  word  of  God,  is  to  see  the 
truth  of  the  gospel ;  which  is  the  glorious  doctrine  the  word  of  God  contains, 
concerning  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him,  and  the 
world  of  glory  that  he  is  entered  into,  and  purchased  for  all  them  who  beHeve ; 
and  not  a  revelation  that  such  and  such  particular  persons  are  true  Christians, 
and  shall  go  to  heaven.  Therefore  those  affections  which  arise  from  no  other 
persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  word  of  God  than  this,  arise  from  delusion,  and 
not  true  conviction  ;  and  consequently  are  themselves  delusive  and  vain. 

But  if  the  religious  affections  that  persons  have,  do  indeed  arise  from  a 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  127 

persuasion  of  the  truth  of  tlie  Christian  reliction,  their  afTections  are  not 
'ttr,  unless  their  persuasion  be  a  reasonable  jx-rsuasion  or  conviction. 
liLsonable  conviction,  1  mean,  a  co)iviction  founded  on  real  evidence,  oi 
ifjuii  ih  it  which  is  a  i^ood  reason,  or  just  (ground  of  conviction.  Men  may 
lave  a  strong  persuasion  that  the  Christian  religion  is  true,  when  their  pei-sua- 
ion  is  not  at  all  built  on  evidence,  but  altogether  on  education,  and  the  opinion  of 
ithers ;  as  many  Mahometans  are  stroniily  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  the  Ma- 
ometan  religion,  because  their  fathers,  and  neighbors,  and  nation  believe  it. 
liat  belief  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion,  which  is  built  on  the  very 
ame  grounds  with  a  Mahometan's  beiiel'  of  the  Mahometan  religion,  Is  the 
ame  sort  of  beiiel'.  And  though  llic  thing  believed  happens  to  be  better, 
et  that  does  not  make  the  belief  itself  to  be  of  a  better  sort ;  for  tliough  the 
bing  believed  happens  to  be  true,  yet  the  belief  of  it  is  not  owing  to  this  trutli, 
lut  to  education.  So  that  as  the  conviction  is  no  belter  than  the  Mahon^etan's 
onviction  ;  so  the  alTections  that  flow  from  it,  are  no  better  in  themselves,  than 
lie  religious  atiections  of  Mahometans. 

But  if  that  belief  of  Christian  doctrines,  which  persons'  affections  arise  from, 
le  not  merely  from  education,  but  indeed  from  reasons  and  arguments  which  are 
iffered,  it  will  not  from  thence  necessarily  follow,  that  their  affections  are  truly 
gracious  :  for  in  order  to  that,  it  is  requisite  not  only  that  the  belief  which  their 
iFections  arise  from,  should  be  a  leasonable,  but  also  a  spiritual  belief  or  con- 
iction.  I  suppose  none  will  doubt  but  that  some  natural  men  do  yield  a 
;ind  of  assent  of  their  judgments  to  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion,  from  the 
ational  proofs  or  arguments  that  are  offered  to  evince  it.  Judas,  without  doubt, 
tiought  Jesus  to  be  the  Messiah,  from  the  things  which  he  saw  and  heard  ;  but 
et  all  along  was  a  devil.  So  in  John  ii.  23,  24,  25,  we  read  of  miuiy  that  be- 
leved  in  Christ's  name,  when  they  saw  the  miracles  that  he  did ;  whom  yet 
/hrist  knew  had  not  that  within  them,  which  was  to  be  depended  on.  So  Si- 
QOn  the  sxjrcerer  believed,  when  he  beheld  the  miracles  and  signs  which  were 
lone  ;  but  yet  remained  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond  of  iniquity.  Acts  viii. 
3,  23.  And  if  there  is  such  a  belief  or  assent  of  the  judgment  in  some  natural 
[len,  none  can  doubt  but  that  religious  affections  may  arise  from  that  assent  or 
>elief ;  as  we  read  of  some  who  believed  for  awhile,  that  were  greatly  affected, 
,nd  anon  with  joy  received  the  word. 

It  is  evident  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  spiritual  belief  or  conviction  of 
he  truth  of  the  things  of  the  gospel,  or  a  belief  that  is  peculiar  to  those  who 
ire  spiritual,  or  who  are  regenerated,  and  have  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  holy 
•ommunications,  and  dwelling  in  them  as  a  vital  principle.  So  that  the  con- 
iction  they  have,  does  not  only  differ  from  that  which  natural  men  have,  in  its 
'Oncomitants,  in  that  it  is  accompanied  with  good  works ;  but  the  belief  itself 
s  diverse,  the  assent  and  conviction  of  the  judgment  is  of  a  kind  pecidiar  to 
hose  who  are  spiritual,  and  that  which  natural  men  are  wholly  destitute  of. 
This  is  evident  by  the  Scripture,  if  any  thing  at  all  is  so  :  John  xvii.  8,  "  They 
lave  believed  that  thou  didst  send  me."  Tit.  i.  1, "  According  to  the  faith  of 
jod's  elect,  and  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth  which  is  after  godhness."  John 
cvi.  27,  "The  Father  himself  loveth  you,  because  ye  have  loved  me,  and  have 
)elieved  that  I  came  out  from  God."  1  John  iv.  15,  "  Whosoever  shall  confess 
hat  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dvvelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God."  Chap.  v.  1, 
'  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God."  Ver.  10,  "  He 
hat  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God,  hath  the  witness  in  himself." 

Wliat  a  spiiitual  conviction  of  the  judgment  is,  we  are  naturally  led  to  de- 
ermine  from  what  has  been  said  aheady,  under  the  former  head  of  a  spiritual 


128  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

understanding.  The  conviction  of  the  judgment  arises  from  th6illuraination>f 
the  understanding;  the  passing  of  a  right  judgment  on  things, depemis  ou-h^v 
ing  a  right  apprehension  or  idea  of  things.  And  therefore  it  follows,  that  a 
spiritual  conviction  of  the  tiuth  of  the  great  things  of  the  gospel,  is  such  a  con- 
viction, as  arises  from  having  a  spiritual  view  or  apprehension  of  those  things 
in  the  mind.  And  this  is  also  evident  irom  the  Scripture,  which  often  repre- 
sents, that  a  saving  belief  of  the  reality  and  divinity  of  the  things  proposed  and 
exhibited  to  us  in  the  gospel,  is  from  the  Spirit  of  God's  enlightening  the  mind, 
to  have  right  apprehensions  of  the  nature  of  those  things,  and  so  as  it  were 
unveiling  things,  or  revealing  them,  and  enabling  the  mind  to  view  them  anc* 
see  them  as  they  are.  Luke  x.  21,  22,  "I  thank  thee,  0  Father,  Lord  or 
heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent 
and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes  :  even  so.  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in 
thy  sight.  All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father  :  and  no  man  know- 
eth  who  the  Son  is,  but  the  Father  ;  and  who  the  Father  is,  but  the  Son,  and  he 
to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  him."  John  vi.  40,  "And  this  is  the  will  of  him 
that  sent  me,  that  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may  have 
everlasting  life.-'  Where  it  is  plain,  that  true  faith  arises  from  a  spiritual  sight 
of  Christ.  And  John  xvii.  6,  7,  8,  "  I  have  manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men 
which  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world.  Now  they  have  known  that  all  things 
whatsoever  thou  hast  given  me,  are  of  thee.  For  I  have  given  unto  them  the 
words  which  thou  gavest  me  ;  and  they  have  received  them,  and  have  known 
surely  that  I  came  out  from  thee,  and  they  have  believed  that  thou  didst  send 
me."  Where  Christ's  manifesting  God's  name  to  the  disciples,  or  giving  them 
a  true  apprehension  and  view  of  divine  things,  was  that  whereby  they  knew 
that  Christ's  doctrine  was  of  God,  and  that  Christ  himself  was  of  him,  and  was 
5ent  by  him:  Matt.  xvi.  16,  17,  "  Simon  Peter  said,  Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  living  God.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Blessed  art  thou, 
Simon  Barjona :  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Fa- 
ther which  is  in  heaven."  1  John  v.lO,  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God, 
bath  the  witness  in  himself."  Gal.  i.  14,  15,  16,  '■'  Being  more  exceedingly 
zealous  of  the  traditions  of  my  fathers.  But  when  it  pleased  God,  who  sepa- 
rated me  from  my  mother's  womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his 
Son  in  me,  that  I  might  preach  him  among  the  heathen ;  immediately  I  con-  • 
lerred  not  with  flesh  and  blood." 

If  it  be  so,  that  that  is  a  spiritual  conviction  of  the  divinity  and  reality  of  the 
things  exhibited  in  the  gospel,  which  arises  from  a  spiritual  understanding  of 
those  things  ;  I  have  shown  already  what  that  is,  viz.,  a  sense  and  taste  of  the 
divine,  supreme,  and  holy  excellency  and  beauty  of  those  things.  So  that  then 
is  the  mind  spiritually  convinced  of  the  divinity  and  truth  of  the  great  things  of 
the  gospel,  when  that  conviction  arises,  either  directly  or  remotely,  from  such  a 
sense  or  view  of  their  divine  excellency  and  glory  as  is  there  exhibited.  This 
clearly  follows,  from  things  that  have  been  already  said  :  and  for  this  the  Scrip- 
ture is  very  plain  and  express,  2  Cor.  iv.  3 — 6  :  "  But  if  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is 
hid  to  them  that  are  lost ;  in  whom  the  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the 
minds  of  them  that  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ, 
who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them.  For  we  preach  not  ourselves, 
but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord ;  and  ourselves  your  servants  for  Jesus'  sake.  For 
God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our 
hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ."  Together  with  the  last  verse  of  the  foregoing  chapter,  which 
introduces  this,  "  but  we  all,  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  129 

of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord."  Nothing  can  be  more  evident,  than  that  a  saving  be- 
lief of  the  gospel  is  here  spoken  ol",  liy  the  apostle,  as  arising  from  the  mind's 
being  enlightened  to  behold  the  (fivine  glory  of  the  tilings  it  exhibits. 

This  view  or  sense  of  the  divine  glory,  and  unparalleled  beauty  of  the  things 
exhibited  to  us  in  the  gospei,  has  a  tendency  to  convince  the  mind  of  their 
divinity,  two  ways  ;  directly,  and  more  incHrectly,  and  remotely.  1.  A  view 
of  this  (Hvine  glory  directly  convinces  the  mind  of  the  divinity  of  these  things, 
as  this  glory  is  in  itself  a  direct,  clear,  and  all-conquering  evidence  of  it ;  espe- 
cially when  clearly  discovered,  or  when  this  supernatural  sense  is  given  in  a 
good  degree. 

He  tliathas  his  judgment  thus  directly  convinced  and  assured  of  the  div-.iity 
of  the  things  of  the  gospel,  by  a  clear  view  of  their  divine  glory,  has  a  resionable 
conviction  ;  his  belief  and  assurance  is  altogether  agreeable  to  reason ;  because 
the  divine  glory  and  beauty  of  divine  things  is,  in  itself,  real  evidence  of  the'' 
divinity,  and  the  most  direct  and  strong  evidence.  He  that  truly  sees  the  divine 
transcendent,  supreme  glory  of  those  things  which  are  divine,  does  as  it  were 
know  their  divinity  intuitively :  he  not  only  argues  that  they  are  divine,  but  he 
sees  that  they  are  divine;  he  sees  that  in  them  wherein  divinity  chiefly  consists, 
for  in  this  glory,  which  is  so  vastly  and  inexpressibly  distinguished  from  the 
glory  of  artificial  things,  and  all  other  glory,  does  mainly  consist  the  true  notion 
of  divinity.  God  is  God,  and  distinguished  from  all  other  beinos,  and  exalted 
above  them,  chiefly  by  his  divine  beauty,  which  is  infinitely  diverse  from  all 
other  beauty. — They  therefore  that  see  the  stamp  of  this  glory  in  divine  things, 
they  see  divinity  in  "them,  they  see  God  in  them,  and  see  them  to  be  divine  ;  be- 
cause they  see  that  in  them  wherein  the  truest  idea  of  divinity  does  consist. 
Thus  a  soul  may  have  a  kind  of  intuitive  knowledge  of  the  divinity  of  the  things 
exhibited  in  the  gospel ;  not  that  he  judges  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  to  be 
from  God,  without  any  argument  or  deduction  at  all ;  but  it  is  without  any 
long  chain  of  arguments;  the  argument  is  but  one,  and  the  evidence  direct; 
the  minil  ascends  to  the  tiuth  of  the  gospel  but  by  one  step,  and  that  is  its 
divine  glory. 

It  would  be  very  strange,  if  any  professing  Christian  should  deny  it  to  be 
possible,  that  there  should  be  an  excellency  in  divine  things,  which  is  so  trans- 
cendent, and  exceedingly  different  from  what  is  in  other  things,  that  if  it  were 
seen,  would  evidently  distinguish  them.  We  cannot  rationally  doubt,  but  that 
things  that  are  divine,  that  appertain  to  the  Spireme  Being,  are  vastly  differ- 
ent from  things  that  are  human  :  that  there  is  a  Godlike,  high,  and  glorious 
excellency  in  them,  that  does  so  distinguish  them  from  the  things  which  are 
of  men,  that  the  difference  is  ineffable  ;  and  therefore  such  as,  if  seen,  will 
have  a  most  convincing,  satisfying  influence  upon  any  one,  that  they  are  what 
they  are,  viz.,  divine.  Doubtless  there  is  that  glory  and  excellency  in  the 
divine  Being,  by  which  he  is  so  infinitely  distinguished  from  all  other  beings, 
that  if  it  were  seen,  he  might  be  known  by  it.  It  would  therefore  be  very  un- 
reasonable to  deny,  that  it  is  possible  for  God  to  give  manifestations  of  this  dis- 
tinguishing excellency,  in  things  by  which  he  is  pleased  to  make  himself  known  ; 
and  that  this  distinguishing  excellency  may  be  clearly  seen  in  them.  There 
are  natural  excellencies,  that  are  very  evidently  distinguishing  of  the  subjects 
or  authors,  to  any  one  who  beholds  them.  How  vastly  is  the  speech  of  an  un- 
derstanding man  different  from  that  of  a  little  child !  And  nuw  greatly  'distin- 
guished is  the  speech  of  some  men  of  great  genius,  as  Homer.  Cicero,  Miito.';, 
Locke,  Addison,  and  others,  from  that  of  many  other  understanding  men ;    There 

\oi..  in.  17 


130  KELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  > 

are  no  limits  to  be  set  to  the  degrees  of  manifestation  of  mental  excellency,  that 
there  may  be  in  speech.  But  the  appearances  of  the  natural  perfections  of  God, 
in  the  manifestations  he  makes  of  himself,  may  doubtless  be  unspeakably  more 
evidently  distinguishing,  than  the  appearances  of  those  excellencies  of  worms 
of  the  dust,  in  which  they  diiFer  one  from  another.  He  that  is  well  acquainted 
with  mankind,  and  their  works,  by  viewing  the  sun,  may  know  it  is  no 
human  work.  And  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  when  Christ  comes  at  the 
end  of  the  world,  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  it  will  be  with  such  ineffable  ap- 
pearances of  divinity,  as  will  leave  no  doubt  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  world,  even 
the  most  obstinate  infidels,  that  he  who  appears  is  a  divine  person.  But  above 
all,  do  the  manifestations  of  the  moral  and  spiritual  glory  of  the  divine  Being 
(which  is  the  proper  beauty  of  the  divinity)  bring  their  own  evidence,  and  tend 
to  assure  the  heart.  Thus  the  disciples  were  assured  that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of 
God,  "  for  they  beheld  his  glory,  as  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Fa- 
ther, full  of  grace  and  truth,"  John  i.  14.  When  Christ  appeared  in  the  glory 
of  his  transfiguration  to  his  disciples,  with  that  outward  glory  to  their  bodily 
eyes,  which  was  a  sweet  and  admirable  symbol  and  semblance  of  his  spiritual 
glory,  together  with  his  spiritual  glory  itself,  manifested  to  their  minds ;  the 
manifestation  of  glory  was  such,  as  did  perfectly,  and  with  good  »eason,  assure 
them  of  his  divinity ;  as  appears  by  what  one  of  them,  viz.,  the  Apostle  Peter, 
says  concerning  it,  2  Pet.  i.  16,  17,  18,  "  For  we  have  not  followed  cunningly 
devised  fables,  when  we  made  known  unto  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  were  eyewitnesses  of  his  majesty.  For  he  received  from 
God  the  Father,  honor  and  glory,  when  there  came  such  a  voice  to  him  from 
the  excellent  glory,  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased.  And 
this  voice  which  came  from  heaven  we  heard,  when  we  were  with  him  in  the 
holy  mount."  The  apostle  calls  that  mount,  the  holy  mount,  because  the  man- 
ifestations of  Christ  which  were  there  made  to  their  minds,  and  which  their 
minds  were  especially  impressed  and  ravished  with,  were  the  glory  of  his  holi- 
ness, or  the  beauty  of  his  moral  excellency  ;  or,  as  another  of  these  disciples, 
•who  saw  it,  expresses  it,  "  his  glory,  as  full  of  grace  and  truth." 

Now  this  distinguishing  glory  of  the  divine  Being  has  its  brightest  appear- 
ance and  manifestation,  in  the  things  proposed  and  exhibited  to  us  in  the  gos- 
pel, the  doctrines  there  taught,  the  word  there  spoken,  and  the  divine  coun- 
sels, acts  and  works  there  revealed.  These  things  have  the  clearest,  most 
admirable,  and  distinguishing  representations  and  exhibitions  of  the  glory  of 
God's  moral  perfections,  that  ever  were  made  to  the  world.  And  if  there  be 
such  a  distinguishing,  evidential  manifestation  of  divine  glory  in  the  gospel,  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  there  may  be  such  a  thing  as  seeing  it.  What  should 
hinder  but  that  it  may  be  seen  ?  It  is  no  argument  that  it  cannot  be  seen,  that 
some  do  not  see  it ;  though  they  may  be  discerning  men  in  temporal  matters. 
If  there  be  such  ineffable,  distinguishing,  evidential  excellencies  in  the  gospel, 
it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  they  are  such  as  are  not  to  be  discerned,  but  by 
the  special  influence  and  enlightenings  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  There  is  need  of 
imcommon  force  of  mind  to  discern  the  distinguishing  excellencies  of  the  works 
of  authors  of  great  genius:  those  things  in  Milton,  which,  to  mean  judges,  ap- 
pear tasteless  and  imperfections,  are  his  inimitable  excellencies  in  the  eyes  of 
those,  who  are  of  greater  discerning  and  better  taste.  And  if  there  be  a  book, 
which  God  is  the  author  of,  it  is  most  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  the  distin- 
guishing glories  of  his  word  are  of  such  a  kind,  as  that  the  corruption  of  men's 
hearts,  which  above  all  things  aUenates  men  from  the  Deity,  and  makes  the 
heart  dull  and  stupid  to  any  sense  or  taste  of  those  things  wherein  the  moral 


KELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  131 

elory  of  the  divine  perfections  consists  :  I  say,  it  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose, 
tnat  this  would  blind  men  from  discerning  the  beauties  of  such  a  book  j  and 
that  therefore  they  will  not  see  them,  but  iis  God  is  pleased  to  enlighten  them, 
and  restore  a  holy  taste,  to  discern  and  relish  divine  beauties. 

riiis  sense  of  the  spiritual  excellency  and  beauty  of  divine  things,  does  also 
tend  directly  to  convince  the  mind  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  as  there  are  very 
many  of  the  most  important  things  declared  in  the  gospel,  that  are  hid  from  the 
eyes  of  natural  men,  the  truth  of  whidi  does  in  effect  consist  in  this  excellency, 
or  does  so  immediately  depend  upon  it,  and  result  from  it,  that  in  this  excellen- 
cy's being  seen,  the  truth  of  those  things  is  seen.  As  soon  as  ever  the  eyes  are 
opened  to  behold  the  holy  beauty  and  amiablencss  that  is  in  divine  things,  a 
multitude  of  most  important  doctrines  of  the  gospel  that  depend  upon  it  (which 
all  appear  strange  and  dark  to  natural  men)  are  at  once  seen  to  be  true.  As 
for  instance,  hereby  appears  the  truth  of  what  the  word  of  God  declares  con- 
cerning the  exceeding  evil  of  sin ;  for  the  same  eye  that  discerns  the  transcen- 
dent beauty  of  holiness,  necessarily  therein  sees  the  exceeding  odiousness  of 
sin  :  the  same  taste  which  relishes  the  sweetness  of  true  moral  good,  tastes 
the  bitterness  of  moral  evil.  And  byi  this  means  a  man  sees  his  own  sinful- 
ness and  loathsomeness ;  for  he  has  now  a  sense  to  discern  objects  of  this  nature ; 
and  so  sees  the  truth  of  what  the  word  of  God  declares  concerning  the  exceed- 
ing sinfulness  of  mankind,  which  before  he  did  not  see.  He  now  sees  the  dreadful 
pollution  of  his  heart,  and  the  desperate  depravity  of  his  natme,  in  a  new  manner ; 
for  his  soul  has  now  a  sense  given  it  to  feel  the  pain  of  such  a  disease ;  and  this 
shows  him  the  truth  of  what  the  Scripture  reveals  concerning  the  corruption  of 
man's  nature,  his  original  sui,  and  the  ruinous,  undone  condition  man  is  in,  and 
liis  need  of  a  Saviour,  his  need  of  the  mighty  power  of  God  to  renew  his  heart 
and  change  his  nature.  Men,  by  seeing  the  true  excellency  of  holiness,  do  see 
the  glory  of  all  those  things,  which  both  reason  and  Scripture  show  to  be  in 
the  divine  Being ;  for  it  has  been  shown,  that  the  glory  of  them  depends  on 
this  :  and  hereby  they  see  the  truth  of  all  that  the  Scripture  declares  concerning 
God's  glorious  excellency  and  majesty,  his  being  the  fountain  of  all  good,  the 
only  happiness  of  the  creature,  &-c.  And  this  again  shows  the  mind  the  truth 
of  what  the  Scripture  teaches  concerning  the  evil  of  sin  against  so  glorious  a 
God ;  and  also  the  truth  of  what  it  teaches  concerning  sin's  just  desert  of  that 
dreadful  punishment  which  it  reveals ;  and  also  concerning  the  impossibility  of 
our  offering  any  satisfaction,  or  sufficient  atonement  for  that  which  is  so  infinitely 
evil  and  hemous.  •  And  this  again  shows  the  truth  of  what  the  Scripture  reveals 
concerning  the  necessity  of  a  Saviour,  to  offer  an  atonement  of  infinite  value 
for  sin.  And  this  sense  of  spiritual  beauty  that  has  been  spoken  of,  enables  the 
.'oul  to  see  the  glory  of  those  things  which  the  gospel  reveals  concerning  the 
person  of  Christ ;  and  so  enables  to  see  the  exceeding  beauty  and  dignity  of  his 
person,  appearing  in  what  the  gospel  exhibits  of  his  word,  works,  acts,  and  life : 
and  this  apprehension  of  the  superlative  dignity  of  his  person  shows  the  truth 
of  what  the  gospel  declares  concerning  the  value  of  his  blood  and  righteousness, 
axid  so  the  infinite  excellency  of  that  offering  he  has  made  to  God  for  us,  and  so 
Its  sufliciency  to  atone  for  our  sins,  and  recommend  us  to  God.  And  thus  the 
Spirit  of  God  discovers  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ ;  thus  the  soul  sees  the 
fitnt>ss  and  suitableness  of  this  way  of  salvation,  the  admirable  wisdom  of  the 
contrivance,  and  the  perfect  answerableness  of  the  provision  that  the  gospel  exhi- 
bits (as  made  for  us)  to  our  necessities.  A  sense  of  true  divine  beauty  being 
given  to  the  soul,  the  soul  tliscerns  the  beauty  of  every  pait  of  the  gospel 
scheme.     This  also  shows  the  soul  the  truth  of  what  the  word  of  God  declares 


132  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

concerning  man's  chief  happiness,  as  consisting  in  holy  exercises  and  enjoyments. 
This  shows  the  truth  of  what  the  gospel  declares  concerning  the  unspeakable 
glory  of  the  heavenly  state.  And  wliat  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament, 
and  the  writings  of  the  apostles  declare  concerning  the  glory  of  the  Messiah's 
kingdom,  is  now  all  plain  ;  and  also  what  the  Scripture  teaches  concerning  the 
reasons  and  grounds  of  our  duty.  The  truth  of  all  these  things  revealed  in  the 
Scripture,  and  many  more  that  might  be  mentioned,  appears  to  the  soul,  only  by 
imparting  that  spiritual  taste  of  divine  beauty,  which  has  been  spoken  of;  they 
being  hidden  things  to  the  soul  before. 

And  besides  all  this,  the  truth  of  all  those  things  which  the  Scripture  says 
about  experimental  religion,  is  hereby  known  ;  for  they  are  now  experienced. 
And  this  convinces  the  soul,  that  one  who  knew  the  heart  of  man,  better  than 
we  know  our  own  hearts,  and  perfectly  knew  the  nature  of  virtue  and  holiness, 
was  the  author  of  the  Scriptures.  And  the  opening  to  \-iew,  with  such  clearness, 
such  a  world  of  wonderful  and  glorious  truth  in  the  gospel,  that  before  was 
unknown,  being  quite  above  the  view  of  a  natural  eye,  but  now  appearing  so 
clear  and  bright,  has  a  powerful  and  invincible  influence  on  the  soul,  to  persuade 
of  the  divinity  of  the  gospel. 

Unless  men  may  come  to  a  reasonable,  solid  persuasion  and  conviction  ot 
the  truth  of  the  gospel,  by  the  internal  evidences  of  it,  in  the  way  that  has  been 
spoken,  viz.,  by  a  sight  of  its  glory  ;  it  is  impossible  that  those  who  are  illiterate, 
and  unacquainted  with  history,  should  have  any  thorough  and  effectual  convic- 
tion of  it  at  all.  They  may  without  this,  see  a  great  deal  of  probability  of  it ; 
it  may  be  reasonable  for  them  to  give  much  credit  to  what  learned  men  and 
historians  tell  them  ;  and  they  may  tell  them  so  much,  that  it  may  look  very 
probable  and  rational  to  them,  that  the  Christian  religion  is  true ;  and  so  much 
that  they  would  be  very  unreasonable  not  to  entertain  this  opinion.  But  to 
have  a  conviction,  so  clear,  and  evident,  and  assuring,  as  to  be  sulKcient  to  in- 
duce them,  with  boldness  to  sell  all,  confidently  and  fearlessly  to  run  the  venture 
of  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  of  enduring  the  most  exquisite  and  long  continued 
torments,  and  to  trample  the  world  under  foot,  and  count  all  things  but  dung  for 
Christ ;  the  evidence  they  can  have  from  history,  cannot  be  sufficient.  It  is 
impossible  that  men,  who  have  not  something  of  a  general  view  of  the  histori- 
cal world,  or  the  series  of  history  from  age  to  age,  should  come  at  the  force  of 
arguments  for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  drawn  from  history,  to  that  degree,  as 
effectually  to  induce  them  to  venture  their  all  upon  it.  After  all  that  learned 
men  have  said  to  them,  there  will  remain  innumerable  doUbts  on  their  minds  ; 
they  will  be  ready,  when  pinched  with  some  great  trial  of  their  faith,  to  say, 
"  How  do  I  know  this,  or  that  7  How  do  I  know  when  these  histories  were 
written  ?  Learned  men  tell  me  these  histories  were  so  and  so  attested  in  the 
day  of  them  ;  but  how  do  I  know  that  there  were  such  attestations  then  ?  They 
tell  me  there  is  equal  reason  to  believe  these  facts,  as  any  whatsoever  that  are 
related  at  such  a  distance ;  but  how  do  I  know  that  other  facts  which  are  rela- 
ted of  those  ages,  ever  were  1  Those  who  have  not  something  of  a  general 
view  of  the  series  of  historical  events,  and  of  the  state  of  mankind  from  age  to 
age,  cannot  see  the  clear  evidence  from  history,  of  the  truth  of  facts,  in  distant 
ages  ;  but  there  will  endless  doubts  and  scruples  remain. 

But  the  gospel  was  not  given  only  for  learned  men.  There  are  at  least  nine- 
teen in  twenty,  if  not  ninety-nine  in  a  hundred,  of  those  for  whom  the  Scriptures 
were  written,  that  are  not  capable  of  any  certain  or  effectual  conviction  of  the 
divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures,  by  such  arguments  as  learned  men  make  use 
of.     If  men  who  have  been  brought  up  in  Heathenism,  must  wait  for  a  deai 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  133 

and  certain  conviction  ot  the  truth  of  Christianity,  until  they  have  learning  and 
acquaintance  with  the  histories  of  politer  nations,  enough  to  see  clearly  the  force 
of  such  kind  of  arguments  ;  it  will  make  the  evidence  of  the  gospel  to  them 
immensely  cumbersome,  and  will  rentier  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  among 
tliem  infinitely  dillicult.  Miserable  is  the  condition  of  the  Iloussatunnuck  In- 
dians, and  others,  who  have  lately  manifested  a  desire  to  be  instructed  in  Chris- 
tianity, if  they  can  come  at  no  evidence  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  sufficient 
to  induce  them  to  sell  all  for  Christ,  in  any  other  way  but  this. 

It  is  unreasonable  to  suppose,  that  Gocl  has  provided  for  his  people  no  more 
than  probable  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  He  has  with  great  care, 
abundantly  provided,  and  given  them,  the  most  convicting,  assuring,  satisfying 
and  manifold  evidence  of  his  faithfulness  in  the  covenant  of  grace ;  and  as 
David  says,  "  made  a  covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure."  Therefore  it 
is  rational  to  suppose,  that  at  the  same  time,  he  would  not  fail  of  ordering  the 
matter  so,  that  there  should  not  be  wanting,  as  great,  and  clear  evidence,  that 
this  is  his  covenant,  and  that  these  promises  are  his  promises  ;  or,  which  is  the 
same  thing,  that  the  Christian  religion  is  true,  and  that  the  gospel  is  his  word. 
Otherwise  in  vain  are  those  great  assurances  he  has  given  of  his  faithfulness  in 
his  covenant,  by  confirming  it  with  his  oath,  and  so  vai'iously  establishing  it  by 
seals  and  pledges.  For  the  evidence  that  it  is  his  covenant,  is  properly  the 
foundation  on  which  all  the  force  and  effect  of  those  other  assurances  do  stand. 
We  may  therefore  undoubtedly  suppose  and  conclude,  that  there  is  some  sort  of 
evidence  which  God  has  given,  that  this  covenant,  and  these  promises  are  his, 
beyond  all  mere  probability  ;  that  there  are  some  grounds  of  assurance  of  it 
held  forth,  which,  if  we  were  not  blind  to  them,  tend  to  give  a  higher  persua- 
sion, than  any  arguing  from  history,  human  tradition,  &c.,  which  the  illiterate 
and  unacquainted  with  history  are  capable  of;  yea,  that  which  is  good  ground 
of  the  highest  and  most  perfect  assurance,  that  mankind  have  in  any  case  what- 
soever, agreeable  to  those  high  expressions  which  the  apostle  uses,  Heb.  x.  22, 
"  Let  us  draw  near  in  full  assurance  of  faith."  And  Col.  ii.  2,  "  That  their  hearts 
might  be  comforted,  being  knit  together  in  love,  and  unto  all  riches  of  the  full 
assurance  of  understanding,  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  mystery  of  God,  and 
of  the  leather,  and  of  Christ."  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  God  would  give 
the  greatest  evidence  of  those  things  which  are  greatest,  and  the  triith  of  which 
is  of  greatest  importance  to  us :  and  that  we  therefore,  if  we  are  wise,  and  act  ra- 
tionally, shall  have  the  greatest  desire  of  having  full,  undoubting  and  perfect 
assurance  of.  But  it  is  certain,  that  such  an  assurance  is  not  to  be  attained  by 
the  greater  part  of  them  w'ho  live  under  the  gospel,  by  arguments  fetched  from 
ancient  traditions,  histories,  and  monuments. 

And  if  we  come  to  fact  and  experience,  there  is  not  the  least  reason  to  sup- 
pose, that  one  in  a  hundred  of  those  who  have  been  sincere  Christians,  and  have 
had  a  heart  to  sell  all  for  Christ,  have  come  by  their  conviction  of  the  truth  of 
the  gospel  this  way.  If  we  lead  over  the  histories  of  the  many  thousands  that 
died  martyrs  for  Christ,  since  the  beginning  of  the  Reformation,  and  have  cheer- 
fully undergone  extreme  tortures  in  a  confidence  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and 
consider  their  circumstances  and  advantages  ;  how  few  of  them  were  there,  that 
we  can  reasonably  suppose,  ever  came  by  their  assured  persuasion  this  way ;  or 
indeed  for  whom  it  was  possible,  reasonably  to  receive  so  full  and  strong  an  as- 
surance, from  such  arguments  !  Many  of  them  were  weak  women  and  children, 
and  the  greater  part  of  them  illiterate  persons,  many  of  whom  had  been  brought 
up  in  popish  ignorance  and  darkness,  and  were  but  newly  come  out  of  it,  and 
lived  and  died  in  times  wherein  those  arguments  for  the  truth  of  Christianity, 


134  RELIGIOrS  AFFECTIONS. 

from  antiquity  and  history,  had  been  but  very  imperfectly  handled.  And  indeed, 
it  is  but  very  lately  that  these  arguments  have  been  set  in  a  clear  and  convinc- 
ing light,  even  by  learned  men  themselves  :  and  since  it  has  been  done,  there 
laever  were  fewer  thorough  behevers  among  those  who  have  been  educated  in 
the  true  religion ',  infidelity  never  prevailed  so  much,  in  any  age,  as  in  this, 
wherein  these  arguments  are  handled  to  the  greatest  advantage. 

The  true  martyrs  of  Jesus  Christ,  are  not  those  who  have  only  been  strong 
in  opinion  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  is  true,  but  those  that  have  seen  the  truth 
of  it ;  as  the  very  name  of  martyrs  or  witnesses  (by  which  they  are  called  in 
Scripture)  implies.  Those  are  very  improperly  called  witnesses  of  the  truth  of 
any  thing,  who  only  declare  they  are  very  much  of  opinion  that  such  a  thing  is 
true.  Those  only  are  proper  witnesses,  who  can,  and  do  testify,  that  they  have 
seen  the  truth  of  the  thing  they  assert :  John  iii.  1 1,  "  We  speak  that  we  do 
know,  and  testify  that  we  have  seen."  John  i.  34, "  And  I  saw  and  bare  record, 
that  this  is  the  Son  of  God."  1  John  iv.  14, "  And  we  have  seen  and  do  testify, 
that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world."  Acts  xxii.  14,  15, 
"The  God  of  our  fathers  hath  chosen  thee,  that  thou  shouldst  know  his  will,  and 
see  that  just  one,  and  shouldst  hear  the  voice  of  his  mouth ;  for  thou  shalt  be 
his  witness  unto  all  men,  of  what  thou  hast  seen  and  heard."  But  the  true 
martyrs  of  Jesus  Christ  are  called  his  witnesses ;  and  all  the  saints,  who  by  their 
holy  practice  under  great  trials,  declare  that  faith,  which  is  the  substance  of 
things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,  are  called  witnesses,  Heb. 
xi.  1,  and  xii.  1,  because  by  their  profession  and  practice,  they  declare  their  as- 
surance of  the  truth  and  divinity  of  the  gospel,  having  had  the  eyes  of  their 
minds  enhghtened  to  see  divinity  in  the  gospel,  or  to  behold  that  unparalleled, 
ineffably  excellent,  and  truly  divine  glory  shining  in  it,  which  is  altogether 
distinguishing,  evidential,  and  convincing  :  so  that  they  may  truly  be  said  to  bave 
seen  God  in  it,  and  to  have  seen  that  it  is  indeed  divine ;  and  so  can  speak  in 
the  style  of  witnesses ;  and  not  only  say,  that  they  think  the  gospel  is  divine^ 
but  say,  that  it  is  divine,  giving  it  in  as  their  testimony,  because  they  have  seen 
it  to  be  so.  Doubtless  Peter,  James  and  John,  after  they  had  seen  that  excel- 
lent glory  of  Christ  in  the  mount,  would  have  been  ready,  when  they  came 
down,  to  speak  in  the  language  of  witnesses,  and  to  say  positively  that  Jesus  is 
the  Son  of  God  ;  as  Peter  says,  they  were  eyewitnesses,  2  Pet.  i.  16.  And  so 
all  nations  will  be  ready  positively  to  say  this,  when  they  shall  behold  his  glory 
at  the  day  of  judgment ;  though  what  will  be  universally  seen,  will  be  only  his 
natural  glory,  and  not  his  moral  and  spiritual  glory,  which  is  much  more  distin- 
guishing. But  yet  it  must  be  noted,  that  among  those  who  have  a  spiritual 
sight  of  the  divine  glory  of  the  gospel,  there  is  a  great  variety  of  degrees  of 
strength  of  faith,  as  there  is  a  vast  variety  of  the  degrees  of  clearness  of  views 
of  this  glory  :  but  there  is  no  true  and  saving  faith,  or  spiritual  conviction  of  the 
judgment,  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  that  has  nothing  in  it,  of  this  manifestation 
of  its  internal  evidence  in  some  degree.  The  gospel  of  the  blessed  God  does 
not  go  abroad  a  begging  for  its  evidence,  so  much  as  some  think  ;  it  has  its 
highest  and  most  proper  evidence  in  itself  Though  great  use  may  be  made  of 
external  arguments,  they  are  not  to  be  neglected,  but  highly  prized  and  valued ; 
for  they  may  be  greatly  serviceable  to  awaken  unbelievers,  and  bring  them  to 
serious  consideration,  and  to  confirm  the  faith  of  true  saints ;  yea,  they  may  be. 
in  some  respect  subservient  to  the  begetting  of  a  saving  faith  in  men.  Though 
what  was  said  before  remains  true,  that  there  is  no  spiritual  conviction  of  the 
judgment,  but  what  arises  from  an  apprehension  of  the  spiritual  beauty  and  glory 
of  divine  things :  for,  as  has  been  observed,  this  apprehension  or  view  has  a 


REUGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  135 

feiulency  to  oonvince  the  mind  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  two  ways,  either  di- 
rectly or  irKhreitly.  Having  therefore  already  observed  how  it  does  this  di- 
rectly, I  proceed  now, 

'2.  To  observe  how  a  view  of  this  divine  glory  does  convince  the  mind  of 
the  truth  of  Christianity,  more  indirectly. 

First,  It  doth  so,  as  the  prejudircs  of  the  heart  ae;ainst  the  truth  of  divine 
things  are  hereby  removed,  so  that  the  mind  thereby  lies  open  to  the  force  of 
the  resisons  which  are  ottered.  The  mind  of  man  is  naturally  full  of  enmity 
against  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel ;  which  is  a  disadvantage  to  those  argu- 
ments that  prove  their  truth,  and  causes  them  to  lose  their  force  upon  the  mind; 
but  when  a  person  has  discovered  to  him  the  divine  excellency  of  Christian 
doctrines,  this  destroys  that  enmity,  and  removes  the  prejudices,  and  sanctifies 
the  reason,  and  causes  it  to  be  open  and  free.  Hence  is  a  vast  difference,  as  to 
the  force  that  arguments  have  to  convince  the  mind.  Hence  was  the  very  dif- 
ferent etlect,  which  Christ's  miracles  had  to  convince  the  disciples,  from  what 
they  had  to  convince  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees :  not  that  they  had  a  stronger 
reason,  or  had  their  reason  more  improved  ;  but  their  reason  was  sanctified,  and 
those  blinding  prejudices,  which  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  were  under,  were 
removed  by  the  sense  they  had  of  the  excellency  of  Christ  and  his  doctrine. 

Secondly,  U  not  only  removes  the  hinderances  of  reason,  but  positively  helps 
reason.  It  makes  even  the  speculative  notions  more  lively.  It  assists  and  en- 
gages the  attention  of  the  mind  to  that  kind  of  objects  which  causes  it  to  have 
a  clearer  view  of  them,  and  more  clearly  to  see  their  mutual  relations.  The 
ideas  themselves,  which  otherwise  are  dim  and  obscure,  by  this  means  have  a 
light  cast  upon  them,  and  are  impressed  with  greater  strength,  so  that  the  mind 
can  better  judge  of  them ;  as  he  that  beholds  the  objects  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  when  the  light  of  the  sun  is  cast  upon  them,  is  under  greater  advantage 
to  discern  them,  in  their  true  forms,  and  mutual  relations,  and  to  see  the  evi- 
dences of  divine  wisdom  and  skill  in  their  contrivance,  than  he  that  sees  them  in 
a  dim  starlight,  or  twilight. 

What  has  been  said,  may  serve  in  some  measure  to  show  the  nature  of  a 
spiritual  conviction  of  the  judgment  of  the  truth  and  reality  of  divine  things; 
and  so  to  distinguish  truly  gracious  affections  from  others ;  for  gracious  affections 
are  evermore  attended  with  such  a  conviction  of  the  judgment. 

But  before  I  dismiss  this  head,  it  will  be  needful  to  observe  the  ways  where- 
by some  are  deceived,  with  respect  to  this  matter ;  and  take  notice  of  several 
things,  that  are  sometimes  taken  for  a  spiritual  and  saving  belief  of  the  truth  of 
'he  thinos  of  religion,  which  are  indeed  very  diverse  from  it. 

1.  There  is  a  degree  of  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  great  things  of  religion, 
that  arises  from  the  common  enlightenings  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  That  more 
lively  and  sensible  apprehension  of  the  things  of  religion,  with  respect  to  what 
is  natural  in  them,  such  as  natural  men  have  who  are  under  awakenings  and 
oommon  illuminations,  will  give  some  degi-ee  of  conviction  of  the  truth  of  divine 
things,  beyond  what  they  had  before  they  were  thus  enlightened.  For  hereby 
they  see  the  manifestations  there  are,  in  the  revelation  made  in  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures, and  things  exhibited  in  that  revelation,  of  the  natural  perfections  of  God ; 
such  as  his  greatness,  power,  and  awful  majesty ;  which  fends  to  convince  the 
mind,  that  this  is  the  word  of  a  great  and  terrible  God.  From  the  tokervs  there 
are  of  God's  greatness  and  majesty  rn  his  word  and  works,  which  they  have  a 
great  sense  of,  from  the  common  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  may  have 
a  much  greater  conviction  that  these  are  indeed  the  words  and  works  of  a  very 
great  invisible  Being.     And  the  lively  apprehei^ion  of  the  greatness  of  God, 


136  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

which  natural  men  may  have,  tends  to  make  them  sensible  of  the  great  guilt, 
which  sin  against  such  a  God  brings,  and  the  dreadful  ness  of  his  wrath  for  sin. 
And  this  tends  to  cause  them  more  easily  and  fully  to  believe  the  revelation  the 
Scripture  makes  of  another  world,  and  of  the  extreme  misery  it  threatens,  there 
to  be  inflicted  on  sinners.  And  so  from  that  sense  of  the  great  natural  good 
there  is  in  the  things  of  religion,  which  is  sometimes  given  in  common  illumina- 
tions, men  may  be  the  more  induced  to  believe  the  truth  of  religion.  These 
things  persons  may  have,  and  yet  have  no  sense  of  the  beauty  and  amiableness 
of  the  moral  and  holy  excellency  that  is  in  the  things  of  religion ;  and  therefore 
no  spiritual  conviction  of  their  truth.  But  yet  such  convictions  are  sometimes 
mistaken  for  saving  convictions,  and  the  affections  flowing  from  them,  for  saving- 
affections. 

2.  The  extraordinary  impressions  which  are  made  on  the  imaginations  of 
some  persons,  in  the  visions  and  immediate  strong  impulses  and  suggestions  that 
they  have,  as  though  they  saw  sights,  and  had  words  spoken  to  them,  may,  and 
often  do  beget  a  strong  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  invisible  things.  Though  the 
general  tendency  of  such  things,  in  their  fmal  issue,  is  to  chaw  men  off  from  the 
word  of  God,  and  to  cause  them  to  reject  the  gospel,  and  to  establish  unbelief 
and  Atheism ;  yet  for  the  present,  they  may,  and  often  do  beget  a  confident 
persuasion  of  the  truth  of  somethings  that  are  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  j  however 
their  confidence  is  founded  in  delusion,  and  so  nothing  worth.  As  for  instance, 
if  a  person  has  by  some  invisible  agent,  immediately  and  strongly  impressed  on 
his  imagination,  the  appearance  of  a  bright  light,  and  glorious  form  of  a  person 
seated  on  a  throne,  with  great  external  majesty  and  beauty,  uttering  some  re- 
markable words,  with  great  force  and  energy  ;  the  person  who  is  the  subject  of 
such  an  operation,  may  be  from  hence  confident,  that  there  are  invisible  agents, 
spiritual  beings,  from  what  he  has  experienced,  knowing  that  he  had  no  hand 
himself  in  this  extraordinary  effect,  which  he  has  experienced  :  and  he  may  also 
be  confident,  that  this  is  Christ  whom  he  saw  and  heard  speaking  :  and  this  may 
make  him  confident  that  there  is  a  Christ,  and  that  Christ  reigns  on  a  throne  in 
heaven,  as  he  saw  him ;  and  may  be  confident  that  the  words  which  he  heard 
him  speak  ai-e  true,  &c. — In  the  same  manner,  as  the  lying  miracles  of  the  Pa- 
pists may,  for  the  present,  beget  in  the  minds  of  the  ignorant  deluded  people,  a 
strong  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  many  things  declared  in  the  New  Testament. 
Thus  when  the  images  of  Christ,  in  Popish  cdmrches,  are  on  some  extraordinary 
occasions,  made  by  priestcraft  to  appear  to  the  people  as  if  they  wept,  and  shed 
fresh  blood,  and  moved,  and  utterecl  such  and  such  words ;  the  people  may  be 
verily  persuaded  that  it  is  a  miracle  wrought  by  Christ  himself;  and  from  thence 
may  be  confident  there  is  a  Christ,  and  that  what  they  are  told  of  his  death  and 
sufferings,  and  resurrection,  and  ascension,  and  present  government  or  the  world 
is  true  ;  for  they  may  look  upon  this  miracle,  as  a  certain  evidence  of  all  these 
things,  and  a  kind  of  ocular  demonstration  of  them.  This  may  be  the  influence 
of  these  lying  wonders  for  the  present ;  though  the  general  tendency  of  them 
is  not  to  convince  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  but  finally  to  promote 
Atheism.  Even  the  intercourse  which  Satan  has  with  witches,  and  their  often 
experiencing  his  immediate  power,  has  a  tendency  to  convince  them  of  the  truth 
of  some  of  the  doctrines  of  religion;  as  particularly  the  reality  of  an  invisible 
world,  or  world  of  spirits,  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Sadducees.  The  gen- 
eral tendency  of  Satan's  influence  is  delusion  :  but  yet  he  may  mix  some  truth 
with  his  lies,  that  his  lies  may  not  be  so  easily  discovered. 

There  are  multitudes  that  are  deluded  with  a  counterfeit  faith,  from  impres- 
sions on  their  imagination,  in  the  manner  which  has  been  now  spoken  of.     They 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECIIONS.  137 

sav  they  know  that  llieie  is  a  God,  for  ihcy  have  seen  him  ;  they  know  that 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  Goii,  for  they  have  seen  him  in  his  glory  ;  they  know  that 
Christ  died  for  sinners,  lor  they  have  seen  him  hanging  on  the  cross,  and  his 
blood  running  from  his  wounds;  they  know  there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  for 
they  have  seen  the  misery  of  the  damned  souls  in  hell,  and  the  glory  of  saints 
and  angels  in  heaven  (meaning  some  external  representations,  strongly  impress- 
ed on  their  imagination) ;  they  know  that  the  Scrii)tures  are  the  word  ol'  God, 
and  that  such  and  such  })roraises  in  particular  are  his  word,  for  they  have  heard 
him  speak  them  to  them,  they  came  to  (iieir  minds  suddenly  and  immediately 
from  Ciod,  without  their  having  any  hand  in  it. 

3.  Persons  may  seem  to  have  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  the  things  of  reli- 
gion greatly  increased,  when  the  foundation  of  it  is  only  a  persuasion  they  have 
received  of  their  interest  in  them.  They  first,  by  some  means  or  other,  lake  up 
a  confidence,  that  if  there  be  a  Christ  and  heaven,  they  are  theirs;  and  this  pre- 
judices them  more  in  iavor  of  the  truth  of  ihera.  When  they  hear  of  the  great 
and  glorious  things  of  religion,  it  is  with  this  notion,  that  all  these  things  belong 
10  them ;  and  hence  easily  become  confident  that  they  are  true  ;  they  look  upon 
it  to  be  greatly  for  their  interest  that  they  should  be  true.  It  is  very  obvious 
what  a  strong  influence  men's  interest  and  inclinations  have  on  their  judgments. 
While  a  natural  man  thinks,  that  if  there  be  a  heaven  and  hell,  the  latter,  and 
not  the  Ibrmer,  belongs  to  him ;  then  he  will  be  hardly  peisuadcd  that  there  is 
a  heaven  or  hell :  but  when  he  comes  to  be  persuaded,  that  hell  belongs  only 
to  other  folks,  and  not  to  him,  then  he  can  easily  allow  the  reality  of  hell,  and 
cr)'  out  of  others'  senselessness  and  sottishness  in  neglecting  means  of  escape 
from  it :  and  being  confident  that  he  is  a  child  of  God,  and  that  God  has  prom- 
ised heaven  to  him,  he  may  seem  strong  in  the  faith  of  its  reaUty,  and  may  have 
d  great  zeal  against  that  infidelity  which  denies  it. 

But  I  proceed  to  another  distinguishing  sign  of  gracious  affections. 

VI.  Gracious  affections  are  attended  with  evangelical  humiliation. 

Evangelical  humiliation  is  a  sense  that  a  Christian  has  of  his  own  utter 
insuiHciency,  despicableness,  and  odiousnesss,  with  an  answerable  frame  of 
neart. 

There  is  a  distinction  to  be  made  between  a  legal  and  evangelical  humiliation 
The  former  is  what  men  may  be  the  subjects  of,  while  they  are  yet  in  a  state  of 
nature,  and  have  no  gracious  affections  ;  the  latter  is  peculiar  to  true  saints: 
the  former  is  from  the  common  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  assisting  natural 
principles,  and  especially  natural  conscience ;  the  latter  is  from  the  special  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit  of  God,  implanting  and  exercising  supernatural  and  divine 
principles:  the  former  is  from  the  mind's  being  assistetl  to  a  greater  sense  of  tke 
things  of  religion,  as  to  their  natural  properties  and  qualities,  and  particularly 
of  the  natural  perfections  of  God,  such  as  his  greatness,  terrible  majesty,  &.C., 
which  were  manifested  to  the  congregation  of  Israel,  in  giving  the  law  at  mount 
Sinai ;  the  latter  is  from  a  sense  of  the  transcendent  beauty  of  divine  things  in 
their  moral  qualities  :  in  the  former,  a  sense  of  the  awful  greatness,  and  natural 
perfections  of  God,  and  of  the  striciness  of  his  law,  convinces  men  that  they 
are  exceeding  sinful,  and  guilty,  and  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God,  as  it  will 
wicked  men  and  devils  at  the  day  of  ju<lgment ;  but  they  do  not  see  their  own 
odiousness  on  the  account  of  sin  ;  tliey  do  not  see  the  hateful  nature  of  sin ;  a 
sense  of  this  is  given  in  evangelical  humiliation,  by  a  discovery  of  tlie  beauty 
of  God's  holiness  and  moral  perfection.  In  a  legal  humiliation,  men  are  made 
sensible  that  they  are  little  and  nothing  before  tlie  great  and  terrible  God,  and 
that  they  are  undone,  and  wholly  insufficient  to  help  themselves ;  as  wicked 
Vol.  Ill  18 


138  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

men  will  be  at  the  day  of  judgment :  but  they  have  not  an  answerable  frame 
of  heart,  consisting  in  a  disposition  to  abase  themselves,  and  exalt  God  alone ; 
this  disposition  is  given  only  in  evangelical  humiliation,  by  overcoming  the  heart, 
and  changing  its  inclination,  by  a  discovery  of  God's  holy  bea>ity  :  in  a  legal 
humiliation,  the  conscience  is  convinced  5  as  the  consciences  of  all  will  he  most 
perfectly  at  the  day  of  judgment ;  but  because  there  is  no  spiritual  understand- 
ing, the  will  is  not  bowed,  nor  the  inclination  altered  :  this  is  done  only  in 
evangelical  humiliation.  In  legal  humihation,  men  are  brought  to  despair  of 
helping  themselves  ;  in  evangelical,  they  are  brought  voluntarily  to  de^iy  and 
renounce  themselves :  in  the  former,  they  are  subdued  and  forced  to  the  ground  ; 
in  the  latter,  they  are  brought  sweetly  to  yield,  and  freely  and  with  delight  to 
prostrate  themselves  at  the  feet  of  God. 

Legal  humiliation  has  in  it  no  spiritual  good,  nothing  of  the  nature  of  true 
virtue ;  whereas  evangelical  humiliation  is  that  wherein  the  excellent  beauty 
of  Christian  grace  does  very  much  consist.  Legal  humiliation  is  useful,  as  a 
means  in  order  to  evangelical ;  as  a  common  knowledge  of  the  things  of  religion 
is  a  means  requisite  in  order  to  spiritual  knowledge.  Men  may  be  legally 
humbled  and  have  no  humility :  as  the  wicked  at  the  day  of  judgment  will  be 
thoroughly  convinced  that  they  have  no  righteousness,  but  are  altogether  sinful, 
and  exceedingly  guilty,  and  justly  exposed  to  eternal  damnation,  and  be  fully 
sensible  of  their  own  helplessness,  without  the  least  mortification  of  the  pride  of 
their  hearts  :  but  the  essence  of  evangelical  humiliation  consists  in  such  humility, 
as  becomes  a  creature,  in  itself  exceeding  sinful,  under  a  dispensation  of  grace ; 
consisting  in  a  mean  esteem  of  himself,  as  in  himself  nothing,  and  altogether 
contemptible  and  odious  ;  attended  with  a  mortification  of  a  disposition  to  exalt 
himself,  and  a  free  renunciation  of  his  own  glory. 

This  is  a  great  and  most  essential  thing  in  true  religion.  The  whole  frame 
of  the  gospel,  and  every  thing  appertaining  to  the  new  covenant,  and  all  God's 
dispensations  towards  fallen  man,  are  calculated  to  bring  to  pass  this  effect  in 
the  hearts  of  men.  They  that  are  destitute  of  this,  have  no  true  religion,  what- 
ever profession  they  may  make,  and  how  high  soever  their  religious  affections 
may  be :  Hab.  ii.  4,  "  Behold,  his  soul  which  is  lifted  up,  is  not  upright  in  him ; 
but  the  just  shall  live  by  his  faith  ;"  i.  e.,  he  shall  live  by  his  faith  on  God's 
righteousness  and  grace,  and  not  his  own  goodness  and  excellency.  God  has 
abundantly  manifested  in  his  word,  that  this  is  what  he  has  a  peculiar  respect 
to  in  his  saints,  and  that  nothing  is  acceptable  to  him  without  it.  Psalm  xxxiv. 
18, "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart,  and  saveth  such  as: 
be  of  a  contrite  spirit."  Psalm  li.  17,  "  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken 
spirit :  a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  0  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise."  Psalra 
cxxxviii.  6,  "  Though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet  hath  he  respect  unto  the  lowly/" 
Prov.  iii.  34,  "  He  giveth  grace  unto  the  lowly."  Isa.  Ivii.  15,  "  Thussaith  the 
high  and  lofty  One  who  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  holy,  I  dwell  in  the 
high  and  holy  place ;  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  toi 
revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart  of  the  contrite  ones." 
Isa.  Ixvi.  1,  2,  '•'  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the  earth  is 
my  footstool :  but  to  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor,  and  of  a 
contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth  at  my  word."  Micah  vi.  8,  "  He  hath  showed! 
thee,  0  man,  what  is  good  ;  and  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee  ; 
but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God  ?"  Matt.  • 
V.  3,  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit ;  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  God."  MatL 
xviii.  3,  4,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as 
little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     Whosoever 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  139 

therefore  shall  humble  himself  as  this  little  child,  the  same  is  greatest  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  Mark  x.  15,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  not 
receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  not  enter  theiein."  The 
centurion,  that  we  have  an  account  of,  Luke  vii.,  acknowledged  that  lie  was  not 
worthy  that  Christ  should  enter  under  his  roof,  and  that  he  was  not  worthy  to 
come  to  him.  See  the  manner  of  the  woman's  coming  to.  Christ,  that  was  a 
sinner,  Luke  vii.  37,  &c. :  "  And  behold,  a  woman  in  the  city,  which  was  a  sin- 
ner, when  she  knew  that  Jesus  sat  at  meat  in  the  Pharisee's  house,  brought  an 
alabaster  box  of  ointment,  and  stood  at  his  ftet  behind  him  weeping,  and  began 
to  wash  his  feet  with  tears,  and  did  wipe  them  wilh  the  hairs  of  her  head."  She 
did  not  think  the  hair  of  her  head,  which  is  the  natural  crown  and  glory  of  a 
woman  (1  Cor.  xi.  15),  too  good  to  wipe  the  feet  of  Christ  withal.  Jesus 
njost  graciously  accepted  her,  and  says  to  her, "  thy  faith  hath  saved  thee,  go  in 
peace."  The  woman  of  Canaan  submitted  to  Christ,  in  his  saying,  "  it  is  not 
meet  to  take  the  children's  bread  and  cast  it  to  dogs,"  and  did  as  it  were  own 
that  she  was  worthy  to  be  called  a  dog  ;  whereupon  Christ  says  unto  her,  "  0 
woman,  great  is  thy  faith  ;  be  it  unto  thee,  even  as  thou  wilt,"  Matt.  xv.  26, 
27,  28.  The  prodigal  son  said,  "  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father,  and  I  will 
say  unto  him.  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  before  thee,  and  am  no 
more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son :  make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired  servants," 
Luke  XV.  18,  &c.  See  also  Luke  xviii.  9,  &c. :  "  And  he  spake  this  parable  unto 
certain  which  trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  and  despised  others, 
&c.  The  publican,  standing  afar  off,  would  not  so  much  as  lift  up  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  but  smote  upon  his  breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,  I 
tell  you,  this  man  went  down  to  his  house  justified  rather  than  the  other  :  for 
every  one  that  exalteth  himself,  shall  be  abased  ;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself, 
shall  be  exalted."  Matt,  xxviii.  9,  "  And  they  came,  and  held  him  by  the  feet, 
and  worshipped  him."  Col.  iii.  12,  "  Put  ye  on,  as  the  elect  of  God,  humble- 
ness of  mind."  Ezek.  xx.  41,  42,  "  I  will  accept  you  with  your  sweet  savor, 
when  I  bring  you  out  from  the  people,  &c.  And  there  shall  ye  remember  your 
■ways,  and  all  your  doings,  wherein  ye  have  been  defiled,  and  ye  shall  loathe 
yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  for  all  your  evils  that  ye  have  committed."  Chap, 
xxxvi.  26,  27,  31,  "  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  unto  you — and  I  will  put  my 
Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  &c.  Then  shall  ye 
remember  your  own  evil  ways,  and  your  doings  that  were  not  good,  and  shall 
loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  for  your  iniquities,  and  for  your  abominations." 
Chap.  xvi.  63,  "  That  thou  may  est  remember  and  be  confounded,  and  never  open 
thy  mouth  any  more  because  of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacified  toward  thee  for 
all  that  thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord."  Job  xlii.  6,  "  I  abhor  myself,  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes." 

As  we  would  therefore  make  the  holy  Scriptures  our  rule  in  judging  of  the 
nature  of  true  religion,  and  judging  of  our  own  religious  qualifications  and  state  ;  i 
it  concerns  us  greatly  to  look  at  this  humiliation,  jis  one  of  the  most  essential  I 
things  pertaining  to  true  Christianity.*  This  is  the  principal  part  of  the  great 
Christian  duty  of  self-denial.  That  duty  consists  in  two  things,  \\z.,frst,  in  a 
man's  denying  his  worldly  inclinations,  and  in  forsaking  and  renouncing  all 
worldly  objects  and  enjoyments ;  and,  secondly,  in  denying  his  natural  self-ex- 

♦  Calvin,  in  his  Institutions.  Book  II.  chap.  2.  §  11,  says,  "  I  was  alwa3s  exceedingly  pleased  with 
that  saying  of  Chrysostom,  "  The  foundation  of  our  philosophy  is  humility  ;"  and  yet  hiorf  pleased  with 
that  of  Augustine  :  "  As,"  says  he,  "  the  rhetorician  ljein<;  asked,  what  was  the  first  thing  in  the  rules  of 
eloquence,  he  answered,  pronunciation  ;  what  was  the  second,  pronunciation  ;  what  was  the  third,  EtiU 
he  answered,  pronunciation.  So  if  you  shall  ask  me  concerning  the  precepts  of  the  Christian  religion, 
1  would  answer,  firstly,  secondly,  and  thirdly,  and  forever,  humJity." 


140  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  I 

altatlon,  and  renouncing  his  own  dignity  and  glory,  and  in  being  emptied  of 
himself;  so  that  he  does  freely  and  from  his  very  heart,  as  it  were  renounce 
himself,  and  annihilate  himself.  Thus  the  Christian  doth  in  evangelical  humi- 
liation. And  this  latter  is  the  greatest  and  most  dithcult  part  of  self-denial : 
although  they  always  go  together,  and  one  never  truly  is,  where  the  other  is 
not ;  yet  natural  men  can  come  much  nearer  to  the  former  than  the  latter. 
Many  Anchorites  and  Recluses  have  abandoned  (though  without  any  true  mor- 
tification) the  wealth,  and  pleasures,  and  common  enjoyments  of  the  world,  who 
were  far  from  renouncing  their  own  dignity  and  righteousness ;  they  never  de- 
nied themselves  for  Christ,  but  only  sold  one  lust  to  feed  another,  sold  a  beastly 
lust  to  pamper  a  devilish  one  ;  and  so  were  never  the  better,  but  their  latter  end 
was  worse  than  their  beginning  ;  they  turned  out  one  black  devil,  to  let  in 
seven  white  ones,  that  were  worse  than  the  first,  though  of  a  fairer  countenance. 
It  is  inexpressible,  and  almost  inconceivable,  how  strong  a  self-righteous,  self 
exalting  disposition  is  naturally  in  man  ;  and  what  he  will  not  do  and  suffer  to 
feed  and  gratify  it :  and  what  lengths  have  been  gone  in  a  seeming  self-denial 
in  other  respects,  by  Essenes  and  Pharisees  among  the  Jews,  and  by  Papists, 
many  sects  of  heretics,  and  enthusiasts,  among  professing  Christians ;  and  by 
many  Mahometans  ;  and  by  Pythagorean  philosophers,  and  others  among  the 
Heathen ;  and  all  to  do  sacrifice  to  this  Moloch  of  spiritual  pride  or  self-right- 
eousness ;  and  that  they  may  have  something  wherein  to  exalt  themselves  be- 
fore God,  and  above  their  fellow  creatures. 

That  humiliation  which  has  been  spoken  of,  is  what  all  the  most  glorious 
hypocrites,  who  make  the  most  splendid  show  of  mortification  to  the  world,  and 
high  religious  affection,  do  grossly  fail  in.  Were  it  not  that  this  is  so  much  in- 
sisted on  in  Scripture,  as  a  most  essential  thing  in  true  grace,  one  would  be 
tempted  to  think  that  many  of  the  heathen  philosophers  were  truly  gracious,  in 
whom  was  so  bright  an  appearance  of  many  virtues,  and  also  great  illumina- 
tions, and  inward  fervors  and  elevations  of  mind,  as  though  they  were  truly  the 
subjects  of  divine  illapses  and  heavenly  communications.*  It  is  true,  that  many 
hypocrites  make  great  pretences  to  humility,  as  well  as  other  graces ;  and  very 
often  there  is  nothing  whatsoever  which  they  make  a  higher  profession  of. 
They  endeavor  to  make  a  great  show  of  humility  in  speech  and  behavior ;  but 
they  commonly  make  bungling  work  of  it,  though  glorious  work  in  their  own 
eyes.  They  cannot  find  out  what  a  humble  speech  and  behavior  is,  or  how  to 
speak  and  act  so  that  there  may  indeed  be  a  savor  of  Christian  humility  in  what 
they  say  and  do :  that  sweet  humble  air  and  mien  is  beyond  their  art,  being  not 
led  by  the  Spirit,  or  naturally  guided  to  a  behavior  becoming  holy  humility,  by 

*  "  Albeil  the  Pythagoreans  wcre.thus  famous  for  Jurlaic  mysterious  wisdom,  and  many  moral,  as  well 
as  natural  accomplishments,  yet  v.  ere  they  not  exempted  from  boasting  and  pride  ;  which  was  indeed  a  vice 
most  epidemic,  and  as  it  were  congenial,  among  ail  the  philosophers  ;  but  in  a  more  particular  manner, 
among  the  Pythagoreans.  So  Hornius  Hist.  Philosoph.  L.  HI.  chap.  xi.  The  mannets  of  the  Pytha- 
goreans were  not  free  from  boasting.  They  were  all  such  as  abounded  in  the  sense  and  commendation 
of  their  own  excellencies,  and  boasting  even  almost  to  the  degree  of  immodesty  and  impudence,  as 
great  Heinsius,  ad  Horat.  has  rightly  observed.  Thus  indeed  does  proud  nature  delight  to  walii  in  the 
sparks  of  its  own  fire.  And  although  many  of  these  old  philosophers  could,  by  the  strength  of  their  own 
lights  and  heats,  together  with  some  common  elevations  and  raisures  of  spirit  (peradventure  from  a 
more  than  ordinary,  though  not  special  and  saving  assistance  of  the  Spirit),  abandon  many  grosser  vices ; 
yet  they  were  all  deeply  immersed  in  that  miserable  cursed  abyss  of  spiritual  pride  :  so  that  all  their 
natural,  and  moral,  and  philosophic  attainments,  did  feed,  noun'sh,  strengthen  and  render  most  inveter- 
ate, this  hell-l)rcd  pest  of  their  hearts.  Yea,  those  of  them  that  seemed  most  modest,  as  the  Academics, 
who  professed  they  knew  nothing,  and  the  Cynics,  who  greatly  decried,  both  in  words  and  habits,  the 
pride  of  others,  yet  even  they  abounded  in  the  most  notorious  and  visible  pride.  So  connatural  and  mo- 
rally essential  to  corrupt  nature,  is  this  envenomed  root,  fountain,  and  plague  of  spiritual  pride  ;  especial- 
ly where  there  is  any  natural,  moral,  or  philosophic  excellence  to  feed  the  same.  Whence,  Austin  rightly 
judged  all  these  philosophic  virtues  to  be  but  splendid  sins,  Gde's  Court  of  the  Gentiles,  Part  'I.  B.  IL 
cfeap.  X.  S  I". 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  141 

the  vigor  of  a  lowly  spirit  within  them.  And  therefore  they  have  no  other  way, 
many  of  them,  but  only  to  he  much  in  declaring  that  they  be  humble,  and  tell- 
ing how  they  were  humbled  to  ila-  dust  at  such  and  such  times,  and  abounding 
in  very  bad  expressions  which  they  use  about  themselves  ;  such  as,  "  I  am  the 
least  of  all  saints,  I  am  a  poor  vile  crt-ature,  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  mercy, 
or  that  God  should  look  upon  me  !  Oh,  I  have  a  dreadful  wicked  heart !  My 
heart  is  worse  than  the  devil !  Oh,  this  cursed  heart  of  mine,"  &,c.  Such  ex- 
pressions are  very  often  used,  not  with  a  heart  that  is  broken,  not  with  spiritu- 
al mourning,  not  with  the  tears  of  her  that  washed  Jesus's  feet,  not  as  "  re- 
membering and  being  confounded,  and  never  opening  their  mouth  more  because 
of  their  shame,  when  God  is  pacified,"  as  the  expression  is,  Ezek.  xvi.  63,  but 
with  a  light  air,  with  smiles  in  the  countenance,  or  with  a  pbarisaical  affectation  : 
and  we  must  believe  that  they  are  thus  humble,  and  see  themselves  so  vile,  upon 
the  credit  of  their  say  so  ;  for  there  is  nothing  appears  in  them  of  any  s'lvor  of 
humility,  in  the  manner  of  their  deportment  and  deeds  that  they  do.  There  are 
many  that  are  full  of  expressions  of  their  own  vileness,  who  yet  expect  to  be 
looked  upon  as  eminent  and  bright  saints  by  others,  as  their  due ;  and  it  is  dan- 
gerous for  any,  so  much  as  to  hint  the  contrary,  or  to  carry  it  towards  them  any 
otherwise,  than  as  if  we  looked  upon  them  as  some  of  the  chief  of  Christians. 
There  are  many  that  are  much  in  cr)'ing  out  of  their  wicked  hearts,  and  their 
great  short  comings,  and  unprofitableness,  and  speaking  as  though  they  looked 
on  themselves  as  the  meanest  of  the  saints;  who  yet,  if  a  minister  should 
seriously  tell  them  the  same  things  in  private,  and  should  signify,  that  he  feared 
they  were  very  low  and  weak  Christians,  and  thought  they  had  leason  solemn- 
ly to  consider  of  their  great  barrenness  and  unprofitableness,  and  falling  so  much 
short  of  many  others,  it  would  be  more  than  they  could  digest ;  they  would 
think  themselves  highly  injured ;  and  there  would  be  a  danger  of  a  rooted  pre- 
judice in  them  against  such  a  minister. 

There  are  some  that  are  abundant  ia  talking  against  legal  doctrines,  legal 
preaching,  and  a  legal  spirit,  who  do  but  little  understand  the  thing  they  talk 
against.  A  legal  spirit  is  a  more  subtle  thing  than  they  imagine  ;  it  is  too 
subtle  for  them.  It  lurks,  and  operates,  and  prevails  in  their  hearts,  and  they 
are  most  notoriously  guilty  of  it,  at  the  same  time,  when  they  are  inveighing 
against  it.  So  far  as  a  man  is  not  emptied  of  himself,  and  of  his  own  righteous- 
ness and  goodness,  in  whatever  form  or  shape,  so  far  he  is  of  a  legal  spirit.  A 
spirit  of  pride  of  man's  own  righteousness,  morality,  holiness,  affection,  expe- 
rience, faith,  humiliation,  or  any  goodness  whatsoever,  is  a  legal  spirit.  It  was 
no  pride  in  Adam  before  the  fall,  to  be  of  a  legal  spirit ;  because  of  his  circum- 
stances, he  might  seek  acceptance  by  his  own  righteousness.  But  a  legal  spirit 
in  a  fallen,  sinful  creature,  can  be  nothing  else  but  spiritual  pride;  ancl  recipro- 
cally, a  spiritually  proud  spirit  is  a  legal  spirit.  There  is  no  man  living  that  is 
lifted  up  with  a  conceit  of  his  own  experiences  and  discoveries,  and  upon  the 
account  of  them  glisters  in  his  own  eyes,  but  what  trusts  in  his  experiences,  and 
makes  a  righteousness  of  them ;  however  he  may  use  humble  terms,  and  speak 
of  his  experiences  as  of  the  great  things  God  has  done  for  him,  and  it  may  be 
calls  upon  others  to  glorify  God  for  them  ;  yet  he  that  is  proud  of  his  expe- 
riences, arrogates  something  to  himself,  as  though  his  experiences  were  some 
dignity  of  his.  And  if  he  looks  on  them  as  his  own  dignity,  he  necessarily 
thmks  that  God  looks  on  them  so  too  ;  for  he  necessarily  thinks  his  own  opinion 
of  them  to  be  true;  and  consequently  judges  that  God  looks  on  them  as  he  does; 
and  so  unavoidably  imagines  that  God  looks  on  his  experiences  as  a  dignity  in 
him,  as  he  looks  on  them  himself;  and  that  he  glisters  as  much  in  God's  eyes, 


442  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  1 

as  he  does  in  his  own.  And  thus  he  trusts  in  what  is  inherent  in  him,  to  make ! 
him  shine  in  God's  sight,  and  recommend  him  to  God  :  and  with  this  encou- 
ragement  he  goes  beibre  God  in  prayer ;  and  this  makes  him  expect  much  from 
God ;  and  this  makes  him  think  that  Christ  loves  him,  and  that  he  is  wilhng  to 
clothe  him  with  his  righteousness  ;  because  he  supposes  that  he  is  taken  with  his 
experiences  and  graces.  And  this  is  a  high  degree  of  living  on  his  own  right- 
eousness ;  and  such  persons  are  in  the  high  road  to  hell.  Poor  deluded 
wretches,  who  think  they  look  so  glistering  in  God's  eyes,  when  they  are  a 
smoke  in  his  nose,  and  are  many  of  them  more  odious  to  him,  than  the  most  im- 
pure beast  in  Sodom,  that  makes  no  pretence  to  religion  !  To  do  as  these  do,  is  < 
to  live  upon  experiences,  according  to  lixe  true  notion  of  it ;  and  not  to  do  as  those, . 
who  only  make  use  of  spiritual  experiences,  as  evidences  of  a  state  of  grace,  and  i 
in  that  way  receive  hope  and  comfort  from  them. 

There  is  a  sort  of  men,  who  indeed  abundantly  cry  down  works,  and  cry  up 
faith  in  opposition  to  works,  and  set  up  themselves  very  much  as  evangelical 
persons,  in  opposition  to  those  that  are  of  a  legal  spirit,  and  make  a  fair  show 
of  advancing  Christ  and  the  gospel,  and  the  way  of  free  grace ;  who  are  in- 
deed some  of  the  greatest  enemies  to  the  gospel  way  of  fl'^e  grace,  and  the  most 
dangerous  opposers  of  pure  humble  Christianity. 

There  is  a  pretended  great  humiliation,  and  being  dead  to  the  law,  and 
emptied  of  self,  which  is  one  of  the  biggest  and  most  elated  things  in  the  world. 
Some  there  are,  who  have  made  great  profession  of  experience  of  a  thorough 
work  of  the  law  on  their  hearts,  and  of  being  brought  fully  off  from  works ; 
whose  conversation  has  savored  most  of  a  self-righteous  spirit  of  any  that  ever  I 
had  opportunity  to  observe.  And  some  who  think  themselves  quite  emptied  of 
themselves,  and  are  confident  that  they  are  abased  in  the  dust,  are  full  as  they 
can  hold  with  the  glory  of  their  own  humility,  and  lifted  up  to  heaven  with  a 
high  opinion  of  their  own  abasement.  Their  humility  is  a  swelling,  self-con- 
ceited, confident,  showy,  noisy,  assuming  humihty.  It  seems  to  be  the  nature 
of  spiritual  pride  to  make  men  conceited  and  ostentatious  of  their  humility.  This 
appears  in  that  first  born  of  pride  among  the  children  of  men,  that  would  be 
called  his  holiness,  even  the  man  of  sin,  that  exalts  himself  above  all  that  is 
called  God  or  is  worshipped ;  he  styles  himself  Servant  of  servants  ;  and  to  make 
a  show  of  humility,  washes  the  feet  of  a  number  of  poor  men  at  his  Inaugura- 
tion. 

For  persons  to  be  truly  emptied  of  themselves,  and  to  be  poor  in  spirit,  and 
broken  in  heart,  is  quite  another  thing,  and  has  other  effects,  than  many  imagine. 
It  is  astonishing  how  greatlv  many  are  deceived  about  themselves  as  to  this 
matter,  imagining  themselves  most  humble,  when  they  are  most  proud,  and 
their  behavior  is  really  the  most  haughty.  The  deceitfulness  of  the  heart  of 
man  appears  in  no  one  thing  so  much  as  this  of  spiritual  pride  and  self-right- 
eousness. The  subtilty  of  Satan  appears  in  its  height,  in  his  managing  of  per- 
sons with  respect  to  this  sin.  And  perhaps  one  reason  may  be,  that  here  he  has 
most  experience ;  he  knows  the  way  of  its  coming  in ;  he  is  acquainted  with 
the  secret  springs  of  it:  it  was  his  own  sin. — Experience  gives  vast  advantage 
in  leading  souls,  either  in  good  or  evil. 

But  though  spiritual  pride  be  so  subtle  and  secret  an  iniquity,  and  commonly 
appears  under  a  pretext  of  great  humility ;  yet  there  are  two  things  by  which 
it  may  (perhaps  universally  and  surely)  be  discovered  and  distinguished. 

The  first  thing  is  this ;  he  that  is  under  the  prevalence  of  this  distemper,  15 
apt  to  think  highly  of  his  attainments  in  religion,  as  comparing  himself  with 
others      It  is  natural  for  him  to  fall  into  tha,'^  thought  of  himself,  that  he  is  an 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  113 

eminent  saint,  that  he  is  verj-  hit;h  amongst  the  saints,  and  has  distinguisliingly 
good  and  great  experiences.  Tliat  is  the  secret  language  of  his  lieart:  Luke 
xviii.  11,  "  God,  I  thank  thee  that  1  anj  not  as  other  men."  And  Isa.  Ixv.  5, 
"  I  am  hoHer  than  thou."  Hence  such  are  apt  to  put  themselves  I'orward  among 
Go«rs  people,  and  as  it  were  to  take  a  high  seat  among  them,  as  il"  there  was 
no  doubt  of  it  but  it  belonged  to  tliem.  They,  as  il  were,  naturally  do  ihat 
which  Christ  condemns,  Luke  xiv.  7,  &.C.,  take  the  higliest  room.  Tliis  they 
do,  by  being  forward  to  take  upon  them  the  place  and  business  of  the  chief;  to 
guide,  teach,  direct,  and  manage ;  "  they  are  confident  that  they  are  guides  to 
the  blind,  a  light  of  them  wliicli  are  in  darkness,  instructor  of  the  foolish, 
teacliers  of  babes,"  Rom.  ii.  19,  20.  It  is  natural  for  them  to  take  it  lor  granted, 
that  it  belongs  to  them  to  do  the  part  of  dictators  and  masters  in  matters  of  re- 
ligion ;  and  so  they  implicitly  affect  to  be  called  of  men  Rabbi,  which  is  by 
interpretation  Master,  as  the  Pharisees  did,  Matt,  xxiii.  6,  7,  i.  e.,  they  are  yet 
apt  to  expect  that  others  should  regard  them,  and  yield  to  them,  as  masters  in 
matters  of  religion.* 

But  he  whose  heart  is  under  the  power  of  Christian  humility,  is  of  a  con- 
trary disposition.  If  the  Scriptures  are  at  all  to  be  relied  on,  such  a  one  is  apt 
to  think  his  attainments  in  religion  to  be  comparatively  mean,  and  to  esteem 
himself  low  among  the  saints,  and  one  of  the  least  of  saints.  Humility,  or  true 
lowliness  of  mind,  disposes  persons  to  think  others  better  than  themselves :  Phil. 
ii.  3,  "  In  lowliness  of  mind,  let  each  esteem  others  better  than  themselves." 
Hence  they  are  apt  to  think  the  lowest  room  belongs  to  them,  and  their  inward 
disposition  naturally  leads  them  to  obey  that  precept  of  our  Saviour,  Luke  x>v. 
10,  It  is  not  natural  to  them  to  take  it  upon  them  to  do  the  part  of  teachers ; 
but  on  the  contrary,  they  are  disposed  to  think  that  they  are  not  the  persons, 
that  otlicrs  are  fitter  for  it  than  they  ;  as  it  was  with  Moses  and  Jeremiah 
(Exod.  iii.  11,  Jer.  i.  6),  though  they  were  such  eminent  saints,  and  of  great 
knowledge.  It  is  not  natural  to  them  to  think  that  it  belongs  to  them  to  teach, 
but  to  be  taught;  they  are  much  more  eager  to  hear,  and  to  receive  instruction 
from  others,  than  to  dictate  to  others  :  Jam.  i.  19,  "  Be  ye  swift  to  hear,  slow  to 
speak."  And  when  they  do  speak,  it  is  not  natural  to  them  to  sjieak  with  a 
bold,  masterly  air ;  but  humility  disposes  them  rather  to  speak,  trembling.  Hos. 
xiii.  1,  "When  Ephraim  spake  trembling,  he  exalted  himself  in  Israel;  but 
when  he  offended  in  Baal,  he  died."  They  are  not  apt  to  assume  authority, 
and  to  take  upon  them  to  be  chief  managers  and  masters ;  but  rather  to  be  sub- 
ject to  others :  Jam.  iii.  1,  2,  "  Be  not  many  masters."  1  Pet.  v.  5,  "  All  of 
you  be  subject  one  to  another,  and  be  clothed  with  humility."  Eph.  v.  21, 
•'  Submitting  yourselves  one  to  another  in  the  fear  of  God." 

There  are  some  persons'  experiences  that  naturally  work  that  way,  to  make 
them  think  highly  of  them ;  and  they  do  often  themselves  speak  of  their  experi- 
ences as  very  great  and  extraordinary ;  they  freely  speak  of  the  great  things 
they  have  met  with.  This  may  be  spoken  and  meant  in  a  good  sense.  In  one 
sense,  every  degree  of  saving  mercy  is  a  great  thing  :  it  is  indeed  a  thing  great, 
yea,  infinitely  great,  for  God  to  bestow  the  least  crumb  of  children's  bread  on 
such  dogs  as  we  are  in  ourselves ;  and  the  more  humble  a  person  is  that  hopes 
that  God  has  bestowed  such  mercy  on  him,  the  more  apt  will  he  be  to  call  it  a 
great  thing  that  he  has  met  with  in  this  sense.     But  if  by  great  things  which 

•  "  There  be  two  things  wherein  it  appears  that  a  man  has  only  common  gifts,  and  no  inward  pria- 
oiple  :  1.  These  eifls  ever  puff  up,  and  make  a  man  something  in  his  own  eyes,  as  the  Corinthian  know- 
ledge did,  and  many  a  private  man  thinks  himself  fit  to  be  a  minister."'  Hhepard's  Parable,  Part  1,  p.  181 
162. 


144  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

they  have  experienced,  they  mean  comparatively  great  spiritual  experiences,  or 
great  compared  with  others'  experiences,  or  beyond  what  is  ordinary,  which  is 
evidently  oftentimes  the  case ;  then  for  a  person  to  say,  I  have  met  with  great 
thino-s,  is  the  very  same  thing  as  to  say,  1  am  ap  eminent  saint,  and  have  more 
grace  than  ordinary :  for  to  have  great  experiences,  if  the  experiences  be  true 
and  worth  the  telling  of,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  have  great  grace  :  there  is  no 
true  experience,  but  the  exercise  of  grace ;  and  exactly  according  to  the  degree 
of  true  experience,  is  the  degree  of  grace  and  holiness.  The  persons  that  talk 
thus  about  their  experiences,  when  they  give  an  account  of  them,  expect  that 
others  should  admire  them.  Indeed  they  do  not  call  it  boasting  to  talk  after  this 
manner  about  their  experiences,  nor  do  they  look  upon  it  as  any  sign  of  pride  ; 
because  they  say,  "  they  know  that  it  was  not  they  that  did  it,  it  was  free  grace, 
they  are  things  that  God  has  done  for  them,  they  would  acknowledge  the  great 
mercy  God  has  shown  them,  and  not  make  light  of  it."  But  so  it  was  with  the 
Pharisee  that  Christ  tells  us  of,  Luke  xviii.  He  in  words  gave  God  the  glory 
of  making  him  to  differ  from  other  men  ;  God,  I  thank  thee,  says  he,  that  I  ara 
not  as  other  men.*  Their  verbally  ascribing  it  to  the  grace  of  God,  that  they 
are  holier  than  other  saints,  does  not  hinder  their  forwardness  to  think  so  highly 
of  their  holiness,  being  a  sure  evidence  of  the  pride  and  vanity  of  their  minds. 
If  they  were  under  the  influence  of  a  humble  spirit,  their  attainments  in  religion 
would  not  be  so  apt  to  shine  in  their  own  eyes,  nor  would  they  be  so  much  in 
admiring  their  own  beauty.  The  Christians  that  are  really  the  most  eminent 
saints,  and  therefore  have  the  most  excellent  experiences,  and  are  the  greatest 
in  the  kinp-dom  of  heaven,  humble  themselves  as  a  little  child,  Matt.  viii.  4 ; 
because  they  look  on  themselves  as  but  little  children  in  grace,  and  their  at- 
tainments to  be  but  the  attaimnents  of  babes  in  Christ,  and  are  astonished  at, 
and  ashamed  of  the  low  degrees  of  their  love,  and  their  thankfulness,  and  their 
little  knowledge  of  God.  Moses,  when  he  had  been  conversing  with  God  in 
the  mount,  and  his  face  shone  so  bright  in  the  eyes  of  others  as  to  dazzle  their 
eyes,  wist  not  that  his  face  shone.  There  are  some  persons  that  go  by  the 
name  of  high  professors,  and  some  will  own  themselves  to  be  high  professors ; 
but  eminently  humble  saints,  that  will  shine  brightest  in  heaven,  are  not  at  all 
apt  to  profess  high.  1  do  not  believe  there  is  an  eminent  saint  in  the  world  that 
is  a  high  professor.  Such  will  be  much  more  likely  to  profess  themselves  to  be 
least  of  all  saints,  and  to  think  that  every  saint's  attainments  and  experiences 
are  higher  than  his.f 

Such  is  the  nature  of  grace,  and  of  true  spiritual  light,  that  they  naturally 
dispose  the  saints  in  the  present  state,  to  look  upon  their  grace  and  goodness 
little,  and  their  deformity  great.     And  they  that  have  the  most  grace  and  spir- 

»  Calvin,  in  his  Institutions,  B.  III.  chap.  xii.  §  7,  speaking  of  this  Pharisee,  observes,  "  That  in  his 
outward  :onfeision,  he  acknowledges  that  the  righteousness  that  he  has,  is  the  gift  of  God  :  but  (says  he) 
because  he  trusts  that  he  is  righteous,  he  goes  away  out  of  the  presence  of  God,  unacceptable  and 
odious." 

t  Luther,  as  his  words  are  cited  by  Rutherford,  in  his  Display  of  the  Spiritual  Antichrist,  p.  143, 
144,  says  thus  :  "  So  is  the  life  of  a  Christian,  that  he  that  has  begun,  seems  to  himself  to  have  nothing  ; 
but  strives  and  presses  forward,  that  he  may  apprehend  :  whence  Paul  says,  I  count  not  myself  to  have 
apprehended.  For  indeed  nothing  is  more  pernicious  to  a  l)eliever,  than  that  presumption,  that  he  has 
already  apprehended,  and  has  no  further  need  of  seeking.  Hence  also  many  fall  back,  and  pine  away  in 
spiritual  security  and  slothfulness.  So  Bernard  says,  'To  stand  still  in  God's  way,  is  to  no  back.' 
Wherefore  this  remains  to  him  that  has  begun  to  be  a  Christian,  to  think  that  he  is  nut  yet  a  Christian, 
but  to  seek  that  he  may  be  a  Christian,  that  he  may  glory  with  Paul,  '  I  am  not,  but  I  desire  to  be  ;'  a 
Christian  not  yet  finished,  but  only  in  his  beginnings.  Therefore  he  is  not  a  Christian,  that  is  a  Chris- 
tian, that  is.  he  tuat  thinks  himself  a  finished  Christian,  anil  is  not  sensible  how  he  fails  short.  We  reach 
after  heaven,  but  we  are  not  in  neaven.  Wo  to  him  that  is  wholly  renewed,  that  is,  that  thinks  himself 
to  be  so.  That  man,  without  doubt,  has  never  so  much  as  begun  to  be  renewed,  nor  did  he  ever  taste 
what  it  is  to  be  a  Christian." 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  145 

itual  light,  of  any  in  this  world,  have  most  of  this  disposition.  As  will  appcai 
most  clear  and  evident  to  any  one  that  soberly  and  thoroughly  weighs  the  nature 
and  reason  of  thinf;;s,  and  considers  the  things  following. 

That  grace  and  holiness  is  worthy  to  be  called  liille,  that  Is,  little  in  com- 
parison of  what  it  ouglit  to  be.  And  so  it  seems  to  one  that  is  truly  gracious  : 
for  such  a  one  has  his  eye  upon  the  rule  of  his  duty ;  a  conformity  to  that  is 
what  he  aims  at;  it  is  what  his  soul  struggles  and  reaches  after;  and  it  is  by 
that  tiiat  he  estimates  and  judges  of  what  he  does,  and  what  he  has.  To  a  gra- 
cious soul,  and  especially  to  one  eminently  gracious,  that  holiness  appears  little, 
which  is  little  of  what  it  should  be  ;  little  of  what  ho  sees  infinite  reason  for, 
and  obligation  to.  If  his  holiness  appears  to  him  to  be  at  a  vast  distance  from 
this,  it  naturally  appears  despicable  in  his  eyes,  and  not  worthy  to  be  mentioned 
as  any  beauty  or  amiableness  in  liiin.  For  the  like  reason  as  a  hungry  man 
naturally  accounts  that  which  is  set  before  him,  but  a  little  food,  a  small  matter, 
not  worth  mentioning,  that  is  nothing  in  comparison  of  his  appetite.  Or  as  the 
child  of  a  great  prince,  that  is  jealous  for  the  honor  of  his  father,  and  beholds 
the  respect  which  men  show  him,  naturally  looks  on  that  honor  and  respect  very 
little,  and  not  worthy  to  be  regarded,  which  is  nothing  in  comparison  of  that 
which  the  dignity  of  his  father  requires. 

But  that  is  the  nature  of  true  grace  and  spiritual  light,  that  it  opens  to  a 
person's  view  the  infinite  reason  there;  is  that  he  should  be  holy  in  a  high  degree. 
And  the  more  grace  he  has,  the  more  this  is  opened  to  view,  the  greater  sense 
he  has  of  the  infinite  excellency  and  glory  of  the  divine  Bemg,  and  of  the  infi- 
nite dignity  of  the  person  of  Christ,  and  the  boundless  length  and  breadth,  and 
depth  and  height,  of  the  love  of  Christ  to  sinner.-:.  And  as  grace  increases,  the 
field  opens  more  and  more  to  a  distant  view,  until  the  soul  is  swallowed  up  with 
the  vastness  of  the  object,  and  the  person  is  astonished  to  think  how  much  it 
becomes  him  to  love  this  God,  and  this  glorious  Redeemer,  that  has  so  loved 
man,  and  how  little  he  does  love.  And  so  the  more  he  apprehends,  the  more 
the  smallness  of  his  grace  and  love  appears  strange  and  wonderful :  and  there- 
fore is  more  ready  to  think  thatotheis  are  beyond  him.  For  wondering  at  the 
littleness  of  his  own  grace,  he  can. scarcely  believe  that  so  strange  a  thing  hap- 
pens to  other  saints :  it  is  amazing  to  him,  that  one  that  is  really  a  child  of  God, 
and  that  has  actually  received  the  saving  benefits  of  that  unspeakable  love  of 
Christ,  should  love  no  more :  and  he  is  apt  to  look  upon  it  as  a  thing  pecuhar 
to  himself,  a  strange  and  exempt  instance  ;  for  he  sees  only  the  outside  of  other 
Christians,  but  he  sees  his  own  mside. 

Here  the  reader  may  possibly  object,  that  love  to  God  is  really  increased  in 
proportion  as  the  knowledge  of  God  is  increased ;  and  therefore  how  should  an 
increase  of  knowledge  in  a  saint  make  his  love  appear  less,  in  comparison  of 
what  is  known  ?  To  which  I  answer,  that  although  grace  and  the  love  of  God 
in  the  saints,  be  answerable  to  the  degree  of  knowledge  or  sight  of  God  ;  yet  it 
is  not  in  proportion  to  the  object  seen  and  known.  The  soul  of  a  saint,  l)y  hav- 
ing something  of  God  opened  to  sight,  is  convinced  of  much  more  than  is  seen. 
There  is  something  that  is  seen,  tliat  is  wonderiul  ;  and  that  sight  brings  with 
it  a  strong  conviction  of  something  vastly  beyond,  that  is  not  immediately  seen. 
So  that  the  soul,  at  the  same  time,  is  astonished  at  its  ignorance,  and  that  it 
knows  so  little,  as  well  as  that  it  loves  so  little.  And  as  the  soul,  in  a  spiritual 
view,  is  convmced  of  infinitely  more  in  the  object,  yet  beyond  sight ;  so  it  is 
convinced  of  the  capacity  of  the  soul,  of  knowing  vastly  more,  if  the  clouds 
and  darkness  were  but  removed.  Which  causes  the  soul,  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  a   spiritual  view,  to  complain   greatly  of  spiritual  ignorance,  and 

Vol.  III.  19 


146  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

want  of  love,  and  to  Jong  and  reach  after  more  knowledge  and  more 
love. 

Grace  and  the  love  of  God  in  the  most  eminent  saints  in  this  world,  is  tiuly 
very  little  in  comparison  of  what  it  ought  to  be.  Because  the  higliest  love  that 
ever  any  attain  to  in  this  life,  is  poor,  cold,  exceedingly  low,  and  not  M'orthy  to 
be  named  in  comparison  of  what  our  obligations  appear  to  be,  from  the  joint 
consideration  of  these  two  things,  viz. :  1.  The  reason  God  has  given  us  to  love 
him,  in  the  manifestations  he  has  made  of  his  infinite  glory,  in  his  word,  and  in 
his  works ;  and  particularly  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  and  what  he  has  done  for 
sinful  man  by  him.  And,  2.  The  capacity  there  is  in  the  soul  of  man,  by  those 
intellectual  faculties  which  God  has  given  it,  of  seeing  and  understanding  these 
reasons,  which  God  has  given  us  to  love  him.  How  small  indeed  is  the  love  ot 
the  most  eminent  saint  on  earth,  in  comparison  of  w'hat  these  things,  jointly  con- 
sidered, do  require !  And  this  grace  tends  to  convince  men  of  this,  and  especially 
eminent  grace ;  for  grace  is  of  the  nature  of  light,  and  brings  truth  to  view 
And  therefore  he  that  has  much  grace,  apprehends  much  more  than  others  that 
great  height  to  which  his  love  ought  to  ascend  ;  and  he  sees  better  than  others, 
how  little  a  way  he  has  risen  towards  that  height.  And  therefore  estimating 
his  love  by  the  whole  height  of  his  duty,  hence  it  appears  astonishingly  little 
and  low  in  his  eyes. 

And  the  eminent  saint,  having  such  a  conviction  of  the  high  degree  in  which 
he  ought  to  love  God,  this  shows  him,  not  only  the  littleness  of  his  grace,  but 
the  greatness  of  his  remaining  corruption.  In  order  to  judge  how  much  corrup- 
tion or  sin  v/e  have  remaining  in  us,  we  must  take  our  measure  from  that  height 
to  which  the  rule  of  our  duty  extends :  the  whole  of  the  distance  we  are  at  from 
that  height,  is  sin  :  for  failing  of  duty  is  sin ;  otherwise  our  duty  is  not  our  duty, 
and  by  how  much  the  more  we  fall  short  of  our  duty,  so  much  the  more  sin  have 
we.  Sin  is  no  other  than  disagreeableness,  in  a  moral  agent,  to  the  law  or  rule 
of  his  duty.  And  therefore  the  degree  of  sin  is  to  be  judged  of  by  the  rule  :  so 
much  disagreeableness  to  the  rule,  so  much  sin,  whether  it  be  in  defect  or  excess. 
Therefore  if  men,  in  their  love  to  God,  do  not  come  up  half  way  to  that  height 
which  duty  requires,  then  they  have  more  corruption  in  their  hearts  than  grace  ; 
because  there  is  more  goodness  wanting, than  is  there:  and  all  that  is  wanting 
is  sin  :  it  is  an  abominable  defect ;  and  appears  so  to  the  saints ;  especially  those 
that  are  eminent ;  it  appears  exceeding  abominable  to  them,  that  Christ  should 
be  loved  so  little,  and  thanked  so  little  for  hig  dying  love  :  it  is  in  their  eyes 
hateful  ingratitude. 

And  then  the  increase  of  grace  has  a  tendency  another  way,  to  cause  the 
saints  to  think  their  deformity  vastly  more  than  their  goodness :  it  not  only  tends 
to  convince  them  that  their  corruption  is  much  greater  than  their  goodness,  which 
is  indeed  the  case ;  but  it  also  tends  to  cause  the  deformity  that  there  is  in  the 
least  sin,  or  the  least  degree  of  corruption,  to  appear  so  great  as  vastly  to  out- 
weigh all  the  beauty  there  is  in  their  greatest  holiness ;  for  this  also  is  indeed 
the  case.  For  the  least  sin  against  an  infinite  God,  has  an  infinite  hatefulness 
or  deformity  in  it ;  but  the  highest  degree  of  holiness  in  a  creature,  has  not  an 
infinite  loveliness  in  it :  and  therefore  the  loveliness  of  it  is  as  nothing,  in  cono- 
parison  of  the  deformity  of  the  least  sin.  That  every  sin  has  infinite  deforraitj'  ?nd 
hatefulness  in  it  it,  is  most  demonstrably  evident ;  because  what  the  evil,  or  ini- 
quity, or  hatefulness  of  sin  consists  in,  isthe  violating  of  an  obligation,  orthe  being 
or  doing  contrary  to  what  we  should  be  or  do,  or  are  obliged  to.  And  therefore 
by  how  much  the  greater  the  obligation  is  that  is  violated,  so  much  the  greater 
is  the  iniquity  and  hatefulness  of  the  violation.     But  certainly  our  obligation  to 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  147 

Jove  ;ui(l  honor  any  bLiiipj  is  in  some  proportion  to  his  loveliness  and honorable- 
ness, or  to  his  worthiness  to  be  loved  and  honored  by  us;  which  is  the  same 
thins;.  We  are  surely  under  greater  oblip;ation  to  love  a  more  lovely  being, 
than  a  less  lovely  ;  and  if  a  Being  be  infinitely  lovely  or  worthy  to  be  loved  by 
us,  then  our  obligations  to  love  him  are  infinitely  great ;  and  therefore,  what- 
ever is  contrary  to  this  love,  lias  in  it  infinite  iniquity,  deformity,  and  unworthi- 
ness.  But  on  the  other  hand,  with  respect  to  our  holiness  or  love  to  God,  there 
is  not  an  infinite  woithiness  in  tliat.  The  sin  of  the  creature  against  God,  is  ill 
deserving  and  hateful  in  proportion  to  the  distance  there  is  between  God  and 
the  creature  :  the  greatness  of  iho  object,  and  the  meanness  and  inferiority  of 
the  subject,  aggiavales  it.  But  it  is  the  reverse  with  regard  to  the  worthiness 
of  the  respect  of  the  creature  to  God  ;  it  is  worthless,  and  not  worthy,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  meanness  of  the  subject.  So  much  the  greater  the  distance  between 
God  and  the  creature,  so  much  the  less  is  the  creature's  respect  worthy  of  God's 
notice  or  regard.  The  great  degree  of  superiority  increases  the  obligation  on 
the  inferior  to  regard  the  superior ;  and  so  ir.akes  the  want  of  regard  more  hate- 
ful. But  the  great  degree  of  inleriority  diminishes  the  worth  of  the  regard 
of  the  inferior ;  because  tiie  more  he  is  inferior,  the  less  he  is  worthy  of 
notice  ;  the  less  he  is,  the  less  is  what  he  can  ofl^er  worth ;  for  he  can  offer 
no  more  than  himself,  in  oflfering  his  best  respect ;  and  therefore  as  he  is  little, 
and  little  worth,  so  is  his  respect  little  worth.  And  the  more  a  person  has  of 
true  grace  and  spiritual  light,  the  more  will  it  appear  thus  to  him ;  the  more 
will  he  appear  to  himself  infinitely  deformed  by  reason  of  sin,  and  the  less  will 
the  goodness  that  is  in  his  grace,  or  good  experience,  appear  in  proportion  to  it. 
For  indeed  it  is  nothing  to  it ;  it  is  less  than  a  drop  to  the  ocean ;  for  finite  bears 
no  proportion  at  all  to  that  which  is  infinite.  But  the  more  a  person  has  of 
spiritual  light,  the  more  do  things  appear  to  him,  in  this  respect,  as  they  are 
indeed. — Hence  it  most  demonstrably  appears,  that  true  grace  is  of  that  nature, 
that  the  more  a  person  has  of  it,  with  remaining  corruption,  the  less  does  his 
goodness  and  holinei^s  appear,  in  proportion  to  his  deformity ;  and  not  only  to 
his  past  deformity,  but  to  his  present  deformity,  in  the  sin  that  now  appears  in 
his  heart,  and  the  abominable  defects  of  his  highest  and  best  affections,  and 
brightest  experiences. 

"The  nature  of  many  high  and  religious  afl^ections,  and  great  discoveries  (as 
they  are  called)  in  many  persons  that  I  have  been  acquainted  with,  is  to  hide 
and  cover  over  the  corruption  of  their  hearts,  and  to  make  it  seem  to  them  as  if 
all  their  sin  was  gone,  and  to  leave  them  without  complaints  of  any  hateful  evil 
left  in  them  (though  it  may  be  they  ciy  out  much  of  their  past  unworthiness)  ;  a- 
sure  and  certain  evidence  that  their  discoveries  (as  they  call  them)  are  darkness 
and  not  light.  It  is  darkness  that  hides  men's  pollution  and  deformity ;  but 
light  let  into  the  heart  discovers  it,  searches  it  out  in  its  secret  corners,  and  makes 
it  plainly  to  appear  ;  especially  that  penetrating,  all  searching  light  of  God's 
hohness  and  glory.  It  is  true,  that  saving  discoveries  may  for  the  present  hide 
corruption  in  one  sense  ;  they  restrain  the  positive  exercises  of  it,  such  as  malice, 
envy,  covetousness,  lasciviousness,  murmuring,  kc,  but  they  bring  corruption  to 
light,  in  that  which  is  privative,  viz.,  that  there  is  no  more  love,  no  more  humil- 
ity, no  more  thankfulness.  Which  defects  appear  most  hateful  in  the  eyes  of 
fhose  who  have  the  most  eminent  exercises  of  grace ;  and  are  very  burdensome, 
and  cause  the  saints  to  cry  otit  of  their  leanness,  and  odious  pride  and  ingrati- 
tude. And  whatever  positive  exercises  of  corruption  at  any  time  arise,  and 
mingle  themselves  with  eminent  actings  of  grace,  grace  will  exceedingly  mag- 
nify the  vievv  of  them,  and  render  their  appearance  far  more  heinous  and  horrible 


148  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

The  more  eminent  saints  are,  and  the  more  they  have  of  the  light  of  heaven 
m  their  souls,  the  more  do  they  appear  to  themselves,  as  the  most  eminent  saints 
in  this  world  do  to  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven.  How  can  we  rationally  sup- 
pose the  most  eminent  saints  on  earth  appear  to  them,  if  beheld  any  otherwise, 
than  covered  over  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  their  deformities  swallow- 
ed up  and  hid  in  the  coruscation  of  the  beams  of  his  abundant  glory  and  love  T 
How  can  we  suppose  our  most  ardent  love  and  praises  appear  to  them,  that  do 
behold  the  beauty  and  glory  of  God  without  a  vail  ?  How  does  our  highest 
thankfulness  for  the  dying  love  of  Christ  appear  to  them,  who  see  Christ  as  he 
is,  who  know  as  they  are  known,  and  see  the  glory  of  the  person  of  him  that 
died,  and  the  wonders  of  his  dying  love,  without  any  cloud  of  darkness  ?  And 
how  do  they  look  on  the  deepest  reverence  and  humility,  with  which  worms  of 
the  dust  on  earth  approach  that  infinite  Majesty  which  they  behold  ?  Do  they 
appear  great  to  them,  or  so  much  as  worthy  of  the  name  of  reverence  and  hu- 
mility, in  those  that  they  see  to  be  at  such  an  infinite  distance  from  that  great 
and  holy  God,  in  whose  glorious  presence  they  are  1  The  reason  why  the 
highest  attainments  of  the  saints  on  earth  appear  so  mean  to  them,  is  because 
they  dwell  in  the  hght  of  God's  glory,  and  see  God  as  he  is.  And  it  is  in  this 
respect  with  the  saints  on  earth,  as  it  is  with  the  saints  in  heaven,  in  proportion 
as  they  are  more  eminent  in  grace. 

I  would  not  be  understood,  that  the  saints  on  earth  have  in  all  respects  the 
worst  opinion  of  themselves,  when  they  have  most  of  the  exercises  of  grace.  In 
many  respects  it  is  otherwise.  With  respect  to  the  positive  exercises  of  cor- 
ruption, they  may  appear  to  themselves  fi-eest  and  best  when  grace  is  most  in 
exercise,  and  worst  when  the  actings  of  grace  are  lowest.  And  when  they  com- 
pare themselves  with  themselves  at  different  times,  they  may  know,  when  grace 
is  in  lively  exercise,  that  it  is  better  with  them  than  it  was  before  (though  before, 
in  the  time  of  it,  they  did  not  see  so  much  badness  as  they  see  now)  and  when 
afterwards  they  sink  again  in  the  frame  of  their  minds,  they  may  know  that  they 
sink,  and  have  a  new  argument  of  their  great  remaining  corruption,  and  a  ra- 
tional conviction  of  a  greater  vileness  than  they  saw  before;  and  many  have 
more  of  a  sense  of  guilt,  and  a  kind  of  legal  sense  of  their  sinfulness  by  far,  than 
when  in  the  lively  exercise  of  grace.  But  yet  it  is  true,  and  demonstrable  from 
the  forementioned  considerations,  that  the  children  of  God  never  have  so  much 
of  a  sensible  and  spiritual  conviction  of  their  deformity,  and  so  great,  and  quick, 
and  abasing  a  sense  of  their  present  vileness  and  odiousness,  as  when  they  art 
highest  in  the  exercise  of  true  and  pure  grace ;  and  never  are  they  so  much  dis- 
posed to  set  themselves  low  among  Christians  as  then.  And  thus  he  that  is^ 
greatest  in  the  kingdom,  or  most  eminent  in  the  church  of  Christ,  is  the  same 
that  humbles  himself,  as  the  least  infant  among  them  ;  agreeable  to  that  great 
saying  of  Christ,  Matt,  xviii.  4. 

A  true  saint  may  know  that  he  has  some  true  grace :  and  the  more  grace  there 
is,  the  more  easily  is  it  known,  as  was  observed  and  proved  before.  But  yet  it 
does  not  follow,  that  an  eminent  saint  is  easily  sensible  that  he  is  an  eminent  saint, 
when  compared  with  others.  I  will  not  deny  that  it  is  possible,  that  he  that  has 
much  grace,  and  is  an  eminent  saint,  may  know  it.  But  he  will  not  be  apt  to 
know  it;  it  will  not  be  a  thing  obvious  to  him  :  that  he  is  better  than  others, 
and  has  higher  experiences  and  attainments,  is  not  a  foremost  thought ;  nor  is 
it  that  which,  from  time  to  time  readily  offers  itself ;  it  is  a  thing  that  is  not  in 
his  way,  but  lies  far  out  of  sight ;  he  must  take  pains  to  convince  himself  of  it ; 
there  will  be  need  of  a  great  command  of  reason,  and  a  high  degree  of  strictness 
and  care  in  arguing,  to  convince  himself.     And  if  he  be  rationally  convinced  by 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  149 

a  rciy  strict  consideration  of  his  own  experiences,  compared  with  the  great  ap- 
pearances of  low  deo;recs  of  grace  in  some  other  saints,  it  will  hardly  seem  real 
to  him,  that  he  has  more  grace  than  they  ;  and  he  will  be  apt  to  lose  the  convic-' 
tion  tiiat  he  has  by  pains  obtained  :  nor  will  it  seem  at  all  natural  to  him  to  act 
upon  ihat  supposition.  And  this  may  be  laid  down  as  an  infallible  thing,  "  that 
*he  person  who  is  apt  to  think  that  he,  as  compared  with  others,  is  a  very  emi- 
nent saint,  much  distinguished  in  Christian  experience,  in  whom  this  is  a  first 
thought,  that  rises  of  itself,  and  naturally  offers  itself;  he  is  certainly  mistaken; 
he  is  no  eminent  saint,  but  under  the  great  prevailings  of  a  proud  and  self-right- 
eous spirit."  And  if  this  be  habitual  with  the  man,  and  is  steadily  the  prevail- 
ing temj)er  of  his  mind,  he  is  no  saint  at  all ;  he  has  not  the  least  degree  of  any 
^rue  Christian  experience;  so  surely  as  the  word  of  God  is  true. 

And  that  sort  of  experiences  that  appears  to  be  of  that  tendency,  and  is  found 
from  time  to  time  to  have  that  effect,  to  elevate  the  subject  of  them  with  a  great 
conceit  of  those  experiences,  is  certainly  vain  and  delusive.  Those  supposed 
discoveries  that  naturally  blow  up  the  person  with  an  admiration  of  the  emi- 
nency  of  his  discoveries,  and  fill  him  with  conceit  that  now  he  has  seen,  and 
knows  more  than  most  other  Christians,  have  nothing  of  the  nature  of  true 
spirhual  light  in  them.  All  true  spiritual  knowledge  is  of  that  nature,  that  the 
more  a  person  has  of  it,  the  more  is  he  sensible  of  his  own  ignorance ;  as  is 
evident  by  1  Cor.  viii.  2 :  "He  that  thinketh  he  knoweth  any  thing,  he  know- 
eth  nothing  yet  as  he  ought  to  know."  Agur,  when  he  had  a  great  discovery 
of  God,  and  sense  of  the  wonderful  height  of  his  glory,  and  of  his  marvellous 
works,  and  cries  out  of  his  greatness  and  incomprehensibleness;  at  the  same 
time,  had  tlie  deepest  sense  of  his  brutish  ignorance,  and  looked  upon  himself 
the  most  ignorant  of  all  the  saints.  Prov.  xxx.  2,  3^  4  :  "  Surely  1  am  more 
brutish  than  any  man,  and  have  not  the  understanding  of  a  man.  I  neither 
learned  wisdom,  nor  have  the  knowledge  of  the  holy.  "\\'ho  hath  ascended  up 
into  heaven,  or  descended  ?  Who  hath  gathered  the  wind  in  his  fists  ?  Who 
hath  bound  the  waters  in  a  garment  1  Who  hath  established  all  the  ends  of 
the  earth  ?     What  is  his  name,  and  what  is  his  son's  name,  if  thou  canst  tell  ?" 

For  a  man  to  be  highly  conceited  of  his  spiritual  and  divine  knowledge,  is 
for  him  to  be  wise  in  his  own  eyes,  if  any  thing  is.  And  therefore  it  comes 
under  those  prohibitions  :  Prov.  iii.  7,  "  Be  not  wise  in  thine  own  eyes."  Rom. 
xii.  16,  "  Be  not  wise  in  your  own  conceits;"  and  brings  men  under  that  wo, 
Isa.  V.  21 :  "  Wo  unto  them  that  are  wise  in  their  own  eyes,  and  prudent  in 
their  own  sight."  Those  that  are  thus  wise  in  their  own  eyes,  are  some  of  the 
least  likely  to  get  good  of  any  in  the  world.  Experience  shows  the  truth  of 
that,  Prov,  xxvi.  12 :  "  Seest  thou  a  man  wise  in  his  own  conceit  1  There  is 
more  hope  of  a  fool  than  of  him." 

To  tins  some  may  object,  that  the  Psalmist,  when  we  must  suppose  that  he 
was  in  a  holy  frame,  speaks  of  his  knowledge  as  eminently  great,  and  far  great- 
er than  that  of  other  saints ;  Psal.  cxix.  99,  100,  "  I  have  more  understanding 
than  all  my  teachers  :  for  thy  testimonies  are  my  meditation.  I  understand 
more  than  the  ancients,  because  I  keep  thy  precepts." 

To  this  I  answer  two  things : 

(1.)  There  is  no  restraint  to  be  laid  upon  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  to  what  he 
shall  reveal  to  a  prophet,  for  the  benefit  of  his  church,  who  is  speaking  or  wri- 
ting under  immediate  inspiration.  The  Spirit  of  God  may  reveal  to  such  a  one,  and 
dictate  to  him,  to  declare  to  others  secret  things,  that  otherwise  would  be  hard,  yen. 
impossible  lor  him  to  find  out.  As  he  may  reveal  to  liim  mysteries,  that  other- 
wise would  be  above  the  reach  of  his  reason ;  or  things  in  a  distant  place,  that 


150 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 


he  cannot  see;  or  future  events,  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  know 
and  declare,  if  they  were  not  extraordinarily  revealed  to  him  ;  so  the  Spirit  of 
Izod  might  reveal  to  David  this  distinguishing  benefit  he  had  received,  by  con- 
versing much  with  God's  testimonies  ;  and  use  him  as  his  instrument  to  record 
It  tor  the  benefit  of  others,  to  excite  them  to  the  hkeduty,  and  to  use  the  same 
means  to  gam  knowledge.  Nothing  can  be  gathered  concerning  the  natural 
tendency  of  the  ordinary  gracious  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  from  that 
that  David  declares  of  his  distinguishing  knowledge  under  the  extraordina- 
ly  mfluenees  of  God  s  Spirit,  immediately  dictating  to  him  the  divine  mind  bv 
inspiration  and  using  David  as  his  instrument  to  write  what  he  pleased  for  the 
benefit  of  his  church  ;  any  more  than  we  can  reasonably  argue,  that  it  is  the 
natural  tendency  of  grace  to  incline  men  to  curse  others,  and  wish  the  most 
dreadful  misery  to  them  that  can  be  thought  of,  because  David,  under  inspira- 
tion often  curses  others,  and  prays  that  such  misery  may  come  upon  them. 

(2.)  It  IS  not  certain  that  the  knowledge  David  here  speaks  of,  is  spiritual 
knowledge,  wherem  holiness  does  fundamentally  consist.  But'  it  may  be  that 
greater  revelation  which  God  made  to  him  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  thino-s  of 
his  future  kingdom,  and  the  far  more  clear  and  extensive  knowledge  that  he 
had  of  the  mysteries  and  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  than  others ;  as  a  ?eward  for 
his  keeping  God's  testimonies.  In  this,  it  is  apparent  by  the  book  of  Psalms, 
that  David  far  exceeded  all  that  had  gone  before  him      ' 

Secondly,  Another  thing  that  is  an  infallible  sign  of  spiritual  pride  is  per- 

ZlvT  TV'  >r^  '^^'^^  ""i  '""t  ^""^^^^^-  ^^^^^  experienL  a're  crm- 
monly  attended  with  a  counterfeit  humility.  And  it  is  the  very  nature  of  ? 
counterfeit  humility,  to  be  highly  conceited  of  itself.  False  relio-ious  affec- 
tions havegenerallythat  tendency,  especially  when  raised  to  a  g?eat  heio-hr 
to  make  persons  think  that  their  humility  is  great,  and  accordingly  to  tak. 
much  notice  of  their  great  attainments  in  this  respect,  and  admire  Oiem.  Bur 
eminently  gracious  affections  (I  scruple  not  to  say  it)  are  evermore  of  a  con- 
^ary  tendency,  and  have  universally  a  contrary  effect  in  those  that  have  them 
They  indeed  make  them  very  sensible  what  reason  there  is  that  they  should  be 
deeply  humbled,  and  cause  them  earnestly  to  thirst  and  long  after  it ;  but  they 

appear  small;    and   their   remaining   pride  great,  and  exceedingly  abomin- 

The  reason  why  a  proud  person  should  be  apt  to  think  his  humility  great, 
and  why  a  very  humble  person  should  think  his  humihty  small,  may  be  Lily 
seen  if  it  be  considered,  that  it  is  natural  for  persons,  in'jndging  of  the  de^rree 
of  their  own  humihatioii,  to  take  their  measure  from  that  which  they  estfem 
fZfT^T  ;^^  '•'  ''  '^'^'S^^'y  ^^;^^^'-^i"  they  properly  stand.  That^may  b^ 
great  hmnihation  in  one,  that  is  no  humiliation  at  all  in  another  ;  because  the 
degree  of  honorableness,  or  considerableness  wherein  each  does  p  operly  stand, 
sveiy  different.  For  some  great  man,  to  stoop  to  loose  the  latchet^of  the 
shoes  of  another  great  man,  his_  equal,  or  to  wash  his  feet,  would  be  taken  no- 
tice of  as  an  act  of  abasement  in  h.m  ;  and  he,  being  sensible  of  his  own  dio-- 
nity,  would  look  upon  it  so  hmiself  But  if  a  poor'slave  is  seen  stoopini  to 
unloose  the  shoes  of  a  great  prince,  nobody  will  take  any  notice  of  this,  as  any 

the  slav^h  '  1?  ^",^^"^' °V°^"  ^^"y  ^''''  '^'^^^^'  of  humility  :  nor  would 
elf  Jn.  r^f 'rl'^'i^/  be  bomb  y  proud  and  ridiculously  conceited  of  him- 
S  ti,  1  l{K^^  ^''^ ''°"'  ^^'  ^'  '''°^^^^''  ^"  ^'^  talk  and  behavior,  .^^low  that 
idpn.r^r  u  ^^."'^"^^"t  g'-^^t  in  it,  and  had  his  mind  much  upon  it,  as  an  ev- 
idence of  his  being  very  humble;  would  not  every  body  cry  out  ipon  him 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  151 

*  Whom  do  you  think  yourself  to  be,  that  you  should  think  this  that  you  have 
done  such  a  deep  humiliation  ?"  This  would  make  it  plain  to  a  demonstration, 
that  this  slave  was  swollen  with  a  high  deforce  ol"  pride  and  vanity  of  mind,  as 
much  as  if  he  declared  in  plain  terms,  "  1  think  myself  to  be  some  great  one." 
And  the  matter  is  no  less  plain  and  certain,  when  worthless,  vile,  and  loath- 
some worms  of  the  dust,  are  apt  to  put  such  a  construction  on  their  acts  of 
abasement  before  God ;  and  to  think  it  a  token  of  great  humility  in  them  that 
they,  under  their  affections,  can  find  themselves  so  willing  to  acknowledge 
themselves  to  be  so  mean  and  unworthy,  and  to  behave  themselves  as  those  that 
are  so  inferior.  The  very  reason  why  such  outward  acts,  and  such  inward  iac- 
ercises,  look  like  great  abasement  in  such  a  one,  is  because  he  has  a  high  con- 
ceit of  himself.  Whereas  if  he  thought  of  himself  more  justly,  these  things 
would  appear  nothing  to  him,  and  his  hur\ili(y  in  them  worthy  of  no  regard ; 
but  would  rather  be  astonished  at  his  pride,  that  one  so  infinitely  despicable  and 
vile  is  brought  no  lower  belbre  God. — When  he  says  in  his  heart,  "  This  is  a 
great  act  of  humiliation  ;  it  is  certainly  a  sign  of  great  humility  in  me,  that  I 
should  feel  thus  and  do  so  ;"  his  meaning  is,  "  This  is  great  humility  for  me, 
for  such  a  one  as  I,  that  am  so  considerable  and  worthy."  He  considers  how 
low  he  is  now  brought,  and  compares  this  with  the  height  of  dignity  on  which 
he  in  his  heart  thinks  he  properly  stands,  and  the  distance  appears  very  great, 
and  he  calls  it  all  mere  humility,  and  as  such  admires  it.  Whereas,  in  him  that 
is  truly  humble,  and  really  sees  his  own  vileness,  and  loathsomeness  before  God, 
the  distance  appears  the  other  way.  When  he  is  brought  lowest  of  all,  it  does 
not  appear  to  him,  that  he  is  brought  below  his  proper  station,  but  that  he  is 
not  come  to  it ;  he  appeai-s  to  himself  yet  vastly  above  it,  he  longs  to  get  lower, 
that  he  may  come  to  it,  but  appears  at  a  great  distance  from  it.  And  this  dis- 
tance he  calls  pride.  And  therefore  his  pride  appears  great  to  him,  and  not 
his  humility.  For  although  he  is  brought  much  lower  than  he  used  to  be,  yet 
it  does  not  appear  to  him  worthy  of  the  name  of  humiliation,  for  him  that  is  so 
infinitely  mean  and  detestable,  to  come  down  to  a  place,  which,  though  it  be 
lower  than  what  he  used  to  assume,  is  yet  vastly  higher  than  what  is  proper 
for  him.  As  men  would  hardly  count  it  worthy  of  the  name  of  humility,  in  a  con- 
temptible slave,  that  formerly  affected  to  be  a  prince,  to  have  his  spirit  so  far 
brought  down,  as  to  take  the  place  of  a  nobleman ;  when  this  is  still  so  far 
above  his  proper  station. 

All  men  in  the  world,  in  judging  of  the  degree  of  their  own  and  others' 
humility,  as  appearing  in  any  act  of  theirs,  consider  two  things,  viz.,  the  real 
degree  of  dignity  they  stand  in ;  and  the  degree  of  abasement,  and  the  relation 
it  bears  to  that  real  dignity.  Thus  the  complying  with  the  same  low  place,  or 
low  act,  may  be  an  evidence  of  great  humility  in  one,  that  evidences  but  little 
or  no  humility  in  another.  But  truly  humble  Christians  have  so  mean  an  opin- 
ion of  their  own  real  dignity,  that  all  their  self-abasement,  when  considered  with 
relation  to  that,  and  compared  to  tliat,  appears  very  small  to  them.  It  does  not 
seem  to  them  to  be  any  great  humility,  or  any  abasement  to  be  made  much  of, 
for  such  poor,  vile,  abject  creatures  as  they,  to  lie  at  the  foot  of  God. 

The  degree  of  humility  is  to  be  judged  of  by  the  degree  of  abasement,  and 
the  degree  of  the  cause  for  abasement :  but  he  that  is  truly  and  eminently  hum- 
ble, never  thinks  his  humility  great,  considering  the  cause.  The  cause  why  he 
should  be  abased  appears  so  great,  and  the  abasement  of  the  fiame  of  his  heart 
so  greatly  short  of  it,  that  he  takes  much  more  notice  of  his  pride  than  his  hu- 
miJity. 

Every  one  that  has  been  conversant  with  souls  under  convictions  of  sin, 


152  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

knows  that  those  who  are  greatly  convinced  of  sin,  are  not  apt  to  think  them- 
selves greatly  convinced.  And  the  reason  is  this  :  men  judge  of  the  degree  of 
their  own  convictions  of  sin  by  two  things  jointly  considered,  viz.,  the  degree  of 
sense  which  they  have  of  guilt  and  pollution,  and  the  degree  of  cause  they  have 
for  such  a  sense,  in  the  degree  of  their  real  sinfulness.  It  is  really  no  argu- 
ment of  any  great  conviction  of  sin,  for  some  men  to  think  themselves  to  be  very 
sinful,  beyond  most  others  in  the  world  ;  because  they  are  so  indeed,  very 
plainly  and  notoriously.  And  therefore  a  far  less  conviction  of  sin  may  incline 
such  a  one  to  think  so  than  another ;  he  must  be  very  blind  indeed  not  to  be 
sensible  of  it.  But  he  that  is  truly  under  great  convictions  of  sin,  naturally 
thinks  this  to  be  his  case.  It  appears  to  him,  that  the  cause  he  has  to  be  sensi- 
ble of  guilt  and  pollution,  is  greater  than  others  have  ;  and  therefore  he  ascribes 
his  sensibleness  of  this  to  the  greatness  of  his  sin,  and  not  to  the  greatness  of 
his  sensibility.  It  is  natural  for  one  under  great  convictions,  to  think  himself 
one  of  the  greatest  of  sinners  in  reality,  and  also  that  it  is  so  very  plainly  and  evi- 
dently ;  for  the  greater  his  convictions  are,  the  more  plain  and  evident  it  seems 
to  be  to  him.  And  therefore  it  necessarily  seems  to  him  so  plain  and  so  easy 
to  him  to  see  it,  that  it  may  be  seen  without  much  conviction.  That  man  is 
under  great  convictions,  whose  conviction  is  great  in  proportion  to  his  sin.  But 
710  man  that  is  truly  under  great  convictions,  thinks  his  conviction  great  in  pro- 
portion to  his  sin.  For  if  he  does,  it  is  a  certain  sign  that  he  inwardly  thinks 
his  sins  small.  And  if  that  be  the  case,  that  is  a  certain  evidence  that  his  con- 
viction is  small.  And  this,  by  the  way,  is  the  main  reason  that  persons,  v/hen 
under  a  work  of  humiliation,  are  not  sensible  of  it  in  the  time  of  it. 

And  as  it  is  with  conviction  of  sin,  just  so  it  is,  by  parity  of  reason,  with  re- 
spect to  persons'  conviction  or  sensibleness  of  their  own  meanness  and  vileness,  their 
own  blindness,  their  own  impotence,  and  all  that  low  sense  that  a  Christian  has  of 
himself,  in  the  exercise  of  evangelical  humiliation.  So  that  in  a  high  degree  of 
this,  the  saints  are  never  disposed  to  think  their  sensibleness  of  their  OM^n  mean- 
ness, filthliness,  impotence,  &c.,  to  be  great ;  because  it  never  appears  great  to 
them  considering  the  cause. 

An  eminent  saint  is  not  apt  to  think  himself  eminent  in  any  thing  ;  all  his 
graces  and  experiences  are  ready  to  appear  to  him  to  be  comparatively  small ; 
but  especially  his  humility.  There  is  nothing  that  appertains  to  Christian  ex- 
perience, and  true  piety,  that  is  so  much  out  of  his  sight  as  his  humility.  He  is 
a  thousand  times  more  quicksighted  to  discern  his  pride  than  his  humility  :  that 
he  easily  discerns,  and  is  apt  to  take  much  notice  of,  but  hardly  discerns  his  hu- 
mility. On  the  contrai-y,  the  deluded  hypocrite,  that  is  under  the  power  of  . 
spiritual  pride,  is  so  blind  to  nothing  as  his  pride ;  and  so  quicksighted  to  no- 
thing, as  the  shows  of  humility  that  are  in  him. 

The  humble  Christian  is  more  apt  to  find  fault  with  his  own  pride  than  with 
other  men's.  He  is  apt  to  put  the  best  construction  on  others'  words  and  be- 
havior, and  to  think  that  none  are  so  proud  as  himself  But  the  proud  hypo- 
crite is  quick  to  discern  the  mote  in  his  brother's  eye,  in  this  respect;  while  hf 
sees  nothing  of  the  beam  in  his  own.  He  is  very  often  much  in  crying  out  of 
others'  pride,  finding  fault  with  others'  apparel,  and  way  of  living  ;  and  is  af- 
fected ten  times  as  much  with  his  neighbor's  ring  or  ribband,  as  with  all  the 
filthiness  of  his  own  heart. 

From  the  disposition  there  is  in  hypocrites  to  think  highly  of  their  humility. 
it  comes  to  pass  that  counterfeit  humility  is  forward  to  put  itself  forth  to  view. 
Those  that  have  it,  are  apt  to  be  much  in  speaking  of  their  humiliations,  and  to 
set  them  forth  in  high  terms,  and  to  make  a  great  outward  show  of  humility.,  m 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  153 

affected  looks,  gestures,  or  manner  of  speech,  or  meanness  of  apparel,  or  some 
atfected  singularity.  So  it  was  of  old  with  the  false  prophets,  Zech.  xiii.  4  ; 
so  it  was  with  the  hypocritical  Jews,  Isa.  Ivii.  5,  and  so  Christ  tells  us  it  was 
with  the  Pharisees,  Matt.  vi.  16.  IJut  it  is  contrariwise  with  true  humility  ; 
they  that  have  it,  arc  not  apt  to  display  their  eloquence  in  setting  it  forth,  or  to 
speak  of  the  degree  of  their  abasement  in  strong  terms.*  It  does  not  atfect  to 
show  itself  in  any  singular  outward  meanness  of  apparel,  or  way  of  living; 
agreeahle  to  what  is  implied  in  Matt.  vi.  17,  "  But  thou,  when  thou  fastest, 
anoint  thine  head  and  wash  thy  face.  Col.  ii.  23.  Which  things  have  indeed 
a  show  of  wisdom  in  will  Avorship  and  humility,  and  neglecting  of  the  body." 
Nor  is  true  humility  a  noisy  thing;  it  is  not  loud  and  boisterous.  The  Scrip- 
ture represents  it  as  of  a  contrary  nature.  Ahab,  when  he  had  a  visible  hu- 
mility, a  resemblance  of  true  humility,  went  softly,  1  Kings  xxi.  27.  A  peni- 
tent, in  the  exercise  of  true  humiliation,  is  represented  as  still  and  silent,  Lam.  iii. 
28  :  "  He  sitteth  alone  and  keepeth  silence,  because  he  hath  borne  it  upon  him." 
And  silence  is  mentioned  as  what  attends  humility,  Prov.  xxx.  32 :  "  If  thou 
hast  done  foolishly  in  lifting  up  thyself,  or  if  thou  hast  thought  evil,  lay  thine 
hand  upon  thy  mouth." 

Thus  I  have  particularly  and  largely  shown  the  nature  of  that  true  humility 
that  attends  holy  alTections,  as  it  appears  in  its  tendency  to  cause  persons  to 
think  meanly  of  their  attainments  in  religion,  as  compared  w-ith  the  attainments 
of  others,  and  particularly  of  their  attainments  in  humility :  and  have  shown 
the  contrary  tendency  of  spiritual  pride,  to  dispose  persons  to  think  their  attain- 
ments in  these  respects  to  be  great.  I  have  insisted  the  longer  on  this,  because 
I  look  upon  it  as  a  matter  of  great  importance,  as  it  affords  a  certain  distinction 
between  true  and  counterfeit  humility  ;  and  also  as  this  disposition  of  hypocrites 
to  look  on  tliemselves  better  than  others,  is  what  God  has  declared  to  be  veiy 
hateful  to  him,  "  a  smoke  in  his  nose,  and  a  fire  that  burneth  all  the  day,"  Isa. 
Ixv.  5.  It  is  mentioned  as  an  instance  of  the  pride  of  the  inhabitants  of  that 
•oly  city  (as  it  was  called)  Jerusalem,  that  they  esteemed  themselves  far  better 
Jian  the  people  ot  Sodom,  and  so  looked  upon  them  worthy  to  be  overlooked 
and  disregarded  by  them  :  Ezck.  xvi.  56,  "  For  thy  sister  Sodom  was  not  men- 
tioned by  thy  mouth  in  the  day  of  thy  pride." 

Let  not  the  reader  lightly  pass  over  these  things  in  application  to  himself. 
If  you  once  have  taken  it  in,  that  it  is  a  bad  sign  for  a  person  to  be  apt  to  think 
himself  a  better  saint  than  others,  there  will  arise  a  blinding  prejudice  in  your 
own  favor;  and  there  will  probably  be  need  of  a  great  strictness  of  self-exami- 
nation, in  order  to  determine  whether  it  be  so  wnth  you.  If  on  the  proposal  of 
the  question,  you  answer,  "  No,  it  seems  to  me,  none  are  so  bad  as  I,"  do  not 
let  the  )natter  pass  off  so  ;  but  examine  again,  whether  or  no  you  do  not  think 
yourself  better  than  others  on  this  \cry  account,  because  you  imagine  you  think 
so  meanly  of  yourself.  Have  not  you  a  high  opinion  of  tliis  humility  ?  And 
if  you  answer  again,  "  No  ;  I  have  not  a  high  opinion  of  my  humility  ;  it 
seems  to  me  I  am  as  proud  as  the  devil ;"  yet  examine  again,  whether  self-con- 
ceit do  not  rise  up  under  this  cover  ;  whether  on  this  very  account,  that  you 
think  yourself  as  proud  as  the  devil,  you  do  not  think  yourself  to  be  \ery  humble. 

From  this  opposition  that  there  is  between  the  nature  of  a  true,  and  of  a 

•  It  is  an  observation  of  Mr.  Jones,  in  his  excellent  treatise  of  the  cunon  of  the  New  Testament,  that 
the  cvangcli.st  Msrk,  who  was  the  companion  of  St.  Peter,  and  is  sujiposeil  to  have  written  his  gospel 
nr.der  the  direction  of  that  aposile,  when  he  mentions  Peter's  repentiince  after  his  denying  his  Master, 
«loes  not  use  such  strong  terms  to  sft  it  forch  as  the  otlier  evangelists  ;  he  only  uses  these  words,  "  When 
he  Uioiight  thereon,  he  wept,"  Mark  xiv.  72  ;  whereas  the  other  evanijclists  say  thus,  "he  went  out  and 
wej-t  bitterly,"  Matt.  xxvi.  75,  Luke  .\.\ii.  62. 

Vol.  IIL  20 


154  RELIGIOUS  APFECTIONS. 

counte/feit  humility,  as  to  the  esteem  that  the  subjects  of  them  have  of  them 
selves,  arises  a  manifold  contrariety  of  temper  and  behavior. 

A  truly  humble  person,  having  such  a  mean  opinion  of  his  righteousness  and 
holiness,  is  poor  in  spirit.  For  a  person  to  be  poor  in  spirit,  is  to  be  in  his  own 
sense  and  apprehension  poor,  as  to  what  is  in  him,  and  to  be  of  an  answerable 
disposition.  Therefore  a  truly  humble  person,  especially  one  eminently  humble, 
naturally  behaves  himself  in  many  respects  as  a  poor  man.  "  The  poor  useth  ' 
entreaties,  but  the  rich  answereth  roughly."  A  poor  man  is  not  disposed  to 
quick  and  high  resentment  when  he  is  among  the  rich  :  he  is  apt  to  yield  to 
others,  for  he  knows  others  are  above  him  ;  he  is  not  stiff  and  self-willed  ;  he  is 
patient  with  hard  fare  ;  he  expects  no  other  than  to  be  despised,  and  takes  it 
patiently ;  he  does  not  take  it  heinously  that  he  is  overlooked  and  but  little  re- 
garded ;  he  is  prepared  to  be  in  a  low  place  ;  he  readily  honors  his  superiors  ; 
he  takes  reproofs  quietly ;  he  readily  honors  others  as  above  him ;  he  easily 
yields  to  be  taught,  and  does  not  claim  much  to  his  understanding  and  judgment ; 
he  is  not  over  nice  or  humorsome,  and  has  his  spirit  subdued  to  hard  things  ; 
he  is  not  assuming,  nor  apt  to  take  much  upon  him,  but  it  is  natural  for  him  to 
be  subject  to  others.  Thus  it  is  viith  the  humble  Christian.  Humility  is  (as  the 
great  Mastricht  expresses  it)  a  kind  of  holy  pusillanimity. 

A  man  that  is  very  poor  is  a  beggar ;  so  is  he  that  is  poor  in  spirit.  There 
is  a  great  difference  between  those  affections  that  are  gracious,  and  those  that 
are  false  :  under  the  former,  the  person  continues  still  a  poor  beggar  at  God's 
gates,  exceeding  empty  and  needy ;  but  the  latter  make  men  appear  to  them- 
selves rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  not  very  necessitous ;  they  have  a 
great  stock  in  their  own  imagination  for  their  subsistence.* 

A  poor  man  is  modest  in  his  speech  and  behavior ;  so,  and  much  more,  and 
more  certainly  and  universally,  is  one  that  is  poor  in  spirit ;  he  is  humble  and 
modest  in  his  behavior  amongst  men.  It  is  in  vain  for  any  to  pretend  that  they 
are  humble,  and  as  little  children  before  God,  when  they  are  haughty,  assuming, 
and  impudent  in  their  behavior  amongst  men.  The  apostle  informs  us,  that  the 
design  of  the  gospel  is  to  cut  off  all  glorying,  not  only  before  God,  but  also  be- 
fore men,  Rom.  iv.  1,  2.  Some  pretend  to  great  humiliation,  that  are  very 
haughty,  audacious,  and  assuming  in  their  external  appearance  and  behavior : 
but  they  ought  to  consider  those  Scriptures,  Psal.  cxxxi.  1,  "  Lord,  my  heart  is 
not  haughty,  nor  mine  eyes  lo%  ;  neither  do  I  exercise  myself  in  great  matteis, 
or  in  things  too  high  for  me."  Prov.  vi.  16,  17,  "  These  six  things  doth  the 
Lord  hate ;  yea  seven  are  an  abomination  unto  him :  a  proud  look,  &c." — 
Chap.  xxi.  4,  "  A  high  look,  and  a  proud  heart  are  sin."  Psal.  xviii.  27, 
"  Thou  wilt  bring  down  high  looks."  And  Psal.  ci.  5,  "  Him  that  hath  a 
high  look,  and  a  proud  heart,  I  will  not  suffer."  1  Cor.  xiii.  4.  "  Charity  vaunt- 
eth  not  itself,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly."  There  is  a  certain  amiable 
modesty  and  fear  that  belongs  to  a  Christian  behavior  among  men,  arising  from 

*  "  This  spirit  ever  keeps  a  man  poor  and  vile  in  his  own  eyes,  and  empty.— When  the  man  hath  got 
bome  knowledge,  and  can  discourse  pretty  well,  and  hath  some  taste  of  the  heavenly  gift,  some  sweet 
illapses  of  grace,  and  so  his  conscience  is  pretty  well  quieted  :  and  if  he  hath  got  some  answer  to  his 
prayers,  and. hath  sweet  affections,  he  grows  full :  and  having  ease  to  his  conscience,  casts  off  sense,  and 
daily  grjaning  under  sin.  And  hence  the  spirit  of  prayer  dies  :  he  loses  his  esteem  of  God's  ordinanc.;s, 
feels  not  such  need  of  them  ;  or  gets  no  good,  feels  no  life  or  power  by  them. — This  is  the  woful  conJi 
tion  of  some  ;  but  yet  they  know  it  not.  But  now  he  that  is  filled  with  the  Spirit  the  Lord  empties  liim  ; 
and  the  more,  the  longer  he  lives.  So  that  though  others  think  he  needs  not  much  grace,  yet  he  accounts 
tiimself  the  poorest."     SheparfFs  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  If.  p.  132. 

"  After  all  fillings,  be  ever  empty,  hungry,  and  feeling  need,  and  praying  for  more."     Ibid.  p.  15L 
"  Truly,  brethren,  when  I  see  the  curse  of  God  upon  many  Christians,  that  are  now  grown  full  of  their 
jjarts,  gifts,  peace,  comforts,  aliilities,  dutie.?,  I  stand  *loring  the  riches  of  the  Lord's  mercy,  to  a  little 
handful  of  poor  believers,  not  only  in  making  them  empty,  hut  in  keeping  ihem  so  all  their  days."     Shep. 
urd's  Sound  Bdieucr,  the  late  edition   in  Boston,  p.  158,  159. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  155 

humility,  \hai  the  Scripture  often  speaks  of,  1  Pet.  iii.  15  *'  Be  ready  to  give 
an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketh  you — with  meekness  And  fear."  Romans 
xiii.  7,  "  Fear  to  whom  fear."  2  Cor.  vii.  15,  "■  Whilst  he  rememberelh  the 
obedience  of  you  all.  how  with  fear  and  trembling  you  received  him."  Kph.  vi. 
5,  "  Servants,  be  obedient  to  them  that  are  your  masters  according  to  the  flesh, 
with  fear  and  trembling.''  1  Pet.  ii.  IS,  "  Servants,  be  subject  to  your  masters 
with  all  fear."  1  Pet.  iii.  2,  "  While  they  behold  your  chaste  conversation 
coupled  with  fear."  1  Tun.  ii.  9,  "■  That  women  adorn  themselves  in  modest 
apparel,  with  shamcfacedness  and  sobriety."  In  this  respect  a  Christian  is  like  a 
little  child;  a  little  child  is  modest  before  men,  and  his  heart  is  apt  to  be  pos- 
sessed with  fear  and  awe  amongst  them. 

The  same  spirit  will  dispose  a  Christian  to  honor  all  men:  1  Pet.  ii.  17, 
"  Honor  all  men."  A  humble  Christian  is  not  only  disposed  to  honor  the  saints 
in  his  behavior  ;  but  others  also,  in  all  those  ways  tliat  do  not  imply  a  visible  ap- 
probation of  their  sins.  Thus  Abraliam,  the  great  pattern  of  behevers,  honored 
the  children  of  Heth  :"  Gen.  xxiii.  7,  "  Abraham  stood  up,  and  bowed  himself 
to  the  people  of  the  land."  This  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  a  humble  beha- 
vior towards  them  that  were  out  of  Christ,  and  that  Abraham  knew  to  be  ac- 
cursed :  and  therefore  would  by  no  means  suffer  his  servant  to  take  a  wife  to 
his  son,  from  among  them  ;  anil  Esau's  wives,  being  of  these  children  of  Heth, 
were  a  grief  of  mind  to  Isaac  and  Rebekah.  So  Paul  honored  Festus :  Acts 
xxvi.  25,  '  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Festus."  Not  only  will  Christian  hu- 
mility' dispose  pei-sons  to  honor  those  wicked  men  that  are  out  of  the  visible  church, 
but  also  false  brethren  and  persecutors.  As  Jacob,  when  he  was  in  an  excel- 
lent frame,  having  just  been  Avrestling  all  night  with  God,  and  received  the  bless- 
ing, honored  Esau,  his  false  and  persecuting  brotlier  :  Gen.  xxxiii.  3,  "  Jacob 
bowed  himself  to  the  ground  seven  times,  until  he  came  near  to  his  brother 
Esau."  So  he  called  him  lord  ;  and  commanded  all  his  family  to  honor  him  in 
like  manner. 

Thus  I  have  endeavored  to  describe  the  heart  and  behavior  of  one  that  is 
governed  by  a  truly  gracious  humility,  as  exactly  agreeable  to  the  Scriptures 
as  I  am  able. 

Now,  it  is  out  of  such  a  heart  as  this,  that  all  truly  holy  affections  do  flow. 
Christian  affections  are  like  Mary's  precious  ointment  that  she  poured  on  Christ's 
head,  that  filled  the  whole  house  with  a  sweet  odor.  That  was  poured  out  of  an 
alabaster  box ;  so  gracious  affections  flow  out  to  Christ  out  of  a  pure  heart.  That 
was  poured  out  of  a  broken  box ;  until  the  box  was  broken,  the  ointment  could  not 
flow,  nor  diffuse  its  odor ;  so  gracious  affections  flow  out  of  a  broken  heart.  Gra- 
cious affections  are  also  like  those  of  Mary  Magdalene  (Luke  vii.  at  the  latter 
end),  who  also  pours  precious  ointment  on  Christ,  out  of  an  alabaster  broken 
box,  anointing  therewith  the  feet  of  Jesus,  when  she  had  w-ashed  them  with  her 
tears,  and  wiped  them  with  the  hair  of  her  head.  All  gracious  affections  that 
^e  a  sweet  odor  to  Christ,  and  that  fill  the  soul  of  a  Christian  with  a  heavenly 
sweetness  and  fragrancy,  are  broken  hearted  aflections.  A  truly  Christian  love, 
either  to  God  or  men,  is  a  humble  broken  hearted  love.  The  desires  of  the  saints, 
however  earnest,  are  humble  desires.  Their  hope  is  a  humble  hope  ;  and  their 
joy,  even  when  it  is  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory,  is  a  humble  broken  hearted 
joy,  and  leaves  the  Christian  more  poor  in  spirit,  and  more  like  a  little  child, 
aud  more  disposed  to  a  universal  lowliness  of  behavior. 

VII.  Another  thing,  wherein  gracious  affections  are  distinguished  from  oth- 
ers, is,  that  they  are  attended  with  a  change  of  nature. 

All  gracious  affections  do  arise  from  a  spiritual  understanding,  in  which  the 


156  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

soul  has  the  excellency  and  glory  of  divine  things  discovered  to  it,  as  was 
shown  before.  But  all  spiritual  discoveries  are  transforming ;  and  not  only  make 
an  alteration  of  the  present  exercise,  sensation,  and  frame  of  the  soul ;  but  such 
power  and  efficacy  have  they,  that  they  make  an  alteration  in  the  very  nature  of 
the  soul :  2  Cor.  lii.  18,  "  But  we  all  with  open  face,  beholdmg  as  in  a  glass 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even 
as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord."  Such  power  as  this  is  properly  divme  power, 
and  is  pccidiar  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  :  other  power  may  make  an  alteration 
in  men's  present  li-ames  and  feelings  :  but  it  is  the  power  of  a  Creator  only  that 
can  ch  11  ni^c  the  nature,  or  give  a  new  nature.  And  no  discoveries  or  ill uminations, 
but  ti;o  ;e  that  are  divine  and  supernatural,  will  have  this  supernatural  effect. 
But  this  effect  all  those  discoveries  have,  that  are  truly  divine.  The  soul  is 
deeply  affected  by  these  (hscoveries,  and  so  affected  as  to  be  transformed. 

Thus  it  is  with  those  affections  that  the  soul  is  the  subject  of  in_  its  conversion. 
The  Scripture  representations  of  conversion  do  strongly  imply  and  signify  p.  change 
of  nature :  such  as  "  being  born  again ;  becoming  new  creatures ;  rising  from 
the  dead  ;  being  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  the  mind  ;  dying  to  sin,  and  living  to 
righteousness ;  putting  off  the  old  man,  and  putting  on  the  new  man ;  a  being  in- 
grafted into  a  new^  stock ;  a  having  a  divine  seed  implanted  in  the  heart ;  a  being 
made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,"  &c. 

Therefore  if  there  be  no  great  and  remarkable  abiding  change  in  persons, 
that  think  they  have  experienced  a  work  of  conversion,  vain  are  all  their 
imaginations  and  pretences,  however  they  have  been  affected.*  Conversion  is 
a  great  and  universal  change  of  the  man,  turning  him  from  sin  to  God.  A 
man  may  be  restrained  from  sm,  before  he  is  converted  ;  but  when  he  is  con- 
verted, he  is  not  only  restrained  from  sin,  his  very  heart  and  nature  is  turned 
from  it  unto  holiness  :  so  that  thenceforward  he  becomes  a  holy  person,  and  an 
enemy  to  sin.  If,  therefore,  after  a  person's  high  affections  at  his  supposed 
first  conversion,  it  comes  to  that  in  a  little  time,  that  there  is  no  very  sensible, 
or  remarkable  alteration  in  him,  as  to  those  bad  qualities,  and  evil  habits,  which 
before  were  visible  in  him,  and  he  is  ordinarily  under  the  prevalence  of  the  same 
kind  of  dispositions  that  he  used  to  be,  and  the  same  thing  seems  to  belong  to 
his  character ;  he  appears  as  selfish,  carnal,  as  stupid,  and  perverse,  as  unchris- 
tian and  unsavory  as  ever ;  it  is  greater  evidence  against  him,  than  the  bright- 
est story  of  expei-iences  that  ever  was  told,  is  for  him.  For  in  Christ  Jesus 
neither  circumcision,  nor  uncircuracision,  neither  high  profession,  nor  low  pro- 
fession, neither  a  fair  story,  nor  a  broken  one,  avails  any  thing ;  but  a  new 
creature. 

If  there  be  a  very  great  alteration  visible  in  a  person  for  a  while  ;  if  it  be 
not  abiding,  but  he  afterwards  returns,  in  a  stated  manner,  to  be  much  as  he 
used  to  be  ;  it  appears  to  be  no  change  of  nature ;  for  nature  is  an  abiding 
thing.  A  swine  that  is  of  a  filthy  nature  may  be  washed,  but  the  swinish  na"- 
ture  remams ;  and  a  dove  that  is  of  a  cleanly  nature  may  be  defiled,  but  its 
cleanly  nature  remains.f 

Indeed  allowances  must  be  made  for  the  natural  temper ;  conversion  does 

»  "I  would  not  judge  of  the  whole  soul's  coming  to  Christ,  so  much  by  sudden  pangs  as  by  inward 
bent.  lo.  the  whole  soul,  in  affectionate  expressions  and  actions,  may  be  carried  to  Christ :  but  being 
without  this  l.."nt,  and  change  of  affections,  IS  unsound."  Shepard's  Parable  Parti   p  ''OS 

•  "  ,\\^  ^^^Ihll'e  soul,  as  with  water;  all  the  cold  may  he  gone,  but  the  native  principle  of  cold  re 
mains  sul  ,  You  may  remove  the  burning  of  lusts,  not  the  l^lnckness  of  nature.  Where  the  power  of 
sin  lies  change  of  conscience  from  security  to  terror,  change  of  life  from  profaneness  to  civility,  and 
h  ft  hf  n  In  '°''^'''  '"^^^^'^P^'he  pollutions  thereof,  change  of  lusts,  may  quench  them  for  a  time  : 
but  the  nature  is  never  changed  in  the  best  hypocrite  that  ever  was."  Shepard's  Parable,  PaH  I.  p.  194. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECriONB\  157 

not  entirely  rout  ou.  tha  natural  temper ;  those  sins  which  a  man  by  lils  natural 
fonstitutjon  '%vas  i.ioot  inJiiied  to  before  his  conversion,  h<3  iiiay  be  most  apt  to 
lall  into  siih.  But  yei  con  .-e.sion  will  make  a  great  alteration  even  \\ilh  re- 
spect to  these  sms.  7iiOuH;i;  g'riice,  while  imperfect,  does  not  rooioutan  evil 
natural  temper,  yet  it  is  oi"  great  power  and  efficacy  with  respect  lo  li,  to  cor- 
rect it.  The  chancre  that  li?  w.nugvt  in  conversion,  is  a  universal  change; 
grace  changes  a  man  witn  respect  ^o  whatever  is  sinful  in  him  ;  the  old  mt;n  is 
put  off",  and  the  new  man  p«it  on  ;  i:e  .'s  Shnctined  throughout ;  and  the  man  bo- 
comes  a  new  creature,  old  things  are  puS^eu  away,  and  all  things  are  becon;e 
new ;  all  sin  is  mortified,  constitution  sms,  as  well  as  others.  If  a  man  before 
his  conversion,  was  by  his  natural  constitution  especially  inclined  to  lascivious- 
ness,  or  drunkenness,  or  maliciousness ;  con-^erting  grace  will  make  a  grea*. 
alteration  in  him,  with  respect  to  these  evil  dispositions  ;  so  that  however  he 
may  be  still  most  in  danger  of  these  sins,  yet  they  shall  no  longer  have  domin 
ion  over  him ;  nor  will  they  any  more  be  properly  his  character.  Yea,  truo 
repentance  does  in  some  respects,  especially  turn  a  man  against  his  own  iniquity, 
that  wherein  he  has  been  most  guilty,  and  has  chietiv  dishonored  God.  He 
that  forsakes  other  sins,  but  saves  his  leading  sin,  the  iniquity  he  is  chiefly  in- 
clined to,  is  hke  Saul,  when  sent  against  God's  enemies  the  Am alekitcs,  with 
a  strict  charge  to  save  none  of  them  alive,  but  utterly  to  desiroy  them,  smah 
and  great ;  who  utterly  destroyed  inferior  people,  but  saved  the  king,  the  chid' 
of  them  all,  alive. 

Some  foolishly  make  it  an  argument  in  favor  of  their  discoveries  and  affec- 
tions, that  when  they  are  gone,  they  are  left  wholly  without  any  life  or  sense, 
or  any  thing  beyond  what  they  had  before.  They  think  it  an  evidence  that  what 
they  experienced  was  wholly  of  God,  and  not  of  themselves,  because  (say  they) 
when  God  is  departed,  all  is  gone ;  they  can  see  and  feel  nothing,  and  are  no 
better  than  they  used  to  be. 

It  is  very  true,  that  all  grace  and  goodness  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints  is  en- 
tirely from  God  ;  and  they  are  universally  and  immediately  dependent  on  him 
tor  it.  But  yet  these  persons  are  mistaken,  as  to  the  manner  of  God's  communi- 
cating hunself  and  his  Holy  Spirit,  in  imparting  saving  grace  to  the  soul.  He 
gives  his  Spirit  to  be  united  to  the  faculties  of  the  soul,  and  to  dwell  there  after 
the  manner  of  a  principle  of  nature ;  so  that  the  soul,  in  being  endued  with 
grace,  is  endued  with  a  new  nature  :  but  nature  is  an  abiding  thing.  All  the 
exercises  of  grace  are  entirely  from  Christ :  but  those  exercises  are  not  from  Christ, 
as  something  that  is  alive,  moves  and  stirs,  something  that  is  without  life,  and  re- 
mains without  life  ;  but  as  having  life  communicated  to  it ;  so  as,  through  Christ's 
power,  to  have  inherent  in  itself  a  vital  nature.  In  the  soul  where  Christ  sav- 
ingly is,  there-he  lives.  He  does  not  only  live  without  it,  so  as  violently  to 
actuate  it,  but  he  lives  in  it,  so  that  that  also  is  alive.  Grace  in  the  soul  is  as 
much  from  Christ,  as  the  light  in  a  glass,  held  out  in  the  sunbeams,  is  from  the 
sun.  But  this  represents  the  manner  of  the  communication  of  grace  to  the  soul, 
but  in  part ;  because  the  glass  remains  as  it  was,  the  nature  of  it  not  being  at  all 
changed,  it  is  as  much  without  any  lightsomeness  in  its  nature  as  ever.  But 
the  soul  of  a  saint  receives  light  from  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  in  such  a  man- 
ner, that  its  nature  is  changed,  and  it  becomes  properly  a  luminous  thing ;  not 
only  does  the  sun  shine  in  the  saints,  but  they  also  become  little  suns,  partaking 
of  the  nature  of  the  fountain  of  their  light.  In  this  respect,  the  manner  of  their 
derivation  of  hght,  is  like  that  of  the  lamps  in  the  tabernacle,  rather  than  that 
of  a  reflecting  glass ;  which,  though  they  were  lit  up  by  fire  from  heaven,  yet 
thereby  became  themselves  burning  shining  things.     The  saints  do  not  onl-y 


158  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

drink  of  the  water  of  life,  that  flows  from  the  original  fountain;  out  this  water 
becomes  a  fountain  of  water  in  them,  springing  up  there,  and  flowing  out  ot 
them,  John  iv.  14,  and  chap.  vii.  38,  39.  Grace  is  compared  to  a  seed  implant- 
ed, that  not  only  is  in  the  ground,  but  has  hold  of  it,  has  root  there,  and  grows 
there,  and  is  an  abiding  principle  of  life  and  nature  there. 

_  As  it  is  with  spiritual  discoveries  and  affections  given  at  first  conversion,  so 
it  is  in  all  illuminations  and  affections  of  that  kind,  that  persons  are  the  subjects 
of  afterwards ;  they  are  all  transforming.  There  is  a  like  divine  power  and  en- 
ergy in  them,  as  in  the  first  discoveries  :  and  they  still  reach  the  bottom  of  the 
heart,  and  affect  and  alter  the  very  nature  of  the  soul,  in  proportion  to  the  ch^vee 
in  which  they  are  given.  And  a  transformation  of  nature  is  continued  and  car- 
ried on  by  them,  to  the  end  of  life,  until  it  is  brought  to  perfection  in  glory. 
Hence  the  progress  of  the  work  of  grace  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  is  represent- 
ed m  Scripture,  as  a  continued  conversion  and  renovation  of  nature.  So  the 
apostle  exhorts  those  tliat  were  at  Rome,  "  beloved  of  God,  called  to  be  saints," 
and  that  were  subjects  of  God's  redeeming  mercies,  "  to  be  transformed  by  the 
renewHigof  their  mind  :"  Rom.  xii.  1,  2,  "  I  beseech  you  therefore,  by  the  mer- 
cies ot  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice ;  and  be  not  conformed 
to  this  world ;  but  be  ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind  ;"  compared 
with  chap.  1.  7.  So  the  apostle,  writing  to  the  «  saints  and  faithful  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  that  were  at  Ephesus  (Eph.  i.  1),  and  those  who  were  once  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,  but  were  now  quickened  and  raised  up,  and  made  to  sit  to- 
gether in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,  and  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works, 
that  were  once  far  off,  but  were  now  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and 
that  were  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow  citizens  with  the  saints, 
and  of  the  household  of  God,  and  that  were  built  together  for  a  habitation  of 
God  through  the  Spirit;  I  say,  the  apostle  writing  to  these,  tells  them,  "that 
he  ceased  not  to  pray  for  them,  that  God  would  give  them  the  spirit  of  wisdom 
and  revelation,  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ ;  the  eyes  of  their  understanding  be- 
mg  enlightened,  that  they  might  know,  or  experience,  what  was  the  exceeding 
greatness  of  God's  power  towards  them  that  believe,  according  to  the  working 
of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the 
dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,"  Eph.  i.  16,  to 
the  end.  In  this  the  apostle  has  respect  to  the  glorious  power  and  work  of  God 
m  converting  and  renewing  the  soul ;  as  is  most  plain  by  the  sequel.  So  the 
apostle  exhorts  the  same  persons  "  to  put  off"  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  accord- 
mg  to  the  deceitful  lusts ;  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds  ;  and  to 
put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holi- 
ness," Eph.  iv.  22,  23,  24. 

There  is  a  sort  of  high  affections  that  some  have  from  time  to  time,  that 
leave  them  without  any  manner  of  appearance  of  an  abiding  eflfect.  They  go 
ofl^  suddenly;  so  that  from  the  very  height  of  their  emotion,''and  seeming  rap- 
ture, they  pass  at  once  to  be  quite  dead,  and  void  of  all  sense  and  activity.  It 
surely  is  not  wont  to  be  thus  with  high  gracious  affections  ;*  they  leave  a  sweet 
savor  and  a  relish  of  divine  things  on  the  heart,  and  a  stronger  bent  of  soul  to- 
wards God  and  holiness.  As  Moses'  face  not  only  shone  while  he  was  in  the 
mount,  extraordinarily  conversing  with  God,  but  it  continued  to  shine  after  he 
came  down  from  the  mount.  When  men  have  been  conversing  with  Christ  in 
an  extraordinary  manner,  there  is  a  sensible  effect  of  it  remaining  upon  them; 
there  is  something  remarkable  in  their  disposition  and  frame,  which  if  we  take 

kJ  L^'^JSV^u^  ^K^°\!f'"°^^  *"'"\f  ??  =»  Tl''"^^  °"  ^'^1^=1'".  by  imiuediate  acti'.g,  and  then  leave* 
hisa,  an'i  then  he  has  nothing?"     Shepard's  Parable,  Part  I.  p.  126. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  159 

knowledge  of,  and  trace  to  Its  cause,  we  shall  find  it  is  because  they  have  been 
with  Jesus,  Acts  iv.  13. 

VIII.  Truly  gracious  affections  differ  from  those  affections  that  are  false  and 
delusive,  in  that  they  tend  to,  and  arc  attended  with  the  lamblike,  dovelike  spiii 
and  temper  of  Jesus  Christ ;  or  in  other  words,  they  miturally  beget  and  promote 
such  a  spirit  of  love,  meekness,  quietness,  forgiveness  and  mercy,  as  appears  in 
Christ. 

The  evidence  of  this  in  the  Scripture  is  very  abundant.  If  we  judge  of  the 
nature  of  Christianity,  and  the  proper  spirit  of  the  gospel,  by  the  word  of  God, 
this  spirit  is  what  may,  Ijy  way  of  emincncy,  be  callal  the  Christian  spirit;  and 
may  be  looked  upon  as  tlie  true,  and  (hstinguishing  disposition  of  the  hearts  of 
Christians,  as  Christians.  When  some  of  the  disciples  of  Christ  said  something, 
through  inconsideration  and  infirmity,  that  was  not  agreeable  to  such  a  spirit, 
Christ  told  them,  that  they  knew  not  what  manner  of  spirit  they  were  of,  Luke 
ix.  55,  implying  that  this  spirit  that  I  am  speaking  of,  is  the  proper  spirit  of  his 
religion  and  kingdom.  All  that  are  truly  godly,  and  real  disciples  of  Christ, 
have  this  spirit  in  them  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  they  are  of  this  spirit ;  it  is  the 
spirit  by  which  they  are  so  possessed  and  governed,  that  it  is  their  true  and 
proper  character.  This  is  evident  by  what  the  wise  man  says,  Prov.  xvii.  27 
(having  respect  plainly  to  such  a  spirit  as  this)  :  "  A  man  of  understanding  is  of 
an  excellent  spirit."  And  by  the  particular  description  Christ  gives  of  the 
qualities  and  temper  of  such  as  are  truly  blessed,  that  shall  obtain  mercy,  and 
are  God's  children  and  heirs  :  Matt.  v.  5,7,9,  "  Blessed  are  the  meek  :  for  they 
shall  inherit  the  earth.  Blessed  are  the  merciful :  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 
Blessed  are  the  peacemakers  :  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  God." 
And  that  this  spirit  is  the  special  character  of  the  elect  of  God,  is  manifested  by 
Col.  iii.  12,  13  :  "  Put  on  therefore  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels 
of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering  ;  forbearing 
one  another,  and  forgiving  one  another."  And  the  apostle,  speaking  of  that 
temper  and  disposition,  which  he  speaks  of  as  the  most  excellent  and  essential 
thing  in  Christianity,  and  that  without  which  none  are  true  Christians,  and  the 
most  glorious  profession  and  gifts  are  nothing  (calling  this  spirit  by  the  name  of 
charity),  he  describes  it  thus,  1  Cor.  xiii.  4,  5 :  "  Charity  suffereth  long,  and  is 
kind  ;  charity  envieth  not ;  charity  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up,  doth  not 
behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no 
evil."  And  the  same  apostle.  Gal.  v,  designedly  declaring  the  distinguishing  marks 
and  fruits  of  true  Christian  grace,  chiefly  insists  on  the  things  that  appertain  to 
such  a  temper  and  spirit  as  I  am  speaking  of,  ver.  22,  23  :  "  The  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  tem- 
perance." And  so  does  the  Apostle  James,  in  describing  true  grace,  or  that  wis- 
dom that  is  from  above,  with  that  declared  design,  that  others  who  are  of  a  contrary 
spirit  may  not  deceive  themselves,  and  lie  against  the  truth,  in  professing  to  be 
Christians,  when  they  are  not,  James  iii.  14 — 17  :  "  If  ye  have  bitter  envying 
and  strife  in  your  hearts,  glory  not ;  and  lie  not  against  the  truth.  This  wisdom 
descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual,  devilish.  For  where  envying 
and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion,  and  every  evil  work.  But  the  wisdom  that  is 
from  above,  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full 
of  mercy  and  good  fruits." 

Every  thing  that  appertains  to  holiness  of  heart,  does  indeed  belong  to  the 
natr.re  of  true  Christianity,  and  the  charactei  of  Christians ;  but  a  spirit  of  holi- 
ness as  appearing  in  some  particular  graces,  may  more  especially  be  called 
the  Christian  spirit  or  tempo'      There  are  some  amiable  qualities  and  virtues, 


160  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

that  do  more  especially  agree  with  the  nature  of  the  gospel  constimtion,  and 
Christian  profession ;  because  there  is  a  special  agreeableness  in  thorn,  with 
those  divine  attributes  which  God  has  more  remarkably  manifested  and  glorified 
in  the  woric  of  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ,  that  is  the  grand  subject  of  the  Chris- 
tian revelation  ;  and  also  a  special  agreeableness  with  those  virtues  that  were  so 
wonderfully  exercised  by  Jesus  Christ  towards  us  in  that  affair,  and  the  blessed 
example  he  hath  therein  set  us  ;  and  likewise  because  they  are  peculiarly 
agreeable  to  the  special  drift  and  design  of  the  work  of  redemption,  and  the 
benefits  we  thereby  receive,  and  the  relation  that  it  brings  us  into,  to  God  and 
one  another.  And  these  virtues  are  such  as  humility,  meekness,  love,  forgive- 
ness, and  mercy.  These  things  therefore  especially  !)elong  to  the  character  of 
Christians,  as  such. 

These  things  are  spoken  of  as  what  are  especially  the  character  of  Jesus 
Christ  himself,  the  great  head  of  the  Christian  church.  They  are  so  spoken  of 
in  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament ;  as  in  that  cited  Matt.  xxi.  5  :  "  Tell 
ye  the  daughter  of  Sion,  Behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee,  meek,  and  sitting 
upon  an  ass,  and  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass."  So  Christ  himself  speaks  of  them, 
Matt.  xi.  29  :  "  Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowdy  in  heart."  The  same 
appears  by  the  name  by  w^hich  Christ  is  so  often  called  in  Scripture,  viz.,  the 
Lamb.  And  as  these  things  are  especially  the  character  of  Christ,  so  they  are 
also  especially  the  character  of  Christians.  Christians  are  Christlike ;  none  de- 
serve the  name  of  Christians,  that  are  not  so  in  their  prevailing  character. 
"  The  new  man  is  renewed,  after  the  image  of  him  that  created  him,"  Col.  iii. 
10.  All  true  Christians  behold  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  are 
changed  into  the  same  image,  by  his  Spirit,  2  Cor.  iii.  IS.  The  elect  are  all 
predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  he  might  be 
the  first  born  among  many  brethren,  Rom.  viii.  29.  As  we  have  borne  the 
image  of  the  first  man,  that  is  earthly,  so  we  must  also  bear  the  image  of  the 
heavenly  ;  for  as  is  the  earthly,  such  are  they  also  that  are  earthly ;  and  as  is 
the  heavenly,  such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly,  1  Cor.  xv.  47,  48,  49. — 
Christ  is  full  of  grace  ;  and  Christians  all  receive  of  his  fulness,  and  grace  for 
grace  ;  i.  e.,  there  is  grace  in  Christians  answering  to  grace  in  Christ,  such  an 
answerableness  as  there  is  between  the  wax  and  the  seal ;  there  is  character 
for  character  :  such  kind  of  graces,  such  a  spirit  and  temper,  the  same  things 
that  belong  to  Christ's  character,  belong  to  theirs.  That  disposition,  wherein 
Christ's  character  does  in  a  special  manner  consist,  therein  does  his  image  in  a 
special  manner  consist.  Christians  that  shine  by  reflecting  the  light  of  the  Sun 
of  righteousness,  do  shine  with  the  same  sort  of  brightness,  the  same  mild,  sweet, 
and  pleasant  beams.  These  lamps  of  the  spiritual  temple,  that  are  enkindled 
by  fire  from  heaven,  burn  with  the  same  sort  of  flame.  The  branch  is  of  the 
same  nature  with  the  stock  and  root,  has  the  same  sap,  and  bears  the  same  sort 
of  fruit.  The  members  have  the  same  kind  of  life  with  the  head.  It  would  be 
strange  if  Christians  should  not  be  of  the  same  temper  and  spirit  that  Christ  is 
of ;  when  they  are  his  flesh  and  his  bone,  yea,  are  one  spirit,  1  Cor.  vi.  17 ; 
and  live  so,  that  it  is  not  they  that  live,  but  Christ  that  lives  in  them.  A  Chris- 
tian spirit  is  Christ's  mark  that  he  sets  upon  the  souls  of  his  people  ;  his  seal  in 
their  foreheads,  beaiing  his  image  and  superscription. — Christians  are  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ ;  and  they  are  so,  as  they  are  obedient  to  that  call  of  Christ, 
Matt.  xi.  28,  29,  "  Come  unto  me — and  learn  of  me:  for  1  am  meek  and  lowly 
in  heart."  They  follow  him  as  the  Lamb :  Rev.  xiv.  4,  "  These  are  they 
which  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth."  True  Cliristians  are  as  it 
were  clothed  with  the  meek,  quiet,  and  loving  temper  of  Christ ;  for  as  many  as 


KELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  161 

are  in  Chri^.t,  bave  put  on  Christ.  And  in  this  respect  the  church  is  clothed 
with  the  sun,  not  only  by  brirjfr  clothed  with  his  imjiuted  ri£>hteousness,  but  also 
by  being  adorned  with  his  traces,  Koni.  xiii.  14.  C'lirist,  the  great  Shej  herd,  is 
hin  sell  a  Laiub,  and  believers  aie  also  landjs ;  all  the  iiock  are  lands:  John 
xxi.  15,  '•  Feed  my  lambs."  Luke  x.  3,  "  1  send  you  forth  as  lambs  in  the 
mlilst  of  wolves."  The  redemption  of  the  church  by  Christ  from  the  power  of 
the  devil,  wer,  typified  of  old,  by  David's  dc  livering  the  lamb  out  of  tlic  mouth 
of  the  lion  i^nd  the  bear. 

That  ?jch  znanner  of  virtue  as  has  been  spoken  of,  is  the  very  nature  of  the 
Christian  spirit,  or  the  spirit  that  worketh  in  Christ,  and  in  his  members,  and  in 
the  di.sl"n,",ui.shing  nature  of  it,  is  evident  by  this,  that  the  dove  is  the  very  sym- 
bol oc  emblem,  chosen  of  God,  to  represent  it.  Those  things  are  fittest  em- 
blem.-'  of  other  things,  which  do  best  represent  that  which  is  most  distinguishing 
in  U'i'v:  nature.  The  Spirit  that  descended  on  Christ,  when  he  was  aiiomti d  of 
the  F?ther,  descended  on  him  like  a  dove.  The  dove  is  a  noted  endjlem  of 
meekness,  harmlessness,  peace  and  love.  But  the  same  Spirit  that  descended 
on  the  head  of  the  church,  descends  to  the  members.  '*  God  hath  sent  forth  the 
Spirit  of  his  Son  into  their  liearts,"  Gal.  iv.  G.  And  "  if  any  man  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his,"  Rom.  viii.  9.  There  is  but  one  Spirit  to  the 
whole  mystical  body,  head  and  members,  1  Cor.  vi.  17,  Eph.  iv.  4.  Christ 
breathes  his  own  Spirit  on  his  disciples,  John  xx.  22.  As  Christ  was  anointed 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  descending  on  him  like  a  dove,  so  Christians  also  "  have 
an  anointing  from  the  Holy  One,"  1  John  ii.  20,  27.  And  they  are  anointed 
with  the  same  oil ;  it  is  the  same  "  precious  ointment  on  the  head,  that  goes 
down  to  the  skirts  of  the  garments."  And  on  both,  it  is  a  spirit  of  peace  and 
love.  Psalm  cxxxiii.  1,  2,  "  Behold,  how  good  and  liow  pleasant  it  is,  for 
brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity  !  It  is  like  the  precious  ointment  upon  the 
head,  that  ran  down  upon  the  beard,  even  Aaron's  beard,  that  went  down  to  the 
skills  of  his  garments."  The  oil  on  Aaron's  garments  had  the  same  sweet  an^l 
inimitable  odor  with  that  on  his  head  ;  the  smell  of  the  same  sweet  spices, 
Christian  affections,  and  a  Christian  behavior,  is  but  the  flowing  out  of  the  savor 
of  Christ's  sweet  ointments.  Because  the  church  has  a  dovelike  temper  and 
disposition,  therefore  it  is  said  of  her  that  slie  has  doves'  eyes,  Cant.  i.  15  :  "  Be- 
hold, thou  art  fair,  my  love,  behold,  thou  art  fair,  thou  hast  doves'  eyes."  And 
chap.  iv.  1,  "  Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love,  behold,  thou  art  fair,  thou  hast 
doves'  eyes  within  thy  locks."  The  same  that  is  said  of  Christ,  chap.  vi.  12  : 
"  His  eyes  are  as  the  eyes  of  doves."  And  the  church  is  frequently  compared 
to  a  dove  in  Scripture :  Cant.  ii.  14,  "  0,  my  dove,  that  art  in  the  clefts  of  the 
rock."  Chap.  v.  2,  "  Open  to  me,  my  love,  my  dove."  And  chap.  vi.  9^ 
"  My  dove,  my  undefiled  is  but  one."  Psal.  Ixviii.  13,  "  Ye  shall  be  as  the 
wings  of  a  dove,  covered  with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold."  And 
Ixxiv.  19,  "  0  deliver  not  the  soul  of  thy  turtle  dove  unto  the  nuiltitude  of  the 
wicked."  The  dove  that  Noah  sent  out  of  the  ark,  that  could  find  no  rest  for 
the  sole  of  her  foot,  until  she  returned,  was  a  type  of  a  true  saint. 

Meekness  is  so  much  the  character  of  the  saints,  that  the  meek  and  the 
godly,  are  used  as  synonymous  terms  in  Scripture  :  so  Psalm  xxxvii.  10,  11, 
the  wicked  and  the  meek  are  set  in  Ojiposition  one  to  another,  as  wicked  and 
godly  :  "  Yet  a  little  while  and  the  wicked  shall  not  be ;  but  the  meek  shall 
inherit  the  earth."  So  Psal.  cxlvii.  6,  "  The  Lord  lifteth  up  the  meek :  he 
castcth  the  wicked  down  to  the  ground." 

It  is  doubtless  very  much  on  this  account,  that  Christ  represents  all  his  dis- 
ciples, all  the  heirs  of  heaven,  as  little  children :  Matt.  xix.  14,  "  Suffer  littk 

Vor.  IlL  21 


162  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not ;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  Matt.  x.  42,  "  Whosoever  shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of  these  little 
ones,  a  cup  of  cold  water,  in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he 
shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward."  Matt,  xviii.  6,  "  Whoso  shall  offend  one  of 
these  little  ones,  &c.'"  Ver.  10,  "  Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these 
little  ones."  Ver.  14, "  It  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  that 
one  of  these  little  ones  should  perish."  John  xiii.  33,  "  Little  children,  yet  a 
little  while  I  am  with  you."  Little  children  are  innocent  and  harmless  ^  they 
do  not  do  a  great  deal  of  mischief  in  the  world ;  men  need  not  be  af/dd  ot' 
them  ;  they  are  no  dangerous  sort  of  persons  ;  their  anger  does  not  laLt  long, 
they  do  not  lay  up  injuries  in  high  resentment,  entertaining  deep  an  i  rooted 
malice.  So  Christians,  in  malice,  are  children,  1  Cor.  xiv.  20-  Little  children 
are  not  guileful  and  deceitful,  but  plain  and  simple  ;  they  are  not  verged  in  the 
arts  of  fiction  and  deceit ;  and  are  strangers  to  artful  disguises.  They  are  yield- 
able  and  flexible,  and  not  wilful  and  obstinate ;  do  not  trust  to  their  own  under- 
standing, but  rely  on  the  instructions  of  parents,  and  others  of  superior  under- 
standing. Here  is  therefore  a  fit  and  lively  emblem  of  the  followers  of  the 
Lamb.  Persons  being  thus  like  little  children,  is  not  only  a  thing  highly  com- 
mendable, and  what  Christians  approve  and  aim  at,  and  which  some  extraordi- 
nary proficiency  do  attain  to :  but  it  is  their  universal  character,  and  absolutely 
necessary  in  order  to  entering  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  Matt  xviii.  3, 
"Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as  little  children, 
ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Mark  x.  15,  "  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  Whosoever  shall' not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  he 
shall  not  enter  therein." 

But  here  some  may  be  ready  to  say,  Is  there  no  such  thing  as  Christian  for- 
titude, and  boldness  for  Christ,  being  good  soldiers  in  the  Christian  warfare,  and 
coming  out  boldly  against  the  enemies  of  Christ  and  his  people  1 

To  which  I  answer,  There  doubtless  is  such  a  thing.  The  whole  Christian 
life  is  compared  to  a  warfare,  and  fitly  so.  And  the  most  eminent  Christians 
are  the  best  soldiers,  endued  with  the  greatest  degrees  of  Christian  fortitude. 
And  it  is  the  duty  of  God's  people  to  be  steadfast  and  vigorous  in  their  opposi- 
tion to  the  designs  and  ways  of  such  as  are  endeavoring  to  overthrow  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  and  the  interest  of  religion.  But  yet  many  persons  seem  to  be 
quite  mistaken  concerning  the  nature  of  Christian  fortitude.  It  is  an  exceeding 
diverse  thing  from  a  brutal  fierceness,  or  the  boldness  of  the  beasts  of  prey. 
True  Christian  fortitude  consists  in  strength  of  mind,  through  grace,  exerted  in 
two  things ;  in  ruling  and  suppressing  the  evil  and  unruly  passions  and  affec- 
tions of  the  mind ;  and  in  steadfastly  and  freely  exerting,  and  following  good 
affections  and  dispositions,  without  being  hindered  by  sinful  fear,  or  the  opposi- 
tion of  enemies.  But  the  passions  that  are  restrained  and  kept  under,  in  the 
exercise  of  this  Christian  strength  and  fortitude,  are  those  very  passions  that  are 
vigorously  and  violently  exerted  in  a  false  boldness  for  Christ.  And  those  af- 
fections that  are  vigorously  exerted  in  true  fortitude,  are  those  Christian,  holy 
affections  that  are  directly  contrary  to  them.  Though  Christian  fortitude  ap- 
pears, in  withstanding  and  counteracting  the  enemies  that  are  without  us ;  yet 
it  much  more  appears,  in  resisting  and  suppressing  the  enemies  that  are  within 
us ;  because  they  are  our  worst  and  strongest  enemies,  and  have  greatest  ad- 
vantao-e  ao-ainst  us.  The  strength  of  the  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ  appears 
in  nothing  more,  than  in  steadfastly  maintaining  the  holy  calm,  meekness, 
sweetness,  and  benevolence  of  his  mind,  amidst  all  the  storms,  injuries,  strange 
behavior,  and  s  irprising  acts  and  events  of  this  evil  and  unreasonable  world 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  163 

The  Scripture  seems  to  iiiliinatc  (liat  liuc  fortitude  consists  chiefly  in  this:  Pror. 
xvi.  32, ''  He  that  is  slo\v  to  anffcr,  is  better  than  the  mighty  j  and  he  that  rul- 
e?h  his  spirit,  than  he  that  taketli  a  cily." 

The  directesl  and  surest  m  ay  in  the  world,  to  make  a  right  judgment  what 
a  holy  fortitude  is,  in  lighting  with  (Jod's  enemies,  is  to  look  to  the  Captain  of 
all  God's  hosts,  and  our  great  leader  and  example,  and  see  wherein  his  i'orti- 
tude  and  valor  appeared,  in  his  ehief  conflict,  and  in  the  time  of  tlie  greatest 
battle  that  ever  was,  or  ever  will  he  fought  with  these  enemies,  when  he  fougMl 
with  tliem  alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with  liiin,  and  exercised  his 
I'orlitude  in  the  highest  degree  that  ever  he  did,  and  got  that  glorious  victor}- 
that  will  be  celebrated  in  the  praises  and  triumphs  of  all  the  hosts  of  heaven, 
throughout  all  eternity ;  even  to  Jesus  Christ  in  the  time  of  his  last  suflerings, 
when  his  enemies  in  earth  and  hell  made  their  most  violent  attack  upon  him, 
compassing  him  round  on  every  side,  like  renting  and  roaring  lions.  Doubtless 
liere  we  shall  see  the  fortitude  of  a  holy  Avarrior  and  cham})ion  in  the  cause  of 
God,  in  its  liighest  perfei  tion  and  greatest  lustre,  and  an  example  fit  for  the 
soldiers  to  follow  that  fighf  under  this  C;i})lain.  But  how  did  he  show  his  holy 
boldness  and  valor  at  that  time?  Not  in  the  exercise  of  any  ficiy  passions; 
not  in  fierce  and  violent  speeches,  and  vehemently  declaiming  against  and  cry- 
ing out  of  the  intolerable  wickedness  of  opposers,  giving  them  their  own  in  plain 
terms :  but  in  not  opening  his  mouth  when  afflicted  and  oppressed,  in  going  as 
a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  his  shearers  is  dumb,  not  open- 
ing his  mouth  ;  praying  that  the  Father  would  forgive  his  cruel  enemies  be- 
cause they  knew  not  what  they  did  ;  not  shedding  others'  blood,  but  with  all 
conquering  patience  and  love,  shedding  his  own.  Indeed  one  of  his  disciples, 
that  made  a  forward  pretence  to  boldness  Inr  Christ,  and  confidently  declared 
he  would  sooner  die  with  Claist  than  deny  him,  began  to  lay  about  him  with 
a  sword  :  but  Christ  meekly  rebukes  him,  and  lieals  the  wound  he  gives.  And 
never  was  the  patience,  meekness,  love,  and  forgiveness  of  Christ  in  so  »>-lorious 
a  manifestation,  as  at  that  time.  Never  did  he  appear  so  much  a  lamb,  and 
never  did  he  show  so  much  of  tke  dovelike  spirit,  as  at  that  time.  If  therefore 
we  see  any  of  the  followers  of  Christ,  in  the  midst  of  the  most  violent,  unrea- 
sonable, and  wicked  opposition  of  God's  and  his  own  enemies,  maintaining  un- 
der all  this  temptation,  the  humility,  quietness,  and  gentleness  of  a  lamb,  and 
the  harmlessness,  and  love  and  sweetness  of  a  dove,  we  may  well  judo-e  that 
heie  is  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ. 

When  persons  are  fierce  and  and  violent,  and  exert  their  sharp  and  bitter 
passions,  it  shows  weakness  instead  of  strength  and  fortitude.  1  Cor.  iii.  at 
the  beginning,  "  And  I,  brethren,  could  not  speak  unto  you  as  unto  spiritual, 
but  as  unto  carnal,  even  as  unto  babes  in  Christ.  For  ye  are  yet  carnal :  for 
whereas  there  is  among  you  envying,  and  strife,  and  divisions,  are  ye  not  carnal, 
and  walk  as  men  ?" 

There  is  a  pretended  boldness  for  Christ  that  arises  from  no  better  principle 
than  pride.  A  man  may  be  forward  to  expose  himself  to  the  dislike  of  the 
world,  and  even  to  provoke  their  displeasure  out  of  pride.  For  it  is  the  nature 
of  spiritual  pride  to  cause  men  to  seek  distinction  and  singularity ;  and  so  often- 
times to  set  themselves  at  war  with  those  that  they  call  carnal,  that  they  may  be 
more  highly  exalted  among  tlieir  party.  True  boldness  for  Christ  is  uni- 
versal, and  overcomes  all,  and  carries  men  above  the  displeasure  of  friends  and 
foes  ;  so  that  they  will  forsake  all  rather  than  Christ ;  and  will  rather  offend  all 
parties,  and  be  thought  meanly  of  by  all,  than  offend  Ciirist.  And  that  duty 
which  tries  whether  a  man  is  willing  to  he  despised  by  them  that  are  of  his  own 


164  RELIGIOLS  AFFECTIONS. 

party,  and  thought  the  least  worthy  to  be  regarded  by  them,  is  a  much  more 
proper  trial  of  his  boldness  for  Christ,  than  his  being  forward  to  expose  himself 
to  the  reproach  of  opposers.  The  apostle  sought  not  glory,  not  only  of  Heath- 
ens and  Jews,  but  of  Christians ;  as  he  declares,  1  Thess.  ii.  6.*  He  is  bold 
for  Christ,  that  has  Christian  ibrtitude  enough,  to  confess  his  fault  openly,  when 
he  has  committed  one  that  requires  it,  and  as  it  were  to  come  down  upon  his 
knees  before  opposers.  Such  things  as  these  are  of  vastly  greater  evidence  of 
lioly  boldness,  than  resolutely  and  iiercely  confronting  opposers. 

As  some  are  much  mistaken  concerning  the  nature  of  true  boldness  for 
Christ,  so  they  are  concerning  Christian  zeal.  It  is  indeed  a  flame,  but  a  sweet 
one ;  or  rather  it  is  the  heat  and  fervor  of  a  sweet  flame.  For  the  flame  of 
which  it  is  the  heat,  is  no  other  than  that  of  divine  love,  or  Christian  charity ; 
which  is  the  sweetest  and  most  benevolent  thing  that  is,  or  can  be,  in  the  heart 
of  man  or  angel.  Zeal  is  the  fervor  of  this  flame,  as  it  ardently  and  vigorously 
goes  out  towards  the  good  that  is  its  object,  in  desires  of  it,  and  pursuit  after  it : 
and  so  consequentially,  in  opposition  to  the  evil  that  is  contrary  to  it,  and  im- 
pedes it.  There  is  indeed  opposition,  and  vigorous  opposition,  that  is  a  part  of  it, 
or  rather  is  an  attendant  of  it ;  but  it  is  against  things,  and  not  persons.  Bitterness " 
against  the  persons  of  men  is  no  part  of  it,  but  is  very  contrary  to  it ;  insomuch 
that  so  much  the  warmer  true  zeal  is,  and  the  higher  it  is  raised,  so  much  the 
farther  are  ])ersons  from  such  bitterness,  and  so  much  fuller  of  love,  both  to  the 
evil  and  to  the  good.  As  appears  from  what  has  been  just  now  observed,  that  it  is 
no  other,  in  its  very  nature  and  essence,  than  the  fervor  of  a  spirit  of  Christian  love. 
And  as  to  what  opposition  there  is  in  it  to  things,  it  is  firstly  and  chiefly  against 
the  evil  things  in  the  person  himself,  who  has  this  zeal :  against  the  enemies  of 
God  and  holiness,  that  are  in  his  own  heart  (as  these  are  most  in  view,  and 
what  he  has  most  to  do  with)  ;  and  but  secondarily  against  the  sins  of  others. 
I  And  therefore  there  is  nothing  in  a  true  Christian  zeal,  that  is  contrary  to  that 
j  spirit  of  meekness,  gentleness,  and  love,  that  spirit  of  a  little  child,  a  lamb  and 
dove,  that  has  been  spoken  of;  but  it  is  entirely  agreeable  to  it,  and  tends  to 
promote  it. 

But  to  say  something  particularly  concerning  this  Christian  spirit  I  have 
been  speaking  of,  as  exercised  in  these  three  things,  forgiveness,  love,  and  mer- 
cy ;  I  would  observe  that  the  Scripture  is  very  clear  and  express  concerning 
the  absolute  necessity  of  each  of  these,  as  belonging  to  the  temper  and  char- 
acter of  every  Christian. 

It  is  so  as  to  a  forgiving  spirit,  or  a  disposition  to  overlook  and  forgive 
injuries.  Christ  gives  it  to  us  both  as  a  negative  and  positive  evidence; 
and  is  express  in  teaching  us,  that  if  we  are  of  such  a  spirit,  it  is  a  sign 
that  we  are  in  a  state  of  forgiveness  and  favor  ourselves :  and  that  if  we  are 
not  of  such  a  spirit,  we  are  not  forgiven  of  God ;  and  seems  to  take  special 
care  that  we  should  take  good  notice  of  it,  and  always  bear  it  on  our  minds  : 
Matt.  vi.  12,  14,  15,  "  Forgive  us  our  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors.  For  if 
ve  forp-ive  men  their  trespasses,  your  heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive  you, 
But  if  ye  forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither  will  your  Father  forgive  your 
trespasses."  Christ  expresses  the  same  again  at  another  time,  Mark  xi.  25,  26, 
and  again  in  Matt,  xviii.  22,  to  the  end,  in  the  parable  of  the  servant  that  owed 
his  lord  ten  thousand  talents,  that  would  not  forgive  his  fellow  servant  a  hun- 
dred pence  ;  and  therefore  was  delivered  to  the  tormentors.     In  the  application 

*  Mr.  Shepard,  speaking  of  hypocrites  affecting  applause,  says,  "  Hence  men  forsake  their  friends, 
and  trample  under  foot  the  scorns  of  tne  world  :  they  have  credit  elsewhere.  To  maintain  their  interest 
jn  the  love  of  godly  ir.en,  they  will  suffer  much."     ParMeofthe  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  180. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  166 

(if  the  parable  Christ  says,  ver.  35,  "  So  likewise  shall  my  heavenly  Father  do, 
if  ye  from  your  hearts  forgive  not  every  one  his  brother  their  trespasses." 

Anil  Ihat  all  true  saints  are  of  a  loving,  benevolent,  and  beneficent  temper, 
the  Scripture  is  very  plain  and  abunchuit.  Without  it  the  apostle  tells  us, 
though  we  should  speak  Avith  the  tongues  of  men  and  angels,  we  are  as  a 
sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal ;  and  that  though  we  have  the  gift  of  pro- 
phecy, and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge,  yet  witliout  this  spirit 
we  are  nothing.  And  there  is  no  one  virtue  or  disposition  of  the  mind,  that  is 
so  often,  and  so  expressly  insisted  on,  in  the  marks  that  are  laid  down  in  the 
New  Testament,  whereby  to  know  true  Christians.  It  is  often  given  as  a  sign 
that  is  peculiarly  distinguishing,  by  which  all  may  know  Christ's  disciples,  and 
by  which  they  may  know  themselves  ;  and  is  often  laid  down,  both  as  a  nega- 
tive and  positiv*:  evidence.  Christ  calls  the  law  of  love,  by  way  ot  eminency, 
his  commandment :  John  xiii.  34,  "  A  new  commandment  give  I  unto  you,  that 
ye  love  one  another ;  as  1  have  loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another."  And 
chap.  XV.  12,  "  This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another  as  I  have 
loved  you."  And  ver.  17,  "These  things  I  command  you,  that  ye  love  one  an- 
other." And  says,  chap.  xill.  35,  "  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my 
disciples,  if  ye  have  love  one  to  another."  And  chap.  xlv.  21  (still  with  a  spe- 
cial reference  to  this  which  he  calls  his  commandment),  "  He  that  hath  my 
commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  lovelh  me."  The  beloved  dis- 
ciple who  had  so  much  of  this  sweet  temper  himself,  abundantly  insists  on  it,  in 
his  epistles.  There  is  none  of  the  apostles  so  much  in  laying  down  express 
signs  of  grace,  for  professors  to  try  themselves  by,  as  he ;  and  in  his  signs,  he 
insists  scarcely  on  any  thing  else,  but  a  spirit  of  Christian  love,  and  an  agreea- 
ble practice  :  1  John  ii.  9,  10,  "  He  that  saith  he  is  in  the  light,  and  hateth  his 
brother,  is  in  darkness  even  until  now.  He  that  loveth  his  brother  abideth  in 
the  ligl^t,  and  there  is  none  occasion  of  stumbling  in  him."  Chap.  iii.  14,  "  We 
know  that  we  are  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren : 
he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  abideth  in  death."  Ver.  18,  19, "  My  little  children, 
let  us  not  love  in  word  and  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth.  And  hereby 
wc  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him."  Ver. 
23,  24,  "  This  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  love  one  another.  And  he 
that  keepeth  his  commandments  dv/ellolh  in  him,  and  he  in  him  ;  and  hereby 
we  know  that  he  abideth  in  us,  by  the  Sjiirit  which  he  hath  given  us."  Chap, 
iv.  7,  S,  "  Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another:  for  love  is  of  God ;  and  eveiy  one 
that  loveth,  is  born  of  God,  and  knoweth  God.  He  that  loveth  not,  knoweth 
not  God :  for  God  is  love."  Ver.  12,  13,  "  ISo  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time. 
If  we  love  one  another,  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and  his  love  is  perfected  in  us. 
Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit." 
Ver.  JG, "  God  is  love;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love, dwelleth  in  God,  and  God 
in  him."  Ver.  20,  "  If  a  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar ; 
tor  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother,  v.hom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  God, 
whom  he  hath  not  seen  V 

And  the  Scripture  is  as  plain  as  it  is  possible  it  should  be,  that  none  are  true 
saints,  but  those  whose  true  character  it  is,  that  they  are  of  a  disposition  to  pity 
and  relieve  their  fellow  creatures,  that  are  poor,  indigent,  and  afflicted  :  Psal. 
xxxvii.  21,  "  The  righteous  showeth  mercy,  and  givetli."  Ver.  26,  "  He  is  ever 
merciful,  and  lendeth."  Psal.  cxii.  5,  "  A  good  man  showeth  favor,  and  lendeth." 
Ver.  9,  '•  He  hath  dispersed  abroad,  and  given  to  the  poor."  Prov.  xiv.  31,  "  He 
that  honoreth  God,  hath  mercy  on  the  poor."  Prov.  xxi.  2C, "  The  righteous  giveth, 
and  spareth  not."  Jer.  xxii.  16,  "  He  judged  the  cause  of  the  poor  and  needy, 


166  RELIGIOUS  AFFECnONS. 

then  it  was  well  with  him  :  Was  not  this  to  know  me  ?  saith  the  Lord."  Jam. 
1.  27,  "  Pure  religion  and  undefiled  before  God  and  the  Father,  is  this.  To  visit 
the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,"  &c.  Hos.  vi.  6,  "  For  I  have  de- 
sired mercy,  and  not  sacrifice;  and  the  knowledge  of  God,  more  than  burni 
offerings."  Matt.  v.  7,  "  Blessed  are  the  merciful ;  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy." 
2  Cor.  viii.  8,  "  I  speak  not  by  commandment,  but  by  occasion  of  the  for- 
wardness of  others,  and  to  prove  the  sincerity  of  your  love."  Jam.  ii.  13 — 16, 
"  For  he  shall  have  judgment  without  mercy,  that  hath  showed  no  mercy.  What 
doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  though  a  man  say  he  hath  faith,  and  have  not 
works  ?  Can  faith  save  him  ?  If  a  brother  or  sister  be  naked,  and  destitute 
of  daily  food ;  and  one  of  you  say  unto  them,  Depart  in  peace,  be  you  warmed 
and  filled ;  notwithstanding  ye  give  them  not  those  things  which  are  needful  to 
the  body,  what  doth  it  profit  ?"  1  John  iii.  17,  "  Whoso  hath  this  world's  good, 
and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from 
him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him  1"  Christ  in  that  description  he 
gives  us  of  the  day  of  judgment,  Matt.  xxv.  (which  is  the  most  particular  that 
WQ^iave  in  the  Bible),  represents  that  judgment  will  be  passed  at  that  day,  ac- 
cording as  men  have  been  found  to  have  been  of  a  merciful  spirit  and  practice, 
or  otherwise.  Christ's  design  in  giving  such  a  description  of  the  process  of  that 
day,  is  plainly  to  possess  all  his  followers  with  that  apprehension,  that  unless 
this  was  their  spirit  and  practice,  there  was  no  hope  of  their  being  accepted  and 
owned  by  him  at  that  day.  Therefore  this  is  an  apprehension  that  we  ought 
to  be  possessed  with.  We  find  in  Scripture,  that  a  righteous  man,  and  a  mer- 
ciful man  are  synonymous  expressions,  Isa  :  Ivii.  1,  "  The  righteous  perisheth, 
and  no  man  layeth  it  to  heart ;  and  merciful  men  are  taken  away,  none  consid- 
ering that  the  righteous  is  taken  avv^ay  from  the  evil  to  come." 

Thus  we  see  how  full,  clear,  and  abundant,  the  evidence  from  Scripture  is, 
that  those  who  are  truly  gracious,  are  under  the  government  of  that  lamblike, 
dovelike  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  this  is  essentially  and  eminently  the 
nature  of  the  saving  grace  of  the  gospel,  and  the  proper  spirit  of  true  Christi- 
anity. We  may  therefore  undoubtedly  determine,  that  all  truly  Christian  affec- 
tions are  attended  with  such  a  spirit,  and  that  this  is  the  natural  tendency  of  the 
fear  and  hope,  the  sorrow  and  the  joy,  the  confidence  and  the  zeal  of  true  Chris- 
tians. 

N(me  will  understand  me,  that  true  Christians  have  no  remains  of  a  contra- 
ry spirit,  and  can  never,  in  any  instances,  be  guilty  of  a  behavior  disagreeable 
to  such  a  spirit.  But  this  I  affirm,  and  shall  affirm,  until  I  deny  the  13ible  to 
be  any  thing  worth,  that  every  thing  in  Christians  that  belongs  to  true  Christi- 
anity, is  of  this  tendency,  and  works  this  way  ;  and  that  there  is  no  true  Chris- 
tian upon  earth,  but  is  so  under  the  prevailing  power  of  such  a  spirit,  that  he 
is  properly  denominated  from  it,  and  it  is  truly  and  justly  his  character  :  and 
that  therefore  ministers,  and  others,  have  no  warrant  from  Christ  to  encourage 
persons  that  are  of  a  contrary  character  and  behavior,  to  think  they  are  convert- 
ed, because  they  tell  a  fair  story  of  illuminations  and  discoveries.  In  so  doing, 
they  would  set  up  their  own  wisdom  against  Christ's,  and  judge  without,  and 
against  that  rule  by  which  Christ  has  declared  all  men  should  know  his  disci- 
ples. Some  persons  place  religion  so  much  in  certain  transient  illuminations 
and  impressions  (especially  if  they  are  in  such  a  particular  method  and  order), 
and  so  little  in  the  spirit  and  temper  persons  are  of,  that  they  gi-eatly  deform 
religion,  and  form  notions  of  Christianity  quite  different  from  what  it  is,  as  de- 
lineated in  the  Scriptures.  The  Scripture  knows  of  no  such  true  Christians,  as 
are  of  a  sordid,  selfish,  cross  and  contei:tious  spirit.     Nothing  can  be  invented 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  167 

that  is  a  greater  absurdity,  than  a  morose,  hard,  close,  high-spirited,  spiteful, 
true  Christian.  We  must  learn  the  way  of  bringing  men  to  rules,  and  not  ruhs 
to  men,  and  so  strain  and  streteh  the  rules  of  God's  word,  to  take  in  ourselves, 
and  some  of  our  neighbors,  until  we  make  them  wholly  of  none  efl'eet. 

It  is  true,  that  allowances  must  be  made  for  men's  natural  temper,  with  re- 
gard to  these  things,  as  well  as  others;  but  not  such  allowances,  as  to  allow 
men,  that  once  were  wolves  and  st-rpents,  lo  be  now  converted,  without  any  re- 
markable change  in  the  spirit  of  their  mind.  The  change  made  by  true  conver- 
sion is  wont  to  be  most  remarkable  and  sensible,  with  respect  to  that  which 
befoie  was  the  wickedness  the  person  was  most  notoriously  guilty  of.  Grace 
has  as  great  a  tendency  to  restrain  and  mortify  such  sins,  as  are  contrary  to  the 
spirit  that  has  been  spoken  of,  as  it  is  to  mortify  drunkenness  or  lasciviousness. 
Yea,  the  Scripture  represents  the  change  wrought  by  gospel  grace,  as  especially 
appealing  in  an  alteration  of  the  former  sort:  Isa.  xi.  6 — 9,  "The  wolf  shall 
dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid  :  and  the  calf, 
and  the  young  lion,  and  the  falling  together,  and  a  little  child  shall  lead  them. 
And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed,  their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  together : 
and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox.  And  the  sucking  child  shall  play  on 
the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cockatrice's 
den.  They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  ray  holy  mountain  :  for  the  earth 
shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea."  And 
to  ili2  same  purpose  is  Isa.  Ixv.  25.  Accordingly  we  find,  that  in  the  primitive 
times  of  the  Christian  church,  converts  were  remarkably  changed  in  this  res- 
pect :  Tit.  iii.  3,  &,c.,  "  For  we  ourselves  also  were  sometimes  foolish,  di^^obe- 
dient,  deceived,  serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy, 
hateful  and  hating  one  another.  But  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God 
our  Saviour  towards  man  appeared — he  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  regenera- 
tion, and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  And  Col.  iii.  7,  8,  "  In  the  which 
ye  also  walked  sometime,  when  ye  lived  in  them.  But  now  ye  also  put  off 
all  these  :  anger,  wrath,  malice,  blasphemy,  filthy  communications  out  of  your 
mouth." 

IX.  Gracious  affections  soften  the  heart,  and  are  attended  and  followed 
with  a  Christian  tenderness  of  spirit. 

False  affections,  however  persons  may  seem  to  be  melted  by  them  while 
they  are  new,  yet  have  a  tendency  in  the  end  to  harden  the  heart.  A  dispo- 
sition to  some  kind  of  passions  maybe  established  ;  such  as  imply  self-seeking, 
self-exaltation,  and  opposition  to  others.  But  false  affections,  with  the  delusion 
that  attends  them,  finally  tend  to  stupify  the  mind,  and  shut  it  up  against  those 
affections  wherein  tenderness  of  heart  consists  :  and  the  effect  of  them  at  last  is, 
that  persons  in  the  settled  frame  of  their  minds,  become  less  aflfected  with  their 
present  and  past  sins,  and  less  conscientious  with  respect  to  future  sins,  less 
moved  with  the  warnings  and  cautions  of  God's  word,  or  God's  chastisements 
in  his  providence,  more  careless  of  the  frame  of  their  hearts,  and  the  manner  and 
tendency  of  their  behavior,  less  quicksighted  to  discern  what  is  sinful,  less  afraid 
of  the  appearance  of  evil,  than  they  were  while  they  were  under  legal  awaken- 
ings and  fears  of  hell.  Now  they  have  been  the  subjects  of  such  and  such  im- 
pressions and  affections,  and  have  a  high  opinion  of  themselves,  and  look  on 
their  state  to  be  safe ;  they  can  be  much  more  easy  than  before,  in  living  in  the 
neglect  of  duties  that  are  troublesome  and  inconvenient ;  and  are  much  more 
slow  and  partial  in  complying  with  difficult  commands ;  are  in  no  measure  so 
alarmed  at  the  appearance  of  their  own  defects  and  transgressions ;  are  em- 
boldened to  favor  themselves  more,  with  respect  to  the  labor,  and  painful  care 


168  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

and  exactness  in  their  walk,  and  more  easily  yield  to  temptations,  and  the  solici- 
tations of  their  lusts  ;  and  have  far  less  care  of  their  behavior,  when  they  come 
into  the  holy  presence  of  God,  in  the  time  of  public  or  private  worship.  For- 
merly it  may  be,  under  legal  convictions,  they  took  much  pains  in  religion,  and 
denied  themselves  in  many  things  :  but  now  they  think  themselves  out  of  dan- 
ger of  hell,  they  very  much  put  off  the  burden  of  the  cross,  and  save  themselves 
the  trouble  of  (hfficult  (kities,  and  allow  themselves  more  in  the  enjoyment  of 
their  ease  and  their  lusts. 

Such  persons  as  these,  instead  of  embracing  Christ  as  their  Saviour  from 
sin,  trust  in  him  as  the  Saviour  of  their  sins ;  instead  of  flying  to  him  as  their 
refuge  from  their  spiritual  enemies,  they  make  use  of  him  as  the  defence  of  their 
spiritual  enemies,  from  God,  and  to  strengthen  them  against  him.  They  make 
Christ  the  minister  of  sin,  and  great  officer  and  vicegerent  of  the  devil,  to 
strengthen  his  interest,  and  make  him  above  all  things  in  the  world  strong 
against  Jehovah ;  so  that  they  may  sin  against  him  with  good  courage,  and 
without  any  fear,  being  etFectually  secured  from  restraints,  by  his  most  solemn 
warnings  and  most  awful  threatenings.  They  trust  in  Christ  to  preserve  to  them 
the  quiet  enjoyment  of  their  sins,  and  to  be  their  shield  to  defend  them  from 
God's  displeasure  ;  while  they  come  close  to  him,  even  to  his  bosom,  the  place 
of  his  children,  to  fight  against  him,  with  their  mortal  weapons,  hid  under  their 
skirts.*  However,  some  of  these,  at  the  same  time,  make  a  great  profession  of 
love  to  God,  and  assurance  of  his  favor,  and  great  joy  in  tasting  the  sweetness 
of  his  love. 

After  this  manner  they  trusted  in  Christ,  that  the  Apostle  Jude  speaks  of, 
who  crept  in  among  the  saints  unknown  ;  but  were  really  ungodly  men,  turning 
the  grace  of  God  into  lasciviousness,  Jude  4.  These  are  they  that  trust  in  their 
being  righteous  ;  and  because  God  has  promised  that  the  righteous  shall  surely 
live,  or  certainly  be  saved,  are  therefore  emboldened  to  commit  iniquity,  whom 
God  threatens  in  Ezek.  xxxiii.  13  :  "  When  I  shall  say  to  the  righteous,  that  he 
shall  surely  live;  if  he  trust  to  his  own  righteousness,  and  commit  iniquity;  all 
his  righteousness  shall  not  be  remembered,  but  for  his  iniquity  that  he  hath 
committed,  he  shall  die  for  it." 

Gracious  affections  are  of  a  quite  contrary  tendency;  they  turn  a  heart  .of 
stone  more  and  more  into  a  heart  of  flesh.  A  holy  love  and  hope  are  principles 
that  are  vastly  more  efficacious  upon  the  heart,  to  make  it  tender,  and  to  fill  it 
with  a  dread  of  sin,  or  whatever  might  displease  and  offend  God,  and  to  engage 
it  to  watchfulness,  and  care,  and  strictness,  than  a  slavish  fear  of  hell.  Gracious 
affections,  as  was  observed  before,  flow  out  of  a  contrite  heart,  or  (as  the  word 
signifies)  a  bruised  heart,  bruised  and  broken  with  godly  sorrow ;  which  makes 
the  heart  tender,  as  bruised  flesh  is  tender,  and  easily  hurt.  Godly  sorrow  has 
much  greater  influence  to  make  the  heart  tender,  than  mere  legal  sorrow  from 
selfish  principles. 

The  tenderness  of  the  heart  of  a  true  Christian,  is  elegantly  signified  by  our 
Saviour,  in  his  comparing  such  a  one  to  a  little  child.  The  flesh  of  a  little  child 
is  very  tender ;  so  is  the  heart  of  one  that  is  new  born.  This  is  represented  in 
what  "we  are  told  of  Naaman's  cure  of  his  leprosy,  by  his  washing  in  Jordan  ; 

*  "These  are  hypocrites  that  believe,  but  foil  in  regard  of  the  use  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  And  these  we  read  of,  Jude  3,  viz.,  of  some  men  tiiat  did  turn  grace  into  wantonness.  For  therein 
appears  the  exceeding  evil  of  man's  heart,  that  not  only  the  law,  but  also  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  works  in  him  all  manner  of  unrighteousness.  And  it  is  too  common  for  men  at  the  first  worl  of 
conversion.  Oh  then  to  cry  for  grace  and  CLrist,  and  afterwards  grow  licentious,  live  and  lie  in  tlie 
breach  of  ihe  law,  and  take  their  warrant  for  fhiir  course  from  the  gospel !'"  Shepard's  Parable,  Part  i. 
page  126. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  169 

^\  hich  was  iimloiibledly  a  type  of  ihe  renewing  of  ihc  soul,  by  uasliing  in  ihe 
lavci-  ol  regeneration.  We  are  told,  2  Kings  v.  14,  "  That  he  went  down,  and 
dippt  d  himself  seven  times  in  Joidan,  according  to  the  saying  of  the  man  of 
God  ;  and  his  flesh  came  again  like  unto  the  flesh  of  a  little  chdd."  Not  only 
is  the  flesh  of  a  little  child  tender,  hut  his  mind  is  lender.  A  little  child  has  his 
heart  easily  moved,  wrought  u]ion  and  bowed :  so  is  a  Christian  in  spiritual 
things.  A  little  chilil  is  apt  to  be  atiicted  with  sympathy,  to  weep  with  them 
that  weep,  and  cannot  well  bear  to  see  others  in  distress :  so  it  is  with  a  Chris- 
tian, John  xi.  25,  Horn.  xii.  15,  ICor.  xii.  26.  A  little  child  is  easily  won  by 
kindness:  so  is  a  Christian.  A  little  child  is  easily  aliected  with  grief  at  tem- 
poral evils,  and  has  his  heart  melttd,  and  falls  a  weeping:  thus  tender  is  the 
heart  of  a  Christian,  with  regard  to  the  evil  of  sin.  A  little  child  is  easily  af- 
frighted at  the  appearance  of  outward  evils,  or  any  thing  that  threatens  its  hurt : 
so  is  a  Christian  apt  to  be  alarmed  at  the  appearance  of  moral  evil,  and  any 
thing  that  threatens  the  hurt  of  the  soul.  A  little  child,  when  it  meets  enemies, 
or  iierce  beasts,  is  not  apt  to  trust  its  own  strength,  but  flies  to  its  parents  for 
refuge  :  so  a  saint  is  not  self-confident  in  engaging  spiritual  enemies,  but  Hits  to 
Christ.  A  little  child  is  a])t  to  be  suspicious  ot  evil  in  places  of  danger,  afraid 
in  the  dark,  afraid  when  left  alone,  or  far  from  home :  so  is  a  saint  apt  to  be 
sensible  of  his  spiritual  dangers,  jealous  of  himself,  full  of  fear  when  he  cannot 
see  his  way  plain  beibre  him,  afraid  to  be  left  alone,  and  to  be  at  a  distance 
from  God  :  Prov.  xxviii.  14,  "  Happy  is  the  man  that  feareth  alway  :  but  he 
that  hardeneth  his  heart  shall  fall  into  mischief."  A  little  child  is  apt  to  be 
afraid  of  superiors,  and  to  dreed  their  anger,  and  tremble  at  tlieir  frowns  and 
threatenings  :  so  is  a  true  saint  with  respect  to  God  :  Psal.  cxix.  Ii20,  "  My 
flesh  trembleth  for  fear  of  thee,  and  I  am  aiiaid  of  thy  judgments."  Isa.  ixvi.  2, 
*'  To  this  man  will  1  look,  even  to  him  that  is  j)Oor,  and  trembleth  at  my  word." 
vcr.  5,  "Hear  ye  the  word  of  the  Lord,  ye  that  tremble  at  his  word."    Ezra.  ix. 

4,  "  Then  were  assembled  unto  me  every  one  that  trembled  at  the  words 
of  tlie  God  of  Israel."  Chap.  x.  3,  "  According  to  the  counsel  of  my  Lord,  and 
of  those  that  tremble  at  the  commandment  of  our  God."  A  little  child  ap- 
proaches superiors  with  awe :  so  do  the  saints  approach  God  with  holy  awe 
and  reverence  :  Job  xiii.  2,  "  Shall  not  his  excellency  make  you  afraid  1  And 
his  dread  fall  upon  you  ?"  Holy  fear  is  so  much  the  nature  of  true  godliness, 
that  it  is  called  in  vScripture  by  no  other  name  more  frequently,  than  the  fear  of 
God. 

Hence  gracious  affections  do  not  tend  to  make  men  bold,  forward,  noisy, 
and  boisterous;  but  rather  to  speak  trembling:  Hos.  xiii.  1,  "  When  Lphraim 
spake  trembling,  he  exalted  himself  in  Israel ;  but  when  he  offended  in  Baal, 
he  (lied ;"  and  to  clothe  with  a  kind  of  holy  fear  in  all  their  behavior  towards 
God  and  man;  agreeably  to  Psal.  ii.  11,  1  Pet.  iii.  15,  2  Cor.  vii.  15,  Kph.  vi. 

5,  1  Pet.  iii.  2,  Rom.  xi.  20. 

But  hei'e  some  may  object  and  say,  is  there  no  such  thing  as  a  holy  boldness 
m  prayer,  and  the  duties  of  divine  worship  ?  I  answer,  there  is  doubtless  such 
a  thing  ;  and  it  is  chiefly  to  be  found  in  eminent  saints,  persons  of  great  degrees 
of  faith  and  love.  But  this  holy  boldness  is  not  in  the  least  opposite  to  rever- 
ence ;  though  it  be  to  disunion  and  servility.  It  abolishes  or  lessens  that  dis- 
position which  arises  from  moral  distance  or  alienation ;  and  also  distance  of 
relation,  as  that  of  a  slave  ;  but  not  at  all,  that  which  becomes  the  natural  dis- 
tance, whereby  we  are  infinitely  inferior.  No  boldness  in  poor  sinful  worms  of 
lie  dust,  that  have  a  right  sight  of  God  ami  themselves,  will  prompt  them  to 
approach  to  God  with  less  fear  and  reverence,  than  spotless  and  glorious  angels 

\oi..  111.  22 


170  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

in  heaven,  who  cover  their  faces  before  his  throne,  Isa  vi.,  at  the  beginning 
Rebecca  (who  in  her  marria^'e  with  Isaac,  in  ahnost  all  its  circumstances,  was 
manifestly  a  great  type  of  the  church,  the  spouse  of  Christ)  when  she  meets 
Isaac,  ligiits  off  from  her  camel,  and  takes  a  vail  and  covers  herself;  although 
she  was  brought  to  him  as  his  bride,  to  be  with  him  in  the  nearest  relation,  and 
most  intimate  union,  that  mankind  are  ever  united  one  to  another  *  Elijah, 
that  great  prophet,  who  had  so  much  holy  familiarity  with  God,  at  a  time  of  spe- 
cial nearness  to  God,  even  when  he  conversed  with  him  in  the  mount,  wrapped 
his  face  in  his  mantle.  Which  was  not  because  he  was  terrified  with  any  servile 
fear,  by  the  terrible  wind,  and  earthquake,  and  fire;  but  after  these  were  all 
over,  and  God  spake  to  him  as  a  friend,  in  a  still  small  voice :  1  Kings  xix.  12, 
13,  "  And  after  the  fire,  a  still  small  voice  ;  and  it  was  so,  when  Elijah  heard 
it,  he  wrapped  his  face  in  his  mantle."  And  Moses,  with  whom  God  spake 
face  to  face,  as  a  man  speaks  with  his  fiiend,  and  was  distinguished  from  all  the 
prophets,  in  the  familiarity  with  God  that  he  was  admitted  to  ;  at  a  time  when 
he  was  brought  nearest  of  all.  when  God  showed  him  his  glory  in  that  same 
mount  where  he  afterwards  spake  to  Elijah  :  "  He  made  haste,  and  bowed  his 
head  towards  the  earth,  and  worshipped,"  Exod.  xxxiv.  8.  There  is  in  some 
persons  a  most  unsuitable  and  unsuiferable  boldness,  in  their  addresses  to  the 
great  Jehovah,  in  an  affectation' of  a  holy  boldness,  and  ostentation  of  eminent 
nearness  and  familiarity  ;  the  very  thoughts  of  which  would  make  them  shrink 
into  nothing,  Avith  horror  and  confusion,  if  they  saw  the  distance  that  is  be- 
tween God  and  them.  They  are  like  the  Pharisee,  that  boldly  came  up  near, 
in  a  confidence  of  his  own  eminency  in  holiness.  Whereas,  if  they  saw  their 
vileness,  they  would  be  more  like  the  publican,  that  "  stood  afar  off,  and  durst 
not  so  much  as  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven ;  but  smote  upon  his  breast,  saying, 
God  be  mercifuljo  me  a  srnner."  It  becomes  such  sinful  creatures  as  we,  to 
approach  a  holy  God  (although  with  faith,  and  without  terror,  yet)  with  con- 
trition, and  penitent  shame  and  confusion  of  face.  It  is  foretold  that  this  should 
be  the  disposition  of  the  church,  in  the  time  of  her  highest  privileges  on  earth  in 
her  latter  day  of  glory,  when  God  should  remarkably  comfort  her,  by  revealing 
Lis  covenant  mercy  to  her,  Ezek.  xvi.  60,  to  the  end :  "  I  will  establish  unto 
thee  an  everlasting  covenant.  Then  thou  shalt  remember  thy  ways  and  be 
ashamed. — And  I  will  establish  my  covenant  with  thee,  and  thou  shalt  know 
that  I  am  the  Lord ;  that  thou  mayest  remember  and  be  confounded  and  never 
open  thy  mouth  any  more  because  of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacified  toward 
thee  for  all  that  thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord  God."  The  woman  that  we 
read  of  in  the  7th  chapter  of  Luke,  that  was  an  eminent  saint,  and  had  njuch  of 
that  true  love  which  casts  out  fear,  by  Christ's  own  testimony,  ver.  47,  she  ap- 
pioached  Christ  in  an  amiable  and  acceptable  manner,  when  she  came  with 
that  humble  modesty,  reverence  and  shame,  when  she  stood  at  his  feet,  weeping 
behind  him,  as  not  being  fit  to  appear  before  his  face,  and  washed  his  feet  with 
her  tears. 

One  reason  why  gracious  affections  are  attended  with  this  tenderness  of 
spirit  which  has  been  spoken  of,  is,  that  true  grace  tends  to  promote  convictions 
of  conscience.  Persons  are  wont  to  have  convictions  of  conscience  before  they 
have  any  grace  :  and  if  afterwards  they  are  truly  converted,  and  have  true  re- 
pentance, and  joy,  and  peace  in  believing  ;  this  has  a  tendency  to  put  an  end  to 
terrors,  but  has  no  tendency  to  put  an  end  to  convictions  of  sin,  but  to  increase 
• 

♦  Dr.  Ames,  m  his  Cases  of  Conscience,  Book  111.  chap,  iv.,  speaks  of  a  holy  modesty  in  the  worship 
ef  God  as  one  sign  of  true  humility. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFFXTIONS.  171 

them.  It  does  not  stupify  man's  conscience  ;  but  n)akos  it  more  sensible,  more 
oasijy  and  thoroughly  discerning  the  sinluliiess  nf  that  which  is  sinllil,  ami  re- 
ceiving a  greater  conviction  of  the  heinous  and  drtadlul  nature  olsin,  susceptive 
of  a  ([uickcr  and  deeper  sense  of  it,  and  n)ore  convinced  of  his  own  sinfuhiess 
and  wickedness  of  his  heart ;  and  consequently  it  has  a  tendency  to  make  him 
more  jealous  of  his  heart.  Grace  tends  (o  give  the  soul  a  further  and  better 
conviction  of  the  same  thing's  concerning  sin,  that  it  was  convinced  ot',  under  a 
legal  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  viz.,  its  great  contrariety  to  the  w  ill,  and  law, 
and  honor  of  God,  the  greatness  of  God's  hatred  of  it,  and  displeasure  againsl 
it,  and  the  dreadful  punishment  it  exposes  to  and  deserves.  And  not  only  so, 
but  it  convinces  the  soul  of  something  turther  concerning  sin,  that  it  saw  nothing 
of,  while  only  under  legal  convictions;  and  that  is  the  infinitely  hateful  nature 
of  sin,  and  its  drcadl'ulncss  upon  that  account.  And  this  makes  the  heart  tender 
with  respect  to  sin  ;  like  David's  heart,  that  smote  him  when  he  had  cut  off  Saul's 
skirt.  The  heart  of  a  true  penitent  is  like  a  burnt  child  that  dieads  the  lire. 
Whereas,  on  the  contrary,  he  that  has  had  a  counterieit  repentance,  and  I'alse 
comforts  and  joys,  is  like  iron  that  has  been  suddenly  heated  and  quenched ;  it 
becomes  mucii  harder  than  before.  A  false  conversion  puts  an  eml  to  convictions 
of  conscience ;  and  so  either  takes  away,  or  much  diminishes  that  conscientious- 
ness, which  was  manifested  under  a  work  of  the  law\ 

All  gracious  atfeclions  have  a  tendency  to  promote  this  Christian  tender- 
ness of  heart,  that  has  been  spoken  of;  not  only  a  godly  sorrow,  but  also  a 
gracious  joy:  Psal.  ii.  11,  "  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trernble- 
mg."  As  also  a  gracious  hope :  Psal.  xxxiii.  18,  "  Beholil  the  eye  of  the  Lord 
is  upon  them  that  fear  him;  upon  them  that  hope  in  his  mercy."  And  Psal. 
cxlvii.  11,  "  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in  those  that  hope 
in  his  mercy."  Yea,  the  most  confident  and  assured  hope,  that  is  truly  gracious, 
has  this  tendency.  The  higher  a  holy  hope  is  raised,  the  more  there  is  of  this 
Christian  tenderness.  The  banishing  of  a  servile  fear,  by  a  holy  assurance,  is 
attended  with  a  proportwnable  increase  of  a  reverential  fear.  The  diminish- 
ing of  the  fear  of  the  fruits  of  God's  displeasure  in  future  punishment,  is  attend- 
ed with  a  proportionable  increase  of  fear  of  his  displeasure  itself;  the  diminish- 
ing of  the  fear  of  hell,  with  an  increase  of  the  fear  of  sin.  The  vanishing  of 
jealousies  of  the  person's  state,  is  attended  with  a  proportionable  increase  of 
jealousies  of  his  heart,  in  a  distrust  of  its  strength,  wisdom,  stability,  faithful- 
ness, &c.  The  less  apt  he  is  to  be  afraid  of  natural  evil,  having  his  heart  fix- 
ed, trusting  in  God,  and  so  not  afraid  of  evil  tidings ;  the  more  apt  he  is  to  be 
alarmed,  with  the  appearance  of  moral  evil,  or  the  evil  of  sin.  As  he  has  more 
holy  boldness,  so  he  has  less  of  self-confidence,  and  a  forward  assuming  bold- 
ness, and  more  modesty.  As  he  is  more  sure  than  others  of  deliverance  from 
hell,  so  he  has  more  of  a  sense  of  the  desert  of  it.  He  is  less  apt  than  others 
to  be  shaken  in  faith  ;  but  more  apt  than  others  to  be  moved  with  solemn 
warnings,  and  with  God's  frowns,  and  with  the  calamities  of  others.  Me  has 
the  firmest  comfort,  but  the  softest  heart  :  richer  than  ot)iers,  but  the  poorest 
of  all  in  spirit :  the  tallest  and  strongest  saint,  but  the  least  and  tenderest  child 
among  them. 

X.  Another  thing  wherein  those  aflfections  that  are  truly  gracious  and  holy, 
differ  from  those  that  are  false,  is  beautiful  symmetry  and  proportion. 

Not  that  the  symmetry  of  the  virtues,  and  gracious  affections  of  the  saints,  in 
this  life  is  perfect :  it  oftentimes  is  in  many  things  defective,  through  the  im- 
perfection of  grace,  for  want  of  proper  instructions,  through  errors  in  judgment, 
or  some  particular  unhappiness  of  natural  temper,  or  defects  in  education,  and 


172  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

many  other  disadvantao-es  that  might  be  mentioned.  But  yet  there  is,  in  no 
wise",  that  monstrous  disproportion  "in  gracious  affections,  and  the  various  parts 
of  true  religion  in  the  saints,  that  is  very  commonly  to  be  observed,  in  the  false 
religion,  and  counterfeit  graces,  of  hypocrites.  _ 

Jn  the  truly  holy  affections  of  the  saints  is  found  that  proportion,  which  is 
the  natural  consequence  of  the  universality  of  their  sanctihcation.  They  have 
the  whole  imao-e  of  Christ  upon  them  :  they  have  put  otf  the  old  man,  and  have 
put  on  the  new  man  entire  in  all  its  parts  and  members.  It  hath  pleased  the 
Father  that  in  Christ  all  fulness  should  dwell :  there  is  in  him  every  grace ;  he 
is  full  of  grace  and  truth  :  and  they  that  are  Christ's,  do,  "  of  his  fulness  re- 
ceive '^rac'e  for  grace  "  (John  i.  14,  16)  ;  i.  e.,  there  is  every  grace  in  them 
whiclv  is  in  Chnst ;  grace  for  grace;  that  is,  grace  answerable  to  grace: 
there  is  no  grace  in  Christ,  but  there  is  its  image  in  believers  to  answer  it :  the 
imao-e  is  a  true  image  ;  and  there  is  somethinsr  of  the  same  beautiful  proportion 
in  the  image,  which  is  in  the  original;  there  is  feature  for  feature,  and  member 
for  memben  There  is  symmetry  and  beauty  in  God's  workmanship.  The  natural 
body,  which  God  hath  made,  consists  of  many  members ;  and  all  are  in  a  beau- 
tiful proportion  :  so  it  is  in  the  new  man,  consisting  of  various  graces  and  af- 
fections. The  body  of  one  that  was  born  a  perfect  child,  may  fail  of  exact  pro- 
portion through  distemper,  and  the  weakness  and  wounds  of  some  of  its  mem- 
bers ;  yet  the" disproportion  is  in  no  measure  hke  that  of  those  that  are  born 

monsters.  .  i       r-<  j 

It  is  with  hypocrites,  as  it  was  with  Ephraim  of  old,  at  a  time  when  God 
greatly  complains  of  their  hypocrisy,  Hos.  vii.  8 :  "  Ephraim  is  a  cake  not 
Uirned,"  half  roasted  and  half  raw  :  there  is  commonly  no  manner  of  uniform- 
ity in  their  affections.  ,  i  •  i 
There  is  in  many  of  them  a  great  partiality  with  regard  to  the  several  kinds 
of  religious  affections ;  great  affections  in  some  things,  and  no  manner  of  pro- 
portioi?  in  others.  A  holy  hope  and  holy  fear  go  together  in  the  saints,  as 
has  been  observed  from  Psal.  xxxiii.  18,  and  cxlvii.  11.  But  in  some  of  these 
is  the  most  confident  hope,  while  they  are  void  of  reverence,  self-jealousy  and 
caution,  to  a  great  degree  cast  off  fear.  In  the  saints,  joy  and  holy  fear  go  to- 
o-ether,  though  the  joy  be  never  so  great :  as  it  was  with  the  disciples,  in  that 
joyful  mornfng  of  Christ's  resurrection,  Matt,  xxviii.  8  :  "  And  they  departed 
quickly  from  the  sepulchre,  with  fear  and  great  joy."*  But  many  of  these  re- 
joice without  trembling :  their  joy  is  of  that  sort,  that  it  is  truly  opposite  to 
godly  fear.                                                                                                   .       . 

But  particularly  one  great  diflference  between  saints  and  hypocrites  is  this, 
that  the  joy  and  comfort  of  the  former  is  attended  with  godly  sorrow  and  mourn- 
ing for  s'in.  They  have  not  only  sorrow  to  prepare  them  for  their  first  comfort, 
bu^t  after  they  are  comforted,  and  their  joy  established.  As  it  is  foretold  of  the 
church  of  God,  that  they  should  mourn  and  loathe  themselves  for  their  sins,  after 
they  were  returned  from  the  captivity,  and  were  settled  in  the  land  of  Canaan, 
the  land  of  rest,  and  the  land  that  flows  with  milk  and  honey,  Ezek.  xx.  42, 
43  :  "  And  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I  shall  bring  you  into  the 
land  of  Israel,  into  the  country  for  the  which  I  lifted  up  mine  hand  to  give  it  to 
your  fathers.  And  there  shall  ye  remember  your  ways,  and  all  your  doings, 
wherein  ye  have  been  defiled,  and  ye  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight 
for  all  your  evils  that  ye  have  committed."     As  also  in  Ezek.  xvi.  61,  62,  63. 

*  "  Rpiipwed  cave  and  diligence  follows  the  sealiii-s  cf  the  Spirit.  Now  is  the  soul  at  the  foot  of 
Christ,  as  Mary  was  at  the  sepnlchn-,  with  fear  and  great  joy.  He  that  travels  the  road  w^itli  a  rich  trea- 
sure about  him,  is  afraid  of  a  thief  in  every  bush."    Flavd's  Sacramental  Meditations,  Med.  4. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  173 

A  true  samt  is  like  a  little  child  in  this  respect ;  he  never  had  any  godly  sorrow 
before  he  was  born  again  ;  but  since  has  it  often  in  exercise :  as  a  little  child, 
before  it  is  born,  and  whili>  it  remains  in  darkness,  never  cries ;  but  as  soon  as 
't  sees  the  light,  it  begins  to  cry  ;  and  thenceforward  is  often  crying.  Although 
Christ  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows,  so  that  we  are  freed  liom 
the  sorrow  of  punishment,  and  may  now  sweetly  feed  upon  the  comforts  Christ 
hath  purchased  for  us  ;  yet  that  hinders  not  but  that  our  feeding  on  these  com- 
forts should  be  attended  with  the  sorrow  of  repentance.  As  of  old,  the  children 
of  Israel  were  commanded,  evermore  to  feed  upon  the  paschal  lamb,  with  bitter 
herbs.  True  saints  are  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  not  only  as  those  that  have 
mourned  for  sin,  but  as  those  that  do  mourn.,  whose  manner  it  is  still  to  mourn  : 
Matt.  V.  4,  "l^lessed  are  they  that  mourn  ;  for  tlicy  shall  be  comforted." 

Not  only  is  there  often  in  hypocrites  an  essential  deficiency  as  to  the  various 
kinds  of  religious  allections,  but  also  a  strange  partiality  and  disproportion,  in 
the  same  afiections,  with  regard  to  dillerent  objects. 

Thus,  as  to  the  affection  of  love,  some  make  high  pretences,  and  a  great 
show  of  love  to  God  and  Christ,  and  it  may  be,  have  been  greatly  alFected  with 
what  they  have  heard  or  thought  concerning  them  :  but  they  have  not  a  spirit  of 
love  and  benevolence  towards  men,  but  are  dLsposed  to  contention,  envy,  revenge, 
and  evil  speaking ;  and  will,  it  may  be,  suffer  an  old  grudge  to  rest  in  their  bo- 
soms towards  a  neighbor,  for  seven  years  together,  if  not  twice  seven  years  ;  liv- 
ing in  rcjJ  ill  will  anil  bitterness  of  spirit  towards  him  :  and  it  may  be  in  their  deal- 
ings with  their  neighbors,  are  not  very  strict  and  conscientious  in  observing  the 
rule  of"  doing  to  others  as  they  would  that  they  should  do  to  them."  And, 
on  the  other  hand,  there  are  others  that  appear  as  if  they  had  a  great  deal  of  be- 
nevolence to  men,  are  veiy  good  natured  and  generous  in  their  way,  but  have 
no  love  to  God. 

And  as  to  love  to  men,  there  are  some  that  have  flowing  affections  to  some; 
but  their  love  is  far  iiom  being  of  so  extensive  and  universal  a  nature,  as  a  truly 
Christian  love  is.  They  are  full  of  dear  affections  to  some,  and  full  of  biiteiness 
towards  others.  They  are  knit  to  their  own  party,  them  that  approve  of  them, 
love  them  and  admire  them  ;  but  are  fierce  against  those  that  oppose  and  dislike 
them.  Matt.  v.  45,  46,  "  Be  like  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ;  for  he  inak- 
eth  his  sun  to  rise  upon  the  evil,  and  on  the  good.  For  if  ye  love  them 
which  love  yoii,  what  reward  have  ye  ?  Do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same  V 
Some  show  a  great  affection  to  their  neighbors,  and  pretend  to  be  ravishetl  with 
the  company  of  the  children  of  God  abroad ;  and  at  the  same  time  are  uncom- 
fortable and  churlish  towards  their  wives  and  other  near  relations  at  home,  and 
are  very  negligent  of  relative  duties.  And  as  to  the  great  love  to  sinners  and 
opposers  of  religion,  and  the  great  concern  for  their  souls,  that  there  is  an 
appearance  of  in  some,  even  to  extreme  distress  and  agony,  singling  out  a 
particular  person,  liom  among  a  multitude,  for  its  object,  there  being  at  the 
same  time  no  general  compassion  to  sinners,  that  are  in  equally  miserable  cir- 
cumstances, but  what  is  in  a  monstrous  disproportion ;  this  seems  not  to  be  of 
the  nature  of  gracious  affection.  Not  that  I  suppose  it  to  be  at  all  strange,  that 
pity  to  the  perishing  souls  of  sinners  should  be  to  a  degree  of  agony,  if  other 
things  are  answerable  :  or  that  a  truly  gracious  compassion  to  souls  should  be 
exercised  much  more  to  some  persons  than  others  that  are  equally  miserable, 
especially  on  some  particular  occasions  :  there  may  many  things  happen  to  fix 
the  mind,  and  affect  the  heart,  with  respect  to  a  particular  person,  at  such  a 
juncture  ;  and  without  doubt  some  saints  have  been  in  great  distress  for  the  souls 
of  particular  persons,  so  as  tc^  be  as  it  were  in  travail  for  them  ;  but  when  per- 


174  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  ': 

sons  appear,  at  particular  times,  in  racking  agonies  for  the  soiil  of  some  singk 
person,  far  beyond  what  has  been  usually  heard  or  read  of  in  eminent  saints, 
but  appear  to  be  persons  that  have  a  spirit  of  meek  and  fervent  love,  charity, 
and  compassion  to  mankind  in  general,  in  a  far  less  degree  than  they  :  I  say, 
such  agonies  are  greatly  to  be  suspected,  for  reasons  already  given  ;  viz.,  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  wont  to  give  graces  and  gracious  affections  in  a  beautiful 
symmetry  and  proportion. 

And  as  there  is  a  monstrous  disproportion  in  the  love  of  some,  in  its  exer- 
cises towards  different  persons,  so  there  is  in  their  seeming  exercises  of  love 
towards  the  same  persons.— Some  men  show  a  love  toothers  as  to  their  outward 
man,  they  are  liberal  of  their  worldly  substance,  and  often  give  to  the  poor; 
but  have  no  love  to,  or  concern  for  the  souls  of  men.  Others  pretend  a  great 
love  to  men's  souls,  that  are  not  compassionate  and  charitable  towards  their 
bodies.  The  making  a  great  show  of  love,  pity  and  distress  for  souls,  costs 
them  nothing  ;  but  in  order  to  show  mercy  to  men's  bodies,  they  must  part  with 
money  out  of  their  pockets.  But  a  true  Christian  love  to  our  brethren  extends 
both  to  their  souls  and  bodies ;  and  herein  is  like  the  love  and  compassion  oi 
Jesus  Christ.  He  showed  mercy  to  men's  souls,  by  laboring  for  them,  in 
preaching  the  gospel  to  them  ;  and  showed  mercy  to  their  bodies  in  going  about 
doing  good,  healing  all  manner  of  sickness  and  diseases  among  the  people. 
We  have  a  remarkable  instance  of  Christ's  having  compassion  at  once  both  to 
men's  souls  and  bodies,  and  showing  compassion  by  feeding  both,  in  Mark  vi 
34,  &c. :  "  And  Jesus  when  he  came  out,  saw  much  people,  and  w-as  moved 
with  compassion  towards  them,  because  they  were  as  sheep  not  having  a  shep- 
herd ;  and  he  began  to  teach  them  many  things.''  Here  was  his  compassion 
to  their  souls.  And  in  the  sequel  we  have  an  account  oi  his  compassion  to 
their  bodies,  because  they  had  been  a  long  while  having  nothing  to  eat ;  he  fed 
five  thousand  of  them  with  five  loaves  and  two  fishes.  And  if  the  compassion 
of  professing  Christians  towards  others  does  not  v/ork  in  the  same  ways,  it  is  a 
sign  that  it  is  no  true  Christian  compassion. 

And  furthermore,  it  is  a  sign  that  affections  are  not  of  the  right  sort,  if  per- 
sons seem  to  be  much  affected  with  the  bad  qualities  of  their  fellow  Christians, 
as  the  coldness  and  lifelessness  of  other  saints,  but  are  in  no  proportion  affected 
with  their  own  defects  and  corruptions.  A  true  Christian  may  be  affected  with 
the  coldness  and  unsavoriness  of  other  saints,  and  may  mourn  much  over  it :  but 
at  the  same  time,  he  is  not  so  apt  to  be  affected  with  the  badness  of  any  body's 
heart,  as  his  own  ;  this  is  most  in  his  view ;  this  he  is  most  quicksighted  to  dis- 
cern ;  this  he  sees  most  of  the  aggravations  of,  and  is  most  ready  to  lament 
And  a  less  degree  of  virtue  will  bring  him  to  pity  himself,  and  be  concerned  a1 
his  own  calamities,  than  rightly  to  be  affected  with  others'  calamities.  And  if 
men  have  not  attained  to  the  less,  we  may  determine  they  never  attained  to  the 
greater. 

And  here  by  the  way,  I  would  observe,  that  it  may  be  laid  down  as  a  general 
rule,  that  if  persons  pretend  that  they  come  to  high  attainments  in  religion,  but 
have  never  yet  arrived  to  the  less"  attainments,  it  is  a  sign  of  a  vain  pretence. 
As  if  persons  pretend,  that  they  have  got  beyond  mere  morality,  to  live  a  spir- 
itual and  divine  life ;  but  really  have  not  come  to  be  so  much  as  moral  persons : 
or  pretend  to  be  greatly  affected  with  the  wickedness  of  their  hearts,  and  are 
not  affected  with  the  palpable  violations  of  God's  commands  in  their  practice, 
which  is  a  less  attainment :  or  if  they  pi-etend  to  be  brought  to  be  even  willing 
to  be  damned  for  the  glory  of  God,  but  have  no  forwardness  to  suffer  a  little  in 
their  estates  and  names,  and  worldly  convenience,  for  the  sake  of  their  duty  :  or 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  175 

pretend  that  they  are  not  afraid  to  venture  their  souls  upon  Christ,  and  commit 
tlii'ir  all  to  God,  trustini^  to  liis  bare  word,  and  the  faithlulness  of  his  promises, 
for  tlu'ir  eternal  welfare  ;  but  at  tin-  same  time,  have  not  confidence  enougii  in 
(Joel,  to  dare  to  trust  him  with  a  little  of  their  estates,  bestowed  to  pious  and 
charitable  uses  ;  I  say,  when  it  is  thus  with  persons,  their  pretences  are  mani- 
festly vain.  He  that  is  in  a  journey,  and  imagines  he  has  got  far  beyond  such  a 
place  in  his  road,  and  never  yet  came  to  it,  must  be  mistaken  ;  and  he  is  not  yet 
arrived  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  that  never  yet  got  half  way  thither.  But  this  by 
the  way. 

The  same  that  has  been  observed  of  the  alTection  of  love,  is  also  to  be  ob- 
served of  other  religious  affections.  Those  that  are  true,  extend  in  some  pro- 
portion to  the  various  things  that  are  tlieir  due  and  proper  objects  ;  but  when  they 
are  talse,  they  are  commonly  strangely  di.sproportionate.  So  it  is  with  religious 
desires  and  longings  :  these  in  the  saints,  are  to  those  things  that  are  sj)iritunl  and 
excellent  in  general,  and  that  in  some  projiortion  to  tlieir  excellency,  im- 
portance or  necessity,  or  their  near  concern  in  them ;  but  in  false  longing  it 
is  often  far  otherwise.  They  will  strangely  run,  with  an  impatient  vehe- 
mence, after  something  of  less  importance,  when  other  things  of  greater  im- 
portance are  neglected. — Thus  for  instance,  some  persons,  t>om  time  to  time, 
are  attended  with  a  vehement  inclination,  and  unaccountably  violent  pressure, 
to  declare  to  others  what  they  experience,  and  to  exhort  others  ;  when  there 
is,  at  the  same  time,  no  inclination,  in  any  measure  equal  to  it,  to  other  things, 
that  true  Christianity  has  as  great,  yea,  a  greater  tendency  to;  as  the  pouring 
out  the  soul  before  God  in  secret,  earnest  prayer  and  praise  to  him,  and 
more  conformity  to  him,  and  living  more  to  his  glory,  &c.  We  read  in 
Scripture  of  "  groanings  that  cannot  be  uttered,  and  soul  breakings  for  the  lonf>-- 
ing  it  hath,  and  longings,  thirstings,  and  pantings,"  much  more  frequently  to 
these  latter  things,  than  the  former. 

And  so  as  to  hatred  and  zeal ;  when  these  are  from  right  principles,  they  are 
against  sin  in  general,  in  some  proportion  to  the  degree  of  sinfulness  :  Psal.  cxix. 
104,  '•  I  hate  every  false  way."  So  ver.  128.  But  a  false  hatred  and  zeal 
against  sin,  is  against  some  particular  sin  only.  Thus  some  seem  to  be  very 
zealous  against  profaneness,  and  pride  in  apparel,  who  themselves  are  notorious 
for  covetousness,  closeness,  and  it  may  be  backljiting,  envy  towards  superiors, 
turbulency  of  spirit  towards  rulers,  and  rooted  ill  will  to  them  that  have  injured 
them.  False  zeal  is  against  the  sins  of  others,  while  men  have  no  zeal  against 
their  own  sins.  But  he  that  has  true  zeal,  exercises  it  chiefly  against  his  own 
sins ;  though  he  shows  also  a  proper  zeal  against  prevailing  and  dangerous  in- 
iquity in  others.  And  some  pretend  to  have  a  great  abhorrence  of  their  own 
sins  of  heart,  and  cry  out  much  of  their  inward  corruption ;  and  yet  make  light 
of  sins  in  practice,  and  seem  to  commit  them  without  much  restraint  or  remorse; 
though  these  imply  sin  both  in  heart  and  life. 

As  there  is  a  m\ich  greater  disproportion  in  the  exercises  of  false  affections 
than  of  true,  as  to  dilferent  objects,  so  there  is  also,  as  to  different  times.  For 
although  true  Christians  are  not  always  alike;  yea,  there  is  very  great  differ- 
ence, at  different  times,  and  the  best  have  reason  to  be  greatly  ashamed  of  their 
unsteadiness ;  yet  there  is  in  no  wise  that  instability  and  inconstancy  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  are  true  virgins,  "  that  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he 
goeth,"  which  is  in  false-hearted  professors.  The  righteous  man  is  truly  said 
to  be  one  whose  heart  is  fixed,  trusting  in  God,  Psal.  cxii.  7,  and  to  have  his 
heart  established  with  grace,  Heb.  xiii.  9,  and  to  hold  on  his  way,  Job.  xvii.  9  : 
"  The  righteous  i^hall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall  wax 


176  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

Stronger  and  stronger."     It  is  spoken  of  as  a  note  of  the  hypocrisy  of  the  Jew- 
ish church,  that  they  were  as  a  swift  dromedary,  traversing  her  ways. 

If  therefore  persons  are  religious  only  by  fits  and  starts  ;  if  they  now  and 
then  seem  to  be  raised  up  to  the  clouds  in  their  affections,  and  then  suddenly 
fall  down  again,  lose  all,  and  become  quite  careless  and  carnal,  and  this  is  theii 
manner  of  carrying  on  religion  ;  if  they  appear  greatly  moved,  and  mightil} 
eno-an"ed  in  religion,  only  in  extraordinary  seasons,  in  the  time  of  a  remarkable 
outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  or  other  uncommon  dispensation  of  providence,  or  upon 
the  real  or  supposed  receipt  of  some  great  mercy,  when  they  ha.ve  received 
some  extraordinary  temporal  mercy,  or  suppose  that  they  are  newly  con- 
verted, or  have  lately  had  what  they  call  a  great  discovery  ;  but  quickly  re- 
turn to  such  a  frame,  that  their  hearts  are  chiefly  upon  other  things,  and  the 
prevailing  bent  of  their  hearts  and  stream  of  their  affections,  is  ordinarily  to- 
wards the  things  of  this  world ;  when  they  are  like  the  children  of  Israel  in  the 
wilderness,  who  had  their  affections  highly  raised  by  wdiat  God  had  done  for 
them  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  sang  his  praise,  and  soon  fell  a  lusting  after  the 
fieshpots  of  Egypt;  but  then  again,  when  they  came  to  Mount  Sinai,  and  saw 
the  great  manifestations  God  made  of  himself  there,  seemed  to  be  greatly  engaged 
again,  and  mightily  forv/ard  to  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  saying,  "  All  tliat 
the  Lord  hath  spoken  will  we  do,  and  be  obedient,"  but  then  quickly  made  them 
a  golden  calf;  I  say,  when  it  is  thus  with  persons,  it  is  a  sign  of  the  unsound- 
ness of  their  affections.*  They  are  like  the  wateis  in  the  time  of  a  shower  of 
rain,  which,  during  the  shower,  and  a  little  after,  run  like  a  brook,  and  flow 
abundantly  ;  but  are  presently  quite  dry  ;  and  when  another  shower  comes,  then 
they  will  iiow  again.  Whereas  a  true  saint  is  like  a  stream  from  a  living 
spring  ;  which,  though  it  may  be  greatly  inci'eased  by  a  shower  of  rain,  and 
diminished  in  time  of  drought,  yet  constantly  runs:  John  iv.  14,  "  The  water 
that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water,  springing  up,"  &c.,  or 
like  a  tree  planted  by  such  a  stream,  that  has  a  constant  supply  at  the  root,  and 
is  always  green,  even  in  time  of  the  greatest  drought :  Jer.  xvii.  7,  8,  "  Blessed 
is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  and  whose  hope  the  Lord  is.  For  he  shall 
be  as  a  tree  planted  by  the  waters,  and  thatspreadeth  out  her  roots  by  the  river, 
and  shall  not  see  when  heat  cometh,  but  her  leaf  shall  be  green,  and  shall  not 
be  careful  in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from  yielding  fruit."  Many 
hypocrites  are  like  comets  that  appear  for  a  while  with  a  mighty  blaze;  but  are 
very  unsteady  and  irregular  in  their  motion  (and  are  therefore  called  wander- 
mg  stars,  Jude  13),  and  their  blaze  soon  disappears,  and  they  appear  but  once  in 
a  great  while.  But  the  true  saints  are  like  the  fixed  stars,  which,  though  they  rise 
and  set,  and  are  often  clouded,  yet  are  steadfast  in  their  orb,  and  may  truly  be  said 
to  shine  with  a  constant  light.  Hypocritical  affections  are  like  a  violent  motion ; 
like  that  of  the  air  that  is  moved  with  winds  (Jude  12),  but  gracious  affections  are 
more  a  natural  motion ;  like  the  stream  of  a  river,  which,  though  it  has  many  turns 

*  Dr.  Owon  (on  the  Spirit,  Biok  IK.  Chap.  ii.  Sect.  18),  speaking  of  a  common  work  of  the  Spirit, 
says,  "  This  work  operates  greatly  on  the  affections  :  we  have  given  instances,  in  fear,  sorrow,  joy  and 
delight,  about  spiritual  things,  that  are  stirred  up  and  acted  thereby  :  but  yet  it  comes  short  in  two  things, 
of  a  thorough  work  upon  the  affections  themselves.  For  first,  it  doth  not  fix  them.  And  secondly,  it  dolk 
not  fill  them." 

"There  is  (says  Dr.  Preston)  a  certain  love,  by  fits,  which  God  accepts  not :  when  men  come  and 
offer  to  God  great  promises,  like  the  waves  of  the  sea,  as  big  as  mountains  :  oh,  they  think  they  will  do 
much  for  God  !  But  their  minds  change  ;  and  they  become  as  those  high  waves,  which  at  last  fall  level 
with  the  other  waters." 

Mr.  Flavcl,  speaking  of  those  changeable  professors,  says,  "  These  professors  have  mo.reot  the  moon 
than  of  the  sun  :  little  light,  less  heat,  and  many  changes.  They  deceive  many,  yea,  they  deceive  them- 
selves, but  cannot  deceive  God.  They  want  that  ballast  and  establishment  in  themselves,  that  would 
have  kept  them  tight  and  steady."     Touchstone  of  Sincerity,  Chap.  ii.  Sec.  2. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  177 

hither  and  thither,  and  may  meet  with  obstacles,  and  runs  more  freely  and  swift- 
ly ill  some  places  than  others ;  yet  in  the  general,  with  a  steady  and  constant 
course,  tends  the  same  way,  until  it  gels  to  the  ocean. 

And  as  there  is  a  strange  unevenness  and  disproportion  in  false  affections,  at 
different  times;  so  there  often  is  in  different  places.  Some  are  greatly  affected 
from  time  to  time,  when  in  company  ;  but  have  nothing  that  bears  any  manner 
of  proportion  to  it  in  secret,  in  close  meditation,  secret  prayer,  and  conversing 
with  God,  when  alone,  and  separated  liom  all  the  world.*  A  true  Christian 
doubtless  delights  in  religious  I'ellowship,  and  Christian  conversation,  and  finds 
much  to  affect  his  heart  ii>  it ;  but  he  also  delights  at  times  to  retire  from  all 
mankind,  to  converse  wiih  God  in  solitary  places.  And  this  aKo  has  its  peculiar 
advantages  for  fixing  his  heart,  and  engaging  its  aflx-ctions.  True  religion  dis- 
poses persons  to  be  much  alone  in  solitary  places,  for  holy  meditation  and  prayer. 
So  it  wrought  in  Isaac,  Gen.  xxiv.  63.  And  which  is  much  more,  so  it  wrought 
in  Jesus  Christ.  How  often  do  we  read  of  liis  retiring  into  mountains  and  soli- 
tary places,  for  holy  converse  with  his  Father  !  It  is  difficult  to  conceal  great 
affections,  but  yet  gracious  atfections  are  of  a  much  more  silent  and  secret  nature, 
than  those  that  are  counterfeit.  So  it  is  with  the  gracious  sorrow  of  the  saints.  So 
it  is  with  their  sorrow  for  their  own  sins.  Thus  the  future  gracious  mourning  of 
true  penitents,  at  the  beginning  of  the  latter  day  glory,  is  represented  as  being 
so  secret,  as  to  be  hidden  from  the  companions  of  their  bosom,  Zech.xii.  12,  13, 
14  :  "  And  the  land  shall  mourn,  every  family  apart,  the  family  of  the  house  of 
David  apart,  and  their  wives  apart:  the  family  of  the  house  of  Nathan  apart, 
and  their  wives  apart :  the  family  of  the  house  of  Levi  apart,  and  their  wives 
apart :  the  family  of  Shiraei  apart,  and  their  wives  apart :  all  th(?  families  that 
remain,  every  family  apart,  and  their  wives  apart."  So  it  is  with  their  sorrow 
for  the  sins  of  others.  The  saints'  pains  and  travailing  for  the  souls  of  sinners 
are  chieffy  in  secret  places :  Jer.  xiii.  17,  "  If  ye  will  not  hear  it,  my  soul  shall  weep 
in  secret  places  for  your  pride,  and  mine  eye  shall  weep  sore,  and  run  down  with 
tears,  because  the  Lord's  flock  is  carried  away  captive."  So  it  is  with  gracious 
joys  :  they  are  hidden  manna,  in  this  respect,  as  well  as  others.  Rev.  ii.  17. 

The  Psalmist  seems  to  speak  of  his  sweetest  comforts,  as  those  that  were  to 
be  had  in  secret :  Psal.  Ixiii.  5,  6,  "  My  soul  shall  be  satisfied  as  with  marrow 
and  fatness ;  and  my  mouth  shall  praise  thee  with  joyful  lips  :  when  I  remem- 
ber thee  upon  my  bed,  and  meditate  on  thee  in  the  night  watches."  Christ 
calls  forth  his  spouse,  away  from  the  world,  into  retired  places,  that  he  may  give 
her  his  sweetest  love :  Cant.  vii.  11, 12,  "  Come,  my  beloved,  let  us  go  forth  into 
the  field  ;  let  us  lodge  in  the  villages  :  there  I  will  give  thee  my  loves."  The 
most  eminent  divine  favors  that  the  saints  obtained,  that  we  read  of  in  Scripture, 
were  in  their  retirement.  The  principal  manifestations  that  God  made  of  him- 
self, and  his  covenant  mercy  to  Abraham,  were  when  he  was  alone,  apart  fiom 
his  numerous  family  ;  as  any  one  will  judge  that  carefully  reads  his  history. 
Isaac  received  that  special  gift  of  God  to  him,  Rebekah,  who  was  so  great  a 

*  "The  Lord  is  neglected  secretly,  yet  lionored  openly  ;  l)ecause  there  is  no  wind  in  their  chambers 
to  blow  their  s:»ils  ;  and  therefore  there  they  stand  slill.  Hence  man v  men  keep  their  profession,  when 
they  lose  their  affection.  They  have  by  the  one  a  name  to  live  (and  that  is  enough)  though  their  hearts 
he  dead.  And  hence  so  Ions  us  you  love  and  commend  them,  so  long  they  love  you  ;  but  if  not,  they  will 
forsake  you.  They  were  warm  only  by  anothef's  fire,  and  hence,  having  no  principle  of  life  within,  soon 
grow  dead.     This    is  the  warer  that  turns  a  Pharisee's  mill.''     i^epard's  Parable,  Pan  I.  p.  180. 

"  The  hypocrite  (says  Mr.  Flavcl)  is  not  for  the  closet,  but  the  synagogue.  Matt.  vi.  5,  6.  It  is  not 
his  meat  and  drink  to  retire  from  the  clamor  of  the  world,  to  enjoy  God  in  secret."  Touchstone  of  Sin- 
eerity.  Chap.  vii.  Sect.  2.  ,  •  ,      . 

Dr.  .Vmcs,  in  his  Cases  of  Conscience,  Lib.  III.  Chap,  v.,  speaks  of  it  as  a  thing  by  which  Sincerity 
may  be  known,  "That  persons  be  obedient  in  the  absence,  as  well  as  in  the  presence  of  lookers  on  ;  in 
•ecrel,  as  wt  11,  yea  more,  than  in  public :"  alleging  Phil.  ii.  12,  and  Matt.  Vi.  6. 

Vol..  III.  23 


178  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

comfort  to  him,  and  by  whom  he  obtained  the  promised  seed,  wal]iing  alone, 
meditating  in  the  field.  Jacob  was  retired  for  secret  prayer,  when  Christ  came 
to  him,  and  he  wrestled  with  him,  and  obtained  the  blessing.  God  revealed 
himself  to  Moses  in  the  bush,  when  he  was  in  a  solitary  place  in  the  desert,  in 
Mount  Horeb,  Exod.  iii.  at  the  beginning.  And  afterwards,  when  God  showed 
him  his  glory,  and  he  was  admitted  to  the  highest  degree  of  communion  with 
God  that  ever  he  enjoyed  ;  he  was  alone,  in  the  same  mountain,  and  continued 
there  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  and  then  came  down  wdth  his  face  shining. 
God  came  to  those  great  prophets,  Elijah  and  Elisha,  and  conversed  freely  with 
them,  chiefly  in  their  retirement.  Elijah  conversed  alone  with  God  at  Mount 
Sinai,  as  Moses  did.  And  when  Jesus  Christ  had  his  greatest  prelibation  of  his 
future  glory,  when  he  was  transfigured ;  it  w^as  not  when  he  was  with  the  mul- 
titude, or  with  the  twelve  disciples,  but  retired  into  a  solitary  place  in  a  moun- 
tain, with  only  three  select  disciples,  charging  them  that  they  should  tell  no  man, 
until  he  was  risen  from  the  dead.  When  the  angel  Gabriel  came  to  the  blessed 
virgin,  and  when  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  her,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest 
overshadowed  her,  she  seems  to  have  been  alone,  and  to  be  in  this  matter  hid 
from  the  world  ;  her  nearest  and  dearest  earthly  friend  Joseph,  that  had  betrothed 
her  (though  a  just  man),  knew  nothing  of  the  matter.  And  she  that  first  par- 
took of  the  joy  of  Christ's  resurrection,  was  alone  with  Christ  at  the  sepulchre, 
John  XX.  And  when  the  beloved  disciple  was  favored  with  those  wonderful 
visions  of  Christ  and  his  future  dispensations  towards  the  church  and  the  world, 
he  was  alone  in  the  isle  of  Patmos.  Not  but  that  w^e  have  also  instances  of 
great  privileges  that  the  saints  have  received  when  M-ith  others  ;  or  that  there  is 
not  much  in  Christian  conversation,  and  social  and  public  worship,  tending  greatly 
to  refresh  and  rejoice  the  hearts  of  the  saints.  But  this  is  all  that  I  aim  at  by 
\vhat  has  been  said,  to  show  that  it  is  the  nature  of  true  grace,  that  however  it 
loves  Christian  society  in  its  place,  yet  it  in  a  peculiar  manner  delights  in  retire- 
ment, and  secret  converse  with  God.  So  that  if  persons  appear  greatly  engaged 
in  social  religion,  and  but  little  in  the  religion  of  the  closet,  and  are  often  highly 
affected  when  with  others,  and  but  little  moved  when  they  have  none  but  God 
and  Christ  to  converse  with,  it  looks  very  darkly  upon  their  religion. 

XI.  Another  great  and  very  distinguishing  difference  between  gracious  af- 
fections and  others  is,  that  gracious  affections,  the  higher  they  are  raised,  the 
more  is  a  spiritual  appetite  and  longing  of  soul  after  spiritual  attainments  in- 
creased.    On  the  contrary,  false  afTections  rest  satisfied  in  themselves* 

The  more  a  true  saint  loves  God  with  a  gracious  love,  the  more  he  desires  to 
love  him,  and  the  more  uneasy  is  he  at  his  want  of  love  to  him  ;  the  more  he 
hates  sin,  the  more  he  desires  to  hate  it,  and  laments  that  he  has  so  much  remain- 
ing love  to  it ;  the  more  he  mourns  for  sin,  the  more  he  longs  to  mourn  for  sin; 
the  more  his  heart  is  broke,  the  more  he  desires  it  should  be  broke :  the  more 
he  thirsts  and  longs  after  God  and  holiness,  the  more  he  longs  to  long,  and 
breathe  out  his  very  soul  in  longings  after  God :  the  kindling  and  raising  of  gra- 
cious affections  is  like  kindling  a  ilame  ;  the  higher  it  is  raised,  the  more  ardent 
it  is ;  and  the  more  it  burns,  the  more  vehemently  does  it  tend  and  seek  to  burn 
So  that  the  spiritual  appetite  after  holiness,  and  an  increase  of  holy  affections, 
is  much  more  lively  and  keen  in  those  that  are  eminent  in  holiness,  than  others  , 
and  more  when  grace  and  holy  affections  are  in  their  most  lively  exercise,  than 
at  other  times.  It  is  as  much  the  nature  of  one  that  is  spiritually  new  born,  to 
thirst  after  growth  in  holiness,  as  it  is  the  nature  of  a  new  born  babe  to  thirst 

•  "  Truly  theio  is  no  work  of  Christ  that  is  right  (says  Mr.  Shepard)  but  it  carries  the  soul  to  long 
lor  more  of  it."     Parable  of  the  Ten.  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  136. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  J 79 

after  the  mother's  breast ;  vho  has  the  sharpest  appetite,  when  best  in  heaUh 
1  Pet.  ii.  2,  3,  "  As  new  born  babes,  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  •word,  tliat  ye 
may  prow  thereby :  if  so  be  ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious."  Tr 
most  that  the  saints  have  in  this  world,  is  but  a  taste,  a  prelibation  of  that  future 
glory  which  is  their  proper  fulness ;  it  is  only  an  earnest  of  their  future  inheri 
tance  in  their  hearts,  2  Cor.  i.  22,  and  v.  5,  and  Epli.  i.  14.  The  mosteininen 
saints  in  this  state  are  but  children,  compared  with  tlieir  future,  which  is  their 
proper  state  of  maturity  and  perfection  ;  as  the  apostle  obsciTes,  1  Cor.  xiii.  10, 
11.  The  greatest  emincncy  that  the  saints  arrive  to  in  this  Avorld,  has  no  ten- 
dency to  satiety,  or  to  abate  their  desires  after  more;  but,  on  the  contrary,  makes 
them  more  eager  to  press  forwards  ;  as  is  evident  by  the  apostle's  words,  Phil, 
iii.  13,  14,  15:  "Forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth 
unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I  press  towards  the  mark. — Let  us  therefore, 
as  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  minded." 

The  reasons  of  it  are,  that  the  more  persons  have  of  holy  affections,  the 
more  they  have  of  that  spiritual  taste  which  I  have  spoken  of  elsewhere ; 
whereby  they  perceive  the  excellency,  and  relish  the  divine  sweetness  of  hoh- 
ness.  And  the  more  grace  they  have,  while  in  this  state  of  imperfection,  the 
more  they  see  their  imperfection  and  emptiness,  and  distance  from  what  ought 
to  be :  and  so  the  more  do  they  see  their  need  of  grace  ;  as  I  showed  at  large 
before,  when  speaking  of  the  nature  of  evangelical  humiliation.  And  besides, 
grace,  as  long  as  it  is  imperfect,  is  of  a  growing  nature,  and  in  a  growing  state. 
And  we  see  it  to  be  so  with  all  living  things,  that  while  they  are  in  a  state  of 
imperfection,  and  in  their  growing  state,  their  nature  seeks  after  growth ;  and 
so  much  the  more,  as  they  are  more  healthy  and  prosperous.  Therefore  the 
cry  of  every  true  grace,  is  like  that  cry  of  true  faith,  Mark  ix.  24  :  "  Lord, 
oelievc,  help  thou  my  unbelief."  And  the  greater  spiritual  discoveries  and  at^ 
fections  the  true  Christian  has,  the  more  does  he  become  an  earnest  beggar  fo! 
grace,  and  .<;piritual  food,  that  he  may  grow ;  and  the  more  earnestly  does  ho 
pursue  after  it,  in  the  use  of  proper  means  and  endeavors ;  for  true  and  graciou? 
longings  after  holiness  are  no  idle  inetTectual  desires. 

But  here  some  may  object  and  say.  How  is  this  consistent  with  what  al 
alk)w,  that  spiritual  enjoyments  are  of  a  soul  satisfying  nature  ? 

I  answer,  its  being  so,  will  appear  to  be  not  at  all  inconsistent  with  what  has 
been  said,  if  it  be  considered  in  what  manner  spiritual  enjoyments  are  said  to  be 
of  a  soul  satisfying  nature.  Certainly  they  are  not  so  in  that  sense,  that  they 
are  of  so  cloying  a  nature,  that  he  who  has  any  thing  of  them,  though  but  in  a 
ver}-  imperfect  degree,  desires  no  more.  But  spiritual  enjoyments  are  of  a  soul 
satisfying  nature  in  the  'bllowing  respects.  1.  They  in  their  kind  and  nature, 
are  fully  adapted  to  the  nature,  capacity,  and  need  of  the  soul  of  man.  So  that 
those  who  lind  them,  desire  no  other  kind  of  enjoyments ;  they  sit  down  fully 
contented  with  that  kind  of  happiness  which  they  have,  desiring  no  change,  nor 
inclining  to  wander  about  any  more,  saying,  "  \Vho  will  show  us  any  good  ?" 
The  soul  is  never  cloyed,  never  weary ;  but  perpetually  giving  up  itsell",  with 
all  its  powei-s,  to  this  happiness.  But  not  that  those  who  have  something  of 
this  happiness,  desire  no  more  of  the  same.  2.  They  are  satisfying  also  in  this 
respect,  that  they  answer  the  expectation  of  the  appetite.  When  the  appetite 
is  high  to  any  thing,  the  expectation  is  consequently  so.  Appetite  to  a  particu- 
lar object,  implies  expectation  in  its  nature.  This  expectation  is  not  satisfied 
by  worldly  enjoyments;  the  man  expected  to  have  a  great  accession  of  happi- 
ness, but  he  is  disappointed.  But  it  is  not  so  with  spiritual  enjoyments;  they 
vully  answer  and  satisfy  the  expectation.     3.  The  gratification  and  pleasure  of 


180  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

spiritual  enjoyments  is  permanent.  It  is  not  so  with  worldly  enjoyments.  They 
in  a  sense  satisfy  particular  appetites:  but  the  appetite,  in  being  satisfied,  is 
glutted,  and  then  the  pleasure  is  over  :  and  as  soon  as  that  is  over,  the  general  ap- 
petite of  human  nature  after  happiness  returns ;  but  is  empty,  and  without  any 
thino-  to  satisfy  it.  So  that  the  glutting  of  a  particular  appetite,  does  but  take 
away  from,  and  leave  empty,  the  general  thirst  of  nature.  4  Spiritual  good  is 
satisfyino-,  as  there  is  enough  in  it  to  satisfy  the  soul,  as  to  degree,  if  obstacle."^ 
were  but  removed,  and  the  enjoying  faculty  duly  applied.  There  is  room  enough 
here  for  the  soul  to  extend  itself;  here  is  an  infinite  ocean  of  it.  If  men  be  not 
satisfied  here,  in  degree  of  happiness,  the  cause  is  with  themselves  ;  it  is  because 
they  do  not  open  their  mouths  wide  enough. 

But  these  things  do  not  argue  that  a  soul  has  no  appetite  excited  after  more 
of  the  same,  that  has  tasted  a  little  ;  or  that  his  appetite  will  not  increase,  the 
more  he  tastes,  until  he  comes  to  fulness  of  enjoyment :  as  bodies  that  are  at- 
tracted to  the  globe  of  the  earth,  tend  to  it  more  strongly,  the  nearer  they  come 
to  the  attracting  body,  and  are  not  at  rest  out  of  the  centre.  Spiritual  good  is 
of  a  satisfying  nature  ;  and  for  that  very  reason,  the  soul  that  tastes,  and  knows 
its  nature,  will  thirst  after  it,  and  a  fulness  of  it,  that  it  may  be  satisfied.  And 
the  more  he  experiences,  and  the  more  he  knows  this  excellent,  unparalleled, 
exquisite,  and  satisfying  sweetness,  the  more  earnestly  will  he  hunger  and  thirst 
for  more,  until  he  comes  to  p?rfection.  And  therefore  this  is  the  nature  of 
spiritual  affections,  that  the  greater  they  be,  the  greater  the  appetite  and  longing 
is,  after  grace  and  holiness. 

But  with  those  joys,  and  other  religious  affections,  that  are  false  and  coun- 
terfeit, it  is  otherwise.  If  before,  there  was  a  great  desire,  of  some  sort,  after 
grace ;  as  these  affections  rise,  that  desire  ceases,  or  is  abated.  It  may  be  be- 
fore, while  the  man  was  under  legal  convictions,  and  much  afraid  of  hell,  he 
earnestly  longed  that  he  might  obtain  spiritual  light  in  his  understanding,  and  faith 
in  Christ,  and  love  to  God  :  but  now,  when  these  false  affections  are  risen,  that 
deceive  him,  and  make  him  confident  that  he  is  converted,  and  his  state  good 
there  are  no  more  earnest  longings  after  light  and  grace  ;  for  his  end  is  answer 
ed ;  he  is  confident  that  his  sins  are  forgiven  him,  and  that  he  shall  go  to  heaven; 
and  so  he  is  satisfied.  And  especially  when  false  affections  are  raised  very 
high,  they  put  an  end  to  longings  after  grace  and  holiness.  The  man  now  is 
far  from  appearing  to  himself  a  poor  empty  creature  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  is 
rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  hardly  conceives  of  any  thing  more  excel- 
lent than  what  he  has  already  attained  to. 

Hence  there  is  an  end  to  many  persons'  earnestness  in  seeking,  after  they 
have  once  obtained  that  which  they  call  their  conversion  ;  or  at  least,  after  they 
have  had  those  high  affectionS;  that  make  them  fully  confident  of  it.  Before, 
while  they  looked  upon  themselves  as  in  a  state  of  nature,  they  were  engaged 
in  seeking  after  God  and  Christ,  and  cried  earnestly  for  grace,  and  strove  in  the 
use  of  means  :  but  now  they  act  as  though  they  thought  their  work  was  done  ; 
they  live  upon  their  first  work,  or  some  high  experiences  that  are  past ;  and 
there  is  an  end  to  their  crying,  and  striving  after  God  and  grace.  Whereas 
the  holy  principles  that  actuate  a  true  saint,  have  a  far  more  p.-»werful  influence 
to  stir  him  up  to  earnestness  in  seeking  God  and  holiness,  than  servile  fear. 
Hence  seeking  God  is  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  distinguishing  characters  of  the. 
saints ;  and  those  that  seek  God  is  one  of  the  names  by  which  the  godly  are  called 
in  Scripture :  Psal.  xxiv.  6,"  This  is  the  generation  of  them  that  seek  him,  that 
seek  thy  face,  0  Jacob !"  Psal.  Ixix.  6,  "  Let  not  those  that  seek  thee,  be  con- 
founded for  my  sake."    Ver.  32,  "  The  humble  shall  see  this  and  be  glad  :  and 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  l81 

yocir  heart  shall  live  that  seek  God."  And  Ixx.  4,  "  Let  all  those  that  sceW 
ihee,  rejoice,  and  be  glad  in  thee  :  and  let  such  as  love  thy  salvation  say  con- 
tinually, The  Lord  be  maonified."  And  the  Scriptures  everywhere  represent 
'he  seeking-,  striving,  and  labor  of  a  Christian,  as  being  chiefly  after  his  conver- 
sion, and  his  conversion  as  being  but  the  beginning  of  his  work.  And  almost 
all  that  is  said  in  the  New  Testament,  of  men's  watching,  giving  earnest  heed 
to  themselves,  running  the  race  that  is  set  before  them,  striving,  and  agonizing, 
wrestling  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  principalities  and  powers,  fighting,  put- 
ting on  the  whole  armor  of  fiod,  and  standing,  having  done  all  to  stand,  press- 
ing" forward,  reaching  forth,  continuing  instant  in  prayer,  crying  to  God  day  and 
night ;  I  say,  aluiost  all  that  is  said  in  the  New  Testament  of  these  things,  is 
spoken  of,  and  thrected  to  the  saints.  Where  these  things  are  applied  to  sinnere' 
seeking  convei-sion  once,  they  are  spoken  of  the  saints'  prosecution  of  the  great 
business  of  their  high  calling  ten  times.  But  many  in  these  days  have  got  into 
a  strange  antiscriptui  al  way,  of  having  all  their  striving  and  wrestling  over  be- 
fore they  are  converted ;  and  so  having  an  easy  time  of  it  afterwards,  to  sit 
down  and  enjoy  their  sloth  and  indolence  ;  as  those  that  now  have  a  supply  of 
their  wants,  and  are  become  rich  and  full.  But  when  the  Lord  "  fills  the  hungry 
with  good  things,  these  rich  are  like  to  be  sent  away  empty,"  Luke  i.  53. 

But  doubtless  there  are  some  hypocrites,  that  have  only  false  affections,  wha 
will  think  they  are  able  to  stand  tliis  trial ;  and  will  readily  say,  that  they  desii-e 
not  to  rest  satisfied  with  past  attainments,  but  to  be  pressing  forward,  they  do 
desire  more,  they  long  after  God  and  Christ,  and  desire  more  holiness,  and  do 
seek  it.  But  the  truth  is,  their  desires  are  not  properly  the  desires  of  appetite 
after  holmess,  for  its  own  sake,  or  for  the  moral  excellency  and  holy  sweetness 
that  is  in  it ;  but  only  for  by-ends.  They  long  after  clearer  discoveries,  that 
they  may  be  better  satisfied  about  the  state  of  their  souls;  or  because  in  great 
discoveries  self  is  gratified,  in  being  made  so  much  of  by  God,  and  so  exalted 
above  others  ;  they  long  to  taste  the  love  of  God  (as  they  call  it)  more  than  to 
have  more  love  to  God.  Or,  it  may  be,  they  have  a  kind  of  forced,  fancied,  or 
made  longings  ;  because  they  think  they  must  long  for  more  grace,  otherwise 
it  will  be  a  dark  sign  upon  them.  But  such  things  as  these  are  far  different  from 
the  natural,  and  as  it  were  necessary  appetite  and  thirsting  of  the  new^  man, 
after  God  and  holiness.  There  is  an  inward  burning  desire  that  a  saint  has 
after  holiness,  as  natural  to  the  new  creature,  as  vital  heat  is  to  the  body.  There 
is  a  holy  breathing  and  panting  after  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  increase  holiness,  as 
natural  to  a  holy  nature,  as  breathing  is  to  a  living  body.  And  holiness  or 
sanctification  is  more  directly  the  object  of  it,  than  any  manifestation  of  God's 
love  and  favor.  This  is  the  meat  and  drink  that  is  the  object  of  the  spiritual 
appetite :  John  iv.  34,  "  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  and  to 
linish  his  work."  Where  we  read  in  Scripture  of  the  desires,  longings,  and 
thirstinffs  of  tlie  saints,  righteousness  and  God's  laws  are  much  more  frequently 
mentioned,  as  the  object  of  them,  than  any  thing  else.  The  saints  desire  the 
sincere  milk  of  the  word,  not  so  much  to  testily  God's  love  to  them,  as  that 
they  may  grow  thereby  in  holiness.  I  have  shown  before,  that  holiness  is  that 
good  which  is  the  immediate  object  of  a  spiritual  taste.  But  undoubtedly  the 
"same  sweetness  that  is  the  chief  object  of  a  spiritual  taste,  is  also  the  chief  ob- 
ject of  a  spiritual  appetite.  Grace  is  the  godly  man's  treasure  :  Isa.  xxxii,  6, 
'♦  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  his  treasure."  Godliness  is  the  gain  that  he  is  covetous 
and  greedy  of.  1  Tim.  vi.  6.  Hypocrites  long  for  discoveries,  more  for  the 
present  comfort  of  the  discovery,  and  the  high  manifestation  of  God's  love  in  it, 
than  for  any  sanctifying  influence  of  it.     But  neither  a  longing  after  great  dis- 


182  IIELIGIOUS  APTECTIONS. 

coveries,  or  after  great  tastes  of  the  love  of  God,  nor  longing  to  be  in  heaven, 
nor  longing  to  die,  are  in  any  measure  so  distinguishing  marks  of  true  saints,  as 
longing  after  a  more  holy  heart,  and  living  a  more  holy  life. 

But  I  am  come  now  to  the  last  distinguishing  mark  of  holy  affections  that  1 
shall  mention. 

XII.  Gracious  and  holy  affections  have  their  exercise  and  fruit  in  Christian 
practice. — I  mean,  they  have  that  influence  and  power  upon  him  who  is  the  sub- 
ject  of  them,  that  they  cause  that  a  practice,  which  is  universally  conformed  to, 
and  directed  by  Christian  rules,  should  be  the  practice  and  business  of  his  life. 

This  implies  three  things :  ] .  That  his  behavior  or  practice  in  the  world, 
be  universally  conformed  to,  and  directed  by  Christian  rules.  2.  That  he  makes 
a  business  of  such  a  holy  practice  above  all  things  ;  that  it  be  a  business  which 
he  is  chiefly  engaged  in,  and  devoted  to,  and  pursues  with  highest  earnestness 
and  diligence  :  so  that  he  may  be  said  to  make  this  practice  of  religion  emi- 
nently his  work  and  business.  And  3.  That  he  persists  in  it  to  the  end  of  life : 
so  that  it  may  be  said,  not  only  to  be  his  business  at  certain  seasons,  the  busi- 
ness of  Sabbath  days,  or  certain  extraordinary  times,  or  the  business  of  a  month, 
or  a  year,  or  of  seven  years,  or  his  business  under  certain  circumstances  ;  but  the 
business  of  his  life ;  it  being  that  business  which  he  perseveres  in  through  all 
changes,  and  under  all  trials,  as  long  as  he  lives. 

The  necessity  of  each  of  these,  in  all  true  Christians,  is  most  clearly  and 
fully  taught  in  the  word  of  God. 

1.  It  is  necessary  that  men  should  be  universally  obedient :  1  John  iii.  3, 
&c.,  "  Every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is 
pure. — And  ye  know  that  he  was  manifested  to  take  away  our  sins  ;  and  in 
him  is  no  sin.  Whosoever  abideth  in  him  sinneth  not ;  whosoever  sinneth, 
hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him.  He  that  doeth  righteousness,  is  right- 
eous even  as  he  is  righteous  :  he  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil."  Chap.  v. 
18,  "  We  know  that  whosoever  is  born  of  God  sinneth  not,  but  he  that  is  be- 
gotten of  God  keepeth  himself,  and  that  wicked  one  toucheth  him  not."  John 
XV.  14,  "  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you," 

If  one  member  only  be  corrupt,  and  we  do  not  cut  it  off,  it  will  carry  the 
whole  body  to  hell.  Matt.  v.  29,  30.  Saul  was  commanded  to  slay  all  God's 
enemies,  the  Amalekites ;  and  he  slew  all  but  Agag,  and  the  saving  him  alive 
proved  his  ruin.  Caleb  and  Joshua  entered  into  God's  promised  rest,  because 
they  wholly  followed  the  Lord,  Numb.  xiv.  24,  and  xxxii.  11,  12,  Deut.  i.  36, 
Josh.  xiv.  6,  8,  9,  14.  Naaman's  hypocrisy  appeared  in  that,  however  he 
seemed  to  be  greatly  affected  with  gratitude  to  God  for  healing  his  leprosy,  and 
engaged  to  serve  him,  yet  in  one  thing  he  desired  to  be  excused.  And  Herod, 
though  he  feared  John,  aiid  observed  him,  and  heard  him  gladly,  and  did  many 
things  ;  yet  was  condemned,  in  that  in  one  thing  he  would  not  hearken  to  him, 
even  in  parting  with  his  beloved  Herodias.  So  that  it  is  necessary  that  men 
should  part  with  their  dearest  iniquities,  which  are  as  their  right  hand  and 
right  eyes,  sins  that  most  easily  beset  them,  and  which  they  are  most  exposed  to 
by  their  natural  inclinations,  evil  customs,  or  particular  circumstances,  as  well 
as  others.  As  Joseph  would  not  make  known  himself  to  his  brethren,  who  had 
sold  him,  until  Benjamin  the  beloved  child  of  the  family,  that  Avas  most  hardly 
parted  with,  was  delivered  up ;  no  more  will  Christ  reveal  his  love  to  us,  until 
we  part  with  our  dearest  lusts,  and  until  we  are  brought  to  comply  with  the 
most  difficult  duties,  and  those  that  we  have  the  greatest  aversion  to. 

And  it  is  of  importance  that  it  should  be  observed,  that  in  order  to  a  man's 
being  truly  said  to  be  universally  obedient,  his  obedience  must  not  only  consist  in 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  183 

negatives,  or  in  universally  avoidin<;-  wicked  practices,  consisting  in  sins  of  com- 
mission, but  he  must  also  be  universal  in  the  j)Ositives  of  religion.  Sins  of 
omission  are  as  much  breaches  of  God's  commands,  as  sins  of  commission. 
Christ,  in  Matt.  xxv.  rei)resents  those  on  the  left  hand  as  being  condemned  and 
cursed  to  everlasting  fire  for  sins  of  omission.  "  I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave 
me  no  meat,"  &c.  A  man,  therefore,  cannot  be  said  to  be  universally  obedient, 
and  of  a  Christian  conversation,  only  because  he  is  no  thief,  nor  oppressor,  nor 
fraudulent  person,  nor  drunkard,  nor  tavern  haunter,  nor  whoremaster,  nor  riot- 
er, nor  night  walker,  nor  unclean,  nor  profane  in  liis  language,  nor  slanderer, 
nor  liar,  nor  furious,  nor  malicious,  nor  reviler.  lie  is  lalsely  said  to  be  of  a 
conversation  that  becomes  the  gospel,  who  goes  thus  far  and  no  farther  ;  but  in 
order  to  this,  it  is  necessary  that  he  should  also  be  of  a  serious,  religious,  devout, 
humble,  meek,  forgiving,  peaceful,  respectful,  condescending,  benevolent,  mer- 
ciful, charitable  and  beneficent  walk  and  conversation.  Without  such  things  as 
these,  he  does  not  obey  the  laws  of  Christ,  and  laws  that  he  and  his  apostles  did 
abundantly  insist  on,  as  of  the  greatest  iuiportance  and  necessity. 

2.  In  order  to  men's  being  true  Christians,  it  is  necessary  that  they  prose- 
cute the  business  of  religion,  and  the  service  of  God  with  great  earnestness  and 
diligence,  as  the  work  which  they  devote  themselves  to,  and  make  the  main 
business  of  their  lives.  All  Christ's  peculiar  people  not  only  do  good  works, 
but  arc  zealous  of  good  works.  Tit.  ii.  14.  No  man  can  do  the  service  of  two 
masters  at  once.  They  that  arc  God's  true  servants  do  give  up  themselves  to 
his  service,  and  make  it  as  it  were  their  whole  work,  therein  employing  their 
whole  hearts,  and  the  chief  of  their  strength :  Phil.  iii.  l3,  "  This  one  thing  I 
do."  Christians  in  their  efl'ectual  calling,  are  not  called  to  idleness,  but  to  labor 
in  God's  vineyard,  and  spend  their  day  in  doing  a  great  and  laborious  service. 
All  true  Christians  comply  with  this  call  (as  is  implied  in  its  being  an  effectual 
eall),  and  do  the  work  of  Christians  ;  which  is  every\vhere  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament compared  to  those  exercises  wherein  men  are  wont  to  exert  their 
strength  with  the  greatest  earnestness,  as  running,  wrestling,  fighting.  All  true 
(christians  are  good  and  faithful  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  "  fight  the  good 
fight  of  faith ;"  for  none  but  those  who  do  so,  do  "  ever  lay  hold  on  eternal 
hfe."  Those  who  "  fight  as  those  that  beat  the  air,"  never  win  the  crown  of 
victory.  "  They  that  run  in  a  race,  run  all,  but  one  wins  the  prize,"  and  they 
that  are  slack  and  negligent  in  their  course,  do  not  "  so  run  as  that  they  may  ob- 
t<iin."  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  not  to  be  taken  but  by  violence.  Without 
earnesfnoss  there  is  no  getting  along,  in  that  narrow  way  thai  leads  to  life; 
and  so  no  arriving  at  that  state  of  glorious  life  and  happiness  which  it  leads  to. 
VViihout  earnest  labor  there  is  no  ascending  the  steep  and  high  hill  of  Zion,  and  so 
no  arrivino;  at  the  heavenly  city  on  the  top  of  it.  Without  a  constant  laborious- 
n'^ss  there  is  no  stemming  the  swift  stream  in  which  we  swim,  so  as  ever  to 
come  to  that  fountain  of  water  of  life  that  is  at  the  head  of  it.  There  is  need 
that  we  should  "  watch  and  pray  always,  in  order  to  our  escaping  those  dread- 
fi'l  things  that  are  coming  on  the  ungodly,  and  our  being  counted  worthy  to 
sl-^nd  before  the  Son  of  man."  There  is  need  of  our  "putting  on  the  whole 
armor  of  God,  and  doing  all,  to  stand,"  in  order  to  our  avoiding  a  total  over- 
tl-'ow,  and  being  utterly  destroyed  by  "  the  fiery  darts  of  the  devil."  There  is 
nc>«d  that  we  should  "  Ibrget  the  things  that  are  behind,  and  be  reaching  forth 
to  the  things  that  are  before,  and  pressing  towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of 
th-  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,"  in  order  to  our  obtaining 
th-\t  prize.  Slothfulness  in  the  service  of  God  in  his  professed  servants,  is  as 
dfrnning  as  open  rebeDinn  j  for  the  slothful  servant  is  a  wicked  servant,  and 


184  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

shall  be  cast  into  outer  darkness,  among  God's  open  enemies,  Matt.  xxv.  26, 
30.  They  that  are  slothful  are  not  "  followers  of  them  who  through  faith 
and  patience  inherit  the  promises."  Heb.  vi.  11,  12,  "  And  we  desire  that 
every  one  of  you  do  show  the  same  diligence,  to  the  full  assurance  of  hope  unto 
the  end  ;  that  ye  be  not  slothful,  but  followers  of  them,  who  through  faith  and 
patience  inherit  the  promises."  And  all  they  who  follow  that  cloud  of  witnesses 
that  are  gone  before  to  heaven,  "  do  lay  aside  every  w^eight,  and  the  sin  that 
easily  besets  them,  and  do  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  them," 
Heb.  xii.  1.  That  true  faith,  by  which  persons  rely  on  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  and  the  work  that  he  hath  done  for  them,  and  do  truly  feed  and  live  upon 
him,  is  evermore  accompanied  with  such  a  spirit  of  earnestness  in  the  Chris- 
tian work  and  course.  Which  was  typified  of  old,  by  the  manner  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel's  feeding  on  the  paschal  lamb  ;  who  were  directed  to  eat  it,  as 
those  that  were  in  haste,  with  their  loins  girded,  their  shoes  on  their  feet,  and 
their  staff  in  their  hand,  Exod.  xii.  11. 

3.  Every  true  Christian  perseveres  in  this  way  of  universal  obedience,  and 
diligent  and  earnest  service  of  God,  through  all  the  various  kinds  of  trials  that 
he  meets  with,  to  the  end  of  life.  That  all  true  saints,  all  those  that  do  obtain 
eternal  life,  do  thus  persevere  in  the  practice  of  religion,  and  the  service  of  God, 
is  a  doctrine  so  abundantly  taught  in  the  Scripture,  that  particularly  to  rehearse 
all  the  texts  which  imj)ly  it  would  be  endless;  I  shall  content  myself  with  refer- 
ring to  some  in  the  margin.* 

But  that  perseverance  in  obedience,  wjiich  is  chiefly  insisted  on  iij  the 
Scripture,  as  a  special  note  of  the  truth  of  grace,  is  the  continuance  of  profess- 
ors in  the  practice  of  their  duty,  and  being  steadfast  in  a  holy  walk,  through  the 
various  trials  that  they  meet  with. 

By  tiials  here,  I  mean  those  things  that  occur,  and  that  a  professor  meets 
w^ith  in  his  course,  that  do  especially  render  his  continuance  in  his  duty  and 
faithfulness  to  God,  difhcult  to  nature.  These  things  are  from  time  to  time 
called  in  Scripture  by  the  name  of  trials,  or  temptations  (which  are  words  of 
the  same  signification).  These  are  of  various  kinds :  there  are  many  things 
that  render  persons'  continuance  in  the  way  of  their  duty  difficult,  by  their  ten- 
dencv  to  cherish  and  foment,  or  to  stir  up  and  provoke  their  lusts  and  corrup- 
tions. Many  things  make  it  hard  to  continue  in  the  way  of  their  duty,  by  their 
being  of  an  alluring  nature,  and  having  a  tendency  to  entice  persons  to  sin,  or 
by  their  tendency  to  take  off  restraints,  and  embolden  them  in  iniquity.  Other 
things  are  trials  of  the  soundness  and  steadfastness  of  professors,  by  their  ten- 
dency to  make  their  duty  appear  terrible  to  them,  and  so  to  affright  and  drive 
them  from  it ;  such  as  the  sufferings  which  their  duty  will  expose  them  to  ;  pain, 
ill  will,  contempt,  and  reproach,  or  loss  of  outward  possessions  and  comforts. 
If  persons,  after  they  have  made  a  profession  of  religion,  live  any  considerable 
time  in  this  world,  which  is  so  full  of  changes,  and  so  full  of  evil,  it  cannot  be 
otherwise  than  that  they  should  meet  with  many  trials  of  their  sincerity  and 
steadfastness.  And  besides,  it  is  God's  manner,  in  his  providence,  to  bring  tri- 
als on  his  professing  friends  and  servants  designedly,  that  he  may  manifest 
them,  and  may  exhibit  sufficient  matter  of  conviction  of  the  state  which  they 
are  in,  to  their  owni  consciences,  and  oftentimes  to  the  world  ;  as  appears  by 
innumerable  Scriptures. 

*  Dent.  V.  29  ;  Deut.  xxxii.  18,  19,  20  ;  1  Chron,  xxviii.  9  ;  Psai.  kxviii.  7,  8,  10,  11,  35,  3G,  37,  41, 
42,  56,  &c.  ;  Psal.  cvi.  3,  12—15  ;  Psal.  cxxv.  4,  5  ;  Prov.  xxvi.  11 ;  Isa.  Ixiv.  5  ;  Jer.  xvii.  13  ;  Ezek.  iii. 
20,  andxviii.  24,  and  xxxiii.  12,  13;  Matth.  x.  22,  and  xiii.  4— 8,  with  verses  19—23,  and  xxv.  8,  and 
xxiv.  12,  13,  Luke  ix.  62,  and  xii.  35,  &c.,  and  xxii.  28,  and  xvii.  32  ;  John  viii.  30,  31,  and  xv.  6,  7,  8, 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  185 

True  saints  may  be  p;uil(y  of  some  kinds  and  deoices  of  backsliding,  and 
nay  be  ioiled  by  particular  temptations,  and  may  tall  into  sin,  yea  great  sins ; 
out  they  never  can  fall  a\vay  so  as  to  grow  weary  of  religion,  and  the  service 
.-)(  God,  dnd  habitually  to  dislike  it  and  neglect  it,  either  on  its  own  account,  or 
on  account  of  the  ditiiculties  tliat  attend  it ;  as  is  evident  by  Gal.  vi.  9,  Rom. 
ii.  7,  Heb.  x.  36,  Isa.  xliii.  22,  Mai.  i.  13.  They  can  never  backslide,  so  as  to 
continue  no  longer  in  a  way  of  universal  obedience ;  or  so,  that  it  shall  cease 
to  be  their  manner  to  observe  all  the  rules  of  Christianity,  and  do  all  duties  re- 
quired, even  in  the  most  difficult  circumstances.  This  is  abundantly  manifest 
by  the  things  that  have  been  observed  alieady.  Kor  can  they  ever  fall  away 
so  as  habitually  to  be  more  engaged  in  other  things  than  in  the  business  of  re- 
ligion ;  or  so  that  it  should  become  their  way  and  manner  to  serve  something 
else  more  than  God  ;  or  so  as  statedly  to  cease  to  serve  God,  with  such  ear- 
nestness and  diiigence,  as  still  to  be  habitually  devoted  and  given  up  to  the 
business  of  religion  ;  unless  those  words  of  Christ  can  fall  to  the  gi  ound,  "  Ye 
cannot  serve  two  masters,"  and  those  of  the  apostle,  "  He  that  will  be  a  friend 
of  the  world,  is  the  enemy  of  God;"  and  unless  a  saint  can  change  his  God, 
and  yet  be  a  true  saint.  Nor  can  a  true  saint  ever  fall  away  so,  that  it  shall 
come  to  this,  that  ordinarily  there  shall  be  no  remarkable  dilfercnce  in  his 
walk  and  behavior  since  his  conversion,  from  what  was  before.  They  that  are 
tmly  converted  are  new  men,  new  creatures  ;  new  not  only  within,  but  without ; 
they  are  sanctified  throughout,  in  sjiirit,  soul  and  body  ;  old  things  are  passed 
away,  all  things  are  become  new  ;  they  have  new  hearts,  and  new  eyes,  new 
ears,  new  tongues,  new  hands,  new  feet ;  i.  c.,  a  new  conversation  and  practice ; 
and  they  walk  in  newness  of  life,  and  continue  to  do  so  to  the  end  of  life.  And 
they  that  fall  away,  and  cease  visibly  to  do  so,  it  is  a  sign  they  never  were  risen 
with  Christ.  And  especially  wlien  men's  opinion  of  their  being  converted,  and 
so  in  a  safe  estate,  is  the  very  cause  of  their  coming  to  tliis,  it  is  a  most  evident 
sign  of  their  hypocrisy.  And  that,  whether  their  falling  away  be  into  their 
former  sins,  or  into  some  new  kind  of  wickedness,  having  the  corruption  of  na- 
ture only  turned  into  a  new  channel,  instead  of  its  being  mortified.  As  when 
persons  "that  think  themselves  converted,  though  they  do  not  return  to  former 
profaneness  and  lewdness ;  yet  from  the  high  opinion  they  have  of  their  expe- 
riences, graces,  and  privileges,  gradually  settle  more  and  more  in  a  self-right- 
eous ami  spiritually  proud  temper  of  mind,  and  in  such  a  manner  of  behavior  as 
naturally  arises  theiefrom.  \Vhen  it  is  thus  with  men,  however  far  they  may 
seem  to  be  from  their  former  evil  practices,  this  alone  is  enough  to  condemn 
them,  and  may  render  their  last  state  far  worse  than  the  first.  For  this  seems 
to  be  the  very  case  of  the  Jews  of  that  generation  that  Christ  speaks  of.  Matt. 
xii.  43,  44,  45,  who  being  awakened  by  John  the  Baptist's  preaching,  and 
brought  to  a  reformation  of  their  former  licentious  courses,  whereby  the  unclean 
spirit  was  as  it  were  turned  out,  and  the  liouse  swept  and  garnished ;  yet,  be- 
ing empty  of  God  and  of  grace,  became  lull  of  themselves,  and  were  exalted  in 
an  exceeding  high  opinion  of  their  own  righteousness  and  eminent  holiness,  and 
became  habituated  to  an  answerably  self-exaltuig  behavior ;  so  changing  the 
sins  of  publicans  and  harlots,  for  those  of  the  Pharisees;  and  in  issue,  had  seven 
devils,  worse  than  the  first. 

Thus  I  have  explained  what  exercise  and  fruit  I  mean,  when  I  say,  that 
gracious  atTections  have  their  exercise  and  fruit  in  Christian  practice. 

The  reason  why  gracious  affections  have  such  a  tendency  and  effect  ap- 

10,  16;  Rom.  ii.  7.  and  x!.22:  Col.  i.  22,23,  Hrh.  ill.  G,  12.  14,  and  vi.  11,  12,  and  x.  35,  &c.;  James  i. 
2J  ;  Rev.  ii.  13,  26,  and  ii.  10  ;  2  Tim.  ii.  15  ;  2  Tirn.  iv.  4—8. 

Vol.  Ill  24 


186  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

pears  from  many  things  that  have  ah'eady  been  observed,  in  the  preceding  parts 
of  this  discourse. 

The  reason  of  it  appears  from  this,  that  gracious  affections  do  arise  from 
those  operations  and  influences  which  are  spiritual,  and  that  the  inward  princi- 
ple from  whence  they  flow,  is  something  divine,  a  communication  of  God,  a  par- 
ticipation of  the  divine  nature,  Christ  living  in  the  heart,  the  Holy  Spirit  dwell- 
ing there,  in  union  with  the  faculties  of  the  soul,  as  an  internal  vital  principle, 
exerting  his  own  proper  nature,  in  the  exercise  of  those  faculties.  This  is  suf- 
ficient to  show  us  why  true  grace  should  have  such  activity,  power,  and  efficacy. 
No  wonder  that  which  is  divine,  is  powerful  and  etfeclual ;  for  it  has  omnipo- 
tence on  its  side.  If  God  dwells  in  the  heart,  and  be  vitally  united  to  it,  he 
will  show  that  he  is  a  God,  by  the  efficacy  of  his  operation.  Christ  is  not  in 
the  heart  of  a  saint,  as  in  a  sepulchre,  or  as  a  dead  saviour,  that  does  nothing ; 
but  as  in  his  temple,  and  as  one  that  is  alive  from  the  dead.  For  in  the  heart 
where  Christ  savingly  is,  there  he  lives,  and  exerts  himself  after  the  power  of 
that  endless  life  that  he  received  at  his  resurrection.  Thus  every  saint  that  is  a 
subject  of  the  benefit  of  Christ's  sufferings,  is  made  to  know  and  experience 
the  power  of  his  resurrectiori.  The  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  is  the  immediate 
spring  of  grace  in  the  heart,  is  all  life,  all  power,  all  act :  1  Cor.  ii.  4,  "  In  de- 
monstration of  the  Spirit,  and  of  power. '  1  Thess.  i.  5,  "  Our  gospel  came  no'; 
unto  you  in  word  only,  but  also  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  1  Cor.  iv 
20,  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word,  but  in  power."  Hence  saving  affec< 
tions,  though  oftentimes  they  do  not  make  so  great  a  noise  and  show  as  others^ 
yet  have  in  them  a  secret  solidity,  life,  and  strength,  whereby  they  take  hold  of^ 
and  carry  away  the  heart,  leading  it  into  a  kind  of  captivity,  2  Cor.  x.  5,  gainr 
incr  a  full  and  steadfast  determination  of  the  will  for  God  and  holiness.  Psal. 
ex.  3,  "  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power."  And  thus  it  is 
that  holy  afifections  have  a  governing  power  in  the  course  of  a  man's  life.  A 
statue  may  look  very  much  like  a  real  man,  and  a  beautiful  man  ;  yea,  it  may 
have,  in  its  appearance  to  the  eye,  the  resemblance  of  a  very  lively,  strong,  and 
active  man  ;  but  yet  an  inward  principle  of  life  and  strength  is  wanting ;  and 
therefore  it  does  nothing,  it  brings  nothing  to  pass,  there  is  no  action  or  opera- 
tion to  answer  the  show.  False  discoveries  and  affections  do  not  go  deep 
enough  to  reach  and  govern  the  spring  of  men's  actions  and  practice.  The  seed 
in  stony  ground  had  not  deepness  of  earth,  and  the  root  did  not  go  deep  enough 
to  bring  forth  fruit.  But  gracious  affections  go  to  the  very  bottom  of  the  heart, 
and  take  hold  of  the  very  inmost  springs  of  life  and  activity. 

Herein  chiefly  appears  the  power  of  true  godliness,  viz.,  in  its  being  effectual 
in  practice.  And  the  efficacy  of  godUness  in  this  respect,  is  what  the  apostle 
has  respect  to,  when  he  speaks  of  the  power  of  godliness,  2  Tim.  iii.  5,  as  is 
very  plain ;  for  he  there  is  particularly  declaring,  how  some  professors  of  reli- 
gion would  notoriously  fail  in  the  practice  of  it,  and  then  in  the  5th  verse  observes, 
that  in  being  thus  of  an  unholy  practice,  they  deny  the  power  of  godliness,  though 
they  have  the  form  of  it.  Indeed  the  power  of  godliness  is  exerted  in  the  first 
place  within  the  soul,  in  the  sensible,  lively  exercise  of  gracious  affections  there. 
Yet  the  principal  evidence  of  this  power  of  godliness,  is  in  those  exercises  of 
holy  affections  that  are  practical,  and  in  their  being  practical ;  in  conquering  the 
will,  and  conquering  the  lusts  and  corruptions  of  men,  and  carrying  men  on  in 
the  way  of  holiness,  through  all  temptations,  difficulty,  and  opposition. 

Again,  the  reason  wfiy  gracious  affections  have  their  exercise  and  effect  in 
Christian  practice,  appears  from  this  (which  has  also  been  before  observed),  that 
"the  first  objective  ground  of  gracious  affections,  is  the  transcendently  excellent 


relig:ous  affections,  187 

and  amiable  nature  of  divine  things,  as  they  are  in  themselves,  and  not  any  con- 
ceived relation  they  bear  to  self,  or  self-interest."  This  shows  why  holy  ailtctionf. 
will  cause  men  to  be  holy  in  their  practice  universally.  What  makes  luvu  partial 
in  religion  is,  that  they  seek  themselves,  and  not  God,  in  their  religion  ;  and  close 
with  religion,  not  for  its  own  excellent  nature,  but  only  to  sene  a  turn.  He 
that  closes  with  religion  only  to  serve  a  turn,  will  close  with  no  more  of  it  than 
he  imagines  serves  that  turn  ;  but  he  that  closes  with  religion  for  its  own  excellent 
and  lovely  nature,  closes  with  all  that  has  that  nature  :  he  that  embraces  religion 
for  its  own  sake,  embraces  the  whole  of  religion.  This  aLo  shows  why  gracious 
alFections  will  cause  men  to  practise  religion  peiseveringly,  and  at  all  times. 
Religion  may  alter  greatly  in  process  of  time,  as  to  its  consistence  with  men's 
private  interest,  in  many  respects;  and  therefore  hv  that  complies  with  it  only 
for  seltish  views,  is  liable,  in  change  of  times,  to  Ibrsake  it ;  but  the  excellent 
nature  of  religion,  as  it  is  in  itself,  is  invariable ;  it  is  always  the  same,  at  all 
times,  and  through  all  changes;  it  never  alters  in  any  respect. 

Tiie  reason  why  gracious  affections  issue  in  holy  practice,  also  further  ap- 
pears from  the  kind  of  excellency  of  divine  things,  that  it  has  been  observed  is 
the  foundation  of  all  holy  affections,  viz.,  "  their  moral  excellency,  or  the  beauty 
of  their  holiness."  No  wonder  that  a  love  to  holiness,  for  holiness'  sake,  inclines 
persons  to  practise  holiness,  and  to  practise  every  tiling  that  is  holy.  Seeing 
holiness  is  the  main  thing  that  excites,  draws,  and  governs  all  gracious  afl'eclions, 
no  wonder  that  all  such  alTections  tend  to  holiness.  That  which  men  love,  they 
desire  to  have  and  to  be  united  to,  and  possessed  of.  That  beauty  which  men 
delight  in,  they  desire  to  be  adorned  with.  Those  acts  which  men  delight  in, 
they  necessarily  incline  to  do. 

And  what  has  been  observed  of  that  divine  teaching  and  leading  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  which  there  is  in  gracious  afTections,  shows  the  reason  of  this  tendency  of 
such  atlections  to  a  universally  holy  practice.  For,  as  has  been  observed,  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  this  his  divine  teaching  and  leading,  gives  the  soul  a  natural 
relish  of  the  sweetness  of  that  which  is  holy,  and  ot  every  thing  that  is  holy, 
so  far  as  it  comes  in  view  and  excites  a  disrelish  and  disgust  of  eveiy  thing 
that  is  unholy. 

The  same  also  appears  from  what  has  been  observed  of  the  nature  of  that 
spiritual  knowledge,  which  is  the  foundation  of  all  holy  affection,  as  consisting 
in  a  sense  and  view  of  that  excellency  in  divine  things,  which  is  supreme  and 
transcendent.  For  hereby  these  things  appear  above  all  others,  worthy  to  be 
chosen  and  adhered  to.  By  the  sight  of  the  transcendent  glory  o*  Christ,  true 
Christians  see  him  worthy  to  be  followed  ;  and  so  are  powerfully  drawn  after 
him  ;  fhey  see  him  worthy  that  they  should  forsake  all  for  him  :  by  the  sight  of 
that  superlative  amiableness,  they  are  thoroughly  disposed  to  be  subject  fo  him, 
and  engaged  to  labor  with  earnestness  and  activity  in  his  service,  and  made 
willinn:  to  go  through  all  difficulties  for  his  sake.  And  it  is  the  discovery  of 
this  divine  excellency  of  Christ,  that  makes  them  constant  to  him  :  for  iimake.s 
a  deep  impression  upon  their  minds,  that  they  cannot  forget  him ;  and  they 
will  follow  him  whithersoever  he  goes,  and  it  is  in  vain  for  any  to  endeavor  to 
draw  them  away  from  him. 

The  reason  of  this  practical  tendency  and  issue  of  gracious  affections,  furthei 
appears  from  what  has  been  observe<l  of  such  affections  being  "  attended  with  a 
thorough  conviction  of  the  judgment  of  the  reality  and  certainty  of  divine  things." 
No  wonder  that  thev  who  were  never  thoroughly  convinced  that  there  Is  any 
reality  in  the  things  of  religion,  will  never  be  at  the  labor  and  trouble  of  such 
an  earnest,  tiniversal,  and  persevering  practice  of  religion,  through  all  difficulties. 


188  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

self-denials,  and  sufferings  in  a  dependence  on  that,  which  they  are  not  convin- 
ced of.  But  on  the  other  hand,  they  who  are  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  cer- 
tain truth  of  those  things,  must  needs  be  governed  by  them  in  their  practice ; 
for  the  thinp-s  revealed  in  the  word  of  God  are  so  great,  and  so  infinitely  moi-e 
important  than  all  other  things,  that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  human  nature, 
that  a  man  should  fully  believe  the  truth  of  thera,  and  not  be  influenced  by  them 
above  all  things  in  his  practice. 

Ao-ain,  the  reason  of  this  expression  and  effect  of  holy  affections  in  the  prac- 
tice, appears  from  what  has  been  observed  of"  a  change  of  nature,  accompany- 
ing such  affections."  Without  a  change  of  nature,  men's  practice  will  not  be 
thoroughly  changed.  '  Until  the  tree  be  made  good,  the  fruit  will  not  be  good. 
Men  do  not  o-ather  grapes  of  thorns,  nor  figs  of  thistles.  The  swine  may  be 
washed,  and  appear  clean  for  a  little  while,  but  yet,  without  a  change  of  nature 
he  will  still  wallow  in  the  mire.  Nature  is  a  more  powerful  principle  of  action, 
than  any  thing  that  opposes  it :  though  it  may  be  violently  restrained  for  a 
while,  it  will  finally  overcome  that  which  restrains  it :  it  is  like  the  stream  of  a 
river,  it  may  be  stopped  a  while  with  a  dam,  but  if  nothing  be  done  to  dry  the 
fountain,  it  will  not  be  stopped  always  ;  it  will  have  a  course,  either  in  its  old 
channel,  or  a  new  one.  Nature  is  a  thing  more  constant  and  permanent,  than  any 
of  those  thinps  that  are  the  foundation  of  carnal  men's  reformation  and  righteous- 
ness. When  a  natural  man  denies  his  lust,  and  lives  a  strict,  religious  life,  and 
seems  humble,  painful,  and  earnest  in  religion,  it  is  not  natural ;  it  is  all  a  force 
against  nature  ;  as  when  a  stone  is  violently  thrown  upwards ;  but  that  force 
will  be  gradually  spent ;  yet  nature  will  remain  in  its  full  strength,  and  so  pre- 
vails acrain,  and  the  stone  returns  downwards.  As  long  as  corrupt  nature  is 
not  mortified,  but  the  principle  left  whole  in  a  man,  it  is  a  vain  thing  to  expect 
that  it  should  not  govern.  But  if  the  old  nature  be  indeed  mortified,  and  a  new 
and  heavenly  nature  infused,  then  may  it  well  be  expected,  that  men  will 
walk  in  newness  of  life,  and  continue  to  do  so  to  the  end  of  their  days. 

The  reason  of  this  practical  exercise  and  efi^ect  of  holy  affections,  may  also 
be  partly  seen,  from  what  has  been  said  of  that  spirit  of  humility  which  attends 
them.  "Humility  is  .that  wherein  a  spirit  of  obedience  does  much  consist.  A 
proud  spirit  is  a  rebellious  spirit,  but  a  humble  spirit  is  a  yieldable,  subject,  obe- 
diential spirit.  We  see  among  men,  that  the  servant  who  is  of  a  haughty  spirit 
is  not  apt  in  every  thing  to  be  submissive  and  obedient  to  the  will  of  his  master ; 
but  it  is  otherwise  with  that  servant  who  is  of  a  lowly  spirit. 

And  that  lamblike,  dovelike  spirit,  that  has  been  spoken  of,  which  accom 
panics  all  gracious  affections,  fulfils  (as  the  apostle  observes,  Rom.  xiii.  8,  9, 10, 
and  Gal.  v.  14)  all  the  duties  of  the  second  table  of  the  law ;  wherein  Chris- 
tian practice  does  very  much  consist,  and  wherein  the  external  practice  of 
Christianity  chiefly  consists. 

And  the  reason  why  gracious  aflfections  are  attended  with  that  strict,  univer- 
sal and  constant  obedience  which  has  been  spoken  of,  further  appears,  from 
what  has  been  observed  of  that  tenderness  of  spirit,  which  accompanies  the  af- 
fections of  true  saints,  causing  in  them  so  quick  and  lively  a  sense  of  pain  through 
the  .presence  of  moral  evil,  and  such  a  dread  of  the  appearance  of  evil. 

And  one  great  reason  why  the  Christian  practice  which  flows  from  gracious 
affections,  is  universal,  and  constant,  and  persevering,  appears  from  what  has 
been  observed  of  those  affections  themselves,  from  whence  this  practice  flows, 
being  universal  and  constant,  in  all  kinds  of  holy  exercises,  and  towards  all 
objects,  and  in  all  circumstances,  and  at  all  seasons  in  a  beautiful  symmetry  and 
proportion. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  199 

And  much  of  the  reason  why  holy  afTecllons  are  expressed  and  manifested  in 
such  an  earnestness,  activity,  and  eno;agedness  and  j)erseverance  in  lioly  prac- 
tice, as  has  been  spolf  en  of,  appears  jidm  what  has  been  observed,  of  the  spiritual 
appt  tile  anil  longing  alter  further  attainments  in  religion,  which  evermore  attends 
true  atlection,  and  does  not  decay,  but   increases  as  those  alfecfions  increase. 

Thus  we  see  how  the  tendency  of  holy  aliections  to  such  a  Christian  practice 
as  has  been  explained,  appears  from  each  of  those  characteristics  oi  iiuly  alfec- 
tion  tliat  have  been  before  spoken  of. 

And  this  point  may  be  further  illustrated  and  confirmed,  if  it  be  considered, 
that  the  holy  Scriptures  do  abundantly  j)lace  sincerity  and  soundness  in  religion, 
m  making  a  lull  choice  of  God  as  our  only  Lord  and  portion,  forsaking  all  for 
him,  and  in  a  lull  determination  of  the  will  for  (iod  and  Christ,  on  counting  the 
cost ;  in  our  heart's  closing  and  com))lying  with  thi;  religion  of  Jesus  Christ, 
with  all  that  belongs  to  it,  embracing  it  with  all  its  difficulties,  as  it  were  hating 
our  dearest  earthly  enjoyments,  and  even  our  own  lives,  for  Christ ;  giving  up 
ourselves,  with  all  that  we  have,  wholly  and  for  ever,  unto  Christ,  without 
keeping  back  any  thing,  or  making  any  reserve ;  or,  in  one  word,  in  the  great 
duty  of  self-denial  for  Christ;  or  in  denying,  i.  e.,  as  it  were,  disowning  and 
renouncing  ourselves  for  him,  making  ourselves  nothing  that  he  may  be  all. 
See  the  texts  to  this  purpose  referred  to  in  the  margin.*  Now  surely  having  a 
heart  to  forsake  all  for  Christ,  tends  to  actually  forsaking  all  for  him,  so  far  as 
there  is  occasion,  and  we  have  the  trial.  A  having  a  heart  to  deny  oiwselves 
for  Christ,  tends  to  a  denying  ourselves  indeed,  when  Christ  and  sell-interest 
stand  in  competition.  A  giving  up  of  ourselves,  with  all  that  we  have,  in 
our  hearts,  without  making  any  reserve  there,  tends  to  our  behaving  ourselves 
universally  as  his,  as  subject  to  his  will,  and  devoted  to  his  ends.  Our  heart's 
entirely  closing  Avith  the  religion  of  Jesus,  with  all  that  belongs  to  it,  and  as 
attended  with  all  its  difficulties,  upon  a  deliberate  counting  the  cost,  tends  to  a 
universal  closing  with  the  same  in  act  and  deed,  and  actually  going  through  all 
the  dilliculties  that  Ave  meet  with  in  the  way  of  religion,  and  so  holding  out  with 
patience  and  perseverance. 

The  tendency  of  grace  in  the  heart  to  holy  practice,  is  very  direct,  and  the 
connection  most  natuial,  close,  and  necessary.  True  grace  is  not  an  unactive 
thing  ;  there  is  nothing  in  heaven  or  earth  of  a  more  active  nature;  for  it  is  life 
itself,  and  the  most  active  kind  of  life,  even  spiritual  and  divine  life.  It  is  no 
barren  thing ;  there  is  nothing  in  the  universe  that  in  its  nature  has  a  greater 
tendency  to  fruit.  Godliness  m  the  heart  has  as  direct  a  relation  to  practice,  as 
a  fountain  has  to  a  stream,  or  as  the  luminous  nature  of  the  sun  has  to  beams 
sent  forth,  or  as  life  has  to  breathing,  or  the  beating  of  the  pulse,  or  any  other 
vital  act ;  or  as  a  habit  or  principle  of  action  has  to  action ;  for  it  is  the  very 
nature  and  notion  of  grace,  that  it  is  a  principle  of  holy  action  or  practice. 
Regeneration,  which  is  that  work  of  God  in  which  grace  is  infused,  has  a  di- 
rect relation  to  practice;  for  it  is  the  very  end  of  it,  with  a  view  to  which  the 
whole  work  is  wrought ;  all  is  calculated  and  framed,  in  this  mighty  and  man- 
ifold change  wrought  in  the  soul,  so  as  directly  to  tend  to  this  end.  Kpb.  ii.  10, 
"  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  woiks."  Yea, 
it  is  the  very  end  of  the  redemption  of  Christ :  Tit.  ii.  14,  "  Who  gave  liimself 
for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a 

•  Matt.  V.  29,  30  ;  chap.  vi.  24  ;  chap.  viii.  19—22  ;  chap.  iv.  18,  to  22  ;  chap.  x.  37,  38,  39  ;  chap.  xiii. 
44,45,40;  chap,  xvi.  24,  25,  26  ;  .:hap.  xviii.  8,  9  ;  chap.  xix.  21,  27,  28,29  ;  Luke  v.  27,28  ;  chap.  x.  42  ,• 
chnp.  xii.33,  34  ;  chap.  xiv.  16—20,25—33;  chap.  xvi.  13;  Acts  iv.  34,35,  with  chap  v.  1—11  ;  Rom. 
VI.  3—8  ;  Gal.  ii.  20  ;  chap.  vi.  14  ;  Philip,  iii.  7. 


190  RELIGIOUS  AFIECTIONS.  * 

peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  worlcs."  Eph.  i.  4, "  According  as  he  hath  chosen 
us  in  him,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy,  and  with- 
out blame  before  him  in  love."  Chap.  ii.  10,  "  Created  unto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  foreordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them."  Holy  practice  is  as 
much  the  end  of  all  that  God  does  about  his  saints,  as  fruit  is  the  end  of  all  the 
husbandman  does  about  the  growth  of  his  field  or  vineyard  ;  as  the  matter  is 
often  represented  in  Scripture,  Matt.  iii.  10,  chapter  xiii.  8,  23,  30,  38,  chapter 
xxi.  19,  33,  34,  Luke  xiii.  6,  John  xv.  1,  2,  4,  5,  6,  8,  1  Cor.  iii.  9,  Heb.  vi.  7, 
8,  Isa.  V.  1 — 8,  Cant.  viii.  11,  12,  Isa.  xxvii.  2,  3.*  And  therefore  every  thing 
in  a  true  Christian  is  calculated  to  reach  this  end.  This  fruit  of  holy  practice 
is  what  every  grace,  and  every  discovery,  and  every  individual  thing  which  be- 
longs to  Christian  ex-perience,  has  a  direct  tendency  to. 

The  constant  and  indissoluble  connection  that  there  is  between  a  Christian 
principle  and  profession  in  the  true  saints,  and  the  fruit  of  holy  practice  in  their 
lives,  was  typiiied  of  old  in  the  frame  of  the  golden  candlestick  in  the  temple. 
It  is  beyond  doubt  that  that  golden  candlestick,  with  its  seven  branches  and 
seven  lamps,  was  a  ijpe  of  the  church  of  Christ.  The  Holy  Ghost  himself  has 
been  pleased  to  put  that  matter  out  of  doubt,  by  representing  his  church  by  such 
a  golden  candlestick,  with  seven  lamps,  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  Zechariah,  snd 
representing  the  seven  churches  of  Asia  by  seven  golden  candlesticks,  in  the  tirst 
chapter  of  the  Revelation.  That  golden  candlestick  in  the  temple  was  every- 
where, throughout  its  whole  frame,  made  with  knops  and  flowers :  Exod.  xxv. 
31,  to  the  end,  and  chapter  xxxvii.  17 — 24.  The  word  translated  knop,  in  the 
original,  signifies  apple  or  pomegranate.  There  was  a  knop  and  a  flower,  a 
knop  and  a  flower :  wherever  there  was  a  flower,  there  was  an  apple  or  pom- 
egranate with  it :  the  flower  and  the  fruit  were  constantly  connected,  with- 
out fail.  The  flower  contained  the  principle  of  the  fruit,  and  a  beautiful  pro- 
mising appearance  of  it ;  and  it  never  was  a  deceitful  appearance;  the  principle 
or  show  of  fruit,  had  evermore  real  fruit  attending  it,  or  succeeding  it.  So  it  is 
in  the  church  of  Christ :  there  is  the  principle  of  fruit  in  grace  in  the  heart ; 
and  there  is  an  amiable  profession,  signified  by  the  open  flowers  of  the  candle- 
stick ;  and  there  is  answerable  fruit,  in  holy  practice,  constantly  attending  this 
prmciple  and  profession.  Every  branch  of  the  golden  candlestick,  thus  com- 
posed of  golden  apples  and  flowers,  was  crowned  with  a  burning,  shining  lamp 
on  the  top  of  i.t  For  it  is  by  this  means  that  the  saints  shine  as  lights  in  the 
world,  by  making  a  fair  and  good  profession  of  religion,  and  having  their  pro- 
fession evermore  joined  with  answerable  fruit  in  practice :  agreeable  to  that  of 
our  Saviour,  Matt.  v.  15,  16, "  Neither  do  men  light  a  candle,  and  put  it  under 
a  bushel,  but  on  a  candlestick,  and  it  giveth  light  unto  all  that  are  in  the  house. 
Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  Avorks,  and 
glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  A  fair  and  beautiful  profession,  and 
golden  fruits  accompanying  one  another,  are  the  amiable  ornaments  of  the  true 
church  of  Christ.  Therefore  we  find  that  apples  and  flowers  were  not  only  the 
ornaments  of  the  candlestick  in  the  temple,  but  of  the  temple  itself,  which  is  a 
type  of  the  church ;  which  the  apostle  tells  us  "  is  the  temple  of  the  living  God." 
See  1  Kings  vi.   l8 :  "  And  the  cedar  of  the  house  within  was  carved  with 

*  "  To  profess  to  know  much,  is  o;isy  ;  Init  to  bring  your  affections  into  subjection,  to  wrestle 
with  lusts,  to  cross  your  wills  and  yoursrlvcs,  upon  every  occasion,  this  is  hard.  The  Lord  lookelh  that 
in  our  lives  we  should  l)e  servirealilc  to  him,  and  useful  to  men.  That  which  is  within,  the  Lord  and  our 
orethren  are  never  the  belter  for  it :  but  the  outward  obedience,  flowing  thence,  glorifieth  God,  and  does 
itood  to  men.  The  Lord  will  have  this  done.  What  else  is  the  end  of  our  plantijig  and  watering,  but 
llrat  the  trees  may  be  filled  with  sap  ?  And  v.hat  is  the  end  of  that  sap,  but  that  the  trees  may  bring  forth 
fruit  ?    Wh-.it  curcth  the  husbandman  for  leave?  and  barre.i  trees  '.'"    Dr.  Preston,  of  the  Church's  Carriage 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS  191 

Knops,  and  open  flowers."  Tlie  ornaments  and  crown  of  the  jjillars,  at  the 
entrance  of  the  temple,  were  of  the  same  sort:  they  were  hlies  and  pomegran- 
ates, or  flowers  and  Iruits  mixed  toi;ether,  1  Kings  vii.  IS,  19.  So  it  is  with  all 
those  that  are  "  as  pillars  in  the  temple  of  God,  who  shall  go  no  more  out,"  or 
never  be  ejected  as  intruders  ;  as  it  is  with  all  true  saints :  Rev.  iii.  12,  '•  Him 
that  overcometh,  will  1  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go 
no  more  out" 

Much  the  same  thing  seems  to  be  signified  by  the  ornaments  on  the  skirt  of 
the  ephod,  the  garment  of  Aaron,  the  high  priest ;  which  were  golden  bells  and 
pomegranates. — That  these  skirts  of  Aaron's  garment  represent  the  church,  or 
the  saints  (that  are  as  it  were  the  garment  of  Ghrist),  is  manifest;  for  they  are 
evidently  so  spoken  of,  Psal.  cxxxiii.  1,2:  '•  Behold,  how  good  and  how  pleas- 
ant it  is  for  biethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity  !  It  is  like  the  precious  ointment 
upon  the  head,  that  ran  down  ujion  the  beard,  even  Aaron's  beard,  that  went 
down  to  the  skirts  of  his  garments."  That  ephod  of  Aaron  signified  the  same 
with  the  seamless  coat  of  Christ  our  great  High  Priest.  As  Christ's  coat  had 
no  seam,  but  was  woven  from  the  top  throughout,  so  it  was  with  the  ephod, 
Exod.  xxix.  22.  As  God  took  care  in  his  providence,  that  Christ's  coat  should 
not  be  rent ;  so  God  took  special  care  that  the  ephod  should  not  be  rent,  Exod. 
xxviii.  32,  and  chap,  xxxix.  23.  The  golden  bells  on  this  ephod,  by  their  pre- 
cious matter  and  pleasant  sound,  do  well  represent  the  good  profession  that  the 
saints  make ;  and  the  pomegranates,  the  fruit  they  bring  forth.  And  as  in  the 
hem  of  the  ephod,  bells  and  pomegranates  were  constantly  connected,  as  is  once 
and  again  observed,  there  was  a  golden  bell  and  a  pomegranate,  a  golden  bell 
and  a  pomegranate,  Exod.  xxviii.  34,  and  chap,  xxxix.  26,  so  it  is  in  the  true 
saints  ;  their  good  profession  and  their  good  fruit,  do  constantly  accompany  one 
another :  the  fruit  they  bring  forth  in  liie,  evermore  answers  the  pleasant  sound 
of  their  profession. 

Again,  the  very  same  thing  is  represented  by  Christ,  in  his  description  of 
his  spouse.  Cant.  vii.  2 :  "  Thy  belly  is  like  a  heap  of  wheat,  set  about  with 
lilies."  Here  again  are  beautiful  flowers,  and  good  fruit,  accompanying  one 
another.  The  lilies  were  fair  and  beautiful  flowers,  and  the  wheat  was  good 
fruit. 

As  this  fruit  of  Christian  practice  is  evermore  found  in  true  saints,  according 
as  they  have  opportunity  and  trial,  so  it  is  found  in  them  only ;  none  but  true 
Christians  do  live  such  an  obedient  lile,  so  universally  devoted  to  their  duty,  and 
given  up  to  the  business  of  a  Christian,  as  has  been  explained.  All  unsancti- 
fied  men  are  workers  of  iniquity  :  they  are  of  their  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts 
of  their  father  they  will  do.  There  is  no  hypocrite  that  will  go  through  with  the 
business  of  religion,  and  both  begin,  and  finish  the  tour  :  they  will  not  endure 
the  trials  God  is  wont  to  bring  on  the  professors  of  religion,  but  will  turn  aside 
to  their  crooked  ways  :  they  will  not  be  thoroughly  faithful  to  Christ  in  their 
practice,  and  follow  him  whithersoever  he  goes.  Whatever  lengths  they  may 
go  in  religion  in  some  instances,  and  though  they  may  appear  exceeding  strict, 
and  mightily  engaged  in  the  service  of  God  for  a  season  ;  yet  they  are  servants 
to  sin  ;  the  chains  of  their  old  taskmasters  are  not  broken  :  their  lusts  have  yet 
a  reigning  power  in  their  hearts;  and  theiefore  to  these  masters  they  will  bow 
down  again.*     Daniel  xii.  10,  "  Many  shall  be  purified  and  made  white,  and 

•  "  Vo  unregenerate  man,  though  he  go  never  so  far,  let  him  do  never  so  much,  but  he  lives  in  some 
one  sin  or  other,  secret  or  open,  Utile  or  great.  Judas  went  far,  but  he  w.is  covetous  ;  Herod  went  far.  but 
he  loved  his  Herodias.  Every  dog  hath  his  kennel ;  every  swine  hath  his  swill ;  and  every  wicked  man 
bis  lust."     Shepard's  Sincere  Convert,  1st  edition,  p.  9G. 


192  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

tried :  but  the  wicked  will  do  wickedly,  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  under- 
stand." Isa.  xxvi  10,  "  Let  favor  be  showed  to  the  wicked,  yet  will  he  not 
learn  righteousness ;  in  the  land  of  uprightness  will  he  deal  unjustly."  Isa. 
XXXV.  8,  "  And  a  highway  shall  be  there,  and  a  way,  and  it  shall  be  called  the 
way  of  holiness  ;  the  unclean  shall  not  pass  over  it.  Hos.  xiv.  9,  "  The  ways 
of  the  Lord  are  right,  and  the  just  shall  walk  in  them  :  but  the  transgressors  shalJ 
fall  therein."  Job.  xxvii.  8,  9,  10,  *•'  What  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite  ?  Will 
he  delight  himself  in  the  Almighty  ?  Will  he  always  call  upon  God  ?"  An 
unsanctified  man  may  hide  his  sin,  and  may  in  many  things,  and  for  a  season  re- 
frain from  sin ;  but  he  will  not  be  brought  finally  to  renounce  his  sin,  and  give 
it  a  bill  of  divorce ;  sin  is  too  dear  to  him,  for  him  to  be  willing  for  that : 
"  Wickedness  is  sweet  in  his  mouth  ;  and  therefore  he  hides  it  under  his  tongue ; 
he  spares  it,  and  forsakes  it  not ;  but  keeps  it  still  within  his  mouth,"  Job  xx. 
12,  13.  Herein  chiefly  consists  the  straitness  of  the  gate,  and  the  narrowness  of 
the  way  that  leads  to  life ;  upon  the  account  of  which,  carnal  men  will  not  go 
in  thereat,  viz.,  that  it  is  a  way  of  utterly  denying  and  finally  renouncing  all 
ungodliness,  and  so  a  way  of  self-denial  or  self-renunciation. 

Many  natural  men,  under  the  means  that  are  used  Avith  them,  and  God's 
strivings  with  them  to  bring  them  to  forsake  their  sins,  do  by  their  sins  as  Pha- 
:;aoh  did  by  his  pride  and  covetousness,  which  he  gratified  by  keeping  the  cliil- 
dren  of  Israel  in  bondage,  when  God  strove  with  him,  to  bring  him  to  let  the 
people  go.  When  God's  hand  pressed  Pharaoh  sore,  and  he  was  exercised  with 
fears  of  God's  future  wrath,  he  entertains  some  thoughts  of  letting  the  people 
go,  and  promised  he  would  do  it ;  but  from  time  to  time  he  broke  his  promises, 
when  he  saw  there  was  respite.  When  God  filled  Egypt  with  thunder  and 
lightning,  and  the  fire  ran  along  the  ground,  then  Pharaoh  is  brought  to  confess 
his  sin  with  seeming  humility,  and  to  have  a  grfeat  resolution  to  let  the  people 
go.  Exod.  ix.  27,  28,  "  And  Pharaoh  sent,  and  called  for  Moses  and  Aaron, 
and  said  unto  them,  I  have  sinned  this  time  :  the  Lord  is  righteous,  and  1  and 
my  people  are  wicked  :  entreat  the  Lord  (for  it  is  enough)  that  there  be  no  more 
mighty  thunderings  and  hail ;  and  I  will  let  you  go,  and  ye  shall  stay  no  longer.'* 
So  sinners  are  sometimes,  by  thunders  and  lightnings  and  great  terrors  of  the 
law,  brought  to  a  seeming  work  of  humiliation,  and  to  appearance  to  part  with 
their  sins  ;  but  are  no  more  thoroughly  brought  to  a  disposition  to  dismiss  thera, 
than  Pharaoh  was  to  let  the  people  go.  Pharaoh,  in  the  struggle  that  was  be- 
tween his  conscience  and  his  lusts,  was  for  contriving  that  God  might  be  served, 
and  he  enjoy  his  lusts  that  were  gratified  by  the  slavery  of  the  people.  Moses 
insisted  that  Israel's  God  should  be  served  and  sacrificed  to  :  Pharaoh  was  will- 
ing to  consent  to  that ;  but  would  have  it  done  without  his  parting  with  the 
people  :  "  Go  sacrifice  to  your  God  in  the  land,"  says  he,  Exod.  viii.  25,  So, 
many  sinners  are  for  contriving  to  serve  God,  and  enjoy  their  lusts  too.  Moses 
objected  against  complying  with  Pharaoh's  proposal,  that  serving  God,  and  yet 
continuing  in  Egypt  under  their  taskmasters,  did  not  agree  together,  and  were 
inconsistent  one  with  another  (there  is  no  serving  God,  arnl  continuing  slaves 
to  such  enemies  of  God  at  the  same  time).  After  this  Pharaoh  consented  to  let 
the  people  go,  provided  they  would  not  go  far  away  :  he  was  not  willing  to  part 
with  them  finally,  and  therefore  would  have  them  within  reach.  So  do  many 
hypocrites  with  respect  to  their  sins. — Afterwards  Pharaoh  consented  to  let  the 
men  go,  if  they  would  leave  the  women  and  children,  Exod.  x.  8,  9,  10  And 
then  after  that,  when  God's  hand  was  yet  harder  upon  him,  he  consenteij  that 
they  should  go,  even  women  and  children,  as  well  as  men,  provided  they  would 
leave  their  cattle  behind !      But  he  was  not  willing  to  let  them  go,  and  all  that 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  193 

they  had,  Exod.  x.  24.  Sf)  it  oftenlinu'S  is  wilh  sinners;  tliey  are  willing  to 
part  with  some  of  their  sins,  but  not  all ;  they  are  brought  to  part  with  the 
more  gross  acts  of  sin,  but  not  to  part  with  their  lusts,  in  lesser  indulgeneics  of 
them.  Whereas  we  must  part  with  all  our  sins,  little  and  great ;  and  all  that 
belongs  to  them,  men,  women,  children,  and  cattle;  they  must  be  let  go,  with 
"  their  young,  and  with  their  old,  with  their  sons,  and  with  their  daughters,  with 
their  flocks,  and  with  their  herds,  there  must  not  be  a  hoof  lel"t  behind  ;"  as 
Moses  told  riiaraoh,  with  respect  to  the  children  of  Israel,  At  last,  when  it 
came  to  extremity,  Pharaoh  consented  to  let  the  people  all  go,  and  all  I  bat  they 
had  ;  but  he  was  not  steadfastly  of  that  mind,  he  soon  repented  and  pursued  after 
them  again,  and  the  reason  was,  that  those  lusts  of  pride  and  covetousness,  that 
were  gratified  by  Pharaoh's  dominion  over  the  people,  and  the  gains  of  their 
service,  were  never  really  mortified  in  him,  but  only  violently  restrained.  And 
thus,  being  guilty  of  backsliding,  after  his  seeming  compliance  with  God's  com- 
mands, he  was  destroyed  without  remedy.  Thus  there  may  be  a  forced  jiarting 
with  ways  of  disobedience  to  the  commands  of  God,  that  may  seem  lo  be  uni- 
versal, as  to  what  appears  for  a  little  season;  but  because  it  is  a  mire  force, 
without  the  mortification  of  the  inward  principle  of  sin,  they  w-ill  not  persevere 
in  it :  but  will  return  as  the  dog  to  his  vomit ;  and  so  bring  on  themselves 
dreadful  and  remediless  destruction.  There  were  many  false  disciples  in  Christ's 
time,  that  followed  him  for  a  while  ;  but  none  of  them  followed  him  to  the  end; 
but  some  on  one  occasion,  and  some  on  another,  went  back  and  walketl  no  more 
with  him.* 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  manifest,  that  Christian  practice,  or  a  holy 
hfe,  is  a  great  and  distinguishing  sign  of  true  and  saving  grace.  But  1  may  go 
farther,  and  assert,  that  it  is  the  chief  of  all  the  signs  of  grace,  both  as  an  evi- 
dence of  the  sincerity  of  professors  unto  others,  and  also  to  their  own  con- 
sciences. 

But  then  it  is  necessary  that  this  be  rightly  taken,  and  that  it  be  v/ell  un- 
derstood and  observed,  in  what  sense  and  manner  Christian  practice  is  the  great- 
est sign  of  grace.  Therefore  to  set  this  matter  in  a  clear  light,  I  will  tndeavor 
particularly  and  distinctly  to  prove,  that  Christian  practice  is  the  principal  sign 
by  which  Christians  are  to  judge,  both  of  their  own  and  others'  sincerity  of  god- 
hness  ;  withal  observing  some  things  that  are  needful  to  be  particularly  noted, 
in  order  to  a  right  understanding  of  this  matter. 

1.  I  shall  consider  Christian  practice  and  holy  life,  as  a  manifestation 
and  sign  of  the  sincerity  of  a  professing  Christian,  to  the  eye  of  his  neighbors 
and  brethren. 

And  that  this  is  the  chief  sign  of  grace  in  this  respect,  is  veiy  evident  from 
the  word  of  God.  Christ,  who  knew  best  how  to  give  us  rules  to  judge  (»f  others, 
has  repeated  it  and  inculcated  it,  that  we  should  know  them  by  their  fruits: 
Matt.  vii.  16,  "  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits."  And  then,  after  argu- 
ing the  point,  and  giving  clear  reasons  why  it  must  needs  be,  that  men's  fruits 

•  "The  counterfeit  and  common  grace  of  foolish  virgins,  after  some  time  of  glorious  profi'sion,  will 
certainly  go  out  and  lie  (piiie  sin/nt.  It  consumes  in  the  using,  and  shining,  and  burning. — Mrn  that  hare 
l>een  most  forward,  decay  :  their  gifts  decay,  life  decays.  It  is  so,  after  some  time  of  profc'.><sion  :  for 
at  first,  it  rather  grows  than  decays  and  withers  ;  but  afterwards  ihcy  have  enough  of  it,  it  wither*  and 
dies.  The  Spirit  of  God  comes  upon  many  hy|iocritcs,  in  abundant  and  plentiful  measure  of  awaken- 
ing  grace  :  it  comes  upon  thorn,  as  it  did  upon  Baiaf..-:i,  and  as  it  is  in  oveiflowing  waters,  which  spread 
far,  and  grow  very  deep,  and  fill  many  empty  places.  Though  it  doth  come  upon  them  so,  yrt  it  dolh 
never  rest  within,  so  as  to  dwell  there,  to  take  up  :ui  eternal  mansion  for  himself. — Hence  it  dolh  decay 
by  little  nnd  little,  until  at  last  it  is  (joite  gone.  As  ponds  filled  with  rain  water,  which  comes  upon  them  ; 
not  spring  water,  that  riseth  up  within  them  ;  it  dries  up  by  little  and  little,  until  quite  dry."  ShtfariTa 
/»«raW<r,PartII.  p.  58,  59. 

Vol.  III.  26 


194  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

must  be  the  chief  evidence  of  what  sort  they  are,  in  the  following  verses,  he 
closes  by  repeating  the  assertion,  verse  20,  "  Wherefore  by  their  fruits  ye  shall 
know  them."  Again,  chap.  xii.  33,  "  Either  make  the  tree  good,  and  his  fruit 
good  ;  or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt,  and  his  fruit  corrupt."  As  much  as  to 
say,  it  is  a  very  absurd  thing,  for  any  to  suppose  that  the  tree  is  good  and  yet 
the  fruit  bad,  that  the  tree  is  of  one  sort,  and  the  fruit  of  another  ;  for  the  pro- 
per evidence  of  the  nature  of  the  tree  is  its  fruit.  Nothing  else  can  be  intended 
by  that  last  clause  in  the  verse,  "  For  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit,"  than  that 
the  tree  is  chiefly  known  by  its  fruit,  that  this  is  the  main  and  most  proper  diag- 
nostic by  which  one  tree  is  distinguished  from  another.  So  Luke  vi.  44, 
"  Every  tree  is  known  by  his  own  fruit.''  Chiist  nowhere  says.  Ye  shall  know 
the  tree  by  its  leaves  or  flowers,  or  ye  shall  know  men  by  their  talk,  or  ye  shall 
know  them  by  the  good  story  they  tell  of  their  experiences,  or  ye  shall  know 
them  by  the  manner  and  air  of  their  speaking,  and  emphasis  and  pathos  of  ex- 
pression, or  by  their  speaking  feelingly,  or  by  making  a  very  great  show  by 
abundance  of  talk,  or  l3y  many  tears  and  affectionate  expressions,  or  by  the  af- 
fections ye  feel  in  your  hearts  towards  them  ;  but  by  their  fruits  shall  ye  know 
them ;  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fiuit ;  every  tree  is  known  by  its  own  fruit. 
And  as  this  is  the  evidence  that  Christ  has  directed  us  mainly  to  look  at  in 
others,  in  judging  of  them,  so  it  is  the  evidence  that  Christ  has  mainly  directed 
us  to  give  to  others,  whereby  they  may  judge  of  us :  Matt.  v.  16,  "  Let  your 
light  so  shine  before  men,  that  others  seeing  your  good  works,  may  glorify  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Here  Christ  directs  us  to  manifest  our  godliness 
to  others.  Godliness  is  as  it  were  a  light  that  shines  in  the  soul.  Christ  directs 
that  this  light  not  only  shine  within,  but  that  it  should  shine  out  before  men,  that 
they  may  see  it.  But  which  way  shall  this  be  7  It  is  by  our  good  works. 
Christ  doth  not  say,  that  others  hearing  your  good  works,  your  good  story,  or 
your  pathetical  expressions  ;  but  "  that  others,  seeing  your  good  works,  may 
glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Doubtless,  when  Christ  gives  us  a 
rule  how  to  make  our  light  shine,  that  others  may  have  evidence  of  it,  his  rule 
is  the  best  that  is  to  be  found.  And  the  apostles  do  mention  Christian  practice 
as  the  principal  ground  of  their  esteem  of  persons  as  true  Christians.  As  the 
Apostle  Paul,  in  the  6th  chapter  of  Hebrews.  There  the  apostle,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  chapter,  speaks  of  them  that  have  great  common  illuminations,  that 
have  "  been  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made 
partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come,  that  afterwards  fall  away,  and  are  like  barren 
ground,  that  is  nigh  unto  cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned  ;"  and  then  imme- 
diately adds  in  the  9th  verse  (expressing  his  charity  for  the  Christian  Hebrews, 
as  having  that  saving  grace,  which  is  better  then  all  these  common  illumina- 
tions), *'  but  beloved,  we  are  persuaded  better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  ac- 
company salvation,  though  we  thus  speak."  And  then,  in  the  next  verse,  he 
tells  them  what  was  the  reason  he  had  such  good  thoughts  of  them  :  he  does  not 
say,  that  it  was  because  they  had  given  him  a  good  account  of  a  work  of  God 
upon  their  souls,  and  talked  very  experimentally ;  but  it  was  their  work  and 
labor  of  love ;  "  for  God  is  not  unrighteous,  to  forget  your  work  and  labor  of 
love,  vrhich  ye  have  showed  towards  his  name,  in  that  ye  have  ministered  to 
the  saints,  and  do  minister."  And  the  same  apostle  speaks  of  a  faithful  serv- 
ing of  God  in  practice,  as  the  proper  proof  to  others  of  men's  loving  Christ 
above  all,  and  preferring  his  honor  to  their  private  interest:  Phil.  ii.  21,22, 
"  For  nii  seek  their  own,  not  the  things  which  are  Jesus  Christ's  ;  but  ye  know 
the  proof  of  him,  that  as  a  son  with  the  father,  he  hath  served  with  me  in  the 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  19i 

gospel/*  So  the  Apostle  John  expresses  tlie  sam» ,  as  the  ground  of  his  good 
opinion  of  Gaius,  3  John  3 — (J,  "  For  I  rejoiced  greatly  when  the  brethren 
came  and  testified  of  the  truth  that  is  in  thee."  But  how  did  the  brethren  tes- 
tify of  the  truth  that  was  in  Gains  ?  And  how  did  the  apo.stle  judge  of  the 
truth  that  was  in  him  ?  It  was  not  because  they  testified  tliat  he  had  given  them 
a  good  account  of  the  steps  of  his  experiences,  and  talked  like  one  that  felt 
what  he  said,  and  had  the  very  language  of  a  Christian  .  but  they  testified 
that  he  walked  in  the  truth  ;  as  it  follows,  "  even  as  thou  M'alkest  in  the  truth. 
I  have  no  greater  joy  than  to  hear  that  my  children  walk  in  the  truth.  Belov- 
ed, thou  doL'St  faithfully  whatsoever  thou  doesf  lo  the  brethren  and  to  strangers  ; 
which  have  borne  witness  of  thy  charity  belbre  the  church."  Thus  the  apostle 
explains  what  the  brethren  had  borne  witness  of,  when  they  came  and  testified 
of  his  walking  in  the  truth.  And  the  apostle  seems  in  this  same  place,  to  give 
it  as  a  rule  to  Gains  how  he  should  judge  of  others;  in  verse  10,  he  mentions 
one  Diotrephes,  that  did  not  carry  himself  well,  and  led  away  others  after  him; 
and  then  in  the  11th  verse,  he  directs  Gains  to  beware  of  such,  and  not  to  follow 
them ;  and  gives  him  a  rule  whereby  he  may  know  them,  exactly  agreeable  to 
that  rule  Christ  had  given  before,  "  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them ;"  says 
the  apostle,  ''  beloved,  ibllow  not  that  which  is  evil,  but  that  which  is  good. 
He  that  doeth  good,  is  of  God  ;  but  he  thatdoeth  evil  hath  not  seen  God."  And 
I  would  further  observe,  that  the  Apostle  James,  expressly  comparing  that  way 
of  showing  others  our  faith  and  Christianity  by  our  practice  or  works,  with 
other  ways  of  .showing  our  faith  without  works,  or  not  by  works,  does  plainly 
and  abundantly  prefer  the  former :  James  ii.  IS,  "  Yea,  a  man  may  say,  Thou 
hast  faith,  and  I  have  works ;  show  me  thy  faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will 
show  thee  my  faith  by  my  works."  A  manifestation  of  our  faith  without 
works,  or  in  a  way  diverse  from  works,  is  a  manifestation  of  it  in  words,  where- 
by a  man  professes  faith.  As  the  apostle  says,  verse  14,  "  What  doth  it  profit, 
my  brethren,  though  a  man  say  he  hath  faith  ?"  Therefore  here  are  two  ways 
of  manifesting  to  our  neighbor  what  is  in  our  hearts ;  one  by  what  we  say,  and 
the  other  by  what  we  do.  But  the  apostle  abundantly  prefers  the  latter  as  the 
be^t  evidence.  Now  certainly  all  accounts  we  give  of  ourselves  in  words,  our 
saying  that  we  have  faith,  and  that  we  are  converted,  and  telling  the  manner 
hoM'  we  came  to  have  faith,  and  the  steps  by  which  it  was  wrought,  and  the 
discoveries  and  experiences  that  accompany  it,  are  still  but  manifesting  our  faith 
by  what  we  say ;  it  is  but  showing  our  faith  by  our  words ;  which  the  apostle 
speaks  of  as  falling  vastly  short  of  manifesting  of  it  by  what  we  do,  and  show- 
ing our  Aiith  by  our  works. 

And  as  the  Scripture  plainly  teaches,  that  practice  is  the  best  evidence 
of  the  sincerity  of  professing  Christians ;  so  reason  teaches  the  same  thing. 
Reason  shows,  that  men's  deeds  are  better  and  more  faithful  interpreters  of  their 
minds,  than  their  words.  The  common  sense  of  all  mankind,  through  all  ages 
and  nations,  teaches  them  to  judge  of  men's  hearts  chiefly  by  their  practice,  in 
other  mattei-s  ;  as,  whether  a  man  be  a  loyal  subject,  a  true  lover,  a  dutiful  child, 
or  a  faithful  servant.  If  a  man  profess  a  great  deal  of  love  and  friendship  to 
another,  reason  teaches  all  men,  that  such  a  profes.sion  is  not  so  great  an  evi- 
dence of  his  being  a  real  and  hearty  friend,  as  his  appearing  a  friend  in  deeds; 
being  faithful  and  constant  to  his  friend  in  prosperity  and  adversity,  ready  to  laj 
out  himself,  and  deny  himself,  and  suffer  in  his  personal  interest,  to  do  him  a 
kindness.  A  wise  man  will  trust  to  such  evidences  of  the  sincerity  of  friend- 
ship, further  than  a  thousand  earnest  professions  and  solemn  declarations,  and 
most  affectionate  ^expressions  of  friendship  in  words.     And  there  is  equal  reason 


^96  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

why  practice  should  also  be  looked  upon  as  the  best  evidence  of  friendship  to- 
wards Christ.     Reason  says  the  same  that  Christ  said,  in  John  xiv.  21,  "  He 
that  hath  my  commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me."     Thus 
if  we  see  a  man,  who  in  the  coui-se  of  his  life  seems  to  follow  and  imitate  Christ, 
and  greatly  to  exert  and  deny  himself  for  the  honor  of  Christ,  and  to  pro- 
mote his  kingdom  and  interest  in  the  world  ;  reason  teaches,  that  this  is  an  evi- 
dence of  love  to  Christ,  more  to  be  depended  on,  than  if  a  man  only  says  he  has 
love  to  Christ,  and  tells  of  the  inward  experiences  he  has  had  of  love  to  him,  what 
strong  love  he  felt,  and  how  his  heart  was  drawn  out  in  love  at  such  and  such  a 
time,  when  it  may  be  there  appears  but  little  imitation  of  Christ  in  his  behavior, 
and  he  seems  backward  to  do  any  great  matter  for  him,  or  to  put  himself  out  of 
his  way  for  the  promoting  of  his  kingdom,  but  seems  to  be  apt  to  excuse  himself 
whenever  he  is  called  to  deny  himself  for  Christ.     So  if  a  man,  in  declaring  his 
experiences,  tells  how  he  found  his  heart  weaned  from  the  world,  and  saw  the  van- 
ity of  it,  so  that  all  looked  as  nothing  to  him,  at  such  and  such  times,  and  professes 
that  he  gives  up  all  to  God,  and  calls  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  to  it ;  but  yet  in 
his  practice  is  violent  in  pursuing  the  world,  and  what  he  gets  he  keeps  close,  is 
exceeding  loth  to  part  with  much  of  it  to  charitable  and  pious  uses,  it  comes  from 
him  almost  like  his  heart's  blood.     But  there  is  another  professing  Christian,  that 
says  not  a  great  deal,  yet  in  his  behavior  appears  ready  at  all  times  to  forsake  the 
world,  whenever  it  stands  in  the  way  of  his  duty,  and  is  free  to  part  with  it  at  any 
time  to  promote  religion  and  the  good  of  his  fellow  creatures.     Reason  teaches, 
that  the  latter  gives  far  the  most  credible  manifestation  of  a  heart  weaned  from  the 
world.     And  if  a  man  appears  to  walk  humbly  before  God  and  men,  and  to  be 
of  a  conversation  that  savors  of  a  broken  heart,  appearing  patient  and  resigned  to 
God  under  aflliction,  and  meek  in  his  behavior  amongst  men ;  this  is  a  better 
evidence  of  humiliation,  than  if  a  person  only  tells  how  great  a  sense  he  had  of 
his  own  unworthiness,  how  he  was  brought  to  lie  in  the  dust,  and  was  quite 
emptied  of  himself,  and  saw  himself  nothing  and  all  overfdthy  and  abominable, 
&c.  &c.,  but  yet  acts  as  if  he  looked  upon  himself  one  of  the  first  and  best  of 
saints,  and  by  just  right  the  head  of  all  the  Christians  in  the  town,  and  is  assum- 
ing, self-willed,  and  impatient  of  the  least  contradiction  or  opposition ;  we  may  be 
assured  in  such  a  case,  that  a  man's  practice  comes  from  a  lower  place  in  his  heart 
than  his  profession.     So  (to  mention  no  more  instances)  if  a  professor  of  Chris- 
tianity manifests  in  his  behavior  a  pitiful  tender  spirit  towards  others  in  calamity, 
ready  to  bear  their  burdens  with  them,  willing  to  spend  his  substance  for  them, 
and  to  suffer  many  inconveniences  in  his  worldly  interest  to  promote  the  good  of 
others'  souls  and  bodies;  is  not  this  a  more  credible  manifestation  of  a  spirit  of 
love  to  men,  than  only  a  man's  telling  what  love  he  felt  to  others  at  certain  times, 
how  he  pitied  their  souls,  how  his  soul  was  in  travail  for  them,  and  how  he  felt 
hearty  love  and  pity  to  his  enemies ;  when  in  his  behavior  he  seems  to  be  of  a 
very  selfish  spirit,  close  and  niggardly,  all  for  himself,  and  none  for  his  neighbors, 
and  perhaps  envious  and  contentious  ?     Persons  in  a  pang  of  affection  may 
think  they  have  a  willingness  of  heart  for  great  things,  to  do  much  and  to  suffer 
much,  and  so  may  profess  it  very  earnestly  and  confidently,  when  really  their 
hearts  are  far  from  it.     Thus  many  in  their  affectionate  pangs,  have  thought 
themselves  willing  to  be  damned  eternally  for  the  glory  of  God.     Passing  affiec- 
tions  easily  produce  words ;  and  words  are  cheap ;  and  godliness  is  more  easily 
feigned  in  words  than  in  actions.     Christian  practice  is  a  costly,  laborious  thing. 
The  self-denial  that  is  required  of  Christians,  and  the  narrowness  of  the  way  that 
leads  to  life,  does  not  consist  in  words,  but  in  practice.     Hypocrites  may  much 
nuDre  easily  be  brought  to  talk  like  saints,  than  to  act  like  saints. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONa  197 

Thus  it  is  plain,  that  Christian  practice  is  the  best  sign  or  manifestation 
of  the  true  godliness  of  a  professing  Christian,  to  the  eye  of  his  neighbors. 

But  then  the  following  things  should  be  well  observed,  that  this  matter  may 
be  rightly  understood. 

i'irst,  it  must  be  observed,  that  when  the  Scripture  speaks  of  Christian  prac- 
tice, as  the  best  evidence  to  others,  of  sincerity  and  truth  of  grace,  a  profes- 
sion of  Christianity  is  not  excluded,  but  supposed.  The  rules  mentioned,  were 
rules  given  to  the  followers  ot  Christ,  to  guide  them  in  their  thoughts  of  profess- 
ing Christians,  and  those  that  olfered  themselves  as  some  of  their  society,  whereby 
they  might  judge  of  the  truth  of  their  pretences,  and  the  sincerity  of  the  pro- 
fession they  made  ;  and  not  for  the  trial  of  Heathens,  or  those  that  made  no 
pretence  to  Christianity,  and  that  Christians  had  nothing  to  do  with.  This  is 
as  plain  as  is  possible  in  that  great  rule  which  Christ  gives  in  the  7th  of  Mat- 
thew, "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  He  there  gives  a  mle  how  to 
judge  of  those  that  professed  to  be  Christians,  yea,  that  made  a  very  high  profes- 
sion, false  j)rophets,  "  who  came  in  sheep's  clothing,"  as  ver.  15.  So  it  is  also 
with  that  of  the  Apostle  James,  chap  ii.  18, "  Show  me  thy  faith  without  thy 
works,  and  I  will  show  thee  my  faith  by  my  works."  It  is  evident,  that  both 
these  sorts  of  persons,  offering  to  give  these  diverse  evidences  of  their  faith,  are 
professors  of  faith  :  this  is  implied  in  their  offering  each  of  them  to  give  evi- 
dences of  the  faith  they  professed.  And  it  is  evident  by  the  preceding  verses, 
that  the  apostle  is  speaking  of  professors  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  So  it  is  very 
nlain,  that  the  Apostle  John,  in  those  passages  that  have  been  observed  in  his 
'hird  epistle,  is  speaking  of  professing  Christians.  Though  in  these  rules,  the 
Christian  practice  of  professors  be  spoken  of  as  the  greatest  and  most  distinguish- 
ing sign  of  their  sincerity  in  their  profession,  much  more  evidential  than  their 
orofession  itself ;  yet  a  profession  of  Christianity  is  plainly  presupposed:  it  is 
not  the  main  thing  in  the  evidence,  nor  any  thing  distinguishing  in  it ;  yet  it  is 
a  thing  requisite  and  necessary  in  it.  As  the  having  an  animal  body,  is  not  any 
thing  distinguishing  of  a  man,  from  other  creatures,  and  is  not  the  main  thing  in 
the  evidence  of  human  nature,  yet  it  is  a  thing  requisite  and  necessary  in  the 
evidence.  So  that  if  any  man  should  say  plainly  that  he  was  not  a  Christian,  and 
did  not  believe  that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God,  or  a  person  sent  of  God  ;  these 
rules  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  do  not  at  all  oblige  us  to  look  upon  him  as  a 
sincere  Christian,  let  his  visible  practice  and  virtues  be  what  they  will.  And 
not  only  do  these  rules  take  no  place  with  respect  to  a  man  that  explicitly  denies 
Christianity,  and  is  a  professed  Deist,  Jew,  Heathen,  or  open  Infidel ;  but  also 
■with  respect  to  a  man  that  only  forbears  to  make  a  profession  of  Christianity; 
because  these  rules  were  given  us  to  to  judge  of  professing  Christians  only : 
fruits  niust  be  joined  with  open  flowers  ;  bells  and  pomegranates  go  together. 

But  here  will  naturally  arise  this  inquiry,  viz.,  \\hen  may  a  man  be  said  to 
profess  Christianity,  or  what  profession  may  properly  be  called  a  profession  of 
Christianity  ? 

I  answer,  in  two  things. 

1.  In  order  to  a  man's  being  properly  said  to  make  a  profession  of  Christi- 
anity, there  must  undoubtedly  be  a  profession  of  all  that  is  necessar)'  to  his 
beinV  a  Christian,  or  of  so  much  as  belongs  to  the  essence  of  Christianity. 
Whatsoever  is  essential  in  Christianity  itself,  the  profession  of  that  is  essential 
in  the  profession  of  Christianity.  The  profession  must  be  of  the  thing  profess- 
ed. For  a  man  to  profess  Christianity,  is  for  him  to  declare  that  he  has  it. 
And  therefore  so  much  as  belongs  to  a  thing,  so  as  to  be  necessar)'  in  order  to 
its  being  truly  denominated  that  thing ;  so  much  is  essential  to  the  declaration 


198  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

of  that  thing,  in  order  to  its  being  truly  denominated  a  declaration  of  that  thing. 
If  we  take  only  a  part  of  Christianity,  and  leave  out  a  part  that  is  essential  tc 
it,  what  we  take  is  not  Christianity  ;  because  something  that  is  of  the  essence 
of  it  is  wanting.  So  if  we  profess  only  a  part,  and  leave  out  a  part  that  is 
essential,  that  which  we  profess  is  not  Christianity.  Thus,  in  order  to  a  profes- 
sion of  Christianity,  we  must  profess  that  we  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah  ; 
for  this  reason,  because  such  a  belief  is  essential  to  Christianity.  And  so  we 
must  profess,  either  expressly  or  implicitly,  that  Jesus  satisfied  for  our  sins,  and 
other  essential  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  because  a  belief  of  these  thinscs  also  is 
essential  to  Christianity.  But  there  are  other  things  as  essential  to  religion,  as 
an  orthodox  belief;  which  it  is  therefore  as  necessary  that  we  should  profess,  in 
order  to  our  being  truly  said  to  profess  Christianity,  Thus  it  is  essential  to 
Christianity  that  we  repent  of  our  sins,  that  we  be  convinced  of  our  own  sinful- 
ness, and  that  we  are  sensible  we  have  justly  exposed  ourselves  to  God's  wrath, 
and  that  our  hearts  do  renounce  all  sin,  and  that  we  do  with  our  whole  hearts 
embrace  Christ  as  our  only  Saviour ;  and  that  we  love  him  above  all,  and  are 
willing  for  his  sake  to  forsake  all,  and  that  we  do  give  up  ourselves  to  be  entirely 
and  forever  his,  &c.  Such  things  as  these  do  as  much  belong  to  the  essence  of 
Christianity,  as  the  belief  of  any  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  :  and  therefore 
the  profession  of  them  does  as  much  belong  to  a  Christian  profession.  Not  that 
in  order  to  a  being  professing  Christians,  it  is  necessary  that  there  should  be  an 
explicit  profession  of  every  individual  thing  that  belongs  to  Christian  grace  or 
virtue :  but  certainly,  there  must  be  a  profession,  either  express  or  implicit,  of 
what  is  of  the  essence  of  religion.  And  as  to  those  things  that  Christians  shou>ld 
express  in  their  profession,  we  ought  to  be  guided  by  the  precepts  of  God's  word, 
or  by  Scripture  examples  of  public  professions  of  religion,  God's  people  have 
made  from  time  to  time.  Thus  they  ought  to  profess  their  repentance  of  sin  : 
as  of  old,  when  persons  were  initiated  as  professors,  they  came  confessing  their 
sins,  manifesting  their  humiliation  for  sin,  Matt.  iii.  8.  And  the  baptism  they 
were  baptized  with,  was  called  the  baptism  of  repentance,  Mark  i.  4.  And 
John,  when  he  had  baptized  them,  exhorted  them  to  bring  forth  fruits  meet  for 
repentance,  Matt.  iii.  8,  i.  e.,  agreeable  to  that  repentance  which  they  had  pro- 
fessed ;  encouraging  them,  that  if  they  did  so,  they  should  escape  the  wrath  to 
come,  and  be  gathered  as  wheat  into  God's  garner.  Matt.  iii.  7,  8,  9,  10,  12. 
So  the  Apostle  Peter  says  to  the  Jews,  Acts  ii.  38,  "  Repent,  and  be  baptized ;" 
which  shows,  that  repentance  is  a  qualification  that  must  be  visible  in  order  to 
baptism  ;  and  therefore  ought  to  be  publicly  professed.  So  when  the  Jews  that 
returned  from  captivity,  entered  publicly  into  covenant,  it  was  Avith  confession, 
or  public  confession  of  repentance  of  their  sins,  Neh.  ix.  2.  This  profession  of 
repentance  should  include  or  imply  a  profession  of  conviction,  that  God  would 
be  just  in  our  damnation  :  see  Neh.  ix.  33,  together  with  ver.  35,  and  the  begin- 
ning of  the  next  chapter.  They  should  profess  their  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
that  they  embrace  Christ,  and  rely  upon  him  as  their  Saviour,  with  their  whole 
hearts,  and  that  they  do  joyfully  entertain  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Thus  Philip, 
in  order  to  baptizing  the  eunuch,  required  that  he  should  profess  that  he  believed 
with  all  his  heart :  and  they  that  were  received  as  visible  Christians,  at  that 
great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  which  began  at  the  day  of  Pentecost,  appeared 
gladly  to  receive  the  gospel:  Acts  ii,  41,  "Then  they  that  gladly  received  the 
word,  were  baptized ;  and  the  same  day  there  were  added  unto  them  about  three 
thousand  souls."  They  should  profess  that  they  rely  on  Christ's  righteousness 
only,  and  strength  ;  and  that  they  are  devoted  to  him,  as  their  only  Lord  and 
Saviour,  and  that  they  rejoice  in  him  as  their  only  righteousness  and  portion- 


religicjUS  affections.  199 

It  is  foretold,  that  all  nations  shall  be  brought  publicly  to  make  this  profession, 
Isa.  xlv.  22,  to  the  end :  "  Look  unto  nie,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth  ;  for  1  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else,  i  have  sworn  by  myself,  the  word 
is  ^one  out  of  my  mouth  in  rip^hteousncss,  and  shall  not  return,  that  unto  me 
every  knee  shall  bow,  eveiy  tonp;ue  shall  swear.  Surely,  shall  one  say.  In  the 
\j(mi  have  I  righteousness  and  strena;th;  even  to  him  shall  men  come,  and  all 
that  are  inccnst-d  against  him  shall  be  ashamed.  In  the  Lord  shall  all  the  seed 
of  Israel  be  justifiid,  and  shall  glory."  They  should  profess  to  give  up  themselves 
entirely  to  Christ,  and  to  God  through  him  ;  as  the  children  of  Israel,  when  they 
publicly  recognised  their  covenant  with  God  :  Ueul.  xxvi.  17,  '•  Thou  hast 
avouched  the  Lord  this  day  to  be  thy  God,  and  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  to  keep 
his  statutes,  and  his  commandments,  and  his  judgments,  and  to  hearken  unto  his 
voice."  They  ought  to  profess  a  willingness  of  heart  to  embrace  religion  with 
all  its  difiicullies,  and  to  walk  in  a  way  of  obedience  to  God  universally  and 
perseveringly,  Exod.  xix.  8,  and  xxiv.  3,  7,  Deut.  xxvi.  16,  17,  IS,  2  Kings 
xxiii.  3,  Neh.  x.  28,  29,  Psal.  cxix.  57,  106.  They  ought  to  profess,  that 
all  their  hearts  and  souls  are  in  these  engagements  to  be  the  Lord's  and  Ibrever 
to  serve  him,  2  Chron.  xv.  12,  13,  14.  God's  people  swearing  to  God,  and 
swearing  by  liis  name,  or  to  his  name,  as  it  might  be  rendered  (by  which  seems 
to  be  signified  their  solemnly  giving  up  themselves  to  him  in  covenant,  and 
vowing  to  receive  him  as  their  God,  and  to  be  entirely  his,  to  obey  and  serve 
him),  is  spoken  of  as  a  duty  to  be  performed  by  all  God's  visible  Israel,  Deut.  vi. 
13,  and  x.  20,  Psal.  Ixiii.  11,  Isa.  xix.  18,  chap.  xiv.  23,  24,  compared  with 
Rom.  xiv.  11,  and  Phil.  ii.  10,  II,  Isa.  xlviii.  1,  2,  and  Ixv.  15,  16,  Jer.  iv.  2, 
and  V.  7,  and  xii.  16,  Hos.  iv.  15,  and  x.  4.  Therefore,  in  order  to  persons 
being  entitled  to  full  esteem  and  charity,  with  their  neighbors,  as  being  sincere 
professors  of  Christianity ;  by  those  ibrenientioned  rules  of  Christ  and  liis  apos- 
tles, there  must  be  a  visibly  holy  life,  with  a  profession,  either  expressing,  or 
plainly  implying  such  things  as  those  which  have  been  now  mentioned.  We 
are  to  know  them  bv  thf'ir  fruits,  that  is,  we  are  by  their  fruits  to  know  whether 
they  be  what  they  profess  to  be  ;  not  that  we  are  to  know  by  their  fruits,  that 
they  have  something  in  them,  they  do  not  so  much  as  pretend  to. 

Am]  moreover, 

2.  That  profession  of  these  things,  which  is  properly  called  a  Christian  pro- 
fession, and  which  must  be  joined  with  Christian  practice,  in  order  to  persons 
being  entitled  to  the  benefit  of  those  rules,  must  be  made  (as  to  what  appears) 
understandingly  :  that  is,  they  must  be  persons  that  appear  to  have  been  so  fai 
instructed  in  the  principles  of  religion,  as  to  be  in  an  ordinaiy  capacity  to  un 
tierstand  the  proper  import  of  what  is  expressed  in  their  profession.  For  sound- 
are  no  significations  or  declarations  of  any  thing,  any  further  than  men  understand 
the  meaning  of  their  own  sounds. 

But  in  order  to  persons  making  a  proper  profession  of  Christianity,  such  asf 
the  Scripture  directs  to  and  such  as  the  followers  of  Christ  should  letjuire,  in 
order  to  the  acceptance  of  the  professors  with  full  charity,  as  of  their  society  ;  it 
is  not  necessary  they  should  give  an  account  of  the  particular  steps  and 
method  by  which  the  Holy  Spirit,  sensibly  to  them,  wrought  and  brought  about 
t  hose  great  essential  things  of  Christianity  in  their  hearts.  There  is  no  footstep  in 
the  Scripture  of  any  such  way  of  the  apostles,  or  primitive  ministers  and  Cliristians 
requiring  any  such  relation,  in  order  to  their  receiving  and  treating  others  as 
their  Christian  brethren,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  or  of  their  first  exajiining 
their?,  lOncerning  the  particular  method  and  order  of  their  experiences.  They 
required  of  them  a  profession  of  the  things  wrought ;  but  no  account  of  the 


200  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

manner  of  working  was  required  of  them.  Nor  is  there  the  least  shadow  in  the 
Scripture  of  any  such  custom  in  the  chui  ch  of  God  from  Adam  to  the  death  ot 
the  Apostle  John. 

I  am  far  from  saying,  that  it  is  not  requisite  that  persons  should  give  an) 
sort  of  account  of  their  experiences  to  their  brethren.  For  persons  to  profess 
those  thino-s  wherein  the  essence  of  Christianity  lies,  is  the  same  thing  as  to 
profess  that  they  experience  those  things.  Thus  for  persons  solemnly  to 
profess,  that,  in  a  full  conviction  of  their  own  utter  sinfulness,  misery,  and  im- 
potence, and  totally  undone  state  as  in  themselves,  and  their  just  desert  of 
God's  utter  rejection  and  eternal  wrath,  and  the  utter  insufficiency  of  their  own 
righteousness,  or  any  thing  in  them,  to  satisfy  divine  justice,  or  recommend 
them  to  God's  favor,  they  do  entirely  depend  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  his 
satisfaction  and  righteousness  ;  that  they  do  with  all  their  hearts  believe  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  of  Christ;  and  that  in  a  full  conviction  of  his  sufficiency 
and  perfect  excellency  as  a  Saviour,  as  exhibited  in  the  gospel,  they  do  with 
their  whole  souls  cleave  to  him,  and  acquiesce  in  him,  as  the  refuge  and  rest  of 
their  souls,  and  fountain  of  their  comfort ;  that  they  repent  of  their  sins,  and 
utterly  renounce  all  sin,  and  give  up  themselves  wholly  to  Christ,  willingly 
subjecting  themselves  to  him  as  their  King ;  that  they  give  him  their  hearts 
and  their  whole  man  ;  and  are  willing  and  resolved  to  have  God  for  their 
whole  and  everlasting  portion  ;  and  in  a  dependence  on  his  promises  of  a  fu- 
ture eternal  enjoyment  of  him  in  heaven,  to  renounce  all  the  enjoyments  of  this 
vain  world,  selling  all  for  this  great  treasure  and  future  inheritance,  and  to  com- 
ply with  every  command  of  God,  even  the  most  difficult  and  self-denying,  and 
devote  their  whole  lives  to  God's  service  ;  and  that  in  forgiveness  of  those  that 
have  injured  them,  and  a  general  benevolence  to  mankind,  their  hearts  are  uni- 
ted to  the  people  of  Jesus  Christ  as  their  people,  to  cleave  to  them  and  love 
them  as  their  brethren,  and  worship  and  serve  God,  and  follow  Christ  in  union 
and  fellowship  with  them,  being  willing  and  resolved  to  perform  all  those  du- 
ties that  belong  to  them,  as  members  of  the  same  family  of  God  and  mystical 
body  of  Christ :  I  say,  for  persons  solemnly  to  profess  such  things  as  these,  as 
in  the  presence  of  God,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  profess  that  they  are  conscious 
to,  or  do  experience  such  things  in  their  hearts. 

Nor  is  it  what  I  suppose,  that  persons  giving  an  account  of  their  experience 
of  particular  exercises  of  grace,  with  the  times  and  circumstances,  gives  no  ad- 
vantage to  others  in  forming  a  judgment  of  their  state  ;  or  that  persons  may  not 
fitly  be  inquired  of  concerning  these  in  some  cases,  especially  cases  of  great  im- 
portance, where  all  possible  satisfaction  concerning  persons'  piety  is  especially 
to  be  desired  and  sought  after,  as  in  the  case  of  ordination  or  approbation  of  a 
minister.  It  may  give  advantage  in  forming  a  judgment,  in  several  respects  ; 
and  among  others,  in  this,  that  hereby  we  may  be  better  satisfied,  that  the  pro- 
fessor speaks  honestly  and  understandingly,  in  what  he  professes ;  and  that  he 
does  not  make  the  profession  in  mere  formality. 

In  order  to  a  profession  of  Christianity  being  accepted  to  any  purpose,  there 
ought  to  be  good  reason,  from  the  circumstances  of  the  profession,  to  think, 
that  the  professor  does  not  make  such  a  profession  out  of  a  mere  customary 
compliance  with  a  prescribed  form,  using  words  without  any  distinct  meaning, 
or  in  a  very  lax  and  ambiguous  manner,  as  confessions  of  faith  are  often  sub- 
scribed ;  but  that  the  professor  understandingly  and  honestly  signifies  what  he 
is  conscious  of  in  his  own  heart ;  otherwise  his  profession  can  be  of  no  signifi- 
cance, and  no  more  to  be  regarded  than  the  sound  of  things  without  life.  But 
indeed  (whatever  advantage  an  account  of  particular  exercises  may  give  in 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  201 

iuilsj;ing  ot  this)  it  must  be  owned,  that  the  prol'essor  having  been  previously 
tliorougbly  instructed  by  his  teacliers,  and  given  good  proof  of  liis  sufficient 
knowledge,  together  with  a  practice  agreeable  to  his  profession,  is  the  best 
evidence  of  this. 

Nor  do  I  suppose,  but  tlint,  if  a  person  that  is  inquired  of  about  particular 
piissages,  times,  and  circumstances  of  his  Christian  experience,  among  other 
things,  seems  to  be  able  to  give  a  distinct  account  of  tiie  manner  of  his  first  con- 
version, in  such  a  method  as  has  been  iVeijuently  observable  in  true  conversion, 
so  tliat  things  seem  sensibly  and  distinctly  to  follow  one  another,  in  tiie  order 
of  time,  according  to  the  order  of  nature  ;  it  is  an  illustrating  circumstance,  that 
among  other  things  adds  lustre  to  the  evidence  he  gives  his  brethren  of  the 
truth  of  his  experiences. 

iJut  the  thing  that  I  speak  of  as  unscrij)tural,  is  the  insisting  on  a  particular 
account  of  the  distinct  method  and  steps,  wherein  the  Spirit  of  God  did  sensibly 
proceed,  in  first  bringing  the  soul  into  a  state  of  salvation,  as  a  thing  requisite 
in  order  to  receiving  a  professor  into  full  charity  as  a  real  Christian  ;  or  so,  as 
for  the  want  of  such  relation,  to  disregard  other  things  in  the  evidence  persons 
give  to  their  neighbors  of  their  Christianity,  that  are  vastly  more  important  and 
essential. 

Secondly,  That  we  may  rightly  understand  how  Christian  practice  is  the 
greatest  evidence  that  others  can  have  of  the  sincerity  of  a  professing  Christian, 
it  is  needful  that  what  was  said  before,  sliowing  what  Christian  practice  is, 
should  be  borne  in  mind  ;  and  that  it  should  be  considered  how  far  this  may  be 
visible  to  others.  Merely  that  a  professor  of  Christianity  is  what  is  commonly 
called  an  honest  man,  and  a  moral  man  (i.  e.,  we  have  no  special  transgression 
or  iniquity  to  charge  him  with,  that  might  bring  a  blot  on  his  character),  is  no 
great  evidence  of  the  sincerity  of  his  profession.  This  is  not  making  his  light 
shine  before  men.  This  is  not  that  work  and  labor  of  love  showed  towards 
Christ's  name,  which  gave  the  apostle  such  persuasion  of  the  sincerity  of  the 
professing  Hebrews,  Heb.  vi.  9,  10.  It  may  be  so,  that  we  may  see  nothing  in 
a  man,  but  that  he  may  be  a  good  man  ;  there  may  appear  nothing  in  his  life 
and  convei-sation  inconsistent  with  his  being  godly,  and  yet  neither  may  there 
be  any  great  ^Kjsitive  evidence  that  he  is  so.  But  there  may  be  great  positive 
appearance  of  holiness  in  men's  visible  behavior.  Their  life  may  appear  to  be 
a  life  of  the  service  of  God  :  they  may  appear  to  follow  the  example  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  cone  up  in  a  great  measure  to  those  excellent  rules  in  the  5th,  6th, 
and  7th  chapters  of  Matthew,  and  12th  of  Romans,  and  many  other  parts  of  the 
New  Testam(-it:  there  may  be  a  great  a})pearance  of  their  being  universal  in 
their  obedrxe  to  Christ's  commands  and  tlie  rules  of  the  gospel.  They  may 
appear  to  '.'•  universal  in  the  perlbrmance  of  tlie  duties  of  the  first  table,  mani- 
festing t'/,  ♦bar  and  love  of  God  ;  and  also  universal  in  fulfilling  rules  of  love  to 
men,  lo' *■;  to  saints,  and  love  to  enemies:  rules  of  meekness  and  forgivejiess, 
rules  of  ri)3rcy  and  charity,  and  looking  not  only  at  our  own  things  but  also  at 
the  things  of  others ;  rules  of  doing  good  to  men's  souls  and  bodies,  to  particu- 
lar persons  and  to  the  public;  rules  of  temperance  and  mortification,  and  of  a 
humble  conversation ;  rules  of  bridling  the  tongue,  and  improving  it  to  glorify 
God  and  bless  men,  showing  that  in  their  tongues  is  the  law  of  kindness.  They 
may  ajipear  to  walk  as  Christians,  in  all  places,  and  at  all  seasons,  in  the  house 
of  God,  and  in  their  families,  and  among  their  neighbors,  on  Sabbath  days  and 
ever}'  day.  in  business  and  in  conversation,  towards  friends  and  enemies,  towards 
superiors,  mfcriors,  and  equals.  Persons  in  their  visible  walk  may  appear  to 
be  very  earnestly  engaged  in  the  semce  of  God  and  mankind,  much  to  labor 

Vol    III  26 


202  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

and  lay  out  themselves  in  this  work  of  a  Christian,  and  to  be  very  constant  and 
steadfast  in  it,  under  all  circumstances  and  temptations.  There  may  be  great 
manifestations  of  a  spirit  to  deny  themselves,  and  suffer  for  God  and  Christ,  and 
the  interest  of  religion,  and  the  benefit  of  their  brethren.  There  may  be  great 
appearances  in  a  man's  walk,  of  a  disposition  to  forsake  any  thing,  rather  than 
to  forsake  Christ,  and  to  make  every  thing  give  place  to  his  honor.  There 
may  be  great  manifestations  in  a  man's  behavior  of  such  religion  as  this,  being 
his  element,  and  of  his  placing  the  delight  and  happiness  of  his  life  in  it ;  and 
his  conversation  may  be  such,  that  he  may  cairy  with  him  a  sweet  odor  of 
Christian  graces  and  heavenly  dispositions,  wherever  he  goes.  And  when  it  is 
thus  in  the  professors  of  Christianity,  here  is  an  evidence  to  others  of  their  sin- 
cerity- in  their  profession,  to  which  all  other  manifestations  are  not  worthy  to 
be  compared. 

There  is  doubtless  a  great  variety  in  the  degrees  of  evidence  that  professors 
do  exhibit  of  their  sincerity,  in  their  life  and  practice  ;  as  there  is  a  variety  in  the 
fairness  and  clearness  of  accounts  persons  give  of  the  manner  and  method  of 
their  experiences  ;  but  undoubtedly  such  a  manifestation  as  has  been  described, 
of  a  Christian  spirit  in  practice,  is  vastly  beyond  the  fairest  and  brightest  stoiy 
of  particular  steps  and  passages  of  experience  that  ever  was  told.  And  in  gen- 
eral, a  manifestation  of  the  sincerity  of  a  Christian  profession  in  practice,  is  far 
better  than  a  relation  of  experiences.     But  yet, 

Thirdly,  It  must  be  noted,  agreeable  to  what  was  formerly  observed,  that 
no  external  manifestations  and  outward  appearances  whatsoever,  that  are  visible 
to  the  world,  are  infallible  evidences  of  grace.  These  manifestations  that  have 
oeen  mentioned,  are  the  best  that  mankind  can  have  ;  and  they  are  such  as  do 
oblife  Christians  entirely  to  embrace  professors  as  saints,  and  love  them  and 
rejoice  in  them  as  the  children  of  God,  and  are  sufficient  to  give  them  as  great 
satisfaction  concerning  them,  as  ever  is  needful  to  guide  them  in  their  conduct, 
or  for  any  purpose  that  needs  to  be  answered  in  this  world.  But  nothing  that 
appears  to  them  in  their  neighbor,  can  be  sufficient  to  beget  an  absolute  cer- 
tainty concerning  the  state  of  his  soul :  for  they  see  not  his  heart,  nor  can  they 
see  all  his  external  behavior  ;  for  much  of  it  is  in  secret,  and  hid  from  the  eye 
of  the  world ;  and  it  is  impossible  certainly  to  determine  how  far  a  man  may 
go  in  many  external  appearances  and  imitations  of  grace,  from  other  principles. 
Though  undoubtedly,  if  others  could  see  so  much  of  Avhat  belongs  to  men's 
practice,  as  their  own  consciences  may  see  of  it,  it  might  be  an  infallible  evi- 
dence of  their  state,  as  will  appear  from  what  follows. 

Having  thus  considered  Christian  practice  as  the  best  evidence  of  the  sin- 
cerity of  professors  to  others,  I  now  proceed, 

2.  To  observe,  that  the  Scripture  also  speaks  of  Christian  practice  as  a  dis- 
tinguishing and  sure  evidence  of  grace  to  persons'  own  consciences.  This  is 
very  plain  in  1  John  ii.  3  :  "  Hereby  we  do  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep 
his  commandments."  And  the  testimony  of  our  consciences,  with  respect  to  our 
good  deeds,  is  spoken  of  as  that  which  may  give  us  assurance  of  our  own  god- 
liness, 1  John  iii.  18,  19  :  "  My  little  children,  let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither 
in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth.  And  hereby  we  know  that  w-e  are  of  the 
truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him."  And  the  Apostle  Paul,  in  Heb. 
vi.,  speaks  of  the  work  and  labor  of  love,  of  the  Christian  Hebrews,  as  that 
which  both  gave  him  a  persuasion  that  they  had  something  above  the  highest 
common  illuminations,  and  also  as  that  evidence  which  tended  to  give  them  the 
highest  assurance  of  hope  concerning  themselves,  verse  9,  &c.  :  ^'  But,  beloved, 
we  ai-e  persuaded  better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation, 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  203 

thou^^h  we  thus  speak.  For  God  is  not  unrighteous,  to  forget  your  work  and 
labor  of  love,  which  ye  have  showed  toward  his  name,  in  that  ye  have  muiis- 
tered  to  his  saints,  and  do  minister.  And  we  desire  that  every  one  of  you  do 
show  the  same  diligence,  to  the  full  assurance  of  hope  unto  the  end."  So  the 
apostle  directs  the  Galatians  to  examine  their  behavior  or  practice,  that  they 
might  have  rejoicing  in  themselves  in  their  own  hajipy  state.  Gal.  vi.  4  :  "  Let 
every  man  prove  his  own  work,  so  shall  he  have  rejoicing  in  liimself,  and  not 
in  another."  And  the  psalmist  says,  Psal.  cxix.  6,  "  Then  shall  I  not  be  asham- 
ed, when  I  have  respect  unto  all  thy  connnandments;"  i-  e.,then  1  shall  be  bold, 
and  assured,  anil  steadfast  in  my  liope.  And  in  that  of  our  Saviour,  Malt.  vii.  19, 
20 :  "  Everv  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit,  is  hewn  down  and  cast  into 
the  fire.  \Vhercfore  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  Though  Christ  gives 
this,  firstly,  as  a  rule  by  which  we  should  judge  of  others,  yet  in  the  words  that 
next  follow  he  plainly  shows,  that  he  intends  it  also  as  a  rule  by  which  we 
should  judge  ourselves  :  "  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  but  he  that  doelh  the  will  of  my  Father 

which  is  in  heaven.     Many  will  say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  &c. 

And  then  will  1  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you :  depart  from  me,  ye  that 
work  iniquity.     Therefore,  whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth 

them,  1  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  a  rock. 

And  every  one  that  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them  not,  shall  be 
likened  uiito  a  foolish  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  the  sand."  I  shall  have 
occasion  to  mention  other  texts  to  show  the  sanie  thing,  hereafter. 

But  for  the  greater  clearness  in  this  matter,  I  would,  first,  show  how  Chris- 
tian practice,  doing  good  works,  or  keeping  Christ's  comuiandments,  is  to  be 
taken,  when  the  Scripture  represents  it  as  a  sure  sign  to  our  own  consciences, 
that  we  are  real  Christians.  And  secondly,  w^ill  prove,  that  this  is  the  chief  of 
all  evidences  that  men  can  have  of  their  own  sincere  godliness. 

First,  I  would  show  how  Christian  practice,  or  keeping  Christ's  command- 
ments, is  to  be  taken,  when  the  Scripture  represents  it  as  a  sure  evidence  to  our 
own  consciences,  that  we  are  sincere  Christians. 

And  here  I  would  observe,  that  we  cannot  reasonably  suppose,  that  when 
the  Scripture  in  this  case  speaks  of  good  works,  good  fruit,  and  keeping  Christ's 
commamlments,  it  has  respect  merely  to  what  is  external,  or  the  motion  and 
action  of  the  body  without  including  any  thing  else,  having  no  respect  to  any 
aim  or  intention  of  the  agent,  or  any  act  of  his  understanding  or  will.  For  con- 
sider men's  actions  so,  and  they  are  no  more  good  works  or  acts  of  obedience, 
than  the  regular  motions  of  a  clock  ;  nor  are  they  considered  as  the  actions  of 
the  man,  nor  any  human  actions  at  all.  The  actions  of  the  body,  taken  thus, 
are  neither  acts  of  obedience  nor  disobedience,  any  more  than  the  motions  of  the 
body  in  a  convulsion.  But  the  obedience  and  fruit  that  is  spoken  of,  is  the  obe- 
dience and  fruit  of  the  man  ;  and  therefore  not  only  the  acts  of  the  body,  but 
the  obedience  of  the  soul,  consisting  in  the  acts  and  practice  of  the  soul.  Not 
that  I  suppose,  that  when  the  Scripture  speaks,  in  this  case,  of  gracious  works, 
and  fruit  and  practice,  that  in  these  expressions  are  included  all  inward  piety 
and  holiness  of  heart,  both  principle  and  exercise,  both  spirit  and  practice  :  be- 
cause then,  in  these  things  being  given  as  signs  of  a  gracious  principle  in  the 
heart,  the  same  thing  would  be  given  as  a  sign  of  itself,  and  there  would  be  no 
disthiction  between  root  and  fruit.  But  only  the  gracious  exercise,  and  holy 
act  of  the  soul  is  meant,  and  given  as  the  sign  of  the  holy  principle  and  good 
estate.  Neither  is  every  kind  of  inward  exercise  of  grace  meant ;  but  the  prac- 
tical exercise,  that  exercise  of  thft  soul,  and  exertion  of  inward  holiness,  which 


204  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS 

there  is  in  an  obediential  act ;  or  that  exertion  of  the  mind,  and  act  of  grace, 
which  issues  and  terminates  in  what  they  call  the  iraperate  acts  of  the  will ;  in 
which  something  is  directed  and  commanded  by  the  soul  to  be  done,  and  brought 
to  pass  in  practice. 

Here,  for  a  clearer  understanding,  I  would  observe,  that  there  arc  two  kinds 
of  exercises  of  grace.  I.  There  are  those  that  some  call  immanent  acts;  that 
is,  those  exercises  of  grace  that  remain  within  the  soul,  that  begin  and  are  ter- 
minated there,  without  any  immechate  relation  to  anything  to  be  done  outward- 
ly, or  to  be  brought  to  pass  in  practice.  Such  are  the  exercises  of  grace,  which 
the  saints  often  have  in  contemplation ;  when  the  exercise  that  is  in  the  heart, 
does  not  directly  proceed  to,  or  terminate  in  any  thing  beyond  the  thoughts  of 
the  mind  ;  however  they  may  tend  to  practice  (as  as  all  exercises  of  grace  do) 
more  remotely.  2.  There  is  another  kind  of  acts,  of  grace,  that  are  more  strict- 
ly called  practical,  or  effective  exercises,  because  they  immediately  respect 
something  to  be  done.  They  are  the  exertions  of  grace  in  the  commanding 
acts  of  the  will,  directing  the  outward  actions.  As  when  a  saint  gives  a  cup  of 
cold  water  to  a  disciple,  in  and  from  the  exercise  of  the  grace  of  charity ;  or 
voluntarily  endures  persecution  in  the  way  of  his  duty  ;  immediately  from  the 
exercise  of  a  supreme  love  to  Christ.  Here  is  the  exertion  of  grace  producing 
its  effect  in  outward  actions.  These  exercises  of  grace  are  practical  and  pro- 
ductive of  good  works,  not  only  in  this  sense,  that  they  are  of  a  productive  na- 
ture (for  so  are  all  exercises  of  true  grace),  but  they  are  the  producing  acts. 
This  is  properly  the  exercise  of  grace  in  the  act  of  the  will ;  and  this  is  proper- 
ly the  practice  of  the  soul.  And  the  soul  is  the  immediate  actor  of  no  other 
practice  but  this  ;  the  motions  of  the  body  follow  from  the  laws  of  union  be- 
tween the  soul  and  body,  which  God,  and  not  the  soul,  has  fixed  and  does 
maintain.  The  act  of  the  soul  and  the  exercise  of  grace,  that  is  exerted  in  the 
performance  of  a  good  work,  is  the  good  work  itself,  so  far  as  the  soul  is  con- 
cernetl  in  it,  or  so  far  as  it  is  the  soul's  good  work.  The  determinations  of  the 
will  are  indeed  our  very  actions,  so  far  as  they  are  properly  ours,  as  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge observes.*  In  this  practice  of  the  soul  is  included  the  aim  and  intention 
of  the  soul,  which  is  the  agent.  For  not  only  should  we  not  look  on  the  mo- 
tions of  a  statue,  doing  justice  or  distributing  alms  by  clockwork,  as  any  acts  of 
obedience  to  Christ  in  that  statue ;  but  neither  would  any  body  call  the  volun- 
tary actions  of  a  man,  externally  and  materially  agreeable  to  a  command  of 
Christ,  by  the  name  of  obedience  to  Christ,  if  he  had  never  heard  of  Christ,  or 
any  of  his  commands,  or  had  no  thought  of  his  commands  in  what  he  did.  If 
the  acts  of  obedience  and  good  fruit  spoken  of,  be  looked  upon,  not  as  mere 
motions  of  the  body,  but  as  acts  of  the  soul;  the  whole  exercise  of  the  spirit  of 
the  mind  in  the  action  must  be  taken  in,  with  the  end  acted  for,  and  the  res- 
pect the  soul  then  has  to  God,  &c.,  otherwise  they  are  no  acts  of  denial  of  our- 
selves, or  obedience  to  God,  or  service  done  to  him,  but  something  else.  Such 
effective  exercises  of  grace  as  these  that  I  have  now  described,  many  of  the 
Martyrs  have  experienced  in  a  high  degree.  And  all  true  saints  live  a  life  of 
such  acts  of  grace  as  these ;  as  they  all  live  a  life  of  gracious  works,  of  which 
these  operative  exertions  of  grace  are  the  life  and  soul.  And  this  is  the  obe- 
dience and  fruit  that  God  mainly  looks  at,  as  he  looks  at  the  soul,  more  than 
the  body  ;  as  much  as  the  soul,  in  the  constitution  of  the  human  nature,  is  the 
superior  part.  As  God  looks  at  the  obedience  and  practice  of  the  man,  he  looks 
at  the  practice  of  the  soul :  for  the  soul  is  the  man  in  God's  sight,  "  for  the 
Lord  seeth  not  as  man  seeth,  for  he  looketh  on  the  heart." 

*  Scripture  Doctrine  of  Salvation,  Sermon  I.  p.  /i  , 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  206 

And  thus  it  is  that  obedience,  good  works,  good  fruits,  are  to  be  taken,  when 
given  in  Scripture  as  a  sure  evidence  to  our  own  consciences  of  a  true  principle 
of  grace  :  even  as  incKiding  the  obedience  and  practice  of  the  soid,  as  preceding 
and  governing  the  actions  of  tlie  body.  When  practice  is  given  in  Scripture  as 
the  inain  evidence  to  others  of  our  true  Christianity,  then  is  meant  (hat  in  our 
practice  which  is  visible  to  them,  even  our  outward  actions  :  but  when  practice 
is  given  as  a  sure  evidence  of  our  real  Christianity  to  our  own  consciences,  then 
is  meant  th-at  in  our  practice  which  is  visible  to  our  own  consciences ;  which  is 
not  oidy  the  motion  of  our  bodies,  but  the  exertion  of  the  soul,  which  directs 
and  commands  that  motion ;  which  is  more  directly  and  immediately  under  the 
view  of  our  own  consciences,  than  the  act  of  the  body.  And  that  this  is  the 
intent  of  the  Scripture,  not  only  does  the  nature  and  reason  of  the  thing  show, 
but  it  is  plain  by  the  Scripture  itself.  Thus  it  is  evident  that  when  Christ,  at  the 
conclusion  of  his  sermon  on  the  mount,  speaks  of  doing  or  jiraclising  those  sayings 
of  his,  as  the  grand  sign  of  professors  being  true  disciples,  without  Avhicii  he 
likens  them  to  a  man  that  built  his  house  upon  the  sand,  and  with  which,  to  a 
man  that  built  his  house  upon  a  rock  ;  he  has  a  respect,  not  only  to  the  outward 
behavior,  but  to  the  inward  exercise  of  the  mind  in  that  behavior:  as  is  evident 
by  observing  what  those  preceding  sayings  of  his  are  that  he  refers  to,  when  he 
speaks  of  our  doing  or  practising  them  ;  and  we  shall  find  they  are  such  as 
these :  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit ;  blessed  are  they  that  mourn ;  blessed 
are  the  meek  ;  blessed  are  they  that  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness  ; 
blessed  are  the  merciful ;  blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart ;  whosoever  is  angry 
with  his  brother  without  a  cause,  &.c. ;  whosoever  lookelh  on  a  woman  to  lust 
after  her,  &c. ;  love  your  enemies  ;  take  no  thought  for  your  life,"  and  others  of 
the  like  nature,  which  imply  inward  exercises  :  and  when  Christ  says,  John 
xiv.  2,  "  He  that  hath  my  commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  lov- 
eth  me  ;"  he  has  evidently  a  special  respect  to  that  command  several  times  re- 
peated in  the  same  discourse  (which  he  calls,  by  M-ay  of  eminence,  his  command- 
ment), that  they  should  love  one  another  as  he  had  loved  them  (see  chap.  xiii.  34, 
35,  and  chap.  xv.  10,12,  13,  14).  But  this  command  respects  chiefly  an  exercise 
of  the  mind  or  heart,  though  exerted  in  practice.  So  when  the  Apostle  John 
says,  1  John  ii.  3,  "  Hereby  we  do  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his 
commandments  j"  he  has  plainly  a  principal  respect  to  the  same  command,  as 
appears  by  what  tbllows,  ver.  7 — 11,  and  2d  Epist.  ver.  5,  6;  and  when  we 
are  toki  in  Scripture  that  men  shall  at  the  last  day  be  judged  according  to 
their  works,  and  all  shall  receive  according  to  the  things  done  in  the  body,  it 
is  not  to  be  understood  only  of  outward  acts  ;  for  if  so,  why  is  God  so  often 
spoken  of  as  searching  the  hearts  and  trying  the  reins,  "  that  he  may  render  to 
every  one  according  to  his  works  ?"  As  Rev.  ii.  23,  "  And  all  the  churches 
shall  know  that  I  am  he  which  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts  ;  and  I  will  give 
unto  every  one  according  to  his  works."  Jer.  xvii.  9,  10,  "  I  the  Lord  search  the 
heart,  I  try  the  reins,  even  to  give  every  man  according  to  his  ways,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  fruit  of  his  doings."  But  if  by  his  ways,  and  the  Iruit  of  his 
doings,  is  meant  only  the  actions  of  his  body,  what  need  of  searching  the  heart 
and  reins  in  order  to  know  them  ?  Hezekiah  in  his  sickness  pleads  his  prac- 
tice as  an  evidence  of  his  title  to  God's  favor,  as  including  not  only  his  outward 
actions,  but  what  was  in  his  heart :  Isa.  xxxviii.  3,  "  Remember  now,  O  Lord, 
1  beseech  thee,  how  1  have  walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  with  a  perfect 
heart." 

Though  in  this  great  eWdence  of  sincerity  that  the  Scripture  gives  us,  what 
Is  inward  is  of  greatest  importance ;  yet  what  is  outward  is  included  and  in- 


206  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

tended,  as  connected  with  the  practical  exertion  of  grace  in  the  will,  directing 
and  commanding  the  actions  of  the  body.  And  hereby  are  effectually  cut  oft 
all  pretensions  that  any  man  can  have  to  evidences  of  godliness,  who  externally 
lives  wickedly ;  because  the  great  evidence  lies  in  that  inward  exercise  and 
practice  of  the  soul,  which  consists  in  the  acts  of  the  will,  commanding  outM'ard 
acts.  But  it  is  known,  that  these  commanding  acts  of  the  will  are  not  one  way, 
and  the  actions  of  the  bodily  organs  another  :  for  the  unalterable  law  of  nature 
is,  that  they  should  be  united  as  long  as  soul  and  body  are  united,  and  the  organs 
are  not  so  destroyed  as  to  be  incapable  of  those  motions  that  the  soul  commands. 
Thus  it  would  be  ridiculous  for  a  man  to  plead,  that  the  commanding  act  of  his 
will  was  to  go  to  the  public  worship,  while  his  feet  carry  him  to  a  tavern  or 
brothel-house  ;  or  that  the  commanding  act  of  his  will  was  to  give  such  a  piece 
of  money  he  had  in  his  hand  to  a  poor  beggar,  while  his  hand  at  the  same  in- 
stant kept  it  back,  and  held  it  fast. 

Secondly,  1  proceed  to  show,  that  Christian  practice,  taken  in  the  sense 
that  has  been  explained,  is  the  chief  of  all  the  evidences  of  a  saving  sincerity 
in  religion,  to  the  consciences  of  the  professors  of  it ;  much  to  be  preferred 
to  the  method  of  the  first  convictions,  enlightenings,  and  comforts  in  conver- 
sion, or  any  immanent  discoveries  or  exercises  of  grace  whatsoever,  that  begin 
and  end  in  contemplation.*  The  evidence  of  this  appears  by  the  following 
arguments. 

Akgument  I. — Reason  plainly  shows,  that  those  things  which  put  it  to  the 
proof  what  men  will  actually  cleave  to  and  prefer  in  their  practice,  when  left 
to  follow  their  own  choice  and  inclinations,  are  the  proper  trial  what  they 
do  really  prefer  in  their  hearts.  Sincerity  in  religion,  as  has  been  observed  al- 
ready, consists  in  setting  God  highest  in  the  heart,  in  choosing  him  before  other 
things,  in  having  a  heart  to  sell  all  for  Christ,  &c.  But  a  man's  actions  are 
the  proper  trial  what  a  man's  heart  prefers.  As  for  instance,  when  it  is  so  that 
God  and  other  things  come  to  stand  in  competition,  God  is  as  it  were  set  before 
a  man  on  one  hand,  and  his  worldly  interest  or  pleasure  on  the  other  (as  it  often 
is  so  in  the  course  of  a  man's  life)  ;  his  behavior  in  such  case,  in  actually  cleav- 
ing to  the  one  and  forsaking  the  other,  is  the  proper  trial  which  he  prefers.  Sin- 
cerity consists  in  forsaking  all  for  Christ  in  heart ;  but  to  forsake  all  for  Christ 
m  heart,  is  the  very  same  thing  as  to  have  a  heart  to  forsake  all  for  Christ ; 
but  certainly  the  proper  trial  whether  a  man  has  a  heart  to  forsake  all  for  Christ, 
IS  his  being  actually  put  to  it,  the  having  Christ  and  other  things  coming  in  com- 
petition, that  he  must  actually  or  practically  cleave  to  one  and  forsake  the  other. 
To  forsake  all  for  Christ  in  heart,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  have  a  heart  to  forsake 
all  for  Christ  when  called  to  it :  but  the  highest  proof  to  ourselves  and  others, 
that  we  have  a  heart  to  forsake  all  for  Christ  when  called  to  it,  is  actually  do- 
ing it  when  called  to  it,  or  so  far  as  called  to  it.  To  follow  Christ  in  heart  is 
to  have  a  heart  to  follow  him.  To  deny  ourselves  in  heart  for  Christ,  is  the 
same  thing  as  to  have  a  heart  to  deny  ourselves  for  him  in  fact.  The  main 
and  most  proper  proof  of  a  man's  having  a  heart  to  any  thing,  concerning  which 
he  is  at  liberty  to  follow  his  own  inclinations,  and  either  to  do  or  not  to  do  as  he 
pleases,  is  his  doing  of  it.  When  a  man  is  at  liberty  whether  to  speak  or  keep 
silence,  the  most  proper  evidence  of  his  having  a  heart  to  speak,  is  his  speak 
ing.     When  a  man  is  at  liberty  whether  to  walk  or  sit  still,  the  proper  proof 

*  '■■  Look  upon  John,  Christ's  beloved  disciple  and  bosom  companion  !  He  had  received  the  anoin- 
iiife  to  know  him  that  is  true,  and  he  knew  that  he  knew  him,  1  John  ii.  3.  But  how  did  he  knoT.- 
that  ?  He  might  be  deceived;  (as  it  is  strange  to  see  what  a  melancholy  fancy  will  do,  and  the  effects 
of  it ;  as  honest  men  are  reputed  to  have  weak  brains,  and  never  saw  the  depths  of  the  secrets  of  God  ;) 
what  is  his  last  proof?  •'  Because  we  keep  his  commandments."     Shepard's  Parable,  Part.  I.  p.  131. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  207 

of  his  having;  a  heart  to  walk,  is  his  walkiiig.  Godliness  consists  not  in  a  heart 
to  inleiul  to  do  the  will  of  God,  hut  in  a  heart  to  do  it.  The  children  of  Israel 
in  the  wilderness  had  the  former,  of  whom  we  read,  Deut.  v.  27,  28,  29,  "  Go 
thou  near,  and  hear  all  that  the  Lord  our  God  shall  say ;  and  speak  thou  unto 
us  all  that  the  Loid  our  God  shall  speak  unto  thee,  and  we  will  hear  it,  and  do 
it.  And  the  Lord  heard  the  voice  of  vour  words,  when  ye  spake  unto  nie  ;  and 
the  Lord  said  unto  nu-,  I  have  heard  the  voice  of  the  words  of  this  people,  which 
they  have  spoken  unto  thee ;  they  have  well  said  all  that  they  have  spoken.  O 
that  there  were  such  a  lieart  in  them,  that  they  would  fear  ine  and  keep  all  my 
commandments  always,  that  it  iniulit  be  well  with  them,  and  with  their  children 
for  ever !''  The  people  manifested  thai  they  had  a  heart  to  intend  to  keep  God's 
commandments,  and  to  he  very  forward  in  those  intentions  ;  but  God  manifests, 
that  this  was  far  from  bein<r  the  thing  that  he  desireil,  wherein  true  godliness 
consists,  even  a  heart  actually  to  keep  them. 

It  is  therefore  exceedingly  absurd,  and  even  ridiculous,  for  any  to  pretend 
that  they  have  a  good  heart,  whde  they  live  a  wicked  life,  oi  do  not  bring  forth 
the  fruit  of  universal  holiness  in  their  practice.  For  i^  is  proved  in  lact,  that 
such  men  do  not  love  God  above  all.  It  is  fcwlish  to  dispute  against  plain  fact 
and  experience.  Men  that  live  in  ways  of  sin,  and  yet  flatter  themselves  that 
they  shall  go  to  heaven,  or  expect  to  be  received  hereafter  as  holy  persons, 
without  a  holy  practice,  act  as  though  they  expected  to  make  a  fool  of  their 
Judge,  Which  is  implied  in  what  the  apostle  says  (speaking  of  men's  doing 
good  works  and  living  a  holy  life,  thereby  exhibiting  evidence  of  their  title  to 
everlasting  life).  Gal.  vi.  7  :  "  Be  not  deceived  ;  God  is  not  mocked  ;  for  whatso- 
ever a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  As  much  as  to  say,  "  Do  not  de- 
ceive yourselves  with  an  expectation  of  reaping  life  everlasting  hereafter,  if 
you  do  not  sow  to  the  Spirit  here ;  it  is  in  vain  to  think  that  God  will  be  made 
a  fool  of  by  you,  that  he  will  be  shammed  and  baffled  with  shadows  instead  of 
substances,  and  with  vain  pretence,  instead  of  that  good  fruit  which  he  expects, 
when  the  contrar)-  to  what  you  pretend  appears  plainly  in  your  life,  before  his 
face."  In  this  manner  the  word  mock  is  sometimes  used  in  Scripture.  Thus 
Delilah  says  to  Sampson,  "  behold  thou  hast  mocked  me,  and  told  me  lies." 
Judges  xvi.  10,  13 ;  i.  e.,  "  Thou  hast  baffled  me,  as  though  you  would  have  made 
a  fool  of  me,  as  if  I  might  be  easily  turned  off  with  any  vain  pretence,  instead  of 
the  truth."  So  it  is  said  that  Lot,  when  he  told  his  sons  in  law  that  God  would 
destroy  that  place,  "  he  seemed  as  one  that  mocked,  to  his  sons  in  law,"  Gen. 
xix.  14 ;  i.  e.,  he  seemed  as  one  that  would  make  a  game  of  them,  as  though 
they  were  such  credulous  fools  as  to  regaril  such  bugbears.  But  the  great 
Judge,  whose  eyes  are  as  a  flame  of  fire,  will  not  be  mocked  or  bafHed  with  any 
pretences,  without  a  holy  life.  If  in  his  name  men  have  prophesied  and  wrought 
miracles^  and  have  had  faith,  so  that  they  could  remove  mountains,  and  cast  out 
devils,  and  however  high  their  religious  affections  have  been,  however  great 
resemblances  they  have  had  of  grace,  and  though  their  hiding-place  has  been 
so  dark  and  deep,  that  no  human  skill  nor  search  could  find  them  out ;  yet  if 
they  are  workers  or  practisers  of  iniquity,  they  cannot  hide  their  hypocrisy  from 
their  Judge :  Job  xxxiv.  22,  "  There  is  no  darkness,  nor  shadow  of  death, 
where  the  workers  of  iniquity  may  hide  themselves."  Would  a  wise  prince 
suffer  himself  to  be  fooled  and  baffled  by  a  subject,  who  should  pretend  that 
he  was  a  loyal  subject,  and  should  tell  his  prince  that  he  had  an  entire  affection 
to  him,  and  that  at  such  and  such  a  time  he  had  experience  of  it,  and  felt  his  af- 
fections strongly  working  towards  him,  and  should  come  expecting  to  be  accept- 
ed and  rewarded  by  his  prince,  as  one  of  his  best  friends  on  that  account,  though 


208  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

he  lived  In  rebellion  against  him,  following  some  pretender  to  his  crown,  and 
from  time  to  time  stirring  up  sedition  against  him  ?  Or  would  a  master  suffer 
himself  to  be  shammed  and  gulled  by  a  servant,  that  should  pretend  to  great 
experiences  of  love  and  honor  towards  him  in  his  heart,  and  a  great  sense  of  his 
worthiness  and  kindness  to  him,  when  at  the  same  time  he  refused  to  obey  him, 
and  he  could  get  no  service  done  by  him  ? 

Argument  II. — As  reason  shows,  that  those  things  which  occur  in  the  course 
of  life,  that  put  it  to  the  proof  whether  men  will  prefer  God  to  other  things  in 
practice,  are  the  proper  trial  of  the  uprightness  and  sincerity  of  their  hearts; 
so  the  same  are  represented  as  the  proper  trial  of  the  sincerity  of  professors  in 
the  Scripture.  There  we  find  that  such  things  are  called  by  that  very  name, 
trials  or  temptations  (which  I  before  observed  are  both  words  of  the  same  sig- 
nification). The  things  that  put  it  to  the  proof,  whether  men  will  prefer  God  to 
other  things  in  practice,  are  the  difficulties  of  religion,  or  those  things  whicn 
occur,  that  make  the  practice  of  duty  difficult  and  cross  to  other  principles  be- 
side the  love  of  God  ;  because  in  them,  God  and  other  things  are  both  set  before 
men  together,  for  their  actual  and  practical  choice  ;  and  it  comes  to  this,  that 
we  cannot  hold  to  both,  but  one  or  the  other  must  be  forsaken.  And  these 
things  are  all  over  the  Scripture  called  by  the  name  of  trials  or  proofs.*  And 
they  are  called  by  this  name,  because  hereby  professors  are  tried  and  proved  of 
what  sort  they  be,  whether  they  be  really  v/hat  they  profess  and  appear  to  be; 
and  because  in  them,  the  reality  of  a  supreme  love  to  God  is  brought  to  the  test 
of  experiment  and  fact ;  they  are  the  proper  proofs  in  which  it  is  truly  deter- 
mined by  experience,  whether  men  have  a  thorough  disposition  of  heart  to 
cleave  to  God  or  no  :  Deut.  viii.  2,  "  And  thou  shalt  remember  all  the  way 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  led  thee  these  forty  years  in  the  w^ilderness,  to  humble 
thee,  and  to  prove  thee,  whether  thou  wouldest  keep  his  commandments  or  no :'' 
Judges  ii.  21,  22,  "  1  also  will  not  henceforth  drive  out  any  from  before  them, 
of  the  nations  which  Joshua  left  when  he  died ;  that  through  them  I  may  prove 
Israel,  whether  they  will  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord."  So  chap.  iii.  1,  4,  and 
Exod.  xvi.  4. 

The  Scripture,  when  it  calls  these  difficulties  of  religion  by  the  name  of 
temptations  or  trials,  explains  itself  to  mean  thereby  the  trial  or  experiment  ofi 
their  faith  :  James  i.  2,  3,  "  My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall  into 
divers  temptations ;  knowing  this,  that  the  trying  of  your  faith  worketh  patience :" 
1  Pet.  i.  6,  7,  "  Now,  for  a  season  ye  are  in  heaviness,  through  manifold  temp- 
tations ;  that  the  trial  of  your  faith  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold," 
&c.  So  the  Apostle  Paul  speaks  of  that  expensive  duty  of  parting  with  our 
substance  to  the  poor,  as  the  proof  of  the  sincerity  of  the  love  of  Christians :  2 
Cor.  viii.  8.  And  the  difficulties  of  religion  are  often  represented  in  Scripture, 
as  being  the  trial  of  professors,  in  the  same  manner  that  the  furnace  is  the  pro- 
per trial  of  gold  and  silver :  Psal.  Ixvi.  10,  11,  "  Thou,  0  God,  hast  proved  us  : 
thou  has  tried  us  as  silver  is  tried :  thou  broughtest  us  into  the  net,  thou  laidest 
affliction  upon  our  loins."  Zech.  xiii.  9,  "  And  I  will  bring  the  third  part  of 
them  through  the  fire  ;  and  I  will  refine  them  as  silver  is  refined ;  and  I  will  try 
them  as  gold  is  tried."  That  which  has  the  color  and  appearance  of  gold,  is 
put  into  the  furnace  to  try  whether  it  be  what  it  seems  to  be,  real  gold  or  no. 
So  the  difficulties  of  rehgion  are  called  trials,  because  they  try  those  that  have 

•  2  Cor.  viii.  2  ;  Heb.  xi.  36 ;  1  Pet  i.  7  ;  chap.  ir.  12  ;  Gen.  xxii.  1 ;  Deut.  viii.  2, 16 ;  chap.  xiii.  3 ; 
Exod.  XV.  25  ;  chap.  xvi.  4 ;  .Tudges  ii.  22  ;  chap.  iii.  1,4;  Psal.  Ixvi.  10,  11 ;  Dan.  xii.  10  ;  Rev.  iii.  10  ; 
Jobxxiii.  10;  Zech.  xiii.  9  ;  James  i.  12;  Rev.  ii.  10;  Luke  viii.  13 ;  Acts  xx.  19;  James  L  2,  3;  I 
Pet.  i.  6. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  -209 

thf  profession  and  appearance  of  saints,  whether  they  are  what  Ihcy  appear  to 
be,  real  j^aints. 

If  we  jiut  true  gold  Into  the  furnare,  we  shall  find  its  great  value  and  precious- 
ncss  :  so  the  truth  and  inesliinuble  value  of  the  virtues  ot  a  true  Christian  appear 
when  under  these  trials:  1  Pel.  i.  7,  "  That  the  trial  of  your  faith,  bein^^  much 
more  precious  than  of  gold  that  j)i  risLelh,  might  he  found  unto  praise,  and  honor, 
and  glory."  True  and  pure  gold  will  come  out  of  the  furnace  in  full  weight ; 
so  true  saints,  when  trii  tl,  come  forth  as  gold,  Job  xxiii.  10.  Christ  distinguishes 
true  gr.ice  from  counterfeit  by  this,  that  it  is  gold  tried  in  the  fire.  Rev.  iii.  17,  18. 
So  that  it  is  evident,  that  these  things  are  called  trials  in  Scripture,  principally 
as  they  try  or  prove  the  sincerity  of  professors.  "And,  from  what  has  now  been 
observed,  it  is  evident  that  they  are  the  most  proper  trial  or  proof  of  their  sin- 
cerity ;  inasmuch  as  the  very  meaning  of  the  word  trial,  as  it  is  ordinarily  used 
in  Scripture,  is  the  difficulty  occurring  in  the  way  of  a  professor's  duty,  as  the 
trial  or  experiment  of  his  sincerity.  Jf  trial  of  sincerity  be  the  proper  name  of 
these  difficulties  of  religion,  then,  doubtless,  thesedifliculti(sof  religion  are  prop- 
erly and  eminently  the  trial  of  sincerity  ;  for  they  are  doubtless  eminently  what 
they  are  called  by  the  Holy  Ghost :  God  gives  things  their  name  from  that  which 
Is  eminently  their  nature.  And,  if  it  be  so,  that  these  things  are  the  proper  and 
eminent  trial,  proof,  or  experiment  of  the  sincerity  of  professors,  then  certainly 
the  result  of  the  trial  or  experiment  (that  is,  persons'  behavior  or  practice  under 
such  trials)  Is  the  proper  and  eminent  evidence  of  theii-  sincerity  ;  for  they  are 
called  trials  or  proofs,  only  with  regard  to  the  result,  and  because  the  effect  is 
eminently  the  proof  or  evidence.  And  this  is  the  most  proper  proof  and  evidence  to 
the  conscience  of  those  that  are  the  subjects  of  these  trials.  For  when  God  is 
said  by  these  things  to  try  men,  and  prove  them,  to  see  what  is  in  their  hearts, 
and  whether  they  will  keep  his  commandments  or  no;  we  are  not  to  understand, 
that  it  is  for  his  own  information,  or  that  he  may  obtain  evidence  himself  of  their 
sincerity  (for  he  needs  no  trials  tor  his  information)  ;  but  chiefly  for  their  con- 
viction, and  to  exhibit  evidence  to  their  consciences.* 

Thus,  when  God  is  said  to  prove  Israel  by  the  difTiculties  they  met  with  in 
the  wilderness,  and  by  the  difhculties  they  met  with  from  their  enemies  in  Ca- 
naan, to  know  what  was  in  their  hearts,  whether  they  would  keep  his  command- 
ments or  no ;  it  must  be  undei-stood,  that  it  was  to  discover  them  to  themselves, 
that  they  might  know  what  was  in  their  own  hearts.  So  when  God  tempted  or 
tried  Abraham  with  that  difficult  command  of  offering  up  his  son,  it  was  not  for  his 
satisfaction,  whether  he  feared  God  or  no,  but  for  Abraham's  own  greater  satis- 
faction and  comfort,  and  the  more  clear  manifestation  of  the  favor  of  God  to  him. 
When  Abraham  had  proved  faithful  under  this  trial,  God  says  to  him,  "  Now  I 
know  that  thou  fearest  God,  seeing  thou  hast  not  withheld  thy  son,  thine  only  son, 
from  me."  Which  plainly  implies,  that  in  this  practical  exercise  of  Abraham's 
grace  under  this  trial,  was  a  clearer  evidence  of  the  truth  of  his  grace,  than 
ever  was  before ;  and  the  greatest  evidence  to  Abraham's  conscience;  because 
God  himself  gives  it  to  Abraham  as  such,  for  his  comfort  and  rejoicing ;  and 
speaks  of  it  to  hira  as  what  might  be  the  greatest  evidence  to  his  conscience  of 
his  being  upriglit  in  the  sight  of  his  Judge.  Which  proves  what  I  say,  that 
holy  practice,  under  trials,  is  the  highest  evidence  of  the  sincerity  of  professors 
to  their  own  consciences.     And  we  find  that  Christ,  from  time  to  time,  took  the 

•  "  I  am  persuaded,  as  Calvin  is,  that  all  the  several  trials  of  men  arc  to  show  them  to  themselves, 
and  to  the  world,  that  they  he  but  counterfeits  ;  and  to  make  saints  known  to  themselves  the  better,  Rom. 
r.  5.  Tribtilation  works  trial,  and  that  hope,  Frov.  xvii.  3.  If  you  will  know  whether  it  will  hold 
weight,  the  trial  will  tell  you.     Shepard's  Parable,  Part  I.  p.  191. 

27 


210  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

same  method  to  convince  the  consciences  of  those  that  pretended  friendsfiip  to 
him,  and  to  show  them  what  they  were.  This  was  the  method  he  took  with  the 
rich  young  man,  Matt.  xix.  16,  &c.  He  seemed  to  show  a  gi-eat  respect  to  Christ ; 
he  came  kneehng  to  him,  and  called  him  good  Master,  and  made  a  great  pro- 
fession of  obedience  to  the  commandments  ;  but  Christ  tried  him,  by  bidding  him 
go  and  sell  all  that  he  had,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  come  and  take  up  his  cross 
and  follow  him,  telling  him  that  then  he  should  have  treasure  in  heaven.  So  he 
tried  another  that  we  read  of,  Matt.  viii.  20.  He  made  a  great  profession  of 
respect  to  Christ :  says  he,  Lord,  I  will  follow  thee  whithersoever  thou  goest, 
Christ  immediately  puis  his  friendship  to  the  proof,  by  telhng  him,  that  the  foxes 
had  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  had  nests,  but  that  the  Son  of  Man  had  not 
where  to  lay  his  head.  And  thus  Christ  is  wont  still  to  try  professed  disciples  in 
general,  in  his  providence.  So  the  seed  sown,  in  every  kind  of  ground,  stony 
ground,  thorny  ground,  and  good  ground,  which,  in  all  appears  alike,  when  it 
first  springs  up  ;  yet  is  tiied,  and  the  difference  made  to  appear,  by  the  burning 
heat  of  the  sun. 

Seeing  therefore,  that  these  are  the  things  that  God  makes  use  of  to  try  lis, 
it  is  undoubtedly  the  surest  way  for  us  to  pass  a  right  judgment  on  ourselves,  to 
try  ourselves  by  the  same  things.  These  trials  of  his  are  not  for  his  information, 
hut  for  ours  ;  therefore  we  ought  to  receive  our  information  from  thence.  The 
surest  M'ay  to  know  our  gold,  is  to  look  upon  it  and  examine  it  in  God's  furnace, 
where  he  tries  it  for  that  end,  that  we  may  see  what  it  is.  If  we  have  a  mind 
to  know  whether  a  building  stands  strong  or  no,  we  must  look  upon  it  when  the 
wind  blows.  If  we  would  know  whether  that  which  appears  in  the  form  of 
wheat,  has  the  real  substance  of  wheat,  or  be  only  chaff,  Ave  must  observe  it 
when  it  is  winnowed.  If  we  v,'ould  know  whether  a  staff  be  strong,  or  a  rotten 
broken  reed,  we  must  observe  it  when  it  is  leaned  on,  and  weight  is  borne  upon 
it.  If  we  would  weigh  ourselves  justly,  we  must  weigh  ourselves  in  God's  scales 
that  he  makes  use  of  to  weigh  us.*  These  trials,  in  the  course  of  our  practice, 
are  as  it  were  the  balances  in  which  our  hearts  are  weighed,  or  in  which  Christ 
and  the  world,  or  Christ  and  his  competitors,  as  to  the  esteem  and  regerd  they 
have  in  our  hearts  are  weighed,  or  are  put  into  opposite  scales,  by  which  there 
is  opportunity  to  see  which  preponderates.  When  a  man  is  brought  to  the  di- 
viding of  paths,  the  one  of  which  leads  to  Christ,  and  the  other  to  the  object  of 
his  lusts,  to  see  which  way  he  Avill  go,  or  is  brought,  and  as  it  were  set  be- 
tween Christ  and  the  world,  Christ  on  the  right  hand,  and  the  world  on  the  left, 
so  that,  if  he  goes  to  one,  he  must  leave  the  other,  to  see  which  his  heart  in- 
clines most  to,  or  which  preponderates  in  his  heart ;  this  is  just  the  same  thing 
as  laying  Christ  and  the  world  in  two  opposite  scales  ;  and  his  going  to  the  one, 
and  leaving  the  other,  is  just  the  same  thing  as  the  sinking  of  one  scale,  and 
rising  of  the  other.  A  magi's  practice,  therefore,  under  the  trials  of  God's  provi" 
dence,  is  as  much  the  proper  evidence  of  the  superior  inclination  of  his  heart 
as  the  motion  of  the  balance,  with  different  weights,  in  opposite  scales,  is  the 
proper  experiment  of  the  superior  weight. 

Argument  III. — Another  argument,  that  holy  practice,  in  the  sense  Avhich  has 
been  explained,  is  the  highest  kind  of  evidence  of  the  truth  of  grace  to  the  con- 
sciences of  Christians,  is,  that  in  practice,  grace,  in  Scripture  style,  is  said  to  be 
made  perfect,  or  to  be  finished.     So  the"  Apostle  James  says,  James  ii.  22, 

*  Dr.  Sibbs,  in  his  Bruised  Reed,  says,  "  When  Christ's  will  ccmeth  in  competition  with  any  world- 
ly loss  or  gain,  yet,  if  then,  in  that  particular  case,  the  heart  will  stoop  to  Christ,  it  is  a  true  sigTi.  Foi 
the  truest  trial  of  the  power  of  grace,  is  in  such  particular  cases  as  touch  us  the  nearest ;  for  there  our 
corruption  maketh  the  greatest  head.  When  Christ  came  home  to  the  young  man  in  the  gospel,  he  lost 
a  disciple  of  him." 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  211 

*  Seef.t  thou  how  faith  wrought  with  his  works,  and  by  works  was  faith  made 
perfect"  (or  finished,  as  tlie  word  in  the  original  properly  signifies)  ?"  So 
the  love  of  God  is  said  to  Im-  made  pi-rfeet,or  finisiied,  in  ktcping  his  command- 
ments. 1  John  ii.  -1,  5,  "  lie  that  .saitii,  1  know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  com- 
mandments, is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him :  but,  whoso  keepeth  his  word, 
m  him  verily  is  the  love  of  (Jod  perfected."  The  commandment  of  Christ, 
which  the  apostle  has  especially  respect  to,  when  he  here  speaks  of  our  keeping 
his  commandments,  is  (as  I  observed  before)  that  great  commandment  of  his, 
which  respects  deeds  of  love  to  our  brethren,  as  appears  by  the  following  verses. 
Again,  the  love  of  God  is  said  (o  be  perfected  in  the  same  sense,  chapter  iv. 
12:  "If  we  love  one  another,  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and  his  love  is  perfected 
in  us."  Here,  doubtless,  the  apostle  has  still  respect  to  loving  one  another, 
in  the  same  manner  that  he  had  explained  in  the  preceding  chapter,  speak- 
ing of  loving  one  another,  as  a  sign  of  the  love  of  God,  verses  17,  18: 
■'  \Vhosohath  this  world's  goods,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels,  &.C.,  how  dwelleth 
the  love  of  God  in  him  1  My  little  children,  let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither  in 
tongue,  but  in  deed  (or  in  work)  and  in  truth."  By  thus  loving  in  work,  the 
apostle  says,  "  The  love  of  God  is  perfected  in  us."  Grace  is  said  to  be  per- 
fected or' finished  in  holy  practice,  as  therein  it  is  brought  to  its  proper  effect, 
and  to  that  exercise  which  is  the  end  of  the  principle  ;  the  tendency  and  design 
of  grace  herein  is  reached,  and  its  operation  completed  and  crowned.  As  the 
tree  is  made  perfect  in  the  fruit ;  it  is  not  perfected  in  the  seed's  being  planted 
in  the  ground  ;  it  is  not  perfected  in  the  first  quickening  of  the  seed,  and  in  its 
putting  forth  root  and  sprout ;  nor  is  it  perfected  when  it  comes  up  out  of  the 
ground ;  nor  is  it  perfected  in  bringing  forth  kaves ;  nor  yet  in  putting  forth 
blossoms  :  but,  when  it  has  brought  forth  good  ripe  fruit,  when  it  is  perfected, 
therein  it  reaches  its  end,  the  design  of  the  tree  is  finished  :  all  that  belongs  to 
the  tree  is  completed  and  brought  to  its  proper  effect  in  the  fruit.  So  is  grace 
in  its  practical  exercises.  Grace  is  said  to  be  made  perfect  or  finished  in  its  work 
or  fruit,  in  the  same  manner  as  it  is  said  of  sin,  James  i.  15,  "  When  lust  hath 
conceived,  it  bringeth  forth  sin ;  and  sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth  forth  death." 
Here  are  three  steps ;  first,  sin  in  its  principle  or  habit,  in  the  being  of  lust  in  the 
heart ;  and  nextly,  here  is  its  conceiving,  consisting  in  the  immanent  exercises 
of  it  in  the  mind ;  and  lastly,  here  is  the  fruit  that  was  conceived,  actually 
brought  forth  in  the  wicked  work  and  practice.  And  this  the  apostle  calls  the 
finishing  or  perfecting  of  sin :  for  the  word,  in  the  original,  is  the  same  that  is 
translated  perfected  in  those  forementioned  places. 

Now  certainly,  if  it  be  so,  if  grace  be  in  this  manner  made  perfect  in  its 
fruit,  if  these  practical  exercises  of  grace  are  those  exercises  wherein  grace  is 
brought  to  its  proper  effect  and  end,  and  the  exercises  wherein  whatsoever  be- 
longs to  its  design,  tendency  and  operation,  is  completed  and  crowned  ;  then 
these  exercises  must  be  the  highest  evidences  of  grace,  above  all  other  exercises. 
Certainly  the  proper  nature  and  tendency  of  every  principle  must  appear  best 
and  most  fully  in  its  most  perfect  exercises,  or  in  those  exercises  wherein  its 
nature  is  most  completely  exerted,  and  in  its  tendency  most  fully  answered  and 
crowned,  in  its  proper  effect  and  end.  If  we  would  see  the  proper  nature  of 
any  thing  whatsoever,  and  see  it  in  its  full  distinction  from  other  things;  let  us 
look  upon  it  in  the  finishing  of  it.  The  Apostle  James  says,  by  works  is  faith 
made  perfect ;  and  introduces  this  as  an  argument  to  prove,  that  works  are  the 
chief  evidence  of  fiaitli,  whereby  the  sincerity  of  the  professors  of  faith  is  justi-- 
tied,  James  ii.  And  the  Apostle  John,  after  he  had  once  and  again  told  us  that 
love  was  made  perfect  in  keeping  Christ's  commandments,  observes,  1  John  iv. 


212  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

18.  That  perfect  love  casleth  out  fear ;  meaning  (at  least  in  part)  love  made 
perfect  in  this  sense ;  agreeable  to  what  he  had  said  in  the  foregoing  chapter, 
that,  by  loving  in  deed,  or  work,  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall 
assure  our  hearts,  verses  18, 19. 

Argument  IV. — Another  thing  which  makes  it  evident,  that  holy  practice  is 
the  principal  evidence  that  we  ought  to  make  use  of  in  judging  both  of  our  own 
and  others'  sincerity,  is,  that  this  evidence  is  above  all  others  insisted  on 
in  Scriptm-e.  A  common  acquaintance  with  the  Scripture,  together  with 
a  little  attention  and  observation,  will  be  sufficient  to  show  to  any  one 
that  this  is  ten  times  more  insisted  on  as  a  note  of  true  piety,  throughout 
the  Scripture,  from  the  beginning  of  Genesis  to  the  end  of  Revelations,  than 
any  thing  else.  And,  in  the  New  Testament,  where  Christ  and  his  apostles  do 
expressly,  and  of  declared  purpose,  lay  down  signs  of  true  godliness,  this  is 
almost  wholly  insisted  on.  It  may  be  observed,  that  Christ,  and  his  apostles,  do 
not  only  often  say  those  things,  in  their  discoursing  on  the  great  doctrines  of  re- 
ligion, which  do  show  what  the  nature  of  true  godliness  must  be,  or  from  whence 
the  nature  and  signs  of  it  may  be  inferred  by  just  consequence,  and  often  occa- 
sionally mention  many  things  which  do  appertain  to  godliness ;  but  they  do 
also  often,  of  set  purpose,  give  signs  and  marks  for  the  trial  of  professors,  putting 
them  upon  trying  themselves  by  the  signs  they  give,  introducing  what  they  say, 
with  such  like  expressions  as  these  :  "  By  this  you  shall  know,  that  you  know 
God  :  by  this  are  manifest  the  children  of  God,  and  the  children  of  the  devil : 
he  that  hath  this,  buikls  on  a  good  foundation  ;  he  that  hath  it  not,  builds  on 
the  sand  :  hereby  we  shall  assure  our  hearts  :  he  is  the  man  that  loveth  Christ," 
&c.  But  I  can  find  no  place,  where  either  Christ  or  his  apostles  do,  in  this 
manner,  give  signs  of  godliness  (though  the  places  are  many),  but  where  Chris- 
tian practice  is  almost  the  only  thing  insisted  on.  Indeed  in  many  of  these 
places,  love  to  the  brethren  is  spoken  of  as  a  sign  of  godliness  ;  and,  as  I  have 
observed  before,  there  is  no  one  virtuous  affection,  or  disposition,  so  often  ex- 
pressly spoken  of  as  a  sign  of  true  grace,  as  our  having  love  one  to  another: 
but  then  the  Scriptures  explain  themselves  to  intend  chietly  this  love  as  exercised 
and  expressed  in  practice,  or  in  deeds  of  love.  So  does  the  Apostle  John,  who, 
above  all  others,  insists  on  love  to  the  brethren  as  a  sign  of  godliness,  most  ex- 
pressly explain  himself,  in  that  1  John  iii.  14,  &c,  "  We  know  that  we  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren  :  he  that  loveth  not 
his  brother,  abideth  in  death.  Whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his 
brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  d  well- 
eth  the  love  of  God  in  him  ?  My  little  children,  let  us  love,  not  in  v/ord,  neither 
in  tongue,  but  in  deed  (i.  e.,  in  deeds  of  love)  and  in  truth.  And  hereby  we 
know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him."  So  that 
when  the  Scripture  so  much  insists  on  our  loving  one  another,  as  a  great  sign 
of  godliness,  we  are  not  thereby  to  understand  the  immanent  workings  of  affec- 
tion which  men  feel  one  to  another,  so  much  as  the  soul's  practising  all  the  duties 
of  the  second  table  of  the  law  ;  all  which  the  New  Testament  tells  us  again  and 
again,  a  true  love  one  to  another  comprehends,  Rom.  xiii.  8  and  10,  Gal.  v. 
14,  Matt.  xxii.  39,  40.  So  that,  really,  there  is  no  place  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment where  the  declared  design  is  to  give  signs  of  godliness,  but  that  holy  prac- 
tice, and  keeping  Christ's  commandments,  is  the  mark  chosen  out  from  all  others 
to  be  insisted  on.  Which  is  an  invincible  argument,  that  it  is  the  chief  of  all  the 
evidences  of  godliness:  unless  we  suppose  that  when  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
on  design,  set  themselves  about  this  business  of  giving  signs,  by  which  profess- 
bg  Christians,  in  all  ages,  might  determine  their  state;  thev  did  not  know  how 


RF.LIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  213 

to  choose  signs  so  well  as  we  could  have  chosen  lor  them.  But,  if  we  make  the 
word  of  Christ  our  rule,  then  undoubtedly  those  marks  which  Christ  and  his 
apostles  did  chiefly  lay  down,  and  {;ive  to  us,  that  we  might  try  ourselves  by 
the:n,  those  same  marks  we  ought  especially  to  receive,  and  chiefly  to  make  use 
of,  in  the  trial  of  ourselves.*  'And  surely  those  things,  which  Christ  and  his 
apostles  chiefly  insisted  on,  in  the  rules  (hey  gave,  ministers  ought  chiefly  to 
insist  on  in  the  rules  they  give.  To  insist  nuicli  on  those  things  that  the  Scrip- 
ture insists  little  on,  and  to  insist  very  little  on  those  things  on  which  the  Scrip- 
ture insists  much,  is  a  dangerous  thing ;  because  it  is  going  out  of  God's  way, 
and  is  to  judge  ourselves,  and  guide  others,  in  an  unscriptural  manner.  God 
knew  which  way  of  leading  and  guiding  souls  was  safest  and  best  for  them  :  he 
insisteil  so  much  on  some  things,  because  he  knew  it  to  be  needful  that  they 
shouKl  be  insisted  on  ;  and  let  other  things  more  alone  as  a  wise  God,  because 
he  knew  it  was  not  best  for  us,  so  much  to  lay  the  weight  of  the  trial  there. 
As  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  so  the  Scriptures  were  made  for  man ;  and 
they  are,  by  infinite  wisdom,  fitted  for  our  use  and  benefit.  We  shoufd,  there- 
fore, make'them  our  guide  in  all  things,  in  our  thoughts  of  religion,  and  of  our- 
selves. And  lor  us  to  make  that  great  which  the  Scripture  makes  little,  and  that 
little  which  the  Scripture  makes  great,  lends  to  give  us  a  monstrous  idea  of  reli- 
gion; and  (at  least  indirectly  and  gradually)  to  lead  us  wholly  away  from  the  right 
rule,  and  from  a  right  opinion  of  ourselves,  and  to  establish  delusion  and  hypocrisy. 
Argument  V. — Christian  practice  is  plainly  spoken  of  in  the  word  of  God, 
as  the  main  evidence  of  the  truth  of  grace,  not  only  to  others,  but  to  men's  own 
consciences.  It  is  not  only  more  spoken  of  and  insisted  on  than  other  signs, 
but  in  many  places  where  it  is  spoken  of,  it  is  represented  as  the  chief  of  all 
evidences.  This  is  plain  in  the  manner  of  expression  from  time  to  time.  If 
God  were  now  to  speak  from  heaven  to  resolve  our  doubts  concerning  signs  of 
godliness,  and  should  give  rome  particular  sign,  that  by  it  all  might  know 
whether  they  were  sincerely  godly  or  not,  with  such  emphatical  expressions  as 
these,  the  man  that  has  such  a  qualification  or  mark,  "  that  is  the  man  that  is  a 
true  saint,  that  is  the  very  man,  by  this  you  may  know,  this  is  the  thing  by 
which  it  is  manifest  who  are  saints  and  who  are  sinners,  such  men  as  these  are 
saints  indeed ;"  should  not  we  look  upon  it  as  a  thing  beyond  doubt,  that  this 
was  given,  as  a  special,  and  eminently  distinguishing  note  of  true  godliness  ? 
But  this  is  the  very  case  with  respect  to  the  sign  of  grace  I  am  speaking  of; 
God  has  again  and  again  uttered  himself  in  his  word  in  this  very  manner,  con- 
cerning Christian  practice,  as  John  xiv.,  "  he  that  hath  my  commandments,  and 
keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me."  Thus  Christ  in  this  place  gives  to  the 
disciples,  not  so  much  to  guide  them  in  judging  of  others,  as  to  apply  to  them- 
selves for  their  own  comiort  after  his  departure,  as  appears  by  every  word  of 
the  context.  And  by  the  way  I  would  observe,  that  not  only  the  emphasis  with 
which  Christ  utters  himself  is  remarkable,  but  also  his  so  much  insisting  on, 
and  repeating  the  matter,  as  he  does  in  the  context :  verse  15,  "  If  ye  love  me, 
keep  my  commandments."  Verse  23, "  If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  ray  words." 
And  vei-se  24,  "  He  that  loveth  me  not,  keepeth  not  my  sayings."  And  in  the 
next  chapter  over  and  over  :  verse  2,  "  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not 
fruit,  lie  taketh  away ;  and  every  branch  that  beareth  fruit ;  he  purgeth  it."  Verse 
8,  "  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit;  so  shall  ye  be  my 
disciples."     Verse  14,  "  Ye  arc  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you." 

♦  "  h  is  a  sure  ni!«-,says  Dr.  Preston,  that,  what  the  Scriptures  bestow  much  words  or,  we  should 
have  mm'.h  thoughts  on  :  and  what  the  Holy  Ghost  urgelh  most,  we  should  prize  inoit. '  Church'* 
Carriage. 


•214  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

We  have  this  mark  laid  down  with  the  same  emphasis  again,  John  viii.  31 : 
"If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed,"  And  again, 
1-John  ii.  3,  "Hereby  do  we  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  command- 
ments." And  verse  5,  "  Whoso  keepeth  his  word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  ot 
God  perfected ;  hereby  know  we,  that  we  are  in  him."  And  chapter  iii,  18, 
19,  "  Let  us  love  in  deed,  and  in  truth ;  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the 
truth."  What  is  translated  hereby  would  have  been  a  little  more  emphatical, 
if  it  had  been  rendered  more  literally  from  the  original,  by  this  we  do  know. — 
And  how  evidently  is  holy  practice  spoken  of  as  the  grand  notc>  of  distinction  be- 
tween the  children  of  God  and  the  children  of  the  devil,  in  verse  10,  of  the  same 
chapter?  "In  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest j  and  the  children  of  the 
devil."  Speaking  of  a  holy,  and  a  wicked  practice,  as  may  be  seen  in  all  the 
context ;  as  verse  3,  "  Every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him,  purineth  himself, 
even  as  he  is  pure."  Verses  6 — 10,  "  Whosoever  abideth  in  him,  sinneth  not ; 
whosoever  sinneth,  hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him.  Little  children,  let 
no  man 'deceive  you ;  he  that  doeth  righteousness,  is  righteous,  even  as  he  is 
righteous :  he  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil. — Whosoever  is  born  of  God, 
sinneth  not. — Whosoever  doeth  not  righteousness,  is  not  of  God."  So  we  have 
the  like  emphasis,  2  John  6  :  "  This  is  love,  that  we  walk  after  his  command- 
ments ;"  that  is  (as  we  must  understand  it),  this  is  the  proper  evidence  oi 
love.  So  1  John  v.  3,  "  This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  command- 
ments." So  the  Apostle  James,  speaking  of  the  proper  evidences  of  true  and 
pure  religion,  says,  James  i.  27,  "  Pure  religion  and  undefiled  before  God  and 
the  Father,  is  this,  to  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and  to 
keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world."  We  have  the  hke  emphatical  expres- 
sions used  about  the  same  thing  in  the  Old  Testament,  Job  xxviii.  28  :  "  And 
unto  man  he  said.  Behold,  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is  wisdom,  and  to  depart 
from  evil  is  understanding."  Jer.  xxii.  15,  16,  "  Did  not  thy  father  eat  and 
drink,  and  do  judgment  and  justice?  He  judged  the  cause  of  the  poor  and 
needy:  was  not  this  to  know  me?  saith  the  Lord."  Psal.  xxxiv.  11,  &c., 
"  Come,  ye  children,  unto  me,  and  1  will  teach  you  the  fear  of  the  Lord. — ^Keep 
thy  tongue  from  evil,  and  thy  lips  from  speaking  guile ;  depart  from  evil,  and 
do  good  ;  seek  peace  and  pursue  it."  Psal.  xv.,  at  the  beginning,  "  Who  shall 
abide  in  thy  tabernacle  ?  Who  shall  dwell  in  thy  holy  hill  ?  He  that  walketh 
uprightly,"  &c.  Psal.  xxiv.  3,  4,  "  Who  shall  ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord  ? 
And  who  shall  stand  in  his  holy  place  ?  He  that  hath  clean  hands,  and  a  pure 
heart,"  &c.  Psal.  cxix.  1,  "  Blessed  are  the  undefiled  in  the  way,  who  walk 
in  the  law  of  the  Lord."  Verse  6,  "  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed,  when  I 
have  respect  to  all  thy  commandments."  Prov.  viii.  13,  "  The  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  to  hate  evil." 

So  the  Scripture  never  uses  such  emphatical  expressions  concerning  any 
other  signs  of  hypocrisy,  and  unsoundness  of  heart,  as  concerning  an  unholy 
practice.  So  Gal.  vi.  7,  "  Be  not  deceived ;  God  is  not  mocked ;  for 
whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10,  "  Be  not 
deceived  ;  neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  &c.,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God."  Eph.  V.  5,  6,  "  For  this  ye  know,  that  no  whoremonger  nor  unclean 
Derson,  &c.,  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  of  God.  Let 
no  man  deceive  you  with  vain  words."  1  John  iii.  7, 8,  "  Little  children,  let  no 
man  deceive  you  ;  he  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous,  even  as  he  is  right- 
eous ;  he  that  committeth  sin,  is  of  the  devil."  Chap.  ii.  4,  "  He  that  saith,  I 
know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in 
him-"  And  chap.  i.  6,  "  If  we  say  that  we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk 


RELIGIOUS  AFFKCTIONS.  215 

in  (l.-lviK'ss,  we  lie,  and  do  not  (lie  trutli/'  James  i.  26,  "  If  any  man  among 
vou  seem  to  be  religious,  and  bridleth  not  liis  (on'iue,  but  deceiveth  his  own 
lieart.  tliis  man's  religion  is  vain."  Chap.  iii.  14,  1.0,  "  If  ye  have  bitter  en- 
vying and  strife  in  your  hearts,  glory  not,  ami  lie  not  against  the  truth.  This 
Avisdoin  descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual,  devilish."  Psal.  cxxv. 
5,  "  As  for  such  as  turn  aside  unto  their  crooked  ways,  the  Lord  shall  lead 
them  Ibrth  wilh  the  workers  of  iniquity."  Isa.  xxxv.  8,  "  A  high  way  shall  be 
there,  and  it  shall  be  called  the  way  of  holiness;  the  unclean  shall  not  pass 
over  it."  Rev.  xxi.  27,  "  Ami  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it,  whatsoever 
worketh  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie."  And  in  many  places,  "  Depart  from 
me,  I  know  you  not,  ye  that  work  iniquity." 

AiKii'MKNT  VI. — Another  thing  which  makes  it  evident,  that  holy  practice 
is  the  chief  of  all  the  signs  of  the  sincerity  of  professors,  not  only  to  the  world, 
but  to  their  own  consciences,  is,  that  this  is  the  grand  evidence  which  will  here- 
after be  made  use  of,  before  thejudgn)ent  seat  of  G(jd  ;  according  to  which  his 
judgment  will  be  regulated,  anil  the  stale  of  every  professor  of  religion  unalter- 
ably ilctermined.  In  the  future  judgment,  there  will  be  an  open  trial  of  profes- 
sors, and  evidences  will  be  made  use  of  in  the  judgment.  For  God's  future 
judging  of  men,  in  order  to  their  eternal  retribution,  will  not  be  his  trying,  and 
finding  out,  and  passing  a  judgment  upon  the  state  of  men's  hearts,  in  his  own 
mind  ;  but  it  will  be,  a  decrarative  judgment  ;  and  the  end  of  it  will  be, 
not  God's  forming  a  judgment  within  himself,  but  the  manifestation  of 
his  judgment,  and  the  righteousness  of  it,  to  men's  own  consciences,  and 
to  the  world.  And  therefore  the  day  of  judgment  is  called  the  day  of 
the  revelation  of  ihe  righteous  judgment  of  God,  Rom.  ii.  5.  And  the  end 
of  God's  future  trial  and  judgment  of  men,  as  to  the  part  that  each  one 
in  particular  is  to  have  in  the  judgment,  will  be  especially  the  clear  man- 
ifestation of  God's  righteous  judgment,  with  respect  to  him,  to  his  con- 
science;  as  is  manifest  by  JMatt.  xviii.  31,  to  the  end;  chap.  xx.  8 — 15, 
chap.  xxii.  11,  12,  13,  chap,  xxv,  19 — 30,  and  verse  35,  to  the  end,  Luke 
xix.  15 — 23.  And  therefore,  though  God  needs  no  medium  whereby  to  make 
the  truth  evident  to  himself,  yet  evidences  will  be  made  use  of  in  his  future  judg- 
ing of  men.  And  doubtless  the  evidences  that  will  be  made  use  of  in  their 
trial,  will  be  such  as  will  be  best  fitted  to  serve  the  ends  of  the  judg- 
ment; viz.,  the  manifestation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  not  only  to 
the  world,  but  to  men's  own  consciences.  But  the  Scriptures  do  abundantly 
teach  us,  that  the  grand  evidences  which  the  Judge  will  make  use  of  in  the  trial, 
for  these  ends,  according  to  which  the  judgment  of  every  one  shall  be  reg- 
ulated, and  the  irreversible  sentence  passed,  will  be  men's  works,  or  practice, 
here  in  this  world  :  Rev,  xx.  12,  "  And  I  saw^  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand 
before  God  ;  and  the  books  were  opened  ; — and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of 
those  things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works."  So 
verse  13,  "  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it ;  and  death  and  hell 
gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them  ;  and  they  were  judged  every  man  ac- 
cording to  their  works."  2  Cor.  v.  10,  "  For  we  must  all  appear  before  the 
judgment  seat  of  Christ ;  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his 
body,  Avhether  it  be  good  or  bad."  So  men's  practice  is  the  only  evidence  that 
Christ  represents  the  future  judgment  as  regulated  by,  in  that  most  particular 
description  of  the  day  of  judgment,  which  we  have  in  the  Holy  Bible,  Matt. 
xxv.  at  the  latter  end."  See  also  Rom.  ii.  6,  13,  Jer.  xvii.  10,  Job.  xxxiv.  11, 
Prov.  xxiv.  12,  Jer.  xxxii.  19,  Rev.  xxii.  12,  IMalt.  xvi.  27,  Rev.  ii.  23,  Ezek. 
xxxiii.   20,   1   Pet.  i.    17.     The  Judge,   at   the   day  of  judgment,   will   not 


216  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

Cfor  the  conviction  of  men's  own  consciences,  and  to  manifest  them  to  the  world) 
go  about  to  examine  men,  as  to  the  method  of  their  experiences,  or  set  every  man 
to  tell  his  story  of  the  manner  of  his  conversion;  but  his  works  will  be  brought 
forth,  as  evidences  of  what  he  is,  what  he  has  done  in  darkness  and  in  light : 
Eccl.  xii.  14,  "  For  God  will  bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  se- 
cret thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil."  In  the  trial  that  profess- 
ors shall  be  the  subjects  of,  in  the  future  judgment,  God  will  make  use  of  the 
same  evidences,  to  manifest  them  to  themselves  and  to  the  world,  which  he 
makes  use  of  to  manifest  them,  in  the  temptations  or  trials  of  his  providence 
here,  viz.,  their  practice,  in  cases  wherein  Christ  and  other  things  come  into 
actual  and  immediate  competition.  At  the  day  of  judgment,  God,  for  the  mani- 
festation of  his  righteous  judgment,  v/ill  weigh  professors  in  a  balance  that  is 
visible.  And  the  balance  will  be  the  same  that  he  weighs  men  in  now,  which 
has  been  already  described. 

Hence  we  may  undoubtedly  infer,  that  men's  w^orks  (taken  in  the  sense 
that  has  been  explained)  are  the  highest  evidences  by  which  they  ought  to  try 
themselves.  Certianly  that  which  our  supreme  Judge  will  chiefly  make  use  of 
to  judge  us  by,  when  we  come  to  stand  before  him,  w^e  should  chiefly  make  use 
of,  to  judge  ourselves  by.*  If  it  had  not  been  revealed  in  what  manner,  and  by 
what  evidence  the  Judge  would  proceed  with  us  hereafter,  how  natural  would 
it  be  for  one  to  say,  "  0  that  I  knew  what  token  God  will  chiefly  look  for  and 
insist  upon  in  the  last  and  decisive  judgment,  and  which  he  expects  that  all 
should  be  able  to  produce,  who  would  then  be  accepted  of  him,  and  according  to 
which  sentence  shall  be  passed ;  that  I  might  know  what  token  or  evidence  es- 
pecially to  look  at  and  seek  after  now,  as  I  would  be  sure  not  to  fail  then." 
And  seeing  God  has  so  plainly  and  abundantly  revealed  what  this  token  or 
evidence  is,  surely,  if  we  act  wisely,  w-e  shall  regard  it  as  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance. 

Now  from  all  that  has  been  said,  I  think  it  to  be  abundantly  manifest,  that 
Christian  practice  is  the  most  proper  evidence  of  the  gracious  sincerity  of  pro- 
fessors, to  themselves  and  others  ;  and  the  chief  of  all  the  marks  of  grace,  the 
sign  of  signs,  and  evidence  of  evidences,  that  which  seals  and  crowns  all  other 

signs. 1  had  rather  have  the  testimony  of  my  conscience,  that  I  have  such  a 

saying  of  my  Supreme  Judge  on  my  side,  as  that,  John  xiv.  21,  "  He  that  hath 
my  commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me  ;"  than  the  judg- 
ment and  fullest  approbation  of  all  the  wise,  sound,  and  experienced  divines, 
that  have  lived  this  thousand  years,  on  the  most  exact  and  critical  examination 
of  my  experiences,  as  to  the  manner  of  my  conversion.  Not  that  there  are  no 
other  good  evidences  of  a  state  of  grace  but  this.  There  may  be  other  exer- 
cises of  grace  besides  these  efficient  exercises,  which  the  saints  may  have  in  con- 
templation, that  may  be  very  satisfying  to  them,  but  yet  this  is  the  chief  and 
most  proper  evidence.  There  may  be  several  good  evidences  that  a  tree  is  a 
fig-tree ;  but  the  highest  and  most  proper  evidence  of  it  is,  that  it  actually  bears 
figs.  It  is  possible,  that  a  man  may  have  a  good  assurance  of  a  state  of  grace, 
at  his  first  conversion,  before  he  has  had  opportunity  to  gain  assurance,  by  this 
great  evidence  I  am  speaking  of. — If  a  man  hears  that  a  great  treasure  is  offer- 
ed him,  in  a  distant  place,  on  condition  that  he  will  prize  it  so  much,  as  to  be 
willing  to  leave  what  he  possesses  at  home,  and  go  a  journey  for  it,  over  the 
rocks  and  mountains  that  are  in  the  way,  to  the  place  where  it  is  ;  it  is  possible 

*■  "  That  which  God  maketh  a  rule  of  his  own  judsment,  as  that  by  which  be  judgeth  of  pvery  man, 
that  is  a  sure  rule  for  for  every  man  to  judge  himself  by.  Tha^  which  we  shall  be  judged  by  at  the  last 
day,  is  a  sure  rule  to  apply  to  ourselves  for  the  present.  Now  by  our  obedience  and  works  he  judgeth 
as.     "  He  wi.l  give  to  every  man  according  to  his  works."    Dr.  Prenton's  Church's  Carriags. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  217 

(he  mail  may  be  well  assured,  that  lie  values  tlio  treasure  to  the  decree  spoken 
of,  as  soon  as  the  offer  is  made  him  :  he  may  feel  within  him,  a  willingness  to 
go  for  the  treasure,  beyond  all  iloulit ;  but  yet,  this  does  not  hinder  but  that  his 
aetual  iroing  for  it,  is  the  highest  and  most  proper  evidence  of  his  being  willing, 
not  only  to  others,  but  to  himself.  But  then  as  an  evidence  to  himself,  his  out 
ward  actions,  and  the  motions  of  his  l)0(jy  in  his  journey,  are  not  considered 
alone,  exclusive  of  the  action  of  his  mind,  and  a  consciousness  within  himself, 
of  the  thing  that  moves  him,  and  the  end  he  .goes  for;  otherwise  his  bodily 
motion  is  no  evidence  to  him  of  his  jirizing  the  trea.sure.  In  such  a  manner  is 
Christian  practice  the  nn,st  proper  evidence  of  a  saving  value  of  the  pearl  of 
great  price,  and  treasure  hid  in  the  field. 

Christian  practice  Is  the  sign  of  signs,  in  this  sense,  that  it  is  the  great  evi- 
dence, which  confirms  and  crowns  all  other  signs  of  godliness.  There  is  no 
one  grace  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  that  Christian  practice  is  the  most  proper 
evidence  of  the  truth  of  it.  As  it  is  with  the  members  of  our  bodies,  and  all 
our  utensils,  the  proper  proof  of  the  soundness  and  goodness  of  them,  is  in  the 
use  of  them:  so  it  is  with  our  graces  (which  are  given  to  be  used  in  practice, 
as  much  as  our  hands  and  feet,  or  the  tools  with  which  we  work,  or  the  arras 
with  which  we  fight),  the  proper  trial  and  proof  of  them  is  in  their  exercise  in 
practice.  Most  of  the  things  we  use  are  serviceable  to  us,  and  so  have  their 
serviceablencss  proved,  in  some  pressure,  straining,  agitation,  or  collision.  So 
it  is  with  a  bow,  a  sword,  an  axe,  a  saw,  a  cord,  a  chain,  a  staff',  a  foot,  a 
tooth,  &c.  And  they  that  are  so  weak,  as  not  to  bear  the  strain  or  pressure 
we  need  to  put  them  to,  are  good  for  nothing.  So  it  is  with  all  the  virtues  of 
the  mind.  The  proper  trial  and  proof  of  them,  is  in  being  exercised  under  those 
temptations  and  trials  that  God  brings  us  under,  in  the  course  of  his  providence, 
and  in  being  put  to  such  service  as  strains  hard  upon  the  principles  of  nature. 

Practice  is  the  proper  proof  of  the  true  and  saving  knowledge  of  God  ;  as 
appears  by  that  of  the  apostle  already  mentioned,"  hereby  do  Ave  know  that  we 
know  him,  that  we  keep  his  commandments."  It  is  in  vain  for  us  to  profess  that 
■we  know  God,  if  in  works  we  deny  him,  Tit.  i.  16.  And  if  we  know  God, 
but  glorify  him  not  as  God ;  our  knowledge  will  only  condemn  us,  and  not 
save  us,  Rom.  i.  21.  The  great  note  of  that  knowledge  which  saves  and  makes 
happy,  is,  that  it  is  practical:  John  xiii.  17,  "  If  ye  know  these  things,  happy 
are  ye  if  ye  do  them."    Job  xxviii.  28,  "To  depart  from  evil  is  understandino-." 

Holy  practice  is  the  proper  evidence  of  repentance.  When  the  Jews  pro- 
fessed repentance,  when  they  came  confessing  their  sin.s,  to  John,  preaching  the 
baptism  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins;  he  directed  them  to  the  right 
way  of  getting  and  exhibiting  proper  evidences  of  the  truth  of  their  repentance, 
when  lie  said  to  them,  "Bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance,"  Matt.  iii.  8. 
Which  was  agreeable  to  the  practice  of  the  Apostle  Paul ;  see  Acts  xxvi.  20. 
Pardon  and  mercy  are  from  time  to  time  promised  to  him  who  has  this  evidence 
of  true  repentance,  that  he  forsakes  his  sin,  Prov.  xxviii.  13,  and  Isa.  Iv.  7,  and 
many  other  places. 

Holy  practice  is  the  proper  evidence  of  a  saving  faith.  It  is  evident  that 
the  Apostle  James  speaks  of  works,  as  what  do  eminently  justify  faith,  or 
(which  is  the  same  thing)  justify  the  professors  of  faith,  and  vindicate  and  man- 
ifest the  sincerity  of  their  profession,  not  only  to  the  world,  but  to  their  own 
consciences  ;  as  is  evident  by  the  instance  he  gives  of  Abraham,  James  ii,  21 — 
24.  And  in  verses  20  and  26,  he  speaks  of  the  practical  and  working  nature 
of  faith,  as  the  very  life  and  .soul  of  it ;  in  the  same'manner  that  the  active  nature 
and  substance,  which  is  in  the  body  of  a  man,  is  the  life  and  soul  of  that.     And 

Vol.  III.  28 


218  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

if  SO,  doubtless  practice  is  the  proper  evidence  of  the  Hfe  and  soul  of  true  faith, 
by  which  it  is  distinguished  from  a  dead  faith.  For  doubtless,  practice  is  the 
most  proper  evidence  of  a  practical  nature,  and  operation  the  most  proper  evi 
dence  of  an  operative  nature. 

Practice  is  the  best  evidence  of  a  saving  belief  of  the  truth.  That  is  spoken 
of  as  the  proper  evidence  of  the  truth's  being  in  a  professing  Christian,  that  he 
walks  in  the  truth,  3  John  3  :  "  I  rejoiced  greatly  when  the  brethren  came  and 
testified  of  the  truth  that  is  in  thee,  even  as  thou  walkest  in  the  truth." 

Practice  is  the  most  proper  evidence  of  a  true  coming  to  Christ,  and  accept- 
ing of,  and  closing  with  him.  A  true  and  saving  coming  to  Christ,  is  (as 
Christ  often  teaches)  a  coming  so  as  to  forsake  all  for  him.  And,  as  was  ob- 
served before,  to  forsake  all  for  Christ  in  heart,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  have  a 
heart  actually  to  forsake  all ;  but  the  proper  evidence  of  having  a  heart  actually 
to  forsake  all,  is,  indeed,  actually  to  forsake  all  so  far  as  called  to  it.  If  a 
prince  make  suit  to  a  woman  in  a  far  country,  that  she  would  forsake  her  own 
people,  and  father's  house,  and  come  to  him  to  be  his  bride ;  the  proper  evi 
dence  of  the  compliance  of  her  heart  with  the  king's  suit,  is  her  actually  forsak- 
ing her  own  people  and  father's  house,  and  coming  to  him. — By  this  her  com- 
pliance with  the  king's  suit  is  made  perfect,  in  the  same  sense  that  the  Apostle 
James  says,  By  w^orks  is  faith  made  perfect.*  Christ  promises  us  eternal  life, 
on  condition  of  our  coming  to  him  :  but  it  is  such  a  coming  as  he  directed  the 
young  man  to,  who  came  to  inquire  what  he  should  do  that  he  might  have  eter- 
nal life  ;  Christ  bade  him  go  and  sell  all  that  he  had,  and  come  to  him,  and  fol- 
low him.  If  he  had  consented  in  his  heart  to  the  proposal,  and  had  therein 
come  to  Christ  in  his  heart,  the  proper  evidence  of  it  would  have  been  his  doing 
of  it ;  and  therein  his  coming  to  Christ  would  have  been  made  perfect.  When 
Christ  called  Levi  the  publican,  when  sitting  at  the  receipt  of  custom,  and  in 
the  midst  of  his  worldly  gains ;  the  closing  of  Levi's  heart  with  this  invitation 
of  his  Saviour  to  come  to  him,  was  manifested,  and  made  perfect  by  his  actually 
rising  up,  leaving  all,  and  following  him,  Luke  v.  27,  28.  Christ,  and  other 
things,  are  set  before  us  together,  for  us  particularly  to  cleave  to  one,  and  for- 
sake the  other ;  in  such  a  case,  a  practical  cleaving  to  Christ  is  a  practical  ac- 
ceptance of  Christ ;  as  much  as  a  beggar's  reaching  out  his  hand  and  taking  a 
gift  that  is  offered,  is  his  practical  acceptance  of  the  gift.  Yea,  that  act  of  the 
soul  that  is  in  cleaving  to  Christ  in  practice  is  itself  the  most  perfect  coming  of 
the  soul  to  Christ. 

Practice  is  the  mosi  proper  evidence  of  trusting  in  Christ  for  salvation.  The 
proper  signification  of  the  word  trust,  according  to  the  more  ordinary  use  of  it, 
both  in  common  speech  and  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  is  the  emboldening  and  en- 
couragement of  a  person's  mind,  to  run  some  venture  in  practice,  or  in  something 
that  he  does  on  the  credit  of  another's  sufficiency  and  faithfulness.  And,  there- 
fore, the  proper  evidence  of  his  trusting,  is  the  venture  he  runs  in  what  he  does. 
He  is  not  properly  said  to  run  any  venture,  in  a  dependence  on  any  thing,  that 
does  nothing  on  that  dependence,  or  whose  practice  is  no  otherwise  than  if  he 
had  no  dependence.  For  a  man  to  run  a  venture  on  a  dependence  on  another, 
is  for  him  to  do  something  from  that  dependence  by  which  he  seems  to  expose 

♦  "  Our  veal  taking  of  Christ  appears  in  onr  actions  and  works  :  Isa.  i.  19,  '  If  ye  consent  ar.J  obey, 
ye  shall  eat  the  good  tilings  of  the  land.'  That  is,  if  ye  will  consent  to  take  JEHOVAH  for  your  Lord 
and  King  ;  If  ye  give  consent,  there  is  ths  first  thins; ;  but  that  is  not  enough,  but  if  ye  also  oiiey.  The 
consent  that  standeth  in  the  inward  act  oftthe  mind,  the  truth  of  it  will  be  seen  in  your  obedience,  in  the 
acts  of  your  lives.  '  If  ye  consent  and  obey,  ye  shall  eat  the  good  things  of  the  land  ;'  that  is,  you  shaU 
take  of  all  tliat  he  hath  that  is  convenient  for  you  ;  for  then  you  are  married  to  him  in  truth,  and  have 
an  interest  ui  all  his  goods."     Dr.  Preston's  Church's  Carriage. 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  219 

himself,  and  which  he  would  not  do,  were  it  not  lor  tli;it  (k-pondence.  And, 
(hereforc,  it  is  in  complying  with  the  difficulties,  and  seeming  dangers  of  Ciiris- 
tian  practice,  in  a  dt'pendence  on  Christ's  sulfi(.-iency  and  iaithfulness  to  bestow 
eternal  life,  that  persons  are  said  lo  venture  themselves  upon  Christ,  and  trust 
in  him  for  happiness  and  life.  They  depend  on  such  promises  as  that.  Matt. 
X.  39,  "  He  that  loseth  his  life  lor  my  sake,  shall  find  it."  And  so  they  ])art 
with  all,  and  venture  their  all,  in  a  dependence  on  Ciirist's  sufliciency  and  truth. 
And  this  is  the  Scripture  notion  of  trusting  in  Christ,  in  the  exercise  of  a  saving 
faith  in  him.  Thus  Abraham,  the  father  of  believers,  trusted  in  Christ,  and  by 
faith  forsook  his  own  country,  in  a  reliance  on  the  covenant  of  grace  Codestab- 
lisheil  with  him,  Heb.  xi.  8,  9.  Thus  also,  "  Moses,  by  faitli  refused  to  be 
called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter,  choosing  rather  to  suHer  afiliction  witli 
the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season,"  Heb.  xi.  23, 
&c.  So  by  faitJi,  others  exposed  themselves  to  be  stoned  and  sawn  asunder,  or 
slain  with  the  sword  ;  "  endureil  the  trial  of  cruel  mockings  and  scourgings, 
bonds  and  imprisonments,  and  wandered  about  in  sheep  skins,  and  goat  skins, 
being  destitute,  alTlicted,  tormented."  And  in  this  sense  the  Apostle  Paul,  by 
faith  trusted  in  Christ,  and  committed  himself  to  him,  venturing  himself,  and 
his  whole  interest,  in  a' dependence  on  the  ability  and  faithfulness  of  his  Redeem- 
er, under  great  persecutions,  and  in  suffering  the  loss  of  all  things :  2  Tim.  i. 
12, "  For  the  which  cause  I  also  suffer  these  things ;  nevertheless  I  am  not  asham- 
ed, for  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  I  am  persuaded,  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day." 

If  a  man  should  have  word  brought  him  from  the  king  of  a  distant  island, 
that  he  intended  to  make  him  his  heir,  if,  upon  receiving  the  tidings,  he  imme- 
diately leaves  his  native  land  and  friends,  and  all  that  he  has  in  the  world,  to 
go  to  that  country,  in  a  dependence  on  what  he  hears,  then  he  may  be  said  to 
venture  himself,  and  all  that  he  has  in  the  world  upon  it.  But,  if  he  only  sits 
still,  and  hopes  for  the  promised  benefit,  inwardly  pleasing  himself  with  the 
thoughts  of  it ;  he  cannot  properly  be  said  to  venture  himself  upon  it ;  he  runs 
no  venture  in  the  case  ;  he  does  nothing,  otherwise  than  he  would  do,  if  he  had 
received  no  such  tidings,  by  which  he  would  be  exposed  to  any  suffering  in  case 
all  should  fail.  So  he  that,  on  the  credit  of  what  he  hears  of  a  future  world, 
and,  in  a  dependence  on  the  report  of  the  gospel,  concerning  life  and  immorta- 
lity, forsakes  all,  or  does  so  at  least,  so  far  as  there  is  occasion,  making  every 
thing  entirely  give  place  to  his  eternal  interest ;  he,  and  he  only,  may  properly 
be  said  to  venture  himself  on  the  report  of  the  gospel.  And  this  is  the  proper 
evidence  of  a  true  trust  in  Christ  for  salvation. 

Practice  is  the  proper  evidence  of  a  gracious  love,  both  to  God  and  men. 
The  texts  that  plainly  teach  this,  have  been  so  often  mentioned  already,  that  it 
is  needless  to  repeat  them. 

Practice  is  the  proper  evidence  of  humility.  That  expression,  and  manifes- 
tation of  humility  of  heart,  which  God  speaks  of,  as  the  great  expression  of  it, 
that  he  insis*^s  on  ;  that  we  should  look  upon  as  the  proper  expression  and  man- 
ifestation of  it :  but  this  is  walking  humbly.  Micah  vi.  8,  "  He  hath  showed 
thee,  0  man,  what  is  good ;  and  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee,  but  to  do 
justly,  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God?" 

This  is  also  the  proper  evidence  of  the  true  fear  of  God  :  Prov.  viii.  13,"  The 
fear  of  the  Lord  is  to  hate  evil."  Psal.  xxxiv.  11,  &c.,  "  Come,  ye  children, 
nearken  unto  me,  and  I  will  teach  you  the  fear  of  the  I^ord.  Keep  thy  tongue 
from  evil,  and  thy  lips  from  speaking  guile  :  depart  from  evil,  and  do  good ; 
seek  peace  and  pursue    it."     Prov.  iii.  7,  "  Fear  the  Lord,  and  depart  from 


220  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

evil."  Prov.  xvi.  6,  "  By  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  men  depart  from  evil,"  Job 
1. 8,  "  Hast  thou  considered  my  servant  Job — a  perfect  and  an  upright  man,  one 
that  feareth  God,  and  escheweth  evil  V  Chap.  ii.  3,  "  Hast  thou  considered 
my  servant  Job — a  perfect  and  an  upright  man,  one  that  feareth  God,  and  es- 
cheweth evil  ■?  And  still  he  holdeth  fast  his  integrity,  although  thou  movedst 
rae  ao-ainst  him."  Psal.  xxxvi.  1,  "  The  transgression  of  the  wicked  saith  within 
my  heart,  There  is  no  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes." 

So  practice,  in  rendering  again  according  to  benefits  received,  is  the  proper 
Evidence  of  true  thankfulness.  Psal.  cxvi.  12,  "  What  shall  I  render  to  the 
Lord  for  all  his  benefits  towards  me  1"  SChron.xxxii.  25,  "  But  Hezekiah  ren- 
dered not  again  according  to  the  benefit  done  unto  him."  Paying  our  vows 
unto  God,  and  ordering  our  conversation  aright,  seem  to  be  spoken  of  as  the 
proper  expression  and  evidence  of  true  thankfulness,  in  the  50th  Psalm,  ver.  14  : 
"  Orfer  unto  God  thanksgiving,  and  pay  thy  vows  unto  the  Most  High."  Verse 
22,  "  Whoso  ofiereth  praise,  glorifieth  me  :  and  to  him  that  ordereth  his  con- 
versation aright,  will  1  show  the  salvation  of  God." 

So  the  proper  evidence  of  gracious  desires  and  longings,  and  that  which 
distinguishes  them  from  those  that  are  false  and  vain,  is,  that  they  are  not  idle 
wishes  and  wouldings  like  Balaam's  ;  but  effectual  in  practice,  to  stir  up  persons 
earnestly  and  thoroughly  to  seek  the  things  they  long  for.  Psalm  xxvii.  4, 
"  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  1  seek  after."  Psal.  Ixiii.  1, 
2,  "  0  God,  thou  art  my  God,  early  will  I  seek  thee  :  my  soul  thirsteth  for  thee, 
my  flesh  longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is,  to  see 
thy  power  and  tliy  glory."  Verse  8,  "  My  soul  followeth  hard  after  thee." 
Cant.  1.  4,  "  Draw  me,  we  will  run  after  thee." 

Practice  is  the  proper  evidence  of  a  gracious  hope  :  1  John  iii.  3,  "  Every 
man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him,  purifieth  himself  even  as  he  is  pure."  Patient 
continuance  in  well-doing,  through  the  difficulties  and  trials  of  the  Christian 
course,  is  often  mentioned  as  the  properex()ression  and  fruit  of  a  Christian  hope. 
1  Thess.  i.  3,  *'  Remembering  without  ceasing  your  work  of  faith,  and  labor  of 
love,  and  patience  of  hope."  1  Pet.  i.  13,  14,  "  Wherefore,  gird  up  the  loin? 
of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end,  for  the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought 
unto  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  obedient  children,"  &c.  Psal.  cxix. 
166,  "  Lord,  I  have  hoped  in  thy  salvation,  and  done  thy  commandments." 
Psal.  Ixxviii.  7,  "  That  they  might  set  their  hope  in  God,  and  not  forget  the 
works  of  the  Lord,  but  keep  his  commandments." 

A  cheerful  practice  of  our  duty,  and  doing  the  will  of  God,  is  the  proper 
evidence  of  a  truly  holy  joy.  Isa.  Ixiv.  5,  "  Thou  meetest  him  that  lejoiceth, 
and  worketh  righteousness."  Psal.  cxix.  Ill,  112,  "  Thy  testimonies  have  I 
taken  for  my  heritage  for  ever  j  for  they  are  the  rejoicing  of  my  heart.  I  have 
inclined  mine  heart  to  perform  thy  statutes  alway,  even  to  the  end."  Verse  14, 
"  I  have  rejoiced  in  the  way  of  thy  testimonies  as  much  as  in  all  riches." 

1  Cor.  xiil.  6,  "  Charity  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth." 

2  Cor.  viii.  2,  "  The  abundance  of  their  joy  abounded  unto  the  riches  of  their 
liberahty." 

Practice  also  is  the  proper  evidence  of  Christian  fortitude.  The  trial  of  a 
good  soldier  is  not  in  his  chimney  corner,  but  in  the  field  of  battle,  1  Cor.  ix. 
25,  26,  2  Tim.  ii.  3,  4,  5. 

And,  as  the  fruit  of  holy  practice  is  the  chief  evidence  of  the  truth  of  grace, 
so  the  degree  in  which  experiences  have  influence  on  a  person's  practice,  is  the 
surest  evidence  of  the  degree  of  that  which  is  spiritual  and  divine  in  his  experi- 
ences.    Whatever  pretences  persons  may  make  to  great  discoveries,  great  love 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  iJ21 

anil  joys,  they  are  no  furllior  to  W-  ro^^ardeci  th;in  they  have  influence  on  Iheir 
practice.  Not  but  that  allowances  must  be  made  tor  the  natural  temper.  But 
that  dovs  not  hinder,  but  that  the  ileirree  of  grace  is  justly  measured,  by  the  de- 
gree otthe  etl'ect  in  practice.  For  tiie  ellect  of  grace  is  as  great,  and  the  alter- 
ation as  remarkable,  in  a  very  ill  natural  temper,  as  another.  Although  a  per- 
son of  such  a  temper  will  not  behave  himselt  so  well,  with  the  same  degree  of 
grace  as  another,  the  diversity  from  what  was  before  conversion,  may  be  as 
great ;  because  a  person  of  a  good  natural  temper  did  not  behave  himself  so  ill 
before  conversion. 

Thus  I  have  endeavored  to  represent  the  evidence  there  is,  that  Christian 
practice  is  the  chief  of  all  the  signs  of  saving  grace.  And,  before  I  con- 
clude this  discourse,  I  would  say  something  briefly  in  answer  to  two  objections 
that  may  possibly  be  made  by  some  against  what  has  been  said  upon  this  liead. 

OiuKcnoN  I. — Some  may  be  ready  to  say,  this  seems  to  be  contrary  lo  that 
opinion, so  much  received  among  good  people;  that  professors  should  judge  of 
their  state,  chieily  by  their  inward  experience,  and  that  spiritual  experiences 
are  the  main  evidences  of  true  grace. 

I  answer,  it  is  doubtless  a  true  opinion,  and  justly  much  received  among 
good  people,  that  professors  should  chiefly  judge  of  their  state  by  their  ex 
perieiRC.  But  it  is  a  great  mistake,  that  what  h;is  been  said  is  at  all  contrary 
to  that  opinion.  The  chief  sign  of  grace  to  the  consciences  of  Christians, 
being  Christian  practice,  in  the  sense  that  has  been  ex|)lained,  and  according 
to  what  has  been  shown  to  be  the  true  notion  of  Christian  practice,  is  not 
at  all  inconsistent  M'ith  Christian  experience,  being  the  chief  evidence  of 
grace.  Christian  or  holy  practice  is  spiritual  practice ;  and  that  is  not  the 
motion  of  a  body  that  knows  not  how,  nor  when,  nor  wherefore  it  moves: 
but  spiritual  practice  in  man  is  the  practice  of  a  spirit  and  body  jointly, 
or  the  practice  of  a  spirit  animating,  commaniling,  and  actuating  a  body  to 
which  it  is  united,  and  over  which  it  has  power  given  it  by  the  Creator.  And, 
therefore,  the  main  thing,  in  this  holy  practice,  is  the  holy  action  of  the  mind, 
directing  and  governing  the  motions  of  the  body.  And  the  motions  of  the  body 
are  to  be  looked  upon  as  belonging  to  Christian  practice,  only  secondarily,  and 
as  they  are  dependent  and  consequent  on  the  acts  of  the  soul.  The  exercises 
of  grace  that  Christians  fintl,  or  are  conscious  to  within  themselves,  are  what 
they  experience  within  themselves ;  and  herein  therefore  lies  Christian  experi- 
ence :  and  this  Christian  experience  consists  as  much  in  those  operative  exer- 
cises of  grace  in  the  will,  that  are  immediately  concerned  in  the  management 
of  the  behavior  of  the  body,  as  in  other  exercises.  These  inward  exercises  arc 
not  the  less  a  part  of  Christian  experience,  because  they  have  outward  behavior 
iinmeiliaiely  connected  with  them.  A  strong  act  of  love  to  God,  is  not  the  less 
a  part  of  spiritual  experience,  because  it  is  the  act  that  immediately  produces 
and  effects  some  self-denying  and  expensive  outward  action,  which  is  much  to 
the  honor  and  glory  of  God. 

To  speak  of  Christian  experience  and  practice,  as  if  they  were  two  things, 
properly  and  entirely  distinct,  is  to  make  a  distinction  without  consideration  or 
reason.  Indeed,  all  Christian  experience  is  not  properly  called  practice,  but  all 
Christian  practice  is  properly  experience.  And  the  distinction  that  is  made  be- 
tween them,  is  not  only  an  unreasonable,  but  an  unscriptural  distinction.  Holy 
practice  is  one  kind  or  part  of  Christian  experience ;  and  both  reason  and  Scrip- 
ture represent  it  as  the  chief,  and  most  important  and  most  distinguishing  part 
of  it.  So  it  is  represented  in  Jer.  xxii.  15,  16  :  "  Did  not  thy  father  eat  and 
dxink,  and  do  justice  and  judgment  1     He  judged  the  cause  of  the  poor  and 


222  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

needy — Was  not  this  to  know  me,  saith  the  Lord  V  Our  inward  acquaintance 
with  God  surely  belongs  to  the  head  of  experimental  religion :  but  this,  God 
represents  as  consisting  chiefly  in  that  experience  which  there  is  in  holy  prac- 
tice. So  the  exercises  of  those  graces  of  the  love  of  God,  and  the  fear  of  God, 
are  a  part  of  experimental  religion  :  but  these  the  Scripture  represents  as  con- 
sisting chiefly  in  practice,  in  those  forementioned  texts :  1  John  v.  3,  "  This  is 
the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments."  2  John  6,  "  This  is  love, 
that  we  walk  after  his  commandments."  Psal.  xxxiv.  11,  &c.,  "  Come,  ye 
children,  and  I  will  teach  you  the  fear  of  the  Lord :  depart  from  evil,  and  do 
good."  Such  experiences  as  these  Hezekiah  took  comfort  in,  chiefly  on  his 
sick  bed,  when  he  said,  "  Remember,  0  Lord,  I  beseech  thee,  how  I  have 
walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart."  And  such  experiences 
as  these,  the  Psalmist  chiefly  insists  upon,  in  the  119th  Psalm,  and  elsewhere. 

Such  experiences  as  these  the  Apostle  Paul  mainly  insists  upon,  when  he 
speaks  of  his  experiences  in  his  epistles ;  as,  Rom.  i.  9,  "  God  is  my  witness, 
whom  I  serve  with  my  spirit  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son."  2  Cor.  i.  12,  "For 
our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience,  that — by  the  grace  of  God, 
we  have  had  our  conversation  in  the  world."  Chap.  iv.  13,  "  We,  having  the 
same  spirit  of  faith,  according  as  it  is  written,  I  have  believed,  and  therefore 
have  I  spoken  ;  we  also  believe,  and  therefore  speak."  Chap.  v.  7,  "  We  walk 
by  faith,  not  by  sight."  Ver.  14,  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us."  Chap. 
vi.  4 — 7,  "  In  all  things  approving  ourselves  as  the  ministers  of  God,  in  much 
patience,  in  afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  distresses,  in  labors,  in  watchings,  in 
fastings.  By  pureness,  by  knowledge,  by  kindness,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  love 
unfeigned  ;  by  the  power  of  God."  Gal.  ii.  20,  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ : 
nevertheless  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me :  and  the  life,  which  I 
now  live  in  the  flesh,  1  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  Phil.  iii.  7,  8, 
"  But  what  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ.  Yea,  doubt- 
less, and  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  and  do  count  them  but  dung  that  I  may  win  Christ." 
Col.  i.  29,  "  Whereunto  I  also  labor,  striving  according  to  his  working,  which 
worketh  in  me  mightily."  1  Thess.  ii.  2,  "  We  were  bold  in  our  God,  to  speak 
unto  you  the  gospel  of  God  with  much  contention."  Ver.  8,  9,  10,  "  Being 
alTectionately  desirous  of  you,  we  were  willing  to  have  imparted  unto  you,  not 
the  gospel  of  God  only,  but  also  our  ow^n  souls,  because  ye  were  dear  unto  us. 
For  ye  remember,  brethren,  our  labor  and  travel,  laboring  night  and  day.  Ye 
are  witnesses,  and  God  also,  how  holily,  and  justly,  and  unblamably,  we  be- 
haved ourselves  among  you."  And  such  experiences  as  these  they  were,  that 
this  blessed  apostle  chiefly  comforted  himself  in  the  consideration  of,  when  be 
Avas  going  to  martyrdom  :•  2  Tim.  iv.  6, 7, "  For  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and 
the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished 
my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith." 

And  not  only  does  the  most  important  and  distinguishing  part  of  Christian 
experience  lie  in  spiritual  practice ;  but  such  is  the  nature  of  that  sort  of  exercises 
of  grace,  wherein  spiritual  practice  consists,  that  nothing  is  so  properly  called 
by  the  name  of  experimental  religion.  For,  that  experience,  which  is  in  these 
exercises  of  grace,  that  are  found  and  prove  effectual  at  the  veiy  point  of  trial, 
wherein  God  proves,  which  we  will  actually  cleave  to,  whether  Christ  or  our 
lusts,  is,  as  has  been  shown  already,  the  proper  experiment  of  the  truth  and 
power  of  our  godliness ;  wherein  its  victorious  power  and  efficacy,  in  producing 
Us  proper  effect,  and  reaching  its  end,  is  found  by  experience.  This  is  properly 
Christian  experience,  wherein  the  saints  have  opportunity  to  see,  by  actual  ex- 


REUCIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  223 

penence  and  trial,  whether  they  have  a  Ijeart  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  to  for- 
sake other  things  for  Christ,  or  no.  As  that  is  called  experimental  philosophy 
wjiich  brings  opinions  and  notions  to  the  test  of  fact,  so  is  that  properly  called 
experimental  religion,  which  brings  religious  atleclions  and  intentions  to  the 
like  test. 

There  is  a  sort  of  external  religious  practice,  wherein  is  no  inward  experi- 
ence, which  no  account  is  made  of  in  the  sight  of  God,  but  it  is  esteemed  good 
for  nothing.  And  there  is  what  is  called  experience,  that  is  without  practice, 
being  neither  accompanied  nor  followed  with  a  Christian  behavior  ;  and  this  is 
worse  than  notliing.  Many  persons  seem  to  have  very  wrong  notions  of  Chris- 
tian experience  and  spiritual  light  and  discoveries.  \Vhenever  a  jjcrson  iinds 
W'ithin  him  a  heart  to  treat  God  as  God,  at  the  time  that  h**  has  the  trial,  and 
finds  his  disposition  effectual  in  the  experiment,  that  is  the  most  proper,  and 
most  distinguishing  experience.  And  to  have,  at  such  a  time,  that  sense  of 
divine  things,  that  apprehension  of  the  truth,  importance  and  excellency  of  the 
things  of  religion,  which  then  sways  and  })revails,  and  governs  his  heart  and 
hands ;  this  is  the  most  excellent  spiritual  light,  and  these  are  the  most  distin- 
guishing discoveries.  Religion  consists  much  in  holy  affection  ;  but  those  ex- 
ercises of  affection  which  are  most  distinguishing  of  true  religion,  are  these 
practical  exercises.  Friendship  between  earthly  iriends  consists  much  in  aliec- 
tion;  but  yet,  those  strong  exercises  of  affection,  that  actually  carry  them 
through  fire  and  water  for  each  other,  are  the  highest  evidences  of  true  friend- 
ship. 

There  is  nothing  in  what  has  been  said,  contrary  to  what  is  as.scrted  by 
some  sound  divines ;  when  they  say,  that  thtM-e  are  no  sure  evidences  of  grace, 
but  the  acts  of  grace.  For  that  doth  not  hinder,  but  that  these  operative,  pro- 
ductive acts,  those  exercises  of  grace  that  are  elFectual  in  practice,  may  be  the 
highest  evidences  above  all  other  kinds  of  acts  of  grace.  Nor  does  it  hinder, 
but  that,  when  there  are  many  of  these  acts  and  exercises,  following  one  ano- 
ther in  a  course,  under  various  trials  of  every  kind,  the  evidence  is  still  height- 
ened ;  as  one  act  confirms  another.  A  man,  once  by  seeing  his  neighbor,  may 
have  good  evidence  of  Ids  presence  ;  but  by  seeing  him  from  day  to  day,  and 
conversing  with  him  in  a  course,  in  various  circumstances,  the  evidence  is  es- 
tablished. The  disciples  when  they  first  saw  Christ,  after  his  resurrection,  had 
good  evidence  that  he  was  alive ;  but,  by  conversing  with  him  for  forty  days, 
and  his  showing  himself  to  them  alive  by  many  infallible  proofs,  they  had  yet 
higher  evidence.* 

The  witness  or  seal  of  the  Spirit  that  we  read  of,  doubtless  consists  in  the 
effect  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  heart,  in  the  implantation  and  exercises  of  grace 
there,  and  so  consists  in  experience.  And  it  is  also  beyond  doubt,  that  this  seal 
of  the  Spirit,  is  the  highest  kind  of  eiiidence  of  the  saints'  adoption,  that  ever 
they  obtain.  But  in  these  exercises  of  grace  in  practice,  that  have  been  spoken 
of,  God  gives  witness,  and  sets  to  his  seal,  in  the  most  conspicuous,  eminent, 

*  "  The  more  these  visilileexerciaes  of  grace  are  renewed,  the  more  certain  you  will  he.  The  moie 
frequently  these  actings  are  renewed,  the  more  uhiding  and  confirmed  your  assuranci-  will  he.  A  man 
that  has  been  a.ssured  of  sucli  visible  exerci.ses  of  grace,  may  quickly  after  he  in  douht  whethir  he  wan 
not  mistaken.  But  when  such  actings  are  renewed  again  and  again,  he  grows  more  settled  and  esiahliahed 
about  his  g-yxi  estate.  If  a  rnaii  see  a  thing  once,  that  makes  him  sure  ;  hut,  if  afterwards,  he  fear  he 
was  deceive :,waen  he  comes  to  see  it  again,  he  is  more  sure  he  was  not  mistaken.  If  a  man  read  such 
passages  in  a  book,  he  is  .^ure  it  is  so.  Some  months  after,  some  may  hesir  him  down,  that  he  was  mis- 
taken, so  as  to  make  him  question  it  himself;  but,  when  he  looks,  and  reads  it  again,  he  is  ahundanlly 
confirmed.  The  more  men's  grace  is  multiplied,  the  more  their  peace  is  multiplied  :"  2  Pet.  i.  2,  "  Grace 
and  peace  be  multiplied  unto  yon,  through  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  Jesus  our  Lord."  Stoddtud'M  If  ay 
to  know  Sincerity  and  Hypocrisy. 


224  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

and  evident  manner.  It  has  been  abundantly  found  to  be  true  in  fact,  by  the 
experience  of  the  Christian  church,  that  Christ  commonly  gives,  by  his  Spirit, 
the  greatest  and  most  joyful  evidences  to  his  saints  of  their  sonship,  in  those 
eifectual  exercises  of  grace  under  trials,  which  have  been  spoken  of;  as  is  man- 
ifest in  the  full  assurance,  and  unspeakable  joys  of  many  of  the  martyrs. 
Agreeable  to  that,  1  Pet.  iv.  14,  "  If  ye  are  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ, 
happy  are  ye ;  for  the  Spirit  of  glory,  and  of  God  resteth  upon  you."  And  that 
in  Rom.  v.  2,  3,  "  We  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  glory  in 
tribulations."  And  agreeable  to  what  the  Apostle  Paul  often  declares  of  what 
he  experienced  in  his  trials.  And  when  the  Apostle  Peter,  in  my  text,  speaks 
of  the  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory,  which  the  Christians  to  whom  he 
wrote,  experienced ;  he  has  respect  to  what  they  found  under  persecution,  as 
appears  by  the  context.  Christ's  thus  manifesting  himself,  as  the  friend  and 
saviour  of  his  saints,  cleaving  to  him  under  trials  seems  to  have  been  represent- 
ed of  old,  by  his  coming  and  manifesting  himself,  to  Shadrach,  Meshach  and 
Abednego,  in  the  furnace.  And  when  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  witness  of  the 
Spirit,  in  Rom.  vili.  15,  16,  17,  he  has  a  more  immediate  respect  to  what  the 
Christians  experienced,  in  their  exercises  of  love  to  God,  in  suffering  persecu- 
tion ;  as  is  plain  by  the  context.  He  is,  in  the  foregoing  verses,  encouraging 
the  Christian  Romans  under  their  sufferings,  that  though  their  bodies  be  dead, 
because  of  sin,  yet  they  should  be  raised  to  life  again.  But  it  is  more  especially 
plain  by  the  verse  immediately  follow^ing,  verse  IS,  "  For  I  reckon,  that  the  suf- 
ferings of  this  present  time,  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  that 
shall  be  revealed  in  us."  So  the  apostle  has  evidently  respect  to  their  persecu- 
tions, in  all  that  he  says  to  the  end  of  the  chapter.  So  when  the  apostle 
speaks  of  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit,  which  God  had  given  to  him,  in  2  Cor.  v. 
5,  the  context  shows  plainly  that  he  has  respect  to  what  was  given  him  in  his 
great  trials  and  sufferings.  And  in  that  promise  of  the  white  stone  and  new 
name,  to  him  that  overcomes.  Rev.  ii.  17,  it  is  evident  Christ  has  a  special  re- 
spect to  a  benefit  that  Christians  should  obtain,  by  overcoming,  in  the  trial  they 
had,  in  that  day  of  persecution.  This  appears  by  verse  13,  and  many  other 
passages  in  this  epistle,  to  the  seven  churches  of  Asia. 

Objection  II. — Some  also  may  be  ready  to  object  against  what  has  been 
said  of  Christian  practice  being  the  chief  evidence  of  the  truth  of  grace,  that 
this  is  a  legal  doctrine ;  and  that  this  making  practice  a  thing  of  such  great 
importance  in  rehgion,  magnifies  works,  and  tends  to  lead  men  to  make  too 
much  of  their  own  doings,  to  the  diminution  of  the  glory  of  free  grace,  and  does 
not  seem  well  to  consist  with  the  great  gospel  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith 
alone. 

But  this  objection  is  altogether  without  reason.  Which  way  is  it  inconsis- 
tent with  the  freeness  of  God's  grace,  tl^t  holy  practice  should  be  a  sign  of 
God's  grace  ?  It  is  our  works  being  the  price  of  God's  favor,  and  not  their  be- 
ing the  sign  of  it,  that  is  the  thing  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  freeness  of 
that  favor.  Surely  the  beggar's  looking  on  the  money  he  has  in  his  hands,  as 
a  sign  of  the  kindness  of  him  who  gave  it  to  him,  is  in  no  respect  inconsistent 
with  the  freeness  of  that  kindness.  It  is  his  having  money  in  his  hands  as  the 
price  of  a  benefit,  that  is  the  thing  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  free  kindness 
of  the  giver.  The  notion  of  the  freeness  of  the  grace  of  God  to  sinners,  as  that 
is  revealed  and  taught  in  the  gospel,  is  not  that  no  holy  and  amiable  qualifica- 
tions or  actions  in  us  shall  be  a  fruit,  and  so  a  sign  of  that  grace ;  but  that  it  is 
not  the  worthiness  or  loveliness  of  any  qualification  or  action  of  ours  which  re- 
commends us  to  that  grace ;  that  kindness  is  shown  to  the  unworthy  and  un- 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  226 

lovely ;  that  there  is  great  excellency  in  the  benefit  bestowed,  and  no  excellen- 
cy in  tlie  subject  as  the  price  of  it ;  that  goodness  p;ocs  forth  and  flows  out,  from 
the  fuh»ci«  of  God's  naliiie,  the  I'uhu-ss  of  the  lountain  of  good,  without  any 
amiableiu'ss  in  tlie  the  object  to  draw  it.  And  this  is  tlie  notion  ol  justification 
without  works  (as  this  doctrine  is  taught  in  the  Scripture),  that  it  is  not  the 
worthiness  or  loveliness  of  our  works,  or  any  thing  in  us,  which  is  in  any  wise 
accepted  with  God,  as  a  balance  for  the  gudt  of  sin,  or  a  recommendation  of 
sinners  to  his  acceptance  as  heirs  of  life.  Thus  we  are  justified  only  by  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  and  not  by  our  rigiiteousne^s.  And  when  works  arc  opposed  to 
faith  in  this  adair,  and  it  is  said  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  and  not  by  works; 
thereby  is  meant,  that  it  is  not  the  worliiincss  or  amiableness  of  our  works,  or  any 
thing  in  us,  whicii  recommends  us  to  an  interest  in  Christ  and  his  benefifs  ;  but  that 
we  have  this  interest  only  by  faith,  or  by  our  souls  receiving  Christ,  or  adhering  to 
and  closing  witii  iiiin.  Bui  that  the  worthiness  or  amiableness  of  nothing  in  us 
recommends  and  brings  us  to  an  interest  in  Christ,  is  no  argument  that  nothing 
in  us  is  a  sign  of  an  interest  in  Christ. 

If  tiie  doctrines  of  free  grace,  and  justification  by  fiilth  alone,  be  inconsistent 
with  the  importance  of  holy  practice  as  a  sign  of  grace  ;  then  they  are  equally 
inconsistent  with  the  importance  of  any  thing  whatsoever  in  us  as  a  sign  of 
grace,  any  holiness,  or  any  grace  that  is  in  us,  or  any  of  our  experiences  or  re- 
ligion ;  for  it  is  as  contrary  to  the  doctrines  of  free  grace  and  justification  by 
faith  alone,  that  any  of  these  should  be  the  righteousness  which  we  are  justified 
by,  as  that  holy  practice  should  be  so.  It  is  with  holy  works,  as  it  is  Avith  holy 
qualifications  ;  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  freeness  of  gospel  grace,  tiiat  a  title 
to  salvation  should  be  given  to  men  for  the  loveliness  of  any  of  their  holy  quali- 
fications, as  much  as  that  it  should  be  given  for  the  holiness  of  their  works. 
It  is  inconsistent  with  the  gospel  doctrine  of  free  grace,  that  an  interest  in  Christ 
and  his  benefits  should  be  given  for  the  loveliness  of  a  man's  true  holiness,  for 
the  amiableness  of  his  renewed,  sanctified,  heavenly  heart,  his  love  to  God,  and 
being  like  God,  or  his  experience  of  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  self-emptiness,  a 
spirit  to  exalt  Christ  above  all,  and  to  give  all  glory  to  him,  and  a  heart  devo- 
ted unto  him ;  I  say  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  gospel  doctrine  of  free  grace, 
that  a  title  to  Christ's  benefits  should  be  given  out  of  regard  to  the  loveliness  of 
any  of  these,  or  that  any  of  these  should  be  our  righteousness  in  the  afiTair  of 
justification.  And  yet  this  docs  not  hinder  the  importance  of  these  things  as 
evidences  of  an  interest  in  Christ,  Just  so  it  is  with  respect  to  holy  actions  and 
works.  To  make  light  of  works,  because  we  be  not  justified  by  works,  is  the 
same  thing  in  eflfect,  as  to  make  light  of  all  religion,  all  grace  and  holiness,  yea, 
true  evangelical  holiness,  and  all  gracious  experience ;  for  all  is  included, 
when  the  Scripture  says,  we  are  not  justified  by  works  ;  for  by  works  in  this 
case,  is  meant  all  our  own  righteousness,  religion,  or  holiness,  and  every  thing 
'ihat  is  in  us,  all  the  good  we  do,  and  all  the  good  wliich  we  are  conscious  of. 
Jill  external  acts,  and  all  internal  acts  and  exercises  of  grace,  and  all  experiences,  and 
all  those  holy  and  heavenly  things  wherein  the  life  and  power,  and  the  very  essence 
of  religion  do  consist,  all  those  great  things  wliich  Christ  and  his  apostles  mainly 
insisted  on  in  their  preaching,  and  endeavored  to  promote,  as  of  the  greatest  con- 
sequence in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men,  and  all  good  dispositions,  exercises  and 
qualifications  of  every  kind  whatsoever ;  and  even  faith  jtsclf,  considered  as  a  part 
of  our  holiness.  For  we  are  justified  by  none  of  these  things  ;  and  if  we  were, 
we  should,  in  a  Scripture  sense,  be  justified  by  works.  And  therefore  if  it  be 
not  legal,  and  contrary  to  the  evangelical  doctrine  of  justification  without  works, 
lo  msist  on  any  of  these,  as  of  great  importance,  as  evidences  of  an  interesi.  in 
Vol.  III.  29 


226  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

Christ ;  then  no  more  is  it,  thus  to  insi;  t  on  the  importance  of  holy  practice. 
It  would  be  legal  to  suppose,  that  holy  practice  justifies  by  bringing  us  to 
a  title   to    Christ's   benefits,   as   the  price   of  it,   or   as  recommending   to  it 
by  its  preciousness   or   excellence  ;    but    it   is   not   legal   to    suppose,   that 
holy   practice  justifies   the  sincerity   of  a   believer,    as   the   proper   evidence 
of  it.     The  Apostle  James  did  not  think  it   legal  to   say,  that  Abraham   our 
father   vi^as  justified  by  works   in   this   sense.      7  he  Spirit   that  indited   the 
Scripture,   did   not   think   the   great   importance    and    absolute   necessity   ol 
holy  practice,  in  this  respect,  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  freeness  of  grace ; 
for  it  commonly  teaches  them  both  together ;  as  in  Rev.  xxi.  6,  7,  God  says, 
"  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst,  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely  ;" 
and  then  adds,  in  the  very  next  words,  "  he  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all 
thino-s."     As  though  behaving  well  in  the  Christian  rac«.^  and  warfare,  were 
the  condition  of  the  promise.     So  in  the  next  chapter,  in  the  14th  and  15th 
verses,  Christ  says,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may 
have  a  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  enter  in  througii  the  gates  into  the  city ;" 
and  then  declares  in  the  15th  verse,  "  how  they  that  are  of  a  wicked  practice" 
shall  be  excluded ;  and  yet  in  the  two  verses  next  following,  does  with  very 
great  solemnity  give  forth  an  invitation  to  all  to  come  and  take  of  the  water  of 
hfe  freely  :  "  1  am  the  root  and  the  offspring  of  David,  the  bright  and  mornmg 
star.     And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  come.     And  let  him  that  heareth,  say, 
come.     And  let  him  that  is  athirst,  come ;  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  come 
and  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely."     So  chapter  iii.  20,  21,  "  Behold  I  stand 
at  the  door  and  knock  ;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will 
come  in  to  him,  and  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me."     But  then  it  is  added  in 
the  next  words,  "  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  ray 
throne,"     And  in  that  great  invitation  of  Christ,  Matt.  xi.  latter  end,  "  Come 
unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  1  will  give  you  rest ;"  Christ 
adds  in  the  next  words,  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart ;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls ;  for  my  yoke 
is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light :"  as  though  taking  the  burden  of  Christ's  service, 
and  imitating  his  example,  were  necessary  in   order  to  the   promised   rest.     So 
in  that  great  invitation  to  sinners  to  accept  of  free  grace,  Isa.  Iv., "  Ho,  every 
one  that  thirsteth,  come  )'e  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye, 
buy  and  eat,  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price ;" 
even  there,  in  the  continuation  of  the  same  invitation,  the  sinner's  forsaking  his 
wicked  practice  is  spoken  of  as  necessary  to  the  obtaining  mercy  :  verse  7,"  Let 
the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ;  and   let 
him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him,  and  to   our  God, 
for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."     So  the  riches  of  divine  grace,  in  the  justifica- 
tion of  sinners,  is  set  forth  with  the  necessity  of  holy  practice,  Isa.  i.  16,  &c.  : 
"  Wash  ye,  make  you  clean,  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine 
eyes,  cease  to  do  evil,  learn  t'o  do   well,  seek  judgment,  relieve  the  oppressed, 
judge  the  fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow.     Come  now,  let  us  reason  together, 
saith  the  Lord  ;  though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow  ; 
though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool." 

And  in  that  most  solenm  invitation  of  wisdom,  Prov.  ix.,  after  it  is  represent- 
ed what  great  provision  is  made,  and  how  that  all  things  weie  ready,  the  house 
built,  the" beasts  killed,  the  wine  mingled,  and  the  table  furnished,  and  the  mes- 
sengers sent  forth  to  invite  the  guests  ;  then  we  have  the  free  invitation,  verses 
4,  5,  6 :  "  Whoso  is  simple,  let  him  turn  in  hither ;  as  for  him  that  wanteth 
understanding  (i.  e.  has  no  righteousness)  she  saith  to  him,  Come,  eat  of  my 


RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS.  2^7 

oread,  and  drink  of  the  wine  which  I  liave  mingled.'"  But  then  in  the  next 
breath  it  follows,  "  Forsake  tlie  foolish,  and  live;  and  <^o  in  the  way  of  luider- 
standin«4,"'  as  thouoh  foi-sakini;  sin,  and  going  in  the  May  of  holiness,  were  ne- 
cessaiy  in  order  to  life.  So  that  the  lieeness  of  gi-aee,  and  the  neeessily  f)f  holv 
practiee,  which  are  thus  from  time  to  time  ioine(i  together  in  Scripture,  are  noi 
mconsistcnt  one  with  another.  Nor  does  it  at  all  diminish  the  honor  aiul  im- 
portance of  faith,  tliat  the  exercises  and  effects  of  faith  in  jjractice,  should  be 
esteemed  the  chief  signs  of  it;  any  more  than  it  lessens  the  importance  of  life, 
that  action  and  motion  are  esteemed  the  chief  signs  of  that. 

So  that  in  what  has  been  said  of  the  importance  of  holy  practice  as  the  main 
sign  of  sincerity ;  there  is  nothing  legal,  nothing  derogatory  to  the  freedom  and 
sovereignly  of  gospel  grace,  nothing  in  the  least  clashing  with  the  gospel  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith  alone,  without  the  works  of  tlie  law,  nothing  in 
the  least  tending  to  lessen  the  glory  of  the  Mediator,  and  our  dependence  on  his 
righteousness,  nothing  inlringing  on  the  special  prerogatives  of  faith  in  the  af- 
fair of  our  salvation,  nothing  in  any  wise  detracting  from  the  glory  of  (iod  and 
his  mercy,  or  exalting  man,  or  diminishing  his  dependence  ami  obligation.  So 
that  if  any  are  against  such  an  importance  of  holy  practice  as  has  been  spoken 
of,  it  must  be  only  from  a  senseless  aversion  totlie  letters  and  sound  of  the  word 
avr/iS,  when  there  is  no  reason  in  the  world  to  be  given  for  it,  but  what  may 
be  given  with  equal  force,  why  they  should  have  an  aversion  to  the  words  holi- 
ness, godliness,  grace,  religion,  experience,  and  even  faith  itself;  for  to  make  a 
righteousness  of  any  of  these,  is  as  legal,  and  as  inconsistent  with  the  May  of 
the  ncM'  covenant,  as  to  make  a  righteousness  ot  holy  practice. 

It  is  greatly  to  the  hurt  of  religion,  for  persons  to  make  light  of,  and  insist 
little  on,  those  things  which  the  Scripture  insists  most  upon,  iis  of  most  impor- 
tance in  the  evidence  of  our  interest  in  Christ,  under  a  notion  that  to  lay  weight 
on  these  things  is  legal,  and  an  old  covenant  M-ay  ;  and  so,  to  neglect  the  exer- 
cises, and  effectual  operations  of  grace  in  practice,  and  insist  almost  Mholly  on 
discoveries,  and  the  method  and  manner  of  the  immanent  exercises  of  conscience 
and  grace  in  contemplation  ;  depending  on  an  ability  to  make  nice  distinctions 
in  these  matters,  and  a  faculty  of  accurate  discerning  in  them,  from  philosophy 
or  experience.  It  is  in  vain  to  seek  lor  any  better,  or  any  further  signs  than 
those  that  the  Scriptures  have  most  expressly  mentioned,  and  most  frequently  in- 
sisted on,  as  signs  of  godliness.  They  M-ho  pretend  to  a  greater  accuracy  in  giv- 
ing signs,  or  by  their  extraordinary  experience  or  insight  into  the  nature  o.f 
things,  to  give  more  distinguishing  maiks,  Mhich  shall  more  thoroughly  search 
out  and  detect  the  hypocrite,  are  but  subtil  to  darken  their  oMn  minds,  and  the 
minds  of  others  ;  their  refinings  and  nice  discerning,  are  in  God's  sight,  but  re- 
fined foolishness  and  a  sagacious  delusion.  Here  are  applicable  those  Mords of 
Agur,  Prov.  xxx.  5,  6,  "  Every  M-ord  of  God  is  pure  ;  he  is  a  shield  to  them 
that  put  their  trust  in  him  :  add  thou  not  unto  his  M'ords,  lest  he  reprove  thee, 
nnd  thou  be  found  a  liar."  Our  discerning,  with  regard  to  the  hearts  of  men, 
IS  not  much  t»  be  trusted.  We  can  see  but  a  little  way  into  the  nature  of  the 
soul,  and  the  depths  of  man's  heart.  The  ways  are  so  many  Mhcreby  persons' 
affl'ctions  may  be  nioved  without  any  supernatural  infiuence,  the  natural  springs 
of  the  affections  are  so  various  and  so  secret,  so  many  things  have  ol'tenfimes  a 
joint  influence  on  the  affections,  the  imagination,  and  that  in  Mays  innumerable 
and  unsearchable,  natural  temper,  education,  the  common  influences  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  a  surprising  concourse  of  affecting  circutnstances,  an  extraordinary 
coincidence  of  tilings  in  the  course  of  men's  thoughts,  together  M'ith  the  subtil 
management  of  invisible  malicious  spirits  that  no  philosophy  or  expr jience  wili 


228  RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 

ever  be  sufficient  to  guide  us  safely  through  this  labyrinth  and  maze,  without 
our  closely  lollowing  the  clew  which  God  has  given  us  in  his  word.     God 
knows  his  own  reasons  why  he  insists  on  some  things,  and  plainly  sets  them 
torth  as  the  thmgs  that  we  should  try  ourselves  by  rather  than  others.     It  may 
be  It  IS  because  he  knows  that  these  things  are  attended  with  less  perplexity 
and  that  we  are  less  liable  to  be  deceived  by  them  than  oihers.    He  best  knows 
our  nature;  and  he  knows  the  nature  and  manner  of  his  own  operations-  and 
he  best  knows  the  way  of  our  safety  ;  he  knows  what  allowances  to  make  for 
different  states  of  his  church,  and  different  tempers  of  particular  persons  and 
varieties  m  the  manner  of  his  own  operations,  how  iVir  nature  may  resemble 
grace,  and  how  far  nature  may  be  mixed  with  grace,  what  affections  may  rise 
from  imagination,  and  how  far  imagination  may  be  mixed  with  spiritual  illumi- 
na  ion      And  therefore  it  is  our  wisdom,  not  to  take  his  work  out  of  his  hands, 
but  to  follow  him,  and  lay  the  stress  of  the  judgment  of  ourselves  there,  where 
he  has  direc  ed  us      If  we  do  otherwise,  no  wonder  if  we  are  bewildered,  con- 
ounded,  and  fatally  deluded.  _  But  if  we  had  got  into  the  way  of  looking  chief- 
ly at  those  things,  which  Christ  and  his  apostles  and  prophets  chiefly  insisted 
on,  and  so  in  judging  of  ourselves  and   others,  chiefly  regarding  practical  exer- 
cises and  effects  of  grace,  not  neglecting  other  things ;  it  would  be  of  manifold 
happy  consequence  ;  it  would  above  all  things  tend  to  the  conviction  of  deluded 
hypocrites,  and  to  prevent  the  delusion  of  those  whose  hearts  were  never  brought 
to  a  thorough  compliance  with  the  straight  and  narrow  way  which  leads  to  liie ; 
It  would  tend  to  deliver  us  from  innumerable  perplexities,  arising  from  the  va- 
rious inconsistent  schemes  there  are  about  methods  and  steps  of  Experience  •  it 
Avould  greatly  tend  to  prevent  professors  neglecting  strictness  of  liTe,  and  tend 
to  promote  tneiren^agedness  and  earnestness  in  their  Christian  walk :  and  it 
would  become  fashionable  for  men  to  show   their  Christianity,  more  by  an 
amiable  distinguished  behavior,  than  by  an  abundant  and  excessive  declarino- 
their  experiences;  and  we  should  get  into  the  way  of  appearing  lively  in  rel£ 
gion  more  by  being  lively  in  the  service  of  God  and  our  generation,  than  by 
the  hvehness  and  forwardness  of  our  tongues,  and  making  a  business  of  pro- 
claiming on  the  house  tops,  with  our  mouths,  the  holy  and  eminent  acts  and  ex- 
ercises of  our  own  hearts  ;  and  Christians  that  are  intimate  friends,  would  talk 
ogether  of  their  experiences  and  comforts,  in  a  manner  better  becoming  Chris- 
tian humiliy  and  modesty,  and  more  to  each  other's  profit:  their  tonc?ues  not 
runmng  before,  but  rather  going  behind  their  hands  and  feet,  after  the'prudent 
example  of  the  blessed  apostle,  2  Cor.  xii.  6,  and  many  occasions  of  spiritual 
pride  would  be  cut  off  ;  and  so  a  great  door  shut  against  the  devil ;  and  a  great 
many  of  the  main  stumbling-blocks  against  experimental  and  powerful  religion 
would  be  removed;  and  religion  would  be  declared  and  manifested  in  such  a 
way  that,  instead  of  hardening  spectators,  and  exceedingly  promoting  infidelity 
and  atheism,  would   above  all  things,  tend  to  convince'men  that  there  is  a  re- 
ahty  m  religion   and  greatly  awaken  them,  and  win  them,  by  convincino-  their 
consciences  of  the  importance  and  excellency  of  religion.'    Thus  the  ifght  of 
professors  Avould  so  shine  before  men,  that  others,  seeing  their  good  works, 
would  glorify  their  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 


NARRATIVE 


SURPRISING    CONVERSIONS, 


NARRATIVK 

OF 

SURPRISING    CONVERSIONS, 


TO  THE  REV.  DR.  COL.M.^X, 
R»T    atd  Honored  Sir  : 

Having  seen  your  letter  to  my  honored  uncle  Williams,  of  Hatfield,  of  July 
•20,  wherein  you  inform  him  of  the  notice  that  has  been  taken  of  the  late  won- 
derfvd  work  of  God  in  this,  and  some  other  towns  in  this  county,  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Watts  and  Dr.  Guyse  of  London,  and  the  congregation  to  which  the  last  of 
these  preached  on  a  monthly  day  of  solemn  prayer;  as  also  of  your  desire  to 
be  more  perfectly  acquainted  with  it,  by  some  of  us  on  the  spot:  and  having 
been  since  informed  by  my  uncle  Williams,  that  you  desire  me  to  undertake  it ; 
1  would  now  do  it  in  as  just  and  faithful  a  manner  as  in  me  hes. 

The  people  of  the  county  in  general,  I  suppo.se  are  as  sober,  and  orderly, 
and  good  sort  of  people,  as  in  any  part  of  New  England ;  and  I  believe  they 
have  been  preserved  the  freest  by  far,  of  any  part  of  the  country  from  error  and 
variety  of  sects  and  opinions.  Our  being  so  far  within  the  land,  at  a  distance 
from  seaports,  and  in  a  corner  of  the  country,  has  doubtless  been  one  reason 
why  we  have  not  been  so  much  corrupted  with  vice,  as  most  other  parts.  But 
witiiout  question  the  religion,  and  good  order  of  the  country,  and  their  purity 
in  doctrine,  has,  under  God,  been  very  much  owing  to  the  great  abilities,  and 
eminent  piety,  of  ray  venerable  and  honored  grandfather  Stoddard.  I  suppose 
we  have  been  the  freest  of  any  part  of  the  land  from  unhappy  divisions,  and 
quarrels  in  our  ecclesiastical  and  religious  affairs,  till  the  late  lamentable  Spring- 
field contention.* 

We  being  much  separated  from  other  parts  of  the  province,  and  having 
comparatively  but  little  intercourse  with  them,  have  from  the  beginning,  till 
now,  always  managed  our  ecclesiastical  affairs  within  ourselves  ;  it  is  the  way 
in  which  the  country,  from  its  infancy,  has  gone  on  by  the  practical  agreement  oi 
all,  and  the  way  in  which  our  peace  and  good  order  has  hitherto  been  maintained. 

The  town  of  Northampton  is  of  about  eighty-two  years  standing,  and  has 
now  about  two  hundred  families;  which  mostly  dwell  more  compactly  together 
than  any  town  of  such  a  bigness  in  these  parts  of  the  country  ;  which  probabh 
has  been  an  occasion  that  both  our  corruptions  and  refotmations  have  been 
from  time  to  time,  the  more  swiftly  propagated,  from  one  to  another,  through 
the  town.     Take  the  town  in  general,  and  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  they  are  as 

♦  Thn  Springfield  contention  relates  to  the  settlement  of  a  Minister  there,  which  occasioned  too  warm 
debates  between  some,  l>olh  pastors  and  people  that  were  for  it,  and  others  that  were  against  it,  on  ac- 
count of  their  different  afiprehensions  about  his  principles,  and  about  some  steps  that  were  taken  ti» 
procure  tiis  ordination. 


232  NARRATIVE  OF 

rational  and  understanding  a  people  as  most  I  have  been  acquainted  with :  many 
of  them  have  been  noted  for  religion,  and  particularly,  have  been  remarkable 
for  their  distinct  knowledge  in  things  that  relate  to  heart  religion,  and  Christian 
experience,  and  <$ieir  great  regards  thereto. 

I  am  the  third  minister  that  has  been  settled  in  the  town :  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Eleazar  Mather,  who  was  the  first,  was  ordained  in  July,  1669.  He  was  one 
whose  heart  was  much  in  his  work,  abundant  in  labors  for  the  good  of  precious 
souls  •  he  had  the  high  esteem  and  great  love  of  his  people,  and  was  blessed 
with  no  small  success.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Stoddard,  who  succeeded  him,  came  first 
to  the  town  the  November  after  his  death,  but  W'as  not  ordained  till  September 
11,  1672,  and  died  February  11,  1728 — 9.  So  that  he  continued  in  the  work 
of  the  ministry  here  from  his  first  coming  to  town,  near  sixty  years.  And  as 
he  was  eminent  and  renowned  for  his  gitts  and  grace ;  so  he  was  blessed,  from 
the  beginning,  with  extraordinary  success  in  his  ministry,  in  the  coriversion  of 
many  souls.  He  had  five  harvests  as  he  called  them  :  the  first  w-as  about  fifty- 
seven  years  ago ;  the  second  about  fifty-three  years ;  the  third  about  forty  ;  the 
fourth  about  twenty-four;  the  fiith  and  last  about  eighteen  years  ago.  Some 
of  these  times  were  much  more  remarkable  than  others,  and  the  ingathering  of 
souls  more  plentiful.  Those  that  were  about  fifty-three,  and  forty,  and  twenty- 
four  years  ago,  were  much  greater  than  either  the  first  or  the  last :  but  in  each 
of  them,  I  have  heard  my  grandfather  say,  the  greater  part  of  the  young  people 
in  the  town,  seemed  to  be  mainly  concerned  for  their  eternal  salvation. 

After  the  last  of  these,  came  a  far  more  degenerate  time  (at  least  among 
youno-  people),  I  suppose,  than  ever  before.  Mr.  Stoddard,  indeed,  had  the  com- 
fort before  he  died,  of  seeing  a  time  when  there  was  no  small  appearance  of  a 
divine  work  amongst  some,  and  a  considerable  ingathering  of  souls,  even  after  I 
was  settled  with  him  in  the  ministry,  which  was  about  two  years  before  his  death ; 
and  1  have  reason  to  bless  God  for  the  great  advantage  I  had  by  it.^  In  these 
two  years  there  were  near  twenty  that  Mr.  Stoddard  hoped  to  be  savingly  con- 
vened ;  but  there  was  nothing  of  any  general  awakening.  The  greater  part 
seemed  to  be  at  that  time  very  insensible  of  the  things  of  religion,  and  engaged 
-  in  other  cares  and  pursuits.  Just  after  my  grandfather's  death,  it  seemed  to  be 
a  time  of  extraordinary  dullness  in  religion  :  licentiousness  for  some  j'ears  greatly 
prevailed  among  the  youth  of  the  town  ;  they  were  many  of  them  very  much 
addicted  to  night  walking,  and  frequenting  the  tavern,  and  lewd  practices, 
wherein  some  by  their  example  exceedingly  corrupted  others.  It  was  their  man- 
ner very  frequently  to  get  together  in  conventions  of  both  sexes,  for  mirth  and 
jollity,  which  they  called  frolicks  ;  and  they  would  often  spend  the  greater  part 
of  the  night  in  them,  without  any  regard  to  order  in  the  families  they  belonged  to : 
and  indeed  family  government  did  too  much  fail  in  the  town.  It  was  become 
very  customary  with  many  of  our  young  people  to  be  indecent  in  their  carriage 
at  meeting,  which  doubtless  would  not  have  prevailed  to  such  a  degree,  had  it 
not  been  that  my  grandfather,  through  his  great  age  (though  he  retained  his 
powers  surprisingly  to  the  last),  was  not  so  able  to  observe  them.  There  had 
also  long  prevailed  in  the  town  a  spirit  of  contention  between  two  parties,  into 
which  they  had  for  many  years  been  divided,  by  which  was  maintained  a  jeal- 
ousy one  of  the  other,  and  they  were  prepared  to  oppose  one  another  in  alj 
public  affairs. 
^  But  in  two  or  three  years  after  Mr.  Stoddard's  death,  there  began  to  be  a  sen- 
sible amendment  of  these  evils  ;  the  young  people  showed  more  of  a  disposition 
to  hearken  to  counsel,  and  by  degrees  left  off  their  frolicking,  and  grew  observably 


SURPRISING   CONVERSIONS.  233 

more  dei-ent  in  their  attemlance  on  the  pubhc  worsliip,  and  there  were  more 
that  manifested  a  relifrious  concern  than  there  used  to  be. 

At  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1733,  there  appeared  a  very  unusual  flexible- 
ness,  and  yieldin;^  to  ail\  ice,  in  our  yoiin'^  people.  It  had  been  too  loiii;  their 
manner  to  make  the  eveain>T  after  thr  Sabbath,*  and  after  our  public  lecture,  to^ 
be  especially  the  times  of  their  mirth,  and  company  keeping.  IJut  a  sermon 
was  now  preached  on  the  Sabbath  before  tlie  lecture,  to  show  the  evil  tendency 
of  the  practice,  aiul  to  persuade  them  to  relorm  it;  ami  it  was  urgetl  on  heads 
of  families,  that  it  shoidd  be  a  thino;  agreed  upon  among  them,  to  govern  their 
families,  and  keep  their  children  at  home,  at  these  times; — and  withal  it  was 
more  privately  moved,  that  they  should  meet  together  the  next  day,  in  their 
several  neighborhoods,  to  know  each  other's  minds:  which  was  accoidingly 
done,  and  the  motion  complied  with  throughout  the  town.  But  parents  found 
little  or  no  occasion  for  the  exercise  of  government  in  the  case;  theyoung  peo- 
ple declared  themselves  convinced  by  what  they  had  heard  from  the  pul|)it,  and 
were  willing  of  themselves  to  comply  with  the  counsel  that  had  been  given* 
and  it  was  immediately,  and,  I  suppose,  almost  universally  complied  witli ;  and 
there  was  a  thorough  reformation  of  these  disorders  thenceforward,  which  has 
continued  ever  since. 

Presently  after  this,  there  began  to  appear  a  remarkable  religious  concern 
at  a  little  village  belonging  to  the  congregation,  called  Pascommuck,  where  a 
few  families  were  settled,  at  about  three  miles  distance  from  the  main  body  of 
the  town.  At  this  place  a  number  of  persons  seemed  to  be  savingly  wrought 
upon.  In  the  April  following,  anno  1734,  there  happened  a  very  sudderj  and 
awful  death  of  a  young  man  in  the  bloom  of  his  youth  ;  who  being  violently 
seized  with  a  pleurisy,  and  taken  immediately  very  delirious,  died  in  about  two 
days  ;  which  (together  with  what  was  preached  publicly  on  that  occasion)  much 
affected  many  young  jteople.  This  was  f  )llowed  with  another  death  of  a  young 
married  woman,  who  had  been  considerably  exercised  in  mind,  about  the  salva- 
tion of  her  soul,  before  she  was  ill,  and  was  in  great  distress,  in  the  beginning 
of  her  illness;  but  seemed  to  have  satisfying  evidences  of  God's  saving  mercy 
to  her,  before  her  death  ;  so  that  she  died  very  full  of  comfort,  in  a  most  earnest 
and  moving  manner,  warning  and  counselling  others.  This  seemed  much  to 
contribute  to  the  solemnizing  of  the  spirits  of  many  young  persons  ;  and  there 
began  evidently  to  appear  more  of  a  religious  concern  on  people's  minds. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year,  I  proposed  it  to  the  young  people,  that  they  should 
agree  among  themselves  to  spend  the  evenings  after  lectures,  in  social  religion, 
and  to  that  end  to  divide  themselves  into  several  companies  to  meet  in  \  arious 
parts  of  the  town  ;  which  was  accordingly  done,  and  those  meetings  have  been 
since  continued,  and  the  example  imitated  by  elder  people.  This  was  followed 
with  the  death  of  an  elderly  person,  which  was  attended  with  many  unusual 
circumstances,  by  which  many  were  nmch  moved  and  affected. 

About  this  time  began  the  great  noise  that  was  in  this  part  of  the  country, 
about  Arminianism,  which  seemed  to  appear  with  a  very  threatening  aspect 
upon  the  interest  of  religion  here.  The  friends  of  vital  piety  trembled  for  fear 
of  the  issue  ;  but  it  seemed,  contrary  to  their  fear,  strongly  to  be  overruled  for 
the  promoting  of  religion.  Many  who  looked  (m  themselves  as  in  a  Christless 
condition  seemed  to  be  awakened  by  it,  with  fear  that  God  was  about  to  with- 
draw from  the  land,  and  that  we  should  be  given  up  to  heterodoxy,  and  corrupt 

•  It  must  be  noted,  that  it  has  never  been  on   manner  to  observe  the  evening  that  follows  the  Sabtutk^ 
but  that  which  precedes  it,  as  part  of  holy  time. 

Vol.  III.  30 


234  NARRATIVE  OF 

principles ,  and  that  then  their  opportunity  for  obtainirg  salvation  would  be 
past;  and  many  who  were  brought  a  little  to  doubt  about  the  truth  of  the  doc- 
trines they  had  hitherto  been  taught,  seemed  to  have  a  kind  of  a  trembling  fear 
with  their  doubts,  lest  they  should  be  led  into  by-paths,  to  their  eternal  undoing : 
and  they  seemed  with  much  concern  and  engagedncss  of  mind  to  inquire 
what  was  indeed  the  way  in  which  they  must  come  to  be  accepted  with  God. 
There  were  then  some  things  said  publicly  on  that  occasion,  concerning  justifi- 
cation by  faith  alone. 

Although  great  fault  was  found  with  meddling  with  the  controversy  in  the 
pulpit,  by  such  a  person,  at  that  time,  and  though  it  was  ridiculed  by  many 
elsewhere ;  yet  it  proved  a  word  spoken  in  season  here  ;  and  was  most  evidently 
attended  with  a  very  remarkable  blessing  of  heaven  to  the  souls  of  the  people 
in  this  town.  They  received  thence  a  general  satisfaction  with  respect  to  the 
main  thing  in  question,  which  they  had  in  trembling  doubts  and  concern  about ; 
and  their  minds  were  engaged  the  more  earnestly  to  seek  that  they  might  come 
to  be  accepted  of  God,  and  saved  in  the  way  of  the  gospel,  which  had  been 
made  evident  to  them  to  be  the  true  and  only  way.  And  then  it  was,  in  the 
latter  part  of  December,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  began  extraordinarily  to  set  in, 
and  wonderfully  to  work  amongst  us ;  and  there  were,  very  suddenly,  one  after 
another,  five  or  six  persons,  who  were,  to  all  appearance,  savingly  converted, 
and  some  of  them  wrought  upon  in  a  very  remarkable  manner. 
y  Particularly,  I  was  surprised  with  the  relation  of  a  young  woman,  who  had 

been  one  of  the  greatest  company  keepers  in  the  whole  town  :  when  she  came  to 
me,  I  had  never  heard  that  she  was  become  in  any  Avise  serious,  but  by  the  con- 
versation I  then  had  with  her,  it  appeared  to  me,  that  what  she  gave  an  account 
of,  was  a  glorious  work  of  God's  infinite  power  and  sovereign  grace ;  and  that 
God  had  given  her  a  new  heart,  truly  broken  and  sanctified.  I  could  not  then 
doubt  of  it,  and  have  seen  much  in  my  acquaintance  with  her  since  to  con- 
firm it. 

Though  the  work  was  glorious,  yet  I  was  filled  with  concern  about  the  eflfect 
it  might  have  upon  others :  I  was  ready  to  conclude  (though  too  rashly)  that 
some  would  be  hardened  by  it,  in  carelessness  and  looseness  of  life  ;  and  would 
take  occasion  from  it  to  open  their  mouths,  in  reproaches  of  religion.  But  the 
"Sy  event  was  the  reverse,  to  a  wonderful  degree  ;  God  made  it,  I  suppose,  the  great- 
est occasion  of  awakening  to  others,  of  any  thing  that  ever  came  to  pass  in  the 
town.  I  have  had  abundant  opportunity  to  know  the  efl["ect  it  had,  by  my  pri- 
vate conversation  with  many.  The  news  of  it  seemed  to  be  almost  like  a  flash 
of  lightning,  upon  the  hearts  of  young  people,  all  over  the  town,  and  upon  many 
others.  Those  persons  amongst  us,  who  used  to  be  farthest  from  seriousness, 
and  that  I  most  feared  would  make  an  ill  improvement  of  it,  seemed  greatly  to 
be  awakened  with  it;  many  went  to  talk  with  her,  concerning  M'hat  she  had 
met  with  ;  and  what  appeared  in  her  seemed  to  be  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  that 
did  so. 

Presently  upon  this,  a  great  ?iid  earnest  concern  about  the  great  things  of 
religion,  and  the  eternal  world,  became  universal  in  all  parts  of  the  town,  and 
among  persons  of  all  degrees,  and  all  ages ;  the  noise  amongst  the  dry  bones 
^^waxed  louder  and  louder :  all  other  talk  but  about  spiritual  and  eternal  things 
was  soon  thrown  by  ;  all  the  conversation  in  all  companies,  and  upon  all  occa- 
sions, was  upon  these  things  only,  unless  so  much  as  was '  necessary  for  people 
carrying  on  their  ordinary  secular  business.  Other  discourse  than  of  the  things 
of  religion,  would  scarcely  be  tolerated  in  any  company.  The  minds  of 
people  were  wonderfully  taken  off  from  the  world;  it  was  treated  amongst  us 


SURPRISING   CONVERSIONS.  235 

as  a  iinw^  of  very  little  consequence :  they  seem  to  follow  their  worldly  busi- 
ness, more  as  a  part  ol' their  duty,  than  from  any  disposition  they  had  to  it ;  the 
temptation  now  seemed  to  lie  on  tiiat  hand,  to  nec;lect  worldly  affairs  too  muck, 
and  to  spend  too  much  time  in  the  immediate  exercise  of  relipon :  which  thing 
was  exceedingly  misrepresented  by  reports  that  were  spread  in  distant  parts  of 
the  land,  as  though  the  people  here  had  wholly  thrown  by  all  worldly  business, 
and  betook  themselves  entirely  to  reading  and  praying,  and  such  like  religious 
exercises. 

But  though  the  people  did  not  ordinarily  neglect  their  worldly  business,  yet 
there  then  was  the  revei-se  of  what  commonly  is  :  religion  was  with  all  sorts 
the  great  concern,  and  the  world  was  a  thing  only  by  the  by.  The  only  thing 
in  their  view  was  to  get  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  every  one  appeared  press- 
ing into  it :  the  engagcdness  of  their  hearts  in  this  great  concern  could  not  be 
hid  ;  it  appeared  in  their  very  countenances.  It  then  was  a  dreadful  thing  amongst 
us  to  lie  out  of  Christ,  in  danger  every  day  of  drojiping  into  hell ;  and  whaf  per- 
sons' minds  were  intent  upon  was  to  escape  for  their  lives,  and  iojly  from  the 
uratk  to  come.  All  would  eagerly  lay  hold  of  opportunities  for  their  souls  ; 
and  were  wont  very  often  to  meet  together  in  private  houses  for  religious  pur- 
poses :  and  such  meetings,  when  appointed,  were  wont  greatly  to  be  thronged. 

There  was  scarcely  a  single  person  in  the  town,  either  old  or  young,  that 
was  left  unconcerned  about  the  great  things  of  the  eternal  world.  Those  that 
were  wont  to  be  the  vainest,  and  loosest,  and  those  that  had  been  most  disposed 
to  think  and  speak  slightly  of  vital  and  experimental  religion,  were  now  gener- 
ally subject  to  great  awakenings.  And  the  workot  conversion  was  earned  od 
in  a  most  astonishing  manner,  and  increased  more  and  more ;  souls  did,  as  it  were,  ^ 
come  by  flocks  to  Jesus  Christ.  From  day  to  day,  for  many  months  together, 
might  be  seen  evident  instances  of  sinners  brought  ojz/  of  darkness  into  marvellous 
ligkt,  and  delivered  out  of  a  horrible  pit,  and  from  the  miry  clay,  and  set  upon 
a  rock,  with  a  nexo  song  of  prauc  to  God  in  their  inoidhs. 

This  work  of  God,  as  it  was  carried  on,  and  the  number  of  true  saints  mul- 
tiplied, soon  made  a  glorious  alteration  in  the  town ;  so  that  in  the  spring  and 
summer  following,  anno  1735,  the  town  seemed  to  be  full  of  the  presence  of 
God:  it  never  was  so  full  of  love,  nor  so  full  of  joy  ;  and  yet  so  full  of  distress 
as  it  was  then.  There  were  remarkable  tokens  of  God's  presence  in  almost 
every  house.  It  was  a  time  of  joy  in  families  on  the  account  of  salvation's  being 
brought  unto  them;  parents  rejoicing  over  their  children  as  new  born,  and 
husbands  over  their  wives,  and  wives  over  their  husbands.  Tlie  goings  of  God 
were  then  seen  in  his  sanctuary,  God\s  day  teas  a  delight,  and  his  tabernacles 
were  amiable.  Our  public  assemblies  were  then  beautiful;  the  congregation 
was  alive  in  God's  service,  every  one  earnestly  intent  on  the  public  worship, 
every  hearer  eager  to  drink  in  the  words  of  the  minister  as  they  came  from  his 
mouth;  the  assembly  in  general  were,  from  time  to  time,  in  tears  while 
the  word  was  preached ;  some  weeping  with  sorrow  and  distress,  others 
with  joy  and  love,  others  with  pity  and  concern  for  the  souls  of  their  neigh- 
bors. 

Our  public  praises  were  then  greatly  enlivened  ;  God  was  then  served  in  our  ^ 
psalraotiy,  in  some  measure,  in  the  beauty  of  holiness.  It  has  been  observable, 
that  there  has  been  scarce  any  part  of  divine  worship,  wherein  good  men 
amongst  us  have  had  grace  so  drawn  forth,  and  their  hearts  so  lifted  up  in  the 
ways  of  God,  as  in  singing  his  praises :  our  congregation  excelled  all  that  ever 
I  knew  in  the  external  part  of  the  dut)-  before,  tlie  men  generally  carrying  re- 
gularly, and  well,  three  parts  of  music,  and  the  women  a  part  by  themselves 


236  NARRATIVE  OF 

but  now  they  were  evidently  wont  to  sing  with  unusual  elevation  of  heart  and 
voice,  which  made  the  duty  pleasant  indeed. 

In  all  companies,  on  other  days,  on  whatever  occasions  persons  met  together, 
Christ  was  to  be  heard  of,  and  seen  in  the  midst  of  them.  Our  young  people, 
when  they  met,  were  wont  to  spend  the  time  in  talking  of  the  excellency  and 
dying  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  gloriousness  of  the  way  of  salvation,  the  won- 
derful, free,  and  sovereign  grace  of  God,  his  glorious  work  in  the  conversion  of 
a  soul,  the  truth  and  certainty  of  the  great  things  of  God's  word,  the  sweetness 
of  the  views  of  his  perfections,  &c.  And  even  at  weddings,  which  formerly 
were  merely  occasions  of  mirth  and  jollity,  there  was  now  no  discourse  of  any 
thing  but  the  things  of  religion,  and  no  appearance  of  any  but  spiritual  mirth. 
Those  amongst  us  that  had  been  formerly  converted,  were  greatly  enlivened 
and  renewed  with  fresh  and  extraordinary  incomes  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  though 
some  much  more  than  others,  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ: 
many  that  before  had  labored  under  difficulties  about  their  own  state,  had  now 
their  doubts  removed  by  more  satisfying  experience,  and  more  clear  discoveries 
of  God's  love. 
/  When  this  work  of  God  first  appeared,  and  was  so  extraordinarily  carried 
on  amongst  us  in  the  winter,  others  round  about  us,  seemed  not  to  know  what 
to  make  of  it ;  and  there  were  many  that  scoffed  at,  and  ridiculed  it ;  and  some 
compared  what  we  called  conversion  to  certain  distempers.  But  it  was  very 
observable  of  many,  that  occasionally  came  amongst  us  from  abroad,  with  disre- 
gardful  hearts,  that  what  they  saw  here  cured  them  of  such  a  temper  of  mind : 
strangers  were  generally  surprised  to  find  things  so  much  beyond  what  they  had 
heard,  and  were  wont  to  tell  others  that  the  state  of  the  town  could  not  be  con- 
ceived of  by  those  that  had  not  seen  it.  The  notice  that  was  taken  of  it  by  the 
people  that  came  to  town  on  occasion  of  the  court,  that  sat  here  in  the  begin- 
ning of  March,  was  very  observable.  And  those  that  came  from  the  nsighbor- 
fiood  to  our  public  lectures,  were  for  the  most  part  remarkably  affected.  Many 
that  came  to  town,  on  one  occasion  or  other,  had  their  consciences  smitten,  and 
awakened,  and  went  home  with  wounded  hearts,  and  with  those  impressions 
that  never  wore  ofi  till  they  had  hopefully  a  saving  issue ;  and  those  that  before 
had  serious  thoughts,  had  their  awakenings  and  convictions  greatly  increased. 
^  And  there  were  many  instances  of  persons  that  came  from  abroad,  on  visits,  or 
on  business,  that  had  not  been  long  here  before,  to  all  appearance,  they  were 
savingly  wrought  upon,  and  partook  of  that  shower  of  divine  blessing  that  God 
rained  down  here,  and  went  home  rejoicing ;  till  at  length  the  same  work  began 
evidently  to  appear  and  prevail  in  several  other  towns  in  the  county. 
^  In  the  month  of  March,  the  people  in  South  Hadley  began  to  be  seized  with 

yC  deep  concern  about  the  things  of  religion  ;  which  very  soon  became  universal : 
and  the  work  of  God  has  been  very  wonderful  there ;  not  much,  if  any  thing, 
short  of  what  it  has  been  here,  in  proportion  to  the  bigness  of  the  place.  About 
the  same  time  it  began  to  break  forth  in  the  west  part  of  Sufl[ield  (where  it  has 
also  been  very  great),  and  it  soon  spread  into  all  parts  of  the  town.  It  next 
appeared  at  Sunderland,  and  soon  overspread  the  town ;  and  I  believe  was  for 
a  season,  not  less  ^markable  than  it  was  here.  About  the  same  time  it  began 
to  appear  in  a  part  of  DeCTfield,  called  Green  River,  and  afterwards  filled  the 
town,  and  there  has  been  a  glorious  work  there  :  it  began  also  to  be  manifest  in 
the  south  part  of  Hatfield,  in  a  place  called  the  Hill,  and  after  that  the  whole 
town,  in  the  second  week  in  April,  seemed  to  be  seized,  as  it  were  at  once,  with 
concern  about  the  things  of  religion  :  and  the  work  of  God  has  been  great  there. 
There  has  been  also  a  very  general  awakening  at  West  Springfitidj  and  Long 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS,  237 

Meatlow  ;  and  in  Enfield,  there  was,  for  a  time,  a  pretty  general  concern  amongst 
some  that  belbre  halTTjcen  very  loose  persons.  About  the  same  time  that  this 
appeared  at  Enfield,  the  Rev.  i\lr.  Bull  of  Westfield  informed  me,  that  there  had 
^been  u  great  alteration  there,  and  that  more  had  been  done  in  one  week  there  than 
.in  seven  years  before. — Something  of  this  work  likewise  appeared  in  the  first  pre- 
cinet  in  Springfield,  principally  in  the  north  and  south  extremes  of  the  parish. 
And  in  Iladley  old  town,  there  gradually  aj)peared  so  much  of  a  work  of  God  on 
souls,  as  at  another  time  would  liavc  been  thought  worthy  of  much  notice.  For 
a  short  time  there  was  also  a  very  great  and  general  concern,  of  the  like  nature, 
at  Northfield.  And  wherever  this  concern  appeared,  it  seemed  not  to  be  in  vain : 
but  in  every  place  God  brought  saving  blessings  with  him,  and  his  word  attend- 
ed Nvith  his  Spirit  (as  we  have  all  reason  to  think)  returned  not  void.  It  might 
well  be  said  at  that  time  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  Who  are  these  thatjly  as  a 
cloud,  and  as  doves  to  thiir  u-indows  ? 

As  what  other  towns  heard  of  and  found  in  this,  was  a  great  means  of  awaken-  -- 
ing  them ;  so  our  hearing  of  such  a  swift,  and  extraordinary  propagation,  and 
extent  of  this  work,  did  doubtless,  for  a  time,  serve  to  uphold  the  work  amongst 
us.  The  continual  news  kept  alive  the  talk  ol'  religion,  and  did  greatly  quicken 
and  rejoice  the  hearts  of  God's  people,  and  much  awaken  those  that  looked  on 
themselves  as  still  left  behind,  and  made  them  the  more  eai-nest  that  they  also 
might  share  in  the  great  blessing  that  others  had  obtained. 

This  remarkable  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  w^hich  thus  extended  from  \^ 
one  end  to  the  other  of  this  country,  was  not  confined  to  it,  but  many  places  in 
Connecticut  have  partook  in  the  same  mercy  :  as  for  instance,  the  first  parish  in 
Windsor,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Marsh,  was  thus  blest 
about  the  same  time,  as  we  in  Northampton,  while  we  had  no  knowledge  of 
each  other's  circumstances :  there  has  been  a  very  great  ingathering  of  souls  to 
Christ  in  that  place,  and  something  considerable  of  the  same  work  began  after- 
wards in  East  Windsor,  my  honored  father's  parish,  which  has  in  times  past 
been  a  place  favored  with  mercies  of  this  nature,  above  any  on  this  western 
side  of  New  England,  excepting  Northampton  ;  there  having  been  four  or  five 
seasons  of  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  to  the  general  awakening  of  the  people  ^  / 
there,  since  my  father's  settlement  amongst  them. 

There  was  also  the  last  spring  and  summer  a  wonderful  work  of  God  carried  on 
at  Coventry,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Meacham :  1  had  oppor- 
tunity tcT  converse  with  some  of  the  Coventry  people,  who  gave  me  a  very  re- 
markable account  of  the  surprising  change  that  appeared  in  the  most  rude  and 
vicious  persons  there.  The  like  was  also  very  great  at  the  same  time  in  a  part 
of  Lebanon,  called  the  Crank,  where  the  Reverend  Mr.  Wheelock,  a  young 
gentleman,  is  lately  settled:  and  there  has  been  much  of  the  same  at  Durham, 
under  the  ministry  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Chauncey ;  and  to  appearance  no  small 
ingathering  of  souls  there.  And  likewise  amongst  many  of  the  young  peo- 
ple in  the  first  precinct  in  Stratford,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Gould  ;  where  tlie  work  was  much  promoted  by  the  remarkable  conversion  of  a 
young  woman  that  had  been  a  great  company  keeper,  as  it  was  here. 

Something  of  this  work  appeared  in  several  other  towns  in  those  parts,  as 
I  was  informed  when  I  was  there  the  last  fall.  And  we  have  since  been  ac- 
quainted with  something  very  remarkable  of  this  nature  at  another  parish  in 
Stratford,  called  Riptoii,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mills.  And 
there  was  a  considerable  revival  of  religion  last  summer  at  New  Haven  old 
town,  as  I  was  once  and  again  informed  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Noyes,  the  minister 
there,  and  by  others:  and  by  a  letter  which  I  very  lately  received  from  Mr. 


238  NARRATIVE  OF 

Noyes,  and  also  by  information  we  have  had  otherwise.  This  flourishing  of 
religion  still  continues,  and  has  lately  much  increased  :  Mr.  Noyes  writes,  that 
many  this  summer  have  been  added  to  the  church,  and  particularly  mentions 
several  young  persons  that  belonged  to  the  principal  families  of  that  town. 

There  has  been  a  degree  of  the  same  work  at  a  part  of  Guilford  ;  and  very 
considerable  at  Mansfield,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev,  Mr.  Eleazar  Williams; 
and  an  unusual  reUgious  concern  at  Tolland ;  and  something  of  it  at  Hebron,  and 
Bolton.  There  was  also  no  small  effusion  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  north 
parish  in  Preston  in  the  eastern  part  of  Connecticut,  which  I  was  informed  of, 
and  saw  something  of  it  when  I  was  the  last  autumn  at  the  house,  and  in  the 
congregation  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lord,  the  minister  there ;  who  with  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Owen  of  Groton,  came  up  hither  in  May,  the  last  year,  on  purpose  to  see  the 
work  of  God  here ;  and  having  heard  various  and  contradictory  accounts  of  it, 
were  careful  when  they  were  here  to  inform  and  satisfy  themselves ;  and  to  that 
end  particularly  conversed  with  many  of  our  people  ;  which  they  declared 
to  be  entirely  to  their  satisfaction  ;  and  that  the  one  half  had  not  been  told  them, 
nor  could  be  told  them.  Mr.  Lord  told  me,  that,  when  he  got  home,  he  in- 
formed his  congregation  of  what  he  had  seen,  and  that  they  were  greatly  affected 
with  it,  and  that  it  proved  the  beginning  of  the  same  work  amongst  them, 
which  prevailed  till  there  was  a  general  awakening,  and  many  instances  of 
persons,  who  seemed  to  be  remarkably  converted.  I  also  have  lately  heard 
that  there  has  been  something  of  the  same  work  at  Woodbury. 

But  this  shower  of  Divine  blessing  has  been  yet  more  extensive  :  there  was 
no  small  degree  of  it  in  some  parts  of  the  Jerseys  ;  as  I  was  informed  when  ] 
was  at  New-York  (in  a  long  journey  I  took  at  that  time  of  the  year  for  my 
health),  by  some  people  of  the  Jerseys,  whom  I  saw  :  especially  the  Rev.  Mr. 
William  Tennent,  a  minister,  who  seemed  to  have  such  things  much  at  heart, 
told  me  of  a  very  great  awakening  of  many  in  a  place  called  the  Mountains 
under  the  ministry  of  one  Mr.  Cross  ;  and  of  a  very  considerable  revival  of  re 
ligion  in  another  place  under  the  ministry  of  his  brother  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gilbert 
Tennent ;  and  also  at  another  place,  under  the  ministry  of  a  very  pious  young 
gentleman,  a  Dutch  minister,  whose  name  as  I  remember,  was  Freelinghousen. 

This  seems  to  have  been  a  vei^  extraordinary  dispensation  of  Providence : 
God  has  in  many  respects,  gone  out  of,  and  much  beyond  his  usual  and  ordinary 
way.  The  w^ork  in  this  town,  and  some  others  about  us,  has  been  extraordinary 
on  account  of  the  universality  of  it,  affecting  all  sorts,  sober  and  vicious,  high 
and  low,  rich  and  poor,  wise  and  unwise ;  it  reached  the  most  considerable 
'families  and  persons  to  all  appearance,  as  much  as  others.  In  former  stirrings 
of  this  nature,  the  bulk  of  the  young  people  have  been  greatly  affected  ;  but  old 
men  and  little  children  have  been  so  now.  Many  of  the  last  have,  of  their  own 
accord,  formed  themselves  into  religious  societies,  in  different  parts  of  the  town  : 
a  loose  careless  person  could  scarcely  find  a  companion  in  the  whole  neighbor- 
hood ;  and  if  there  was  any  one  that  seemed  to  remain  senseless  or  unconcerned, 
it  would  be  spoken  of  as  a  strange  thing. 

This  dispensation  has  also  appeared  extraordinary  in  the  numbers  of  those, 
on  whom  we  have  reason  to  hope  it  has  had  a  saving  effect ;  we  have  about  six 
hundred  and  twenty  communicants,  which  include  almost  all  our  adult  persons. 
The  church  was  very  large  before  ;  but  persons  never  thronged  into  it,  as  they 
did  in  the  late  extraordinary  time.  Our  sacraments  were  eight  weeks  asunder, 
and  I  received  into  our  communion  about  a  hundred  before  one  sacrament, 
and  fourscore  of  them  at  one  time,  whose  appearance,  when  they  presented 
themselves  together  to  make  an  open,  explicit  profession  of  Christianity,  was 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  239 

very  affecting  to  the  congregation  :  I  took  in  near  sixty  before  the  next  sacra- 
ment <hiy  :  and  1  had  very  suflicient  evidence  of  tlie  conversion  of  their  souls 
throuprh  divine  grace,  though  it  is  not  the  cusloni  liere,  as  it  is  in  many  other 
chur.iies  in  this  country,  to  make  a  credible  relation  of  their  inward  experiences, 
the  ground  of  admission  to  the  Lord's  Supper. 

1  am  far  from  pretending  to  be  able  to  determine  how  many  have  lately 
been  the  subjects  of  such  mercy  ;  but  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  declare  any  thing 
that  appears  to  me  probable  m  a  thing  of  this  nature,  I  hope  that  more  than 
three  hundred  souls  were  savingly  brought  home  to  Christ  in  this  town,  in  the  ^ 
space  of  half  a  year  (how  many  more  I  don't  guess),  and  about  the  same  num- 
ber of  males  as  females ;  which,  by  what  I  have  heard  Mr.  Stoddard  say,  was 
far  from  what  has  been  usual  in  years  past,  for  he  observed  that  in  his  time, 
many  more  women  were  converted  than  men.  Those  of  our  young  people  that 
are  on  other  accounts  most  likely  and  considerable,  are  mostly,  as  1  hope,  truly 
pious,  and  leading  persons  in  the  way  of  religion.  Those  that  were  ibrmerly 
looser  young  persons,  are  generally,  to  all  appearance,  become  true  lovers  of 
God  and  Christ,  and  spiritual  in  their  dispositions.  And  I  hope  that  by  far 
the  greater  part  of  persons  in  this  town,  above  sixteen  years  of  age,  are  such  as 
have  the  saving  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  so  by' what  I  heard  I  suppose 
it  is  in  some  other  places,  particularly  at  Sunderland  and  South  Hadley. 

This  has  also  appeared  to  be  a  very  extraordinary  dispensation,  in  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  has  so  much  extended  not  only  his  awakening,  but  regenerating 
influences,  both  to  elderly  persons,  and  also  those  that  are  very  young.  ]t  has^  l^ 
been  a  thing  heretofore  rarely  heard  of,  that  any  were  converted  past  ujiddle' 
age ;  but  now  we  have  the  same  ground  to  think  that  many  such  have  in  this 
time  been  savingly  changed,  as  tl;at  others  liave  been  so  in  more  early  years. 
I  suppose  there  were  upwards  of  fifty  persons  in  this  town  above  forty  years  of 
age ;  and  more  than  twenty  of  them  above  fifty,  and  about  ten  of  them  above 
sixtv,  and  two  of  them  above  seventy  years  of  age. 

It  has  heretofore  been  looked  on  as  a  strange  thing,  Avhen  any  have  seemed 
to  be  savingly  wrought  upon,  and  remarkably  changed  in  their  childhood ;  but  u\" 
now,  I  suppose,  near  ttiixty  were  to  appearance  so  wrought  upon  between  ten 
anrl  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  two  between  nine  and  ten,  and  one  of  them  about 
four  years  of  age  ;  and  because,  I  suppose,  this  last  will  be  most  difficultly  be- 
lieved, I  shall  hereafter  give  a  particular  account  of  it.  The  influences  of  God's 
Spirit  have  also  been  very  remarkable  on  children  in  some  other  places,  parti- 
cularly at  Sunderland  and  South  Hadley,  and  the  west  part  of  Sutheld.  There 
are  several  families  in  this  town  that  are  all  hopefully  pious ;  yea,  there  are 
several  numerous  families,  in  wliich,  I  think,  we  have  reason  to  hope  that  all 
the  children  are  truly  godly,  and  most  of  them  lately  become  so  :  and  there  are 
very  few  houses  in  the  whole  town,  into  which  salvation  has  not  lately  come,  in 
one  or  more  instances.  There  are  several  negroes,  that  from  what  was  seen  in 
them  then,  and  what  is  discernible  in  them  since,  appear  to  have  been  truly 
born  aeain  in  the  late  remarkable  season. 

God  has  also  seemed  to  have  gone  out  of  his  usual  way  in  the  quickriess  of  ^ 
Ins  Avork,  and  the  swift  progress  his  Spirit  has  made  in  his  opcratfon,  on  the 
hearts  of  many  :  'tis  wonderful  that  persons  should  be  so  suddenly,  and  yet  so 
greatly  chano;e(l :  many  have  been  taken  irom  a  loose  and  careless  way  of  living, 
and  seized  with  strong  convictions  of  their  guilt  and  misery,  and  in  a  very  little 
time  old  things  have  passed  away,  and  all  things  have  become  new  with 
tfaem. 

God's  work  has  also  appeared  very  extraordinary,  in  the  degrees  of  the  in- 


240  NARRATIVE  OF 

fluenccs  of  his  Spirit,  both  in  the  degree  of  awakening  and  conviction,  and  also 
in  a  degree  of  saving  light,  and  love,  and  joy,  that  many  have  experienced.  It 
has  also  been  very  extraordinary  in  the  extent  of  it,  and  its  being  so  swiftly 
propagated  from  town  to  town.  In  former  times  of  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  on  this  town,  though  in  some  of  them  it  was  very  remarkable,  yet  it 
reached  no  further  than  this  town,  the  neighboring  towns  all  around  continued 
unmoved. 

The  work  of  God's  Spirit  seemed  to  be  at  its  greatest  height  in  this  town,  in 
the  former  part  of  the  spring,  in  March  and  April ;  at  which  time  God's  work 
in  the  conversion  of  souls  was  carried  on  amongst  us  in  so  wonderful  a  manner, 
that  so  far  as  I,  by  looking  back,  can  judge  from  the  particular  acquaintance  I 
have  had  with  souls  in  this  work,  it  appears  to  me  probable,  to  have  been  at 
the  rate,  at  least  of  four  persons  in  a  day,  or  near  thirty  in  a  week,  take  one 
with  another,  for  live  or  six  weeks  together :  when  God  in  so  remarkable  a 
manner  took  the  work  into  his  own  hands,  there  was  as  much  done  in  a  day  or 
two,  as  at  ordinary  times,  with  all  endeavors  that  men  can  use,  and  with  such  a 
blessing  as  we  comm.only  have,  is  done  in  a  year. 

I  am  very  sensible  how  apt  many  would  be,  if  they  should  see  the  account 
I  have  here  given,  presently  to  think  with  themselves  that  1  am  very  fond  of 
making  a  great  many  converts,  and  of  magnifying  and  aggrandizing  the  matter ; 
and  to  think  that,  for  want  of  judgment,  1  take  every  religious  pang,  and  enthu- 
siastic conceit,  for  saving  conversion  ;  and  I  do  not  much  wonder  if  they  should 
be  apt  to  think  so  :  and  for  this  reason,  I  have  forborne  to  publish  an  account  of 
this  great  work  of  God,  though  I  have  often  been  put  upon  it ;  but  having  now 
as  I  thought  a  special  call  to  give  an  account  of  it,  upon  mature  consideration  I 
thought  it  might  not  be  beside  my  duty  to  declare  this  amazing  woik,  as  it  ap- 
peared to  me,  to  be  indeed  divine,  and  to  conceal  no  part  of  the  glory  of  it, 
leaving  it  with  God  to  take  care  of  the  credit  of  his  own  work,  and  running  the 
venture  of  any  censorious  thoughts,  which  might  be  entertained  of  me  to  my 
disadvantage.  But  that  distant  persons  may  be  under  as  great  advantage  as 
may  be,  to  judge  for  themselves  of  this  matter,  I  would  be  a  little  more  large,  and 
particular. 

/'    1  therefore  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  the  manner  of  persons  being 
^,)f  wrought  upon ;  and  here  there  is  a  vast  variety,  perhaps  as  manifold  as  the  sub- 
jects of  the  operation ;  but  yet  in  many  things  there  is  a  great  analogy  in  all. 

Persons  are  first  awakened  with  a  sense  of  their  miserable- condition  by 
(  I  nature,  the  danger  they  are  in  of  perishing  eternally,  and  that  it  is  of  great  im- 
portance to  them  that  they  speedily  escape,  and  get  into  a  better  state.  Those 
that  before  were  secure  and  senseless,  are  made  sensible  how  much  they  were 
in  the  way  to  ruin  in  their  former  courses.  Some  are  more  suddenly  seized  with 
convictions ;  it  may  be,  by  the  news  of  others'  conversion,  or  something  they 
hear  in  public,  or  in  private  conference,  their  consciences  are  suddenly  smitten, 
as  if  their  hearts  were  pierced  through  with  a  dart :  others  have  awakenings 
that  come  upon  them  more  gradually ;  they  begin  at  first  to  be  something  more 
thoughtful  and  considerate,  so  as  to  come  to  a  conclusion  in  their  minds,  that  it 
is  their  best  and  wisest  way  to  delay  no  longer,  but  to  improve  the  present  op- 
portunity ;  and  have  accordingly  set  then:iselves  seriously  to  meditate  on  those 
things  that  have  the  most  awakening  tendency,  on  purpose  to  obtain  convic- 
tions;  and  so  their  awakenings  have  increased,  till  a  sense  of  their  misery,  by 
God's  Spirit  setting  in  therewith,  has  had  fast  hold  of  them.  Others  that,  be- 
fore this  wonderful  time,  had  been  something  religious  and  concerned  for  their 
salvation,  have  been  awakened  in  a  new  manner,  and  made  sensible  that  their 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  241 

slack  and  dull  way  of  seeking  was  never  like  to  attain  their  purpose,  and  so 
have  hi'vn  roi»cd  up  to  a  <5reater  violence  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

These  awakenings  wlien  tliey  have  fust  seized  on  persons,  have  had  two 
etlty:ls  :  one  was,  that  they  have  brouglit  them  immediately  to  quit  their  sinful  "/vj 
practices,  and  the  looser  sort  have  been  brought  to  forsake  and  dread  their  for- 
mer vices  and  extravagancies.  When  once  the  Spirit  of  (jod  began  to  be  so 
wonderfully  poure<l  out  in  a  general  way  through  the  town,  people  had  soon 
done  with  their  oKI  quarrels,  backbitings,  and  intermeddling  with  other  men's 
matters  ;  the  tavern  was  soon  left  empty,  and  persons  kept  very  much  at  home  j 
none  went  abroait  unless  on  necessary  business,  or  on  some  religious  account, 
and  every  day  seemed  in  many  rrs{x.'cts  like  a  Sabbath  day.  And  the  other 
effect  was,  that  it  put  them  on  earnest  application  to  the  means  of  salvation, 
reading,  prayer,  meditation,  the  ordinances  of  God's  house,  and  private  confer- 
ence; their  cry  was,  ]Vhiit  shall  we  do  to  be  saved?  The  place  of  resort  was 
now  altered,  it  was  no  longer  the  tavern,  but  the  minister's  house  ;  that  was 
thronged  far  more  than  ever  the  tavern  hail  been  wont  to  be. 

There  is  a  very  great  variety,  as  to  the  degree  of  tear  and  trouble  that  persons 
are  e.verciseil  with,  before  they  obtain  any  comfortable  evidences  of  pardon  and 
acceptance  with  God  :  some  are  from  the  beginning  carried  on  with  abundantly 
more  encouragement  and  hope,  than  others :  some  have  had  ten  times  less  trou- 
ble of  mind  than  others,  in  whom  yet  the  issue  seems  to  be  the  same.  Some 
have  had  such  a  sense  of  the  displeasure  of  God,  and  the  great  danger  they 
were  in  of  damnation,  that  they  could  not  sleep  at  nights  ;  and  many  have  said 
that  when  thev  have  laid  down,  the  thoughts  of  sleeping  in  such  a  condition 
have  been  frightful  to  them,  and  they  have  scarcely  been  free  from  terrror  while 
they  have  been  asleep,  and  they  have  awaked  v.'ith  fear,  heaviness,  and  dis- 
tress still  abiding  on  their  spirits.  It  has  been  very  common,  that  the  deep  and 
fixetl  concern  that  has  been  on  persons'  minds,  has  had  a  painful  influence  on 
their  bodies,  and  given  disturbance  to  animal  nature. 

The  awful  apprehensions  persons  have  had  of  their  misery,  have  for  the  most 
part  been  increasing,  the  nearer  they  have  approached  to  deliverance;  though 
they  often  pass  through  many  changes,  and  alterations  in  the  frame  and  circum- 
stances of  their  minds  :  sometimes  they  think  themselves  wholly  senseless,  and 
fear  that  the  Spirit  of  God  has  left  them,  and  that  they  are  given  up  to  judicial 
hardness ;  yet  they  appear  very  deeply  exercised  about  that  fear,  and  are  in 
great  earnest  to  obtain  convictions  again. 

Together  with  those  fears,  and  that  exercise  of  mind  which  is  rational,  and 
which  they  have  just  ground  for,  tliey'tiave  olten  suti'ered  many  needless  di.s- 
tresses  of  thought,  in  which  Satan  probably  has  a  great  hand,  to  entangle  them, 
and  block  up  their  way;  and  sometimes  the  distemper  of  melancholy  has  been 
evidently  mixed  ;  of  which,  when  it  happens,  the  tempter  seems  to  make  great 
advantage,  and  puts  an  unhappy  bar  in  the  way  of  any  good  effect :  one  knows 
not  how  to  deal  with  suoh  persons  ;  they  turn  every  thing  that  is  said  to  them 
the  wrong  way,  and  most  to  their  own  disadvantage :  and  there  is  nothing  that 
the  devil  seems  to  make  so  great  a  handle  of,  as  a  melancholy  humor,  unless  il 
be  the  real  corruption  of  the  heart. 

But  it  has  been  very  remarkable,^hat  there  has  been  far  less  of  this  mixture  ^^- 
in  this  time  of  extraordinaiy  blessing,  than  there  was  wont  to  be  in  persons 
under  awakenings  at  other  times ;  for  it  is  evident  that  many  tliat  before  had 
been  exceedingly  involved  in  such  difficulties,  seemed  now  strangely  to  be  .set 
at  hberty :  some  persons  that  had  before  for  a  long  time,  being  exceedingly 
entangled   with  peculiar  temptations,  of  one  sort  or  other,  and  unprofitable 

Vol    III.  31 


242  NARRATIVE  OF 

and  hurtful  distresses,  were  soon  helped  over  former  stunrMlng-blocks,  that 
hindered  any  progress  towards  saving  good ;  and  convictions  have  wrought 
more  kindly,  and  they  have  been  successfully  carried  on  in  the  way  to  life. 
And  thus  Satan  seemed  to  be  restrained,  till  towards  the  latter  end  of  this  won- 
derful time,  when  God's  Spirit  was  about  to  withdraw. 

Many  times  persons  under  great  awakenings  were  concerned,  because 
they  thought  they  were  not  awakened,  but  miserable,  hard-hearted,  senseless, 
sottish  creatures  still,  and  sleeping  upon  the  brink  of  hell :  the  sense  of  the  need 
they  have  to  be  awakened,  and  of  their  comparative  hardness,  grows  upon  them 
with  their  awakenings  ;  so  that  they  seem  to  themselves  to  be  very  senseless, 
when  indeed  most  sensible.  There  have  been  some  instances  of  persons  that 
have  had  as  great  a  sense  of  their  danger  and  misery,  as  their  natures  could  well 
subsist  under,  so  that  a  little  more  would  probably  have  destroyed  them  ;  and 
yet  they  have  expressed  themselves  much  amazed  at  their  own  insensibility  and 
sottishness,  in  such  an  extraordinary  time  as  it  then  was. 

Persons  are  sometimes  brought  to  the  borders  of  despair,  and  it  looks  as 
black  as  midnight  to  them  a  little  before  the  day  dawns  in  their  souls ;  some 
few  instances  there  have  been  of  persons,  who  have  had  such  a  sense  of  God's 
wrath  for  sin,  that  they  have  been  overborne,  and  made  to  cry  out  under  an  aston- 
ishing sense  of  their  guilt,  wondering  that  God  suffers  such  guilty  wretches  to 
live  upon  earth,  and  that  he  doth  not  immediately  send  them  to  hell ;  and  some- 
times their  guilt  does  so  glare  them  in  the  face,  that  they  are  in  exceeding  ter- 
ror for  fear  that  God  will  instantly  do  it ;  but  more  commonly  the  distresses 
under  legal  awakenings  have  not  been  to  such  a  degree.  In  some  these  terrors 
do  not  seem  to  be  so  sharp,  when  near  comfort,  as  before ;  their  convictions  have 
not  seemed  to  work  so  much  that  way,  but  they  seem  to  be  led  further  down 
into  their  own  hearts,  to  a  further  sense  of  their  own  universal  depravity,  and 
deadness  in  sin. 

The  corruption  of  the  heart  has  discovered  itself  in  various  exercises  in  the 
tune  of  legal  convictions  ;  sometimes  it  appears  in  a  great  struggle,  like  some- 
thing roused  by  an  enemy,  and  Satan  the  old  inhabitant  seems  to  exert  himself, 
like  a  serpent  disturbed  and  enraged.  Many  in  such  circumstances,  have  felt  a 
great  spirit  of  envy,  towards  the  godly,  especially  towards  those  that  are  thought 
to  have  been  lately  converted,  and  most  of  all  towards  acquaintances  and  com- 
panions, when  they  are  thought  to  be  converted  :  indeed  some  have  felt  many 
heart-risings  against  God,  and  murmurings  at  his  ways  of  dealing  with  mankind, 
and  his  dealings  with  themselves  in  particular.  It  has  been  much  insisted  on, 
both  in  public  and  private,  that  persons  should  have  the  utmost  dread  of  such  en- 
vious thoughts,  which,  if  allowed,  tend  exceedingly  to  quench  the  Spirit  of  God, 
if  not  to  provoke  him  finally  to  forsake  them.  And  when  such  a  spirit  has 
much  prevailed,  and  persons  have  not  so  earnestly  strove  against  it  as  they 
ought  to  have  done,  it  has  seemed  to  be  exceedingly  to  the  hinderance  of  the 
good  of  their  souls :  but  in  some  other  instances,  wheise  persons  have  been  much 
terrified  at  the  sight  of  such  wickedness  in  their  hearts,  God  has  brought  good 
to  them  out  of  evil :  and  made  it  a  means  of  convincing  them  of  their  own  des- 
perate sinfulness,  and  bringing  them  off  from  all  self-confidence. 

The  drift  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  legal  strivings  with  persons,  has  seemed 
most  evidently  to  be,  to  make  way  for,  and  to  bring  to,  a  conviction  of  their  ab- 
solute dependence  on  his  sovereign  power  and  grace,  and  universal  necessity  of 
.a  Mediator,  by  leading  them  more  and  more  to  a  sense  of  their  exceeding  wick- 
jedness,  and  guiltiness  in  his  sight ;  the  pollution,  and  insufficiency  of  their  own 
righteousness,  that  they  can  in  no  wise  help  themselves,  and  that  God  would  be 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  248 

wholly  just  and  righteous  in  rejecting  them,  and  all  that  they  do,  and  in  casting 
them  otf  for  ever ;  though  there  ha  a  vast  variety,  as  to  the  manner,  and  dis- 
tinctness of  persons'  convictions  of  these  things. 

As  they  are  grathially  more  and  more  convinced  of  the  corruption  and  wick- 
edness of  their  iiearts,  fhey  seem  to  themselves  to  grow  worse  and  worse,  hard- 
er and  blinder,  and  more  desperately  wicked,  instead  of  growing  better :  they 
are  ready  to  be  discouraged  by  it,  and  oftentimes  never  think  themselves  so  far 
off  from  good,  as  when  they  are  nearest.  Under  the  sense  which  the  Spirit  of 
God  gives  them  of  their  sinfulness,  they  often  think  that  they  differ  from  all 
others;  their  hearts  are  ready  to  sink  with  the  thought,  that  they  are  the  worst 
of  all,  and  that  none  ever  obtained  mercy  that  were  so  wicked  as  they. 

When  awakenings  first  begin,  their  consciences  are  commonly  most  exercised 
about  their  outward  vicious  course,  or  other  acts  of  sin  ;  but  afterwards,  are 
much  more  burdened  with  a  sense  of  heart  sins,  the  dreadful  corruption  of  their 
nature,  their  enmity  against  God,  the  pride  of  their  hearts,  their  unbelief,  their 
rejection  of  Christ,  the  stubborness  and  obstinacy  of  their  wills  ;  and  the  like. 
In  many,  God  make^  much  use  of  their  own  experience,  in  the  course  of  their 
awakenings  and  endeavors  alter  saving  good,  to  convince  them  of  their  own 
vile  emptiness  and  universal  depravity. 

Very  often  under  first  awakenings,  when  they  are  brought  to  reflect  on  the 
sin  of  their  past  lives,  and  have  something  of  a  terrifying  sense  of  God's  anger,  ■ 
they  set  themselves  to  walk  more  strictly,  and  confess  their  sins,  and  perform  .y 
many  religious  duties,  with  a  secret  hope  of  appeasing  God's  anger,  and  raak-  ^ 
jng  up  for  the  sins  they  have  committed  :  and  oftentimes,  at  first  setting  out, 
their  affections  are  moved,  and  they  are  full  of  tears,  in  their  confessions  and 
prayers,  which  they  are  ready  to  make  very  much  of,  as  though  they  were  some 
atonement,  and  had  power  to  move  correspondent  affections  in  God  too  :  and 
hence  they  are  for  a  while  big  with  expectation  of  what  God  will  do  for  them ; 
and  conceive  that  they  grow  better  apace,  and  shall  soon  be  thoroughly  con- 
verted. But  these  affections  are  but  short-lived,  they  quickly  find  that  they  fail,  ])(^ 
and  then  they  think  themselves  to  be  grown  worse  again  ;  they  do  not  find  such 
a  prospect  of  being  soon  converted  as  they  thought ;  instead  of  being  nearer, 
they  seem  to  be  farther  off;  their  hearts  they  think  are  grown  harder,  and  by 
this  means  their  fears  of  perishing  greatly  increase.  But  though  they  are  dis- 
appointed, they  renew  their  attempts  again  and  again ;  and  still  as  their  at- 
tempts are  multiplied,  so  are  their  disappointments  ;  all  fail,  they  see  no  token 
of  ha\-ing  inclined  God's  heart  to  them,  they  do  not  see  that  he  hears  their 
prayer  at  all,  as  they  expected  he  would ;  and  sometimes  there  have  been  great 
temptations  arising  hence  to  leave  off  seeking,  and  to  yield  up  the  case.  But 
as  they  are  still  more  terrified  with  fears  of  perishing,  and  their  former  hopes  of 
prevailing  on  God  to  be  merciful  to  them  in  a  great  measure  fail,  sometimes 
their  religious  affections  have  turned  into  heart-risings  against  God,  because 
that  he  would  not  pity  them,  and  seems  to  have  little  regard  to  their  distress  and 
piteous  cries,  and  to  all  the  pains  they  take  :  they  think  of  the  mercy  that  God 
has  shown  to  others,  how  soon,  and  how  easily  others  have  obtained  comfort, 
and  those  too  that  were  worse  than  they,  and  have  not  labored  so  much  as  they 
have  ilone,  and  sometimes  they  have  had  even  dreadful  blasphemous  thoughts, 
in  these  circumstances. 

But  when  they  reflect  on  these  wicked  workings  of  heart  against  God,  if 
their  convictions  are  continued,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  is  not  provoked  utterly  to 
Jbrsake  them,  they  have  more  distressing  apprehensions  of  the  anger  of  God 
towards  those,  whose  hearts  work  after  such  a  sinful  manner  about  him  ;  and  it 


244  NARRATIVE  OF 

may  be  have  great  fears  that  they  have  committed  the  unpardonable  sin,  or  thai 
God  will  surely  never  show  mercy  to  them  that  are  such  vipers  :  and  are  often 
tempted  to  leave  off  in  despair. 

But  then  perhaps,  by  something  they  read  or  hear  of  the  infinite  mercy  of 
God,  and  all-sufficiency  of  Christ  for  the  chief  of  sinners  ;  they  have  some  en- 
couragement and  hope  renewed ;  but  think  that  as  yet  they  are  not  fit  to  come 
to  Christ,  they  are  so  wicked  that  Christ  will  never  accept  of  them  :  and  then 
it  may  be  they  set  themselves  upon  a  new  course  of  fruitless  endeavors  in  their 
own  strength  to  make  themselves  better,  and  still  meet  with  new  disappoint- 
ments :  they  are  earnest  to  inquire  what  they  shall  do.  They  do  not  know 
but  there  is  something  else  to  be  done,  in  order  to  their  obtaining  converting 
grace,  that  they  have  never  done  yet.  It  may  be  they  hope  they  are  something 
better  than  they  were ;  but  then  the  pleasing  dream  all  vanishes  again.  If 
V>  they  are  told  that  they  trust  too  much  to  their  own  strength  and  righteousness, 
^  they  cannot  unlearn  this  practice  all  at  once,  and  find  not  yet  the  appearance  of 
any  good,  but  all  looks  as  dark  as  midnight  to  them.  Thus  they  wander  about 
from  mountain  to  hill,  seeking  rest  and  finding  none  :  when  they  are  beat  out 
of  one  refuge  they  fly  to  another,  till  they  are,  as  it  were,  debilitated,  broken, 
and  subdued  wdth  legal  humblings  ;  in  which  God  gives  them  a  conviction  of 
their  own  utter  helplessness  and  insufficiency,  and  discovers  the  true  remedy  in 
a  clearer  knowledge  of  Christ  and  his  gospel. 

"When  they  begin  to  seek  salvation,  they  are  commonly  profoundly  ignorant 
of  themselves ;  they  are  not  sensible  how  blind  they  are,  and  how  little  they  can 
do  towards  bringing  themselves  to  see  spiritual  things  aright,  and  towards  putting 
forth  gracious  exercises  in  their  own  souls ;  they  are  not  sensible  how  remote 
they  are  from  love  to  God,  and  other  holy  dispositions,  and  how  dead  they  are 
to  sin.  When  they  see  unexpected  pollution  in  their  own  hearts,  they  go  about 
to  wash  away  their  own  defilements,  and  make  themselves  clean  ;  and  they 
weary  themselves  in  vain,  till  God  shows  them  it  is  in  vain,  and  that  their  help 
is  not  where  they  have  sought  it,  but  elsewhere. 

But  some  persons  continue  wandering  in  such  a  kind  of  labyrinth,  ten  times 
as  long  as  others,  before  their  own  experience  will  convince  them  of  their  insuf- 
ficiency ;  and  so  it  appears  not  to  be  their  own  experience  only,  but  the  con- 
vincing influence  of  God's  Spirit  with  their  experience,  that  attains  the  efligct : 
and  God  has  of  late  abundantly  shown  that  he  does  not  need  to  wait  to  have 
men  convinced  by  long  and  often  repeated,  fruitless  trials  ;  for  in  multitudes  of 
instances  he  has  made  a  shorter  work  of  it ;  he  has  so  awakened  and  convinced 
persons'  consciences,  and  made  them  so  sensible  of  their  exceeding  great  vileness, 
and  given  them  such  a  sense  of  his  wrath  against  sin,  as  has  quickly  overcome 
all  their  vain  self-confidence,  and  borne  them  down  into  the  dust  before  a  holy 
and  righteous  God. 

X'  J  There  have  been  some  who  have  not  had  great  terrors,  but  have  had  a  very 
I  quick  work.  Some  of  those  that  have  not  had  so  deep  a  conviction  of  these 
things  before  their  conversion,  have,  it  may  be,  much  more  of  it  afterwards- 
God  has  appeared  far  from  limiting  himself  to  any  certain  method  in  his  pro- 
ceedings with  sinners  under  legal  convictions.  In  some  instances  it  seems  easy 
for  our  reasoning  powers  to  discern  the  methods  of  divine  wisdom,  in  his  dealings 
with  the  soul  under  awakenings :  in  others  his  footsteps  cannot  be  traced,  and  his 
ways  are  past  finding  out :  and  some  that  are  less  distinctly  wrought  upon,  irj 
what  is  preparatory  to  grace,  appear  no  less  eminent  in  gracious  exjierienceaf 
afterwards. 

There  is  in  nothing  a  greater  difference,  in  different  persons,  than  with  respeot 


X^ 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONa  245 

hi  the  time  of  their  being  under  trouble ;  some  but  a  few  days,  and  others  for 
raotiths  or  years.  There  were  many  in  this  town  that  had  been  before  this  ef- 
fusion of  God's  Spirit  upon  us,  ibr  years,  and  some  for  many  yeare,  concerned 
about  their  salvation  ;  though  probably  they  were  not  thoroughly  awakened, 
yet  they  were  concerned  to  such  a  degree  as  to  be  very  uneasy,  so  as  to  live  an 
uncornlbrtable,  disquieted  life,  and  so  as  to  continue  in  a  way  of  taking  consid- 
erable pains  about  their  salvation,  ])ut  had  never  obtained  any  comfortable 
fvidence  of  a  good  estate,  who  now  in  this  extraonhnary  time  have  received 
light ;  but  many  of  them  were  some  of  the  last :  they  first  saw  multitudes  of 
others  rejoicing,  aul  with  songs  of  deliverance  in  their  mouths,  who  seemed 
wholly  careless  and  at  ease,  and  in  pursuit  of  vanity,  while  they  had  been  bowed 
down  with  solicitude  about  their  souls  ;  yea,  some  had  lived  licentiously,  and  so 
continued  till  a  little  before  they  were  converted,  and  grew  up  to  a  holy  rejoicing 
in  the  infinite  blessings  God  had  bestowed  upon  them. 

Anil  whatever  minister  has  a  like  occasion  to  deal  with  souls,  in  a  flock  under 
such  circumstances,  as  this  was  in  the  last  year,  I  cannot  but  think  he  will  soon 
find  himself  under  a  necessity,  greatly  to  insist  upon  it  with  them,  that  God  is 
under  no  manner  of  obligation  to  show  any  mercy  to  any  natural  man,  whose 
heart  is  not  turned  to  (iod :  and  that  a  man  can  challenge  nothing,  either  in 
absolute  justice,  or  by  free  promise,  i'rom  any  thing  he  does  before  he  has  believed 
on  Jesus  Christ,  or  has  true  repentance  begun  in  him.  It  appears  to  me,  that 
if  I  had  taught  those  that  came  to  me  under  trouble,  any  other  doctrine,  I  should 
have  taken  a  most  direct  course  utterly  to  have  undone  them  :  I  should  have  di- 
rectly crossed  what  was  plainly  the  drift  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  influences 
upon  them  ;  for  if  they  had  believed  what  I  said,  it  would  either  have  promoted 
self-flaftery  and  carelessness,  and  so  put  an  end  to  their  awakenings  ;  or  cher- 
ished and  established  their  contention  and  strife  with  God,  concerning  his  deal- 
ings with  them  and  others,  and  blocked  up  their  way  to  that  humihation  before 
the  sovereign  disposer  of  life  and  death,  whereby  God  is  wont  to  prepare  them 
for  his  consolations.  And  yet  those  that  have  been  under  awakenings,  have 
oftentimes  plainly  stood  in  need  of  being  encouraged,  by  being  told  of  the  infi- 
nite and  all-sufHcient  mercy  of  God  in  Christ;  and  that  it  is  God's  manner  to 
succeed  diligence,  and  to  bless  his  own  means,  that  so  awakenings  and  encou- 
ragements, fear  and  hope,  may  be  duly  mixed,  and  proportioned  to  preserve 
their  minds  in  a  just  medium  between  the  two  extremes  of  self-flatteiy  and 
despondence,  both  which  tend  to  slackness  and  negligence,  and  in  the  end  to 
security. 

I  think  I  have  found  that  no  discourses  have  been  more  remarkably  blessed,  \ 
than  those  in  which  the  doctrine  of  God's  absolute  sovereignty  with  regard  to  / 
the  salvation   of  sinners,  and   his  just  liberty,  with  regard  to  answering  thef 
prayers,  or  succeeding  the  pains  of  mere  natural  men,  continuing  such,  havej 
been  insisted  on.     i  never  found  so  much  immediate  saving  fruit,  in  any  mea-' 
sure,  of  any  discourses  I   have  oflfered  to  my  congregation,   as  some  from  those 
words,  Rom.  iii.  19,  "That  every  moulh   maybe  stopped;"    endeavoring  to 
show  from  thence  that  it  would   be  just  with  God  forever  to  reject  and  cast  off 
mere  natural  men. 

In  those  in  whom  awakenings  seem  to  have  a  saving  issue,  commonly  the 
Hj-st  thing  that  appears  after  their  legal  troubles,  is  a  conviction  of  the  justice  of 
(jod  in  their  condemnation,  in  a  sense  of  their  own  excccdinG:;  slnl'ulness,  and 
the  vileiiess  of  all  their  performances  :  in  giving  an  account  of  this  they  expressed 
themselves  very  variously  ;  some,  that  they  saw  that  God  was  sovereign,  and  I 
might  receive  others  and  reject  them ;  some,  that  they  were  convinced,  that  God 


246  NARRATIVE  OF 

might  justly  bestow  mercy  on  every  person  in  the  town,  and  on  every  person  in 
the  world,  and  damn  themselves  to  all  eternity ;  some,  that  they  see  that  God 
may  justly  have  no  regard  to  all  the  pains  they  have  taken,  and  all  the  prayers 
they  have  made  ;  some,  that  they  see  that  if  they  should  seek,  and  take  the  ut- 
most pains  all  their  lives,  God  might  justly  cast  them  into  hell  at  last,  because 
all  their  labors,  prayers  and  tears,  cannot  make  an  atonement  for  the  least  sin, 
nor  merit  any  blessing  at  the  hands  of  God ;  some  have  declared  themselves  to 
be  in  the  hands  of  God,  that  he  can  and  may  dispose  of  them  just  as  he  pleases ; 
some  that  God  may  glorify  himself  in  their  damnation,  and  they  wonder  that 
God  has  suffered  them  to  live  so  long,  and  has  not  cast  them  into  hell 
long  ago. 

Some  are  brought  to  this  conviction,  by  a  great  sense  of  their  sinfulness,  iu 
general,  that  they  are  such  vile  wicked  creatures  in  heart  and  life  :  others  have 
the  sins  of  their  lives  in  an  extraordinary  manner  set  before  them,  multitudes  of 
them  coming  just  then  fresh  to  their  meniory,  and  being  set  before  them  with 
their  aggravations  ;  some  have  their  minds  especially  fixed,  on  some  particular 
wicked  practice  they  have  indulged  ;  some  are  especially  convinced  by  a  sight 
of  the  corruption  and  wickedness  of  their  hearts ;  some  from  a  view  they  have 
of  the  horridness  of  some  particular  exercises  of  corruption,  which  they  have 
had  in  the  time  of  their  awakening,  whereby  the  enmity  of  the  heart  against 
God  has  been  manifested ;  some  are  convinced  especially  by  a  sense  of  the  sin 
of  unbelief,  the  opposition  of  their  hearts  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ,  and 
their  obstinacy  in  rejecting  him  and  his  grace. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  difference  as  to  persons'  distinctness  here ;  some,  that 
have  not  so  clear  a  sight  of  God's  justice  in  their  condemnation,  yet  mention 
things  that  plainly  imply  it.  They  find  a  disposition  to  acknowledge  God  to  be 
just  and  righteous  in  his  threatenings,  and  that  they  are  deserving  of  nothing : 
and  many  times,  though  they  had  not  so  particular  a  sight  of  it  at  the  beginning, 
they  have  very  clear  discoveries  of  it  soon  afterwards,  with  great  humblings  in 
the  dust  before  God. 

Commonly  persons'  minds  immediately  before  thisdiscovery  of  God's  justice 
are  exceeding  restless,  and  in  a  kind  of  struggle  and  tumult,  and  sometimes  in 
mere  anguish ;  but  generally,  as  soon  as  they  have  this  conviction,  it  immediate- 
ly brings  their  minds  to  a  calm,  and  a  before  unexpected  quietness  and  compo- 
sure ;  and  most  frequently,  though  not  always,  then  the  pressing  weight  upon  their 
spirits  is  taken  away,  and  a  general  hope  arises,  that  some  time  or  other  God 
will  be  gracious,  even  before  any  distinct  and  particular  discoveries  of  mercy ; 
and  often  they  then  com.e  to  a  conclusion  within  themselves,  that  they  will  lie 
at  God's  feet,  and  wait  his  time  ;  and  they  rest  in  that,  not  being  sensible  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  has  now  brought  them  to  a  frame  whereby  they  are  prepared 
for  mercy ;  for  it  is  remarkable  that  persons,  when  they  first  have  this  sense  of 
the  justice  of  God,  rarely,  in  the  time  of  it,  think  any  thing  of  its  being  that  hu- 
miliation that  they  have  often  heard  insisted  on,  and  that  others  ejcpe- 
rience. 

In  many  persons,  the  first  convictions  of  the  justice  of  God  in  their  condem- 
nation, which  they  take  particular  notice  of,  and  probably  the  first  distinct  con- 
viction of  it  that  they  have,  is  of  such  a  nature,  as  seems  to  be  above  any  thing 
merely  legal :  though  it  be  after  legal  humblings,  and  much  of  a  sense  of  their 
own  helplessness,  and  of  the  insufliciency  of  their  own  duties ;  yet  it  does  not 
appear  to  be  forced  by  mere  legal  terrors  and  convictions ;  but  rather  from  a 
high  exercise  of  grace,  in  saving  repentance,  and  evangelical  humiliation  ;  for 
there  is  in  it  a  sort  of  complacency  of  soul,  in  the  attribute  of  God's  justice,  as 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  247 

displaced  in  his  threatenings  of  eternal  damnation  to  sinners.  Sometimes  at  the 
(iisiovery  of  it,  they  can  scarcely  forbear  crying  out,  'Tis  just!  'Tis  just  ! — 
Some  express  themselves,  that  they  see  the  glory  of  God  Avould  shine  bright  in 
their  own  condemnation;  and  they  are  readj  to  think  that  if  they  are  damned, 
tliey  could  take  part  with  God  against  themselves,  and  would  gloriJy  his  justicey^ 
llierein.  And  when  it  is  thus,  tliey  comn»only  have  some  evident  sense  of  free 
and  all-sufficient  grace,  though  they  give  no  distinct  account  of  it ;  but  it  is  mani- 
fest, by  that  great  degree  of  hope  and  encouragement  that  they  then  conceive, 
though  they  were  never  so  sensible  of  their  own  vileness  and  ill-deservings  as 
they  are  at  that  time. 

Some,  when  in  such  circumstances,  have  felt  that  sense  of  the  excellency  of 
(lod's  justice,  appearing  in  the  vindictive  exercises  of  it,  against  such  sinful- 
ness as  tlieirs  was,  and  have  had  such  a  submission  of  mind  in  Iheir  idea  of  this 
attribute,  and  of  those  exercises  of  it,  together  with  an  exceeding  loathing  of 
their  own  unwortbiness,  and  a  kind  of  indignation  against  themselves,  that  they 
have  sometimes  almost  called  it  a  willingness  to  be  damned  ;  though  it  must 
be  owned  they  had  not  clear  and  distinct  ideas  of  damnation,  nor  does  any  word 
in  the  Bible  require  such  self-denial  as  this.  But  the  truth  is,  as  some  have 
more  clearly  expressed  it,  that  salvation  has  appeared  too  good  for  them,  that 
they  wore  worthy  of  nothing  but  condemnation,  and  they  could  not  tell  how  to 
think  of  salvation's  being  bestowed  upon  them,  fearing  it  was  inconsistent  with 
the  glory  of  (lod's  majesty  that  they  had  so  much  contemned  and  affronted. 

Thai  calm  of  spirit  that  some  persons  have  found  after  their  legal  distresses, 
continues  some  time  before  any  special  and  delightful  manifestation  is  made  to^'^ 
the  soul  of  the  grace  of  God,  as  revealed  in  the  gospel ;  but  very  often  some  ^ 
comfortable  and  sweet  view  of  a  merciful  God,  of  a  sufficient  Redeemer,  or  of 
some  great  and  joyful  things  of  the  gospel,  immediately  follows,  or  in  a  very 
little  time:  and  in  some,  the  first  sight  of  their  just  desert  of  hell,  and  God's 
sovereignty  with  respect  to  their  salvation,  and  a  discovery  of  all -sufficient  grace, 
are  so  near,  that  they  seem  to  go  as  it  were  together. 

These  gracious  discoveries  tjiat  are  given,  whence  the  Cnsi  special  comforts 
are  deriveclTare'in  many  respects  very  various  ;  more  frequently  Christ  is  dis-  0( 
tinctly  made  the  object  of  the  mind,  in  his  all-sufficiency  and  willingness  to  save 
sinners :  but  some  liave  their  thoughts  more  especially  fixed  on  God,  in  some 
of  his  sweet  and  glorious  attributes  manifested  in  the  gospel,  and  shining  forth 
in  the  face  of  Christ :  some  view  the  all-sufficiency  of  the  mercy  and  grace  of 
God ;  some  chiefly  the  infinite  power  of  God,  and  his  ability  to  save  them,  and 
to  do  all  things  for  them  ;  and  some  look  most  at  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of 
God:  in  some,  the  truth  and  certainty  of  the  gospel  in  general  is  the  first  joyful 
dlscoveiy  they  have  ;  in  others,  the  certain  truth  of  some  particular  promises  ;  in 
some,  the  grace  and  sincerity  of  God  in  his  invitations,  very  commonly  in  some 
particular  invitation  in  the  mind,  and  it  now  appears  real  to  them  that  God  does 
indeed  invite  them.  Some  are  struck  with  the  glory  and  wonderfulness  of  the 
dying  love  of  Christ;  and  some  with  the  suflScIency  and  preciousness  of  his 
blood,  as  offered  to  make  an  atonement  for  sin  ;  and  others  witli  the  value  and 
glory  of  his  obedience  and  righteousness.  In  some,  the  excellency  and  loveli- 
ness of  Christ  chlelly  engages  their  thoughts;  in  some  his  divinity,  that  he  is 
indeed  the  Son  of  the  living  God ;  and  in  others  the  excellency  of  the  way  of 
salvation  by  Christ,  and  the  suitableness  of  it  to  their  necessities. 

Some  have  an  apprehension  of  these  things  so  given,  that  it  seems  more 
natural  to  them  to  express  it  by  sight  or  discovery  ;  others  think  what  they  ex- 
perience better  expressed  by  the  realizijig  conviction,  or  a  lively  or  feeling  sense 


y 


248  :\ARRATIVE  OF 

of  heart ;  meaning,  as  I  suppose,  no  other  difference  but  what  Is  merely  circurn  x 
stantlal  or  gradual. 

There  is  often,  in  the  mind,  some  particular  text  of  Scripture^  holding  forth 
some  evangelical  ground  of  consolation  ;  sometimes  a  multitude  of  texts,  gra- 
cious invitations  and  promises  flowing  in  one  after  another,  filling  the  soul  more 
and  more  with  comfort  and  satisfaction  ;  and  comfort  is  first  given  to  some  while 
reading  some  portion  of  Scripture;  but  in  some  it  is  attended  with  no  pajticu- 
lar  Scripture  at  all,  either  in  reading  or  meditation.  In  some,  many  divine 
things  seem  to  be  discovered  to  the  soul  as  it  were  at  once  ;  others  have  their 
minds  especially  fixing  on  some  one  thing  at  first,  and  afterwards  a  sense  is 
given  of  others  ;  in  some  with  a  swifter,  and  others  a  slower  succession,  and 
sometimes  with  interruptions  of  much  darkness. 

The  way  that  grace  seems  sometimes  first  to  appear  after  legal  humiliation, 
is  in  earnest  longings  of  soul  after  God  and  Christ,  to  know  God,  to  love  him. 
to  be  humbled  before  him,  to  have  communion  with  Christ  in  his  benefits ;  which 
longings,  as  they  express  them,  seem  evidently  to  be  of  such  a  nature  as  can 
arise  from  nothing  but  a  sense  of  the  superlative  excellency  of  divine  things, 
with  a  spiritual  taste  and  relish  of  them,  and  an  esteem  of  them  as  their  highest 
happiness  and  best  portion.  Such  longings  as  T  speak  of,  are  commonly  attend- 
ed with  firm  resolutions  to  pursue  this  good  forever,  together  with  a  hoping, 
waiting  disposition.  When  persons  have  begun  in  such  frames,  commonly  other 
experiences  and  discoveries  have  soon  followed,  which  have  yet  more  clearly 
manifested  a  change  of  heart. 

It  must  needs  be  confessed  that  Christ  is  not  always  distinctly  and  explicitly 
thought  of  in  the  first  sensible  act  of  grace  (though  most  commonly  he  is) ;  but 
sometimes  he  is  the  object  of  the  mind  only  implicitly.  Thus  sometimes  when 
persons  have  seemed  evidently  to  be  stripped  of  all  their  own  righteousness,  and 
to  have  stood  self-condemned  as  guilty  of  death,  they  have  been  comforted  with 
a  joyful  and  satisfying  view,  that  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God  is  sufficient  for 
them  ;  that  their  sins,  though  never  so  great,  shall  be  no  hinderance  to  their  being 
accepted  ;  that  there  is  mercy  enough  in  God  for  the  whole  world,  and  the  like, 
when  they  give  no  account  of  any  particular  or  distinct  thought  of  Christ;  but 
yet  when  the  account  they  give  is  duly  weighed,  and  they  are  a  little  interro- 
gated about  it,  it  appears  that  the  revelation  of  the  mercy  of  God  in  the  gospel,  is 
the  ground  of  this  their  encouragement  and  hope ;  and  that  it  is  indeed  the  mer- 
cy of  God  through  Christ,  that  is  discovered  to  them,  and  that  it  is  depended  on 
in  him,  and  not  in  any  wise  moved  by  any  thing  in  them. 

So  sometimes  disconsolate  souls  amongst  us,  have  been  revived  and  brought 
to  rest  in  God,  by  a  sweet  sense  given  of  his  grace  and  faithfulness,  in  some 
special  invitation  or  promise,  in  which  is  no  particular  mention  of  Christ,  nor  is 
it  accompanied  with  any  distinct  thought  of  him  in  their  minds ;  but  yet  it  is 
not  received  as  out  of  Christ,  but  as  one  of  the  invitations  or  promises  made  of 
God  to  poor  sinners  through  his  Son  Jesus,  as  it  is  indeed ;  and  such  persons 
have  afterwards  had  clear  and  distinct  discoveries  of  Christ  accompanied  with 
lively  and  special  actings  of  faith  and  love  towards  him. 

It  has  more  frequently  been  so  amongst  us,  that  when  persons  have  first  had 
the  gospel  ground  of  relief  for  lost  sinners  discovered  to  them,  and  have  been 
entertaining  their  minds  with  the  sweet  prospect,  they  have  thought  nothing  at 
that  time  of  their  being  converted  :  to  see  that  there  is  such  an  all-sufficiency  in 
God,  and  such  plentiful  provision  made  in  Christ,  after  they  have  been  borne 
down,  and  sunk  with  a  sense  of  their  guilt  and  fears  of  wrath,  exceedingly  re- 
freshes them ;  the  view  is  joyful  to  them,  as  it  is  in  its  own  nature  glorious,  and 


SURPRISING    CONVERSIONS.  249 

gives  them  quite  new,  and  more  delightful  ideas  of  God  and  Christ,  and 
greatly  encourages  them  to  seek  conversion,  and  begets  in  them  a  strong 
resolution  to  give  up  thtinselves,  and  devote  their  whole  lives  to  God  and  hLs 
Son,  and  patiently  to  wait  till  God  shall  see  fit  to  make  all  effectual ;  and  very 
often  they  entertain  a  strong  persuasion,  that  he  will  in  his  own  time  do  it  for 
tiiein. 

There  is  wrought  in  them  a  holy  repose  of  soul  in  God  through  Christ,  and 
a  secret  disposition  to  fear  and  love  him,  and  to  hope  for  blessings  from  him  in 
this  way  :  and  yet  they  have  no  imagination  that  they  are  now  converted,  it  does  O 
uol  so  much  as  come  into  their  minds ;  and  very  often  the  reason  is,  that  they 
do  not  see  that  they  do  accept  of  this  sufficiency  of  salvation',  that  they  behold 
in  Christ,  having  entertained  a  wrong  notion  of  acceptance ;  not  being  sensible 
that  the  obedient  and  joyful  entertaimnent  which  their  hearts  give  to  this  dis- 
covery of  grace,  is  a  n-al  acceptance  of  it :  they  know  not  that  the  sweet  com- 
placence they  feel  in  the  mercy  and  complete  salvation  of  God,  as  it  includes 
pardon  and  sanctification,  and  is  held  iorth  to  them  only  through  Christ,  is  a 
true  receiving  of  this  mercy,  or  a  plain  evidence  of  their  receiving  it.  They  ex- 
pected 1  know  not  what  kind  of  act  of  soul,  and  perhaps  they  liad  no  distinct 
idea  of  it  themselves. 

And  indeed  it  appears  very  plainly  in  somp  of  them,  that  before  their  own 
t;onvcrsion  they  had  very  imperfect  ideas  what  conversion  was :  it  is  all  new 
and  strange,  and  what  there  was  no  clear  conception  of  before.  It  is  most  evi- 
dent, as  they  themselves  acknowledge,  that  the  expressions  that  were  used  to 
describe  conversion,  and  the  graces  of  God's  Spirit,  such  as  a  S})iritual  sight  of 
Christ,  faith  in  Christ,  poverty  of  spirit,  trust  in  God,  resignedness  to  God,  &c., 
were  expressions  that  did  not  convey  those  special  and  distinct  ideas  to  their 
minds  which  they  were  intended  to  signify :  perhaps  to  some  of  them  it  was 
but  little  more  than  the  names  of  colors  are  to  convey  the  ideas  to  one  that  is 
blind  from  his  birth. 

This  town  is  a  place  where  there  has  always  been  a  great  deal  of  talk  of 
conversion,  and  spiritual  expeiiences;  and  therefore  people  in  general  had  be- 
fore formed  a  notion  in  their  own  minds  what  these  things  were;  but  when 
they  come  to  be  the  subjects  of  them  themselves,  they  find  themselves 
much  confounded  in  their  notions,  and  overthrown  in  many  of  their  for- 
mer conceits.  And  it  has  been  very  observable,  that  persons  of  the  great- 
est understanding,  and  that  had  studied  most  about  things  of  this  nature,  have 
been  more  confounded  than  others.  Some  such  persons  that  have  lately  been 
converted,  declare  that  all  their  former  wisdom  is  brought  to  nought,  and  that 
they  appear  to  have  been  mere  babes,  who  knew  nothing.  It  has  apjieared 
that  none  have  stood  more  in  need  of  enlightening  and  instruction,  even  of  their 
fellow  Christians,  concerning  their  own  circumstances  and  difficulties,  than  they  . 
and  it  has  seemed  to  have  been  with  delight,  that  they  have  seen  themselves 
thus  brought  down  and  become  nothing,  that  free  grace  and  divine  power  may 
be  exalted  in  them. 

It  was  very  wonderful  to  see  after  what  manner  persons'  affections  were 
sometimes  moved  and  wrought  upon,  when  God  did,  as  it  were,  suddenly  open 
their  eyes,  and  let  into  their  minds,  a  sense  of  the  greatness  of  his  grace,  and 
fulness  of  Christ,  and  his  readiness  to  save,  who  liefore  were  broken  with  ap- 
prehensions of  divine  wrath,  and  sunk  into  an  abyss  under  a  sense  of  guilt, 
which  they  were  ready  to  think  was  beyond  the  mercy  of  God  :  their  joyful 
surprise  has  caused  theii-  hearts  as  it  were  to  leap,  so  that  they  have  been  ready 
to  break  forth  into  laughter,  tears  often  at  the  same  time  Issuing  like  a  flood 
Vol.  Ill  32 


250  NARRATIVE  OF 

and  intermingling  a  loud  weeping :  and  sometimes  they  have  not  been  able  to 
forbear  crying  out  with  a  loud  voice,  expressing  their  great  admiration.  In 
some  even  the  view  of  the  glory  of  God's  sovereignty  in  the  exercises  of  his 
grace,  has  surprised  the  soul  with  such  sweetness,  as  to  produce  the  same  effects. 
I  remember  an  instance  of  one,  who,  reading  something  concerning  God's  sove- 
reign way  of  saving  sinners,  as  being  self-moved,  and  having  no  regard  to 
men's  own  righteousness  as  the  motive  of  his  grace,  but  as  magnifying  him- 
self, and  abasing  man,  or  to  that  purpose,  felt  such  a  sudden  rapture  of  joy  and 
delight  in  the  consideration  of  it ;  and  yet  then  suspected  himself  to  be  in  a 
Christless  condition,  and  had  been  long  in  great  distress  for  fear  that  God 
would  not  have  mercy  on  him. 
V  Many  continue  a  long  time  in  a  course  of  gracious  exercises  and  experien- 
ces, and  do  not  think  themselves  to  be  converted,  but  conclude  themselves  to  be 
otherwise ;  and  none  knows  how  long  they  would  continue  so,  were  they  not 
helped  by  particular  instruction.  There  are  undoubted  instances  of  some  that 
have  lived  in  this  way  for  many  years  together ;  and  a  continuing  in  these  cir- 
cumstances of  being  converted  and  not  believing  it,  has  had  various  conse- 
quences, with  various  persons,  and  with  the  same  persons,  at  various  times ; 
some  continue  in  great  encouragement  and  hope,  that  they  shall  obtain  mercy, 
in  a  steadfast  resolution  to  persevere  in  seeking  it,  and  in  a  humble  waiting  for 
it  at  God's  foot ;  but  very  often  when  the  lively  sense  of  the  sufficiency  of 
Christ,  and  the  riches  of  divine  grace  begins  to  vanish,  upon  a  withdrawal  of  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  return  to  greater  distress  than  ever;  for 
they  have  now  a  far  greater  sense  of  the  misery  of  a  natural  condition  than  be- 
fore, being  in  a  new  manner  sensible  of  the  reality  of  eternal  things,  and  the 
greatness  of  God,  and  his  excellency,  and  how  dreadful  it  is  to  be  separated  from 
him,  and  to  be  subject  to  his  wrath ;  so  that  1<hey  are  sometimes  swallowed  up 
with  darkness  and  amazement.  Satan  has  a  vast  advantage  in  such  cases  to 
ply  them  with  various  temptations,  which  he  is  not  wont  to  neglect.  In  such 
a  case  persons  do  very  much  need  a  guide  to  lead  them  to  an  understanding  of 
what  we  are  taught  in  the  word  of  God  of  the  nature  of  grace,  and  to  help 
them  to  apply  it  to  themselves. 

I  have  been  much  blamed  and  censured  by  many,  that  I  should  make  it  my 
/  practice,  when  1  have  been  satisfied  concerning  persons'  good  estate,  to  signiiy 
.  it  to  them  :  which  thing  has  been  greatly  misrepresented  abroad,  as  innumera- 
ble other  things  concerning  us,  to  prejudice  the  country  against  the  whole 
affair.  But  let  it  be  noted,  that  what  I  have  undertaken  to  judge  of,  has  i-ather 
been  qualifications,  and  declared  experiences,  than  persons  :  not  but  that  I  have 
thought  it  my  duty,  as  a  pastor,  to  assist  and  instinct  persons  in  applying  Scrip- 
ture rules  and  characters  to  their  own  case  (in  doing  of  which,  I  think  many 
greatly  need  a  guide) ;  and  have,  where  1  thought  the  case  plain,  used  freedom 
in  signifying  my  hope  of  them,  to  others  :  but  have  been  far  from  doing  this 
concerning  all  that  1  have  had  some  hopes  of;  and  I  believe  have  used  much 
more  caution  than  many  have  supposed.  Yet  I  should  account  it  a  great  ca- 
lamity to  be  deprived  of  the  comfort  of  rejoicing  with  those  of  my  flock,  that 
have  been  in  great  distress,  wliose  circumstances  I  have  been  acquainted  with, 
when  there  seems  to  be  good  evidence  that  those  that  were  dead  are  alive,  and 
those  that  were  lost  are  found  I  am  sensible  the  practice  w'ould  have  been 
safer  in  the  hands  of  one  of  a  ;  iper  judgment  and  greater  experience ;  but  yet 
there  has  seemed  to  be  an  absolute  neceessity  of  it  on  the  forementioned  ac- 
counts ;  and  it  has  been  found  to  be  that  which  God  has  most  remarkably  own 
ed  and  blessed  amongst  us,  both  to  the  persons  themselves  and  others. 


SURPRISING   CONVERSIONS.  051 

Grace  in  many  persons,  through  this  if^norance  of  their  slate,  and  tJicir 
lookiiii;  on  themselves  still  as  tiie  ol)jects  of  Clod's  displeasure,  has  been  like  the 
trees  in  winter,  or  like  Sin:i]  in  the  spring  supjjrtssed  under  a  hard  elod  of  earth  ; 
and  many  in  such  cases  have  laboral  to  their  utmost  to  divert  their  minds  Irom 
the  pleasing  and  joyful  views  they  have  had,  and  to  suppress  those  consolations 
and  gracious  atlections  that  arose  thereui)on.  And  when  it  has  once  come  into 
their  minds  to  inquire  whether  or  no  this  was  not  true  grace,  they  have  been 
much  afraid  lest  they  should  be  deceived  with  common  illuminations  and  dashes 
of  aifection,  and  eternally  Uiidone  with  a  false  hope.  But  when  they  have  been 
better  instructed,  and  so  brought  to  allow  of  hojjc,  this  has  awakened  the  gra- 
cious disposition  of  their  hearts  into  life  and  vigor,  as  tlie  warm  beams  of  the 
sun  in  the  spring,  have  quickened  the  seeds  and  productions  of  the  earth  :  grace 
being  now  at  liberty,  and  cherished  with  hope,  has  soon  flowed  out  to  their 
abundant  satisfaction  and  increase. 

There  is  no  one  thing  that  1  know  of  that  God  has  made  such  a  means  of  Xt^ 
promoting  his  work  amongst  us,  as  the  news  of  others'  conversion  ;  in  the 
awakening  sinners,  and  engaging  them  earnestly  to  seek  the  same  blessing,  and 
.in  the  quickening  of  saints.  Though  1  have  thought  that  a  minister's  declaring 
liis  judgment  about  particular  persons'  experiences,  might  from  these  things  be 
justified,  yet  I  am  often  signifying  to  ray  people  how  unable  man  is  to  know 
another's  heart,  and  how  unsafe  it  is  depending  merely  on  the  judgment  of  min- 
isters, or  others  ;  and  have  abundantly  insisted  on  it  with  them,  that  a  manifes- 
tation of  sincerity  in  fruits  brought  lorth,  is  better  than  any  manifestation  they 
can  make  of  it  in  words  alone  can  be;  and  that  without  this,  all  pretences  to 
spiritual  experiences  are  vain ;  as  all  my  congregation  can  witness. — And  the 
people  in  general,  in  this  late  extraordinary  time,  have  manifested  an  extraor- 
dinary dread  of  being  deceived,  being  exceeding  fearful  lest  they  should  build 
wrong,  and  some  of  them  backward  to  receive  hope,  even  to  a  great  extreme, 
which  has  occasioned  me  to  dwell  longcr'on  this  part  of  the  narrative. 

Conversion  is  a  great  and  glorious  work  of  God's  power,  at  once  cl)anging 
the  heart,  and  infusing  life  into  the  dead  soul ;  though  that  grace  that  is  then 
implanted  does  more  gradually  display  it.self  in  some'than  in  others.  But  as  to 
fixing  on  the  |)re£iic_tiinc  when  they  j)ut  forth  the  very  first  act  of  grace,  there 
is  a  great  deal  of  djiTprenre  in  different  persons;  in  some  it  seems  to  be  very 
discernible  when  the  veiy  time  of  this  was ;  but  others  are  more  at  a  loss.  In 
this  respect  there  ate  very  many  that  do  not  know  the  time  (as  has  been  already 
observed)  when  they  have  the  first  exercises  of  grace,  do  not  know  that  it  is 
the  grace  of  conversion,  and  sometimes  do  not  think  it  to  be  so  till  a  long  time 
after :  and  many,  even  when  they  come  to  entertain  great  hope  that  they  are 
converted,  if  they  remember  what  they  experienced  in  the  first  exercises  of  i 
grace,  they  are  at  a  loss  whether  it  was  any  more  than  a  common  illumina-  \ 
tion ;  or  whether  some  other,  more  clear  and  remarkable  experience,  that  they 
had  afterwards,  was  not  the  first  that  was  of  a  saving  nature.  And  the  man- 
ner of  God's  work  on  the  soul  is  (sometimes  especially)  very  mysterious,  and  it 
is  with  the  kingdom  of  God  as  to  its  manifestation  in  the  heart  of  a  convert,  as 
it  is  said  Mark  iv.  26,  27,  28,  "  So  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man  should 
cast  seed  into  the  ground,  and  should  sleep^  and  rise  night  and  day,  and  the 
seed  should  spring,  and  grow  up,  he  knowetii  not  how  ;  for  the  earth  bringeth 
forth  of  herself,  firet  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear." 

in  some,  converting  light  is  like  a  glorious  brightness,  suddenly  shining  in    / 
upon  a  pei-son,  and  all  around  him :  they  are  in  a  remarkable  manner  brought 
out  of  darkness  iiilo  marvtllous  light.     In  many  others  it  has  been  like  the 


252  NARRATIVE  OF 

dawning  of  the  day,  when  at  first  but  a  little  light  appears,  and  it  may  be  is 
presently  hid  with  a  cloud ;  and  then  it  appears  again  and  shines  a  little  bright- 
er, and  gradually  increases,  with  intervening  darkness,  till  at  length,  perhaps, 
it  breaks  forth  more  clearly  fiom  behind  the  clouds.  And  many  are,  doubtless, 
ready  to  date  their  conversion  wrong,  throwing  by  those  lesser  degrees  of  light 
that  appeared  at  first  dawning,  and  calling  sonie  more  remarkable  experience, 
tiiat  they  had  afterwards,  their  conversion  ;  which  often  in  great  measure  arises 
trom  a  wrong  understanding  of  what  they  have  always  been  taught,  that  con- 
version is  a  great  change,  wherein  old  thwgs  are  done  aicay,  and  all  things  be- 
come new,  or  at  least  from  a  false  arguing  from  that  doctrine. 

Persons  commonly  at  first  conversion,  and  afterwards,  have  had  many  texts 
of  Scripture  brought  to  their  minds,  that  are  exceeding  suitable  to  their  circum- 
stances, Mhich  otten  come  with  great  power,  and  as  the  word  of  God  or  Christ 
indeed  ;  and  many  have  a  nndtitude  of  sweet  invitations,  promises,  and  doxol- 
ogies  flowing  in  one  after  another,  bringing  great  light  and  comfort  with  them, 
filling  the  soul  brim  full,  enlarging  the  heart,  and  opening  the  mouth,  in  religion. 
And  it  seems  to  me  necessary  to  suppose,  that  there  is  an  immediate  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  oftentimes  in  bringing  texts  of  Scripture  to  the  mind  :  no^" 
that  I  suppose  it  is  done  in  a  way  of  immediate  revelation,  without  any  manner 
of  use  of  the  memory ;  but  yet  there  seems  plainly  to  be  an  immediate  and  extraor- 
dinary influence,  in  leading  their  thoughts  to  such  and  such  passages  •  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  exciting  them  in  the  memory.  Indeed,  in  some,  God  seems  to  bring 
texts  of  Scripture  to  their  minds  no  otherwise  than  by  leading  them  into  such 
frames  and  meditations,  as  harmonize  with  those  Scriptures;  but  in  many  per- 
.sons  there  seems  to  be  sometlfing  more  than  this. 

Those  that  while  under  legal  convictions  had  the  greatest  terrors,  have  not 
always  obtained  the  greatest  light  and  comfort ;  nor  have  they  always  light 
knost  suddenly  communicated  ;  but  yet  I  think,  the  time  of  conversion  has  gen- 
erally been  most  sensible  in  such  persons.  Oftentimes,  the  first  sensible  change 
after  the  extremity  of  terrors,  is  a  calmness,  and  then  the  light  gradually  comes 
m ;  small  glimpses  at  fiist,  after  their  midnight  darkness,  and  a  word  or  two  ot 
comfort,  as  it  were,  softly  spoken  to  them  ;  they  have  a  little  taste  of  the  sweet- 
ness of  divine  grace,  and  the  love  of  a  .Saviour,  when  terror  and  distress  of 
conscience  begins  to  be  turned  into  a  humble  meek  sense  of  their  own  unwor- 
thiness  before  God ;  and  there  is  felt  inwardly,  perhaps,  some  disposition  to 
praise  God  ;  and  after  a  little  while  the  light  comes  in  more  clearly  and  pow- 
erfully. But  yet,  I  think  more  frequently,  great  terrors  have  been  follow'ed 
with  more  sudden  and  great  light,  and  comfort ;  when  the  sinner  seems  to  be,  as 
it  were,  subdued  and  brought  to  a  calm,  fiom  a  kind  of  tumult  of  mind,  then 
God  lets  in  an  extraordinary  sense  of  his  great  mercy  through  a  Redeemer. 

The  converting  influences  of  God's  Spirit  very  commonly  bring  an  extraor- 
dinary conviction  of  the  reality  and  certainty  of  the  great  things  of  religion 
(though  in  some  this  is  much  greater,  some  time  after  conversion,  than  at  first)  •. 
they  have  that  sight  and  taste  of  the  divinity,  or  divine  excellency,  that  there  is 
in  the  things  of  the  gospel,  that  is  more  to  convince  them,  than  reading  many 
volumes  of  argument  without  it.  It  seems  to  me  that  in  many  instances  amongst 
us,  when  the  divine  excellency  and  glory  of  the  things  of  Christianity  have  been 
set  before  persons,  and  they  have  at  the  same  time,  as  it  were,  seen  and  tasted, 
and  felt  the  divinity  of  them,  they  have  been  as  far  from  doubting  of  the  truth 
of  them,  as  they  are  from  doubting  whether  there  be  a  sun,  when  their  eyes  are 
open  in  the  midst  of  a  clear  hemisphere,  and  the  strong  blaze  of  his  light  over- 
comes all  objections  against  his  being.     And  yet  many  of  them,  if  we  would 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  263 

ask  tlicin  \vliy  tliey  believe  those  things  to  bo  true,  \vould  not  be  .-ible  well  lo 
exprti^s,  or  communicate  a  sufficient  reason,  to  satisfy  the  inquirer,  and  periiaps 
'.vould  make  no  other  answer  but  that  they  see  them  to  be  true :  but  a  person 
may  soon  be  satisfied,  by  a  particular  conversation  with  them,  that  what  thev 
mean  by  such  an  answer,  is,  that  they  have  intuitively  beheld,  and  injmediatelv 
tell,  mast  illustrious  works,  and  powerful  evidence  of  divinity  in  them. 

Some  are  thus  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel  in  general,  and  that  the 
Scriptures  arc  the  word  of  God  :  others  have  their  minds  more  especially  lixed 
on  some  particular  great  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  some  particular  truths  that  they 
are  meihlating  on  ;  or  are  in  a  special  manner  convinced  of  the  divinity  of  the 
things  they  are  reading  of,  in  some  portion  of  Scripture.  Some  have  such  con- 
victions in  a  much  more  remarkable  manner  than  others.  And  there  are  some 
that  never  had  such  a  special  sense  of  the  certainty  of  divine  things  impressed 
upon  them  with  such  inward  evidence  and  strength,  have  yet  very  clear  exer- 
cises of  grace ;  i.  e.,  of  love  to  God,  repentance,  and  holiness.  And  if  they  be 
more  particularly  examined,  they  appear  plainly  to  have  an  inward,  firm  per-"\ 
suasion  of  the  reality  of  divine  things,  such  as  they  (fid  not  use  to  have  before  ' 
their  conversion.  And  those  that  have  the  most  clear  discoveries  of  divine  truth, 
in  the  manner  that  has  been  spoken  of,  cannot  have  this  always  in  view.  When 
the  sense  and  relish  of  the  divine  excellency  of  these  things  fades,  on  a  with- 
drawmenl  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  have  not  the  medium  of  the  conviction  of 
their  truth  at  command:  in  a  dull  frame  they  cannc*  "-ecall  the  idea,  and  inward 
sense  they  had,  perfectly  to  mind  ;  things  appear  veiy  dim  to  what  they  did  be- 
fore :  and  though  there  still  remains  an  habitual  strong  persuasion,  yet  not  so  as 
to  exclude  temptations  to  unbelief,  and  all  possibility  of  doubting,  as  before  :  but 
then  at  particular  times,  by  God's  help,  the  same  sense  of  things  revives  again, 
like  fire  that  lay  hid  in  ashes. 

I  suppose  the  grounds  of  such  a  conviction  of  the  truth  of  divine  things  to 
be  just  and  rational,  but  yet  in  some  God  makes  use  of  their  own  reason  much 
more  sensibly  than  in  others.  Oftentimes  persons  have  (so  far  as  could  be 
judged)  received  the  first  saving  conviction  from  reasoning,  which  they  have  heard  ''' 
from  the  pulpit  j  and  often  in  the  course  of  reasoning,  which  they  are  led  into 
in  their  own  meditations. 

The  arguments  are  the  same  that  they  have  heard  hundreds  of  limes ;  but 
the  force  of  the  arguments,  and  their  conviction  of  them,  is  altogether  new ; 
they  come  with  a  new  and  before  unexperienced  power :  before  they  heard  it 
was  so,  and  they  allowed  it  to  be  so ;  but  now  they  see  it  to  be  so  indeed. 
Thintrs  now  look  exceeding  plain  to  them,  and  they  wonder  that  they  did  not 
.see  them  before. 

They  are  so  greatly  taken  with  their  new  discovery,  and  things  appear  so 
plain  and  so  rational  to  them,  that  they  are  often  at  first  ready  to  think  they  can 
convince  others,  and  are  apt  to  engage  in  talk  with  every  one  they  meet  with,    '^^ 
almost  to  this  end ;  and  when  they  are  disappointed,  are  ready  to  wonder  that 
their  reasonings  seem  to  make  no  more  impression. 

Many  fall  under  such  a  mistake  as  to  be  ready  to  doubt  of  their  good  estate, 
because  there  was  so  much  use  made  of  their  own  reason  in  the  conviction  they 
have  received  ;  they  are  afraid  that  they  have  no  illumination  above  the  nati;ral 
force  of  their  own  faculties :  and  many  make  that  an  objection  against  the  spir- 
ituality of  their  convictions,  that  it  is  so  easv'  to  see  things  as  they  now  see  tJiem. 
They  have  often  heard  that  conversion  is  a  work  of  mighty  power,  manifesting 
to  the  soul,  what  no  man  nor  angel  can  give,  such  a  conviction  of;  but  it  seems 
to  them  that  the  things  that  they  see  are  so  plain  and  easy  and  rational,  that 


254  NARRATIVE  OF 

any  body  can  see  them :  and  if  they  are  inquired  of,  why  they  never  saw  so  he- 
fore  ;  they  say,  it  seems  to  them  it  was  because  they  never  thought  of  it.  But 
very  often  these  difficulties  are  soon  removed  by  those  of  another  nature;  for 
when  God  withdraws,  they  find  themselves  as  it  were  blind  again,  they  for  the 
present  lose  their  realizing  sense  of  those  things  that  looked  so  plain  to  them, 
and  by  all  that  they  can  do  they  cannot  recover  it,  till  God  renews  the  influences 
of  his  Spirit. 

Persons  after  their  conversion  often  speak  of  things  of  religion  as  seeming 
new  to  them  ;  that  preaching  is  a  new  thing ;  that  it  seems  to  them  they  never 
heard  preaching  before :  that  the  Bible  is  a  new  book :  they  find  there  new 
chapters,  new  psalms,  new  histories,  because  they  see  them  in  a  new  light. 
Here  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  an  aged  woman  of  above  seventy  years  that 
had  spent  most  of  her  days  under  Mr.  Stoddard's  powerful  ministry  ;  who,  read- 
ino-  in  the  New  Testament,  concerning  Christ's  sufferings  for  sinners,  seemed  to 
be  surprised  and  astonished  at  what  she  read,  as  at  a  thing  that  was  real  and  very 
wonderful,  but  quite  new  to  her,  insomuch  that  at  first,  before  she  had  time  to  turn 
her  thouo-hts,  she  wondered  within  herself  that  she  had  never  heard  of  it  before  ; 
but  then  immediately  recollected  herself,  and  thought  that  she  had  often  heard 
of  it  and  read  it,  but  never  until  now  saw  it  as  a  thing  real ;  and  then  cast  in 
her  mind,  how  wonderful  this  was,  that  the  Son  of  God  should  undergo  such 
things  for  sinners,  and  how  she  had  spent  her  time  in  ungratefully  sinning  against 
so  good  a  God,  and  such  a  Saviour ;  though  she  was  a  person,  as  to  what  was 
visible,  of  a  very  blameless  and  inoffensive  life.  And  she  was  so  overcome  by 
those  considerations,  that  her  nature  was  ready  to  fail  under  them.  Those  that 
were  about  her,  and  knew  not  what  was  the  matter,  were  surprised  and  thought 
she  was  a  dying. 

Many  have  spoke  much  of  their  hearts  being  drawn  out  in  love  to  God  and 
Christ,  and  their  minds  being  wrapt  up  in  delightful  contemplation  of  the  glory 
and  wonderful  grace  of  God,  and  the  excellency  and  dying  love  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  of  their  souls  going  forth  in  longing  desires  after  God  and  Christ.  Several 
of  our  young  children  have  expressed  much  of  this,  and  have  manifested  a  will- 
ino-ness  to  leave  father  and  mother,  and  all  things  in  the  world,  to  go  to  be  with 
Christ.  Some  persons  have  had  longing  desires  after  Christ,  which  have  risen 
to  that  degree,  as  to  take  away  their  natural  strength.  Some  have  been  so 
overcome  with  a  sense  of  the  dying  love  of  Christ,  to  such  poor,  wretched,  and 
unworthy  creatures,  as  to  weaken  the  body.  Several  persons  have  had  so  great 
a  sense  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  excellency  of  Christ,  that  nature  and  life  have 
seemed  almost  to  sink  under  it ;  and  in  all  probability,  if  God  had  showed  them  a 
little  more  of  himself,  it  would  have  dissolved  their  frame.  I  have  seen  some 
and  been  in  conversation  with  them  in  such  frames,  who  have  certainly  been 
perfectly  sober,  and  very  remote  from  any  thing  like  enthusiastic  wildness ;  and 
have  talked,  when  able  to  speak  of  the  glory  of  God's  perfections,  and  the 
wonderfulness  of  his  grace  in  Christ,  and  their  own  unworthiness,  in  such  a  manner 
that  cannot  be  perfectly  expressed  after  them.  Their  sense  of  their  exceeding 
littleness  and  vileness,  and  their  disposition  to  abase  themselves  before  God,  has 
appeared  to  be  great  in  proportion  to  their  light  and  joy. 

Such  persons  amongst  us  as  have  been  thus  distinguished  with  the  most  ex- 
traordinary discoveries  with  God,  have  commonly  in  no  wise  appeared  with  the 
assumino-,"and  self-conceited,  and  self-sufficient  airs  of  enthusiasts ;  but  exceed- 
ingly the  contrary;  and  are  eminent  for  a  spirit  of  meekness,  modesty,  self- 
diffitlence,  and  a  low  opinion  of  themselves  :  no  persons  seem  to  be  so  sensible 
of  their  need  of  instructici,  and  so  eager  to  receive  it,  as  some  of  them  :  nor 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS,  255 

SO  ready  to  think  others  better  than  themselves.  Those  that  have  been  thought 
to  be  converted  amonirst  us,  have  generally  manifested  a  longing  to  lie  low,  and 
in  the  dust  before  God ;  withal  complaining  of  their  not  being  able  to  lie  low 
enough. 

Tliey  very  often  speak  much  of  their  sense  of  the  excellency  of  the  way  of 
salvation,  by  free  and  sovei  .Mgn  grace,  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
alone ;  and  how  it  is  with  delight  thnt  they  renounce  their  own  righteousness, 
and  rejoice  in  having  no  account  made  of  it.  Many  have  expressed  themselves 
to  this  purpose,  that  it  would  lessen  the  satisfaction  they  hope  for  in  heaven,  to 
have  it  by  their  own  righteousness,  or  in  any  other  way  than  as  bestowed  by 
free  grace,  and  for  Christ's  sake  alone.  They  speak  much  of  the  inexpressible- 
ness  of  what  they  experience,  how  their  words  fail,  so  that  they  can  in  no  wise 
declare  it :  and  particularly  speak  with  exceeding  achniration  of  the  superlative 
excellency  of  that  pleasure  and  delight  of  soul  which  they  sometimes  enjoy  ; 
how  a  little  of  it  is  sufficient  to  pay  them  for  all  the  pains  and  trouble  they  have 
gone  through  in  seeking  salvation ;  and  how  far  it  exceeds  all  earthly  pleasures ; 
and  some  express  much  of  the  sense  v.hich  these  spiritual  views  give  them  of 
the  vanity  of  earthly  enjoyments ;  how  mean  and  worthless  all  these  things 
appear  to  them. 

^lany,  while  their  minds  have  been  filled  wuth  spiritual  delights,  have,  as  it  / 
were,  forgot  their  food ;  their  bodily  appetite  has  failed,  vhile  their  minds  have  ^ 
been  entertained  with  meal  to  eat  that  others  knew  not  of.  The  light  and  com- 
fort which  some  of  them  enjoy,  gives  a  new  relish  to  their  common  blessings, 
and  causes  all  things  about  them  to  appear  as  it  were  beautiful,  sweet,  and 
pleasant  to  them  :  all  things  abroad,  the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  the  clouds  and  sk}', 
the  heavens  and  earth,  appear  as  it  were  with  a  cast  of  divine  glory  and  sweet- 
ness upon  them.  The  sweetest  joy  that  these  good  people  amongst  us  express, 
though  it  include  in  it  a  delightful  sense  of  the  safety  of  their  own  state,  and 
that  now  they  are  out  of  danger  of  hell ;  yet  frequently  in  times  of  their  highest 
spiritual  entertainment,  this  seems  not  to  be  the  chief  object  of  their  fixed  thought 
and  meditation.  The  supreme  attention  of  their  minds  is  to  the  glorious  excel- 
lencies of  God  and  Christ,  which  they  have  in  view ;  not  but  that  there  is  very 
often  a  ravishing  sense  of  God's  love  accompanying  a  sense  of  his  excellency, 
and  they  rejoice  in  a  sense  of  the  faithfulness  of  God's  promises,  as  they  respect 
the  future  eternal  enjoyment  of  God. 

The  joy  that  many  of  them  speak  of  is,  that  to  which  none  is  to  be 
paralleled  ;  is  that  which  they  find  when  they  are  lowest  in  the  dust,  emptied 
most  of  themselves,  and  as  it  were  annihilating  themselves  before  God,  when  they 
are  nothing,  and  God  is  all,  are  seeing  their  own  unworthiness,  depending  not 
at  all  on  themselves,  but  alone  on  Christ,  and  ascribing  all  glory  to  God  :  then 
their  souls  are  most  in  the  enjoyment  of  satisfying  rest;  excepting,  that  at  such 
times,  they  apprehend  themselves  to  be  not  sufficiently  self-abased ;  for  then 
above  all  times  do  they  long  to  be  lower.  Some  speak  much  of  the  exquisite 
sweetness,  and  rest  of  soul  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  exercises  of  a  spirit  of  re- 
signation to  God,  and  humble  submission  to  his  will.  Many  express  earnest  long- 
ings of  soul  to  praise  God  ;  but  at  the  same  time  complain  they  cannot  praise 
him  as  they  would  do,  and  they  want  to  have  others  help  them  in  praising  him  : 
they  want  to  have  every  one  praise  God,  and  are  ready  to  call  upon  every 
thing  to  praise  him.  They  express  a  longing  desire  to  live  to  God's  glory  and  to  \/ 
to  do  something  to  his  honor ;  but  at  the  same  time  cry  out  of  their  insufficiency  '. 
and  barrenness,  that  they  are  poor  impotent  creatures,  can  do  nothing  of  them- 
Kelves,  and  are  utterly  insufficient  to  glorify  their  Creator  and  Redeemer. 


256  NARRATIVE  OF 

While  God  was  so  remarkably  present  amongst  us  by  his  Spirit,  there  was 
no  book  so  delighted  m  as  the  Bible  ;  especially  the  book  of  Psalms,  the  pro- 
phecy of  Isaiah,  and  the  New  Testament.  Some  by  reason  of  their  esteem  and 
love  to  God's  word,  have  at  some  times  been  greatly  and  wonderfully  delighted 
and  affectetl  at  the  sight  of  a  Bible  ;  and  then  also,  there  was  no  time  so  prized 
as  the  Lord's  day,  and  no  place  in  this  world  so  desired  as  God's  house.  Our 
converts  then  remarkably  appeared  united  in  dear  affection  to  one  another,  and 
many  have  expressed  much  of  that  spirit  of  love  which  Ihey  felt  to  all  man- 
kind ;  and  particularly  to  those  that  had  been  least  Iriendly  to  them.  Never, 
I  believe,  was  so  much  done  in  confessing  injuries,  and  making  up  differences  as 
the  last  year.  Persons  after  their  own  conversion,  have  commonly  expressed  an 
exceeding  desire  for  the  conversion  of  others  :  some  have  thought  that  they 
should  be  willing  to  die  for  the  conversion  of  any  soul,  though  of  one  of  the 
meanest  of  their  fellow  creatures,  cr  of  their  worst  enemies  ;  and  many  have 
indeed  been  in  great  distress  with  desires  and  longings  for  it.  This  work  of 
God  had  also  a  good  effect  to  unite  the  people's  affections  much  to  their  minister. 

There  are  some  persons  that  I  have  been  acquainted  with,  but  more  espe- 
cially two,  that  belong  to  other  towns,  that  have  been  SM'allowed  up  exceedingly 
with  a  sense  of  the  awful  greatness  and  majesty  of  God ;  and  both  of  them  told 
me  to  this  purpose,  that  it  they  in  the  time  of  it,  had  had  the  least  fear  that 
they  were  not  at  peace  with  this  so  great  a  God,  they  should  instantly  have  died. 

It  is  worthy  to  be  remarked,  that  some  persons  by  their  conversion  seem  to 
be  greatly  helped  as  to  their  doctrinal  notions  of  religion ;  it  was  particularly 
remarkable  in  one,  who  having  been  taken  captive  in  his  childhood,  was  trained 
up  in  Canada,  in  the  Popish  religion  ;  and  some  years  since  returned  to  this  his 
native  place,  and  was  in  a  measure  brought  olf  Irom  Popery,  but  seemed  very 
awkward  and  didl  of  receiving  any  true  and  clear  notion  of  the  Protestant 
scheme,  till  he  was  converted  ;  and  then  he  was  remarkably  altered  in  this 
respect. 

There  is  a  vast  difference,  as  has  been  observed,  in  the  degree  and  also  in 
the  particular  manner  of  persons'  experiences,  both  at  and  after  conversion  ; 
sonje  have  grace  working  more  sensibly  in  one  way,  others  in  another.  Some 
speak  more  fully  of  a  conviction  of  the  justice  of  God  in  their  condemnation  ; 
others  more  of  their  consenting  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ;  some  moie 
of  the  actings  of  love  to  God  and  Christ ;  some  more  of  acts  of  affiance,  in  a 
sweet  and  assured  conviction  of  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God  in  his  prom'-- 
ses  ;  others  more  of  their  choosing  and  resting  in  God  as  their  whole  and  ever- 
lasting portion,  and  of  their  ardent  and  longing  desires  after  God,  to  have 
communion  with  him  ;  others  more  of  their  abhorrence  of  themselves  for  their 
past  sins,  and  earnest  longings  to  live  to  God's  glory  for  the  time  to  come  ;  some 
have  their  minds  fixed  more  on  God,  others  on  Christ,  as  I  have  observed  before, 
and  am  afraid  of  too  much  repetition  ;  but  it  seems  evidently  to  be  the  same 
work,  the  same  thing  done,  the  same  habitual  change  wrought  in  the  heart :  it 
all  tends  the  same  way,  and  to  the  same  end  ;  and  it  is  plainly  the  same  spirit 
that  breathes  and  acts  in  various  persons.  There  is  an  endless  variety  in  the 
particular  manner  and  circumstances  in  which  persons  are  wrought  on,  and  an 
opportunity  of  seeing  so  much  of  such  a  work  of  God,  will  show  that  God  is 
further  from  confining  himself  to  certain  steps,  and  a  particular  method  in  his 
work  on  souls,  than  it  may  be  some  do  imagine.  I  believe  it  has  occasioned 
some  good  people  amongst  us,  that  were  before  too  ready  to  make  their  own 
experiences  a  rule  to  others,  to  be  less  censorious  and  more  extended  in  their 
charity,  and  this  is  an  excellent  advantage  indeed.     The  work  of  God  has  been 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  2S7 

glorious  in  its  variety,  it  lias  tlie  more  displayed  the  manifoldness  and  unscarch- 
ableness  ot'the  wisdom  of  God,  and  wroui^ht  more  charity  among  his  people. 

There  is  a  ojreat  dilTcrence  among  those  that  are  converted  as  to  the  degree 
of  hope  and  satisfaclion  that  thoy  have  concerning  their  own  state.  Some  have 
a  high  degree  of  satisfaction  in  this  matter,  almost  constantly:  and  yet  it  is  rare  t/( 
that  any  do  enjoy  so  full  an  assurance  of  their  interest  in  Christ,  that  self-exami- 
nation should  seem  necdh-s'<  to  them;  unless  it  beat  jiarticular  seasons,  while 
in  the  actual  enjoyment  oi  some  great  discovery,  that  (jod  gives  of  his  glory, 
and  rich  grace  in  Christ,  to  the  drawing  forth  of  extraordinary  acts  of  grace. 
But  the  greater  part,  as  they  somf^times  fall  into  dead  frames  of  spirit,  are  fre- 
quently exercised  with  scruples  and  fears  concerning  their  condition. 

They  generally  have  an  awful  apprehension  of  tiie  dreadfulness  and  undoing 
nature  of  false  hope  j  and  there  has  been  observable  in  most  a  great  caution, 
lest  in  giving  an  account  of  their  experiences,  they  should  say  too  much,  and 
use  too  strong  terms:  and  many  after  they  have  related  their  experiences,  have 
been  greatly  aniicted  with  fears,  lest  they  have  played  the  hypocrite,  and  used 
stronger  terms  than  their  case  would  fairly  allow  of;  and  yet  could  not  find 
how  they  could  correct  themselves. 

I  think  that  the  main  ground  of  the  doubts  and  fears  that  persons,  after  their  ^ 
conversion,  have  been  exercised  with  about  their  own  state,  has  been  that  they 
have  found  so  much  corruption  remaining  in  their  hearts.  At  first  their  souls 
seem  to  be  all  alive,  their  hearts  are  fixed,  and  their  alFcctions  flowing ;  they 
seem  to  live  quite  above  the  world,  and  meet  with  but  little  diHiculty  in  reli- 
gious exercises  ;  and  they  are  ready  to  think  it  will  always  be  so  :— though  they 
are  truly  abased  under  a  sense  of  their  vileness  by  reason  of  former  acts  of  sin, 
yet  they  are  not  then  sufficiently  sensible  what  corruption  still  remains  in  their 
hearts  ;  and  therefore  are  surprised  when  they  find  that  they  begin  to  be  in  dull 
and  dead  frames,  to  be  troubled  with  wandering  thoughts  in  the  time  of  public 
and  private  worship,  and  to  be  utterly  unable  to  keep  themselves  from  them  J 
also,  when  they  find  themselves  unaliocted  at  seasons  in  which,  they  think,  there 
is  the  greatest  occasion  to  be  aflfected  ;  and  when  they  feci  worldly  dispositions 
working  in  them,  and  it  may  be  pride,  and  envy,  and  stirrings  of  revenge,  or 
«)me  ill  spirit  towards  some  person  that  has  injured  them,  as  well  as  other 
workings  of  indwelling  sin  ;  their  hearts  are  almost  sunk  with  disappointment ; 
and  they  are  ready  presently  to  think  that  all  this  they  have  met  with  is  noth- 
ing, and  that  they  are  mere  hypocrites. 

They  are  ready  to  argue,  that  if  God  had  indeed  done  such  great  things  for 
them,  as  they  hoped,  such  ingratitude  would  be  inconsistent  with  it ;  they  cry 
out  of  the  hardness  and  wickedness  of  their  hearts  ;  and  say  there  is  so  much 
corruption,  that  it  seems  to  them  impossible  that  there  should  be  any  goodness 
there :  and  many  of  them  seem  to  be  much  more  sensible  how  corriii)t  their 
hearts  are,  than  ever  they  were  before  they  were  converted  ;  and  some  have 
been  too  ready  to  be  impressed  with  fear,  that  instead  of  becoming  better,  they 
are  grown  much  worse,  and  make  it  an  argument  against  the  goodness  of  their    .   y 
state.     But  in  truth,  the  case  seems  plainly  to  be,  that  now  they  feel  the  pain  ^Y 
of  their  own  wound  ;  they  have  a  watchful  eye  upon  their  hearts  that  they  do  A^ 
not  use  to  have  :  they  take  more  notice  what  sin  is  there,  and  sin  is  now  more 
burdensome  to  them ;  they  strive  more  against  it  and  feel  more  of  the  strength 
ofit. 

They  are  somewhat  surprised  that  they  should  in  this  respect,  find  them- 
selves so  dilferent  iVom  the  idea  that  they  generally  had  entertained  of  godly  per- 
sons :  for  though  grace  be  indeed  of  a  far  more  excellent  nature  than  ihey  ima- 

Voi..  IIL  33 


258  NARRATIVE  OF 

gined,  yet  those  that  are  godly  have  much  less  of  it,  and  much  more  remaining 
corruption,  than  they  thought.  They  nf;ver  realized  it,  that  persons  were  wont 
to  meet  with  such  difficulties,  after  they  were  once  converted.  When  they  are 
thus  exercised  with  doubts  about  their  state  through  the  deadness  of  their  frames 
of  spirit,  as  long  as  these  frames  last,  they  are  commonly  unable  to  satisfy 
themselves  of  the  truth  of  their  grace  by  all  their  self-examination.  When  they 
hear  of  the  signs  of  grace,  laid  down  for  them  to  try  themselves  by,  they  are 
often  so  clouded,  that  they  do  not  know  how  to  apply  them ;  they  hardly  know 
whether  they  have  such  and  such  things  in  them  or  no,  and  whether  they  have 
experienced  them,  or  not :  that  which  was  sweetest  and  best,  and  most  distin- 
guishing in  their  experiences,  they  cannot  recover  a  sense  or  idea  of. — But  on 
a  return  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  revive  the  lively  actings  of 
grace,  the  light  breaks  through  the  cloud,  and  doubting  and  darkness  soon 
vanish  away. 

Persons  are  often  revived  out  of  their  dead  and  dark  frames,  by  religious 
conversation ;  while  they  are  talking  of  divine  things,  or  ever  they  are  aware, 
their  souls  are  carried  away  into  holy  exercises  with  abundant  pleasure.  And 
oftentimes,  while  they  are  relating  their  past  experiences  to  their  Christian  breth- 
ren, they  have  a  fresh  sense  of  them  revived,  and  the  same  experiences  in  a 
degree,  again  renewed.  Sometimes  while  persons  are  exercised  in  mind  with 
several  objections  against  the  goodness  of  their  state,  they  have  Scriptures  one 
after  another,  coming  to  their  minds,  to  answer  their  scruples  and  unravel  their 
difficulties,  exceeding  apposite  and  proper  to  their  circumstances ;  by  whicli 
means  their  darkness  is  scattered  ;  and  often  before  the  bestowment  of  any  new 
remarkable  comforts,  especially  after  long  continued  deadness  and  ill  frames, 
there  are  renewed  humblings,  in  a  great  sense  of  their  own  exceeding  vileness 
and  unworthiness,  as  before  their  first  comforts  were  bestowed. 

Many  in  the  country  have  entertained  a  mean  thought  of  this  great  work 
that  there  has  been  amongst  us,  from  what  they  have  heard  of  impressions  that 
have  been  made  on  petsons'  imaginations.  But  there  have  been  exceeding  great 
misrepresentations,  and  innumeralDle  false  reports,  concerning  that  matter.  It  is 
not,  that  I  know  of,  the  profession  or  opinion  of  any  one  person  in  the  town, 
that  any  weight  is  to  be  laid  on  any  thing  seen  with  the  bodily  eye :  I  know 
the  contrary  to  be  a  received  and  established  principle  amongst  us.  I  cannot 
say  that  there  have  been  no  instances  of  persons  that  have  been  ready  to  give 
too  much  heed  to  vain  and  useless  imagination,  but  they  have  been  easily  cor- 
rected, and  I  conclude  it  will  not  be  wondered  at,  that  a  congregation  should 
need  a  guide  in  such  cases,  to  assist  them  in  distinguishing  wheat  from  chaffi 
But  such  impressions  on  the  imagination  as  have  been  more  usual,  seem  to  me 
to  be  no  other  than  what  is  to  be  expected  in  human  nature  in  such  circumstan- 
ces, and  what  is  the  natural  result  of  the  strong  exercise  of  the  mind,  and  im- 
pressions on  the  heart. 

I  do  not  suppose  that  they  themselves  imagined  that  they  saw  any  thing 
Vt'ith  their  bodily  eyes ;  but  only  have  had  within  them  ideas  strongly  impress- 
ed, and  as  it  were,  lively  pictures  in  their  minds :  as  for  instance,  some  when 
in  great  terrors,  through  fear  of  hell,  have  had  lively  ideas  of  a  dreadful  furnace. 
Some  when  their  hearts  have  been  strongly  impressed,  and  their  affections 
greatly  moved  with  a  sense  of  the  beauty  and  excellency  of  Christ,  it  has 
Wrought  on  their  imaginations  so,  that  together  with  a  sense  of  his  glorious 
spiritual  perfections,  there  has  risen  in  the  mind  an  idea  of  one  of  glorious  ma- 
jesty, and  of  a  sweet  and  gracious  aspect  :  so  some,  when  they  have  been 
greatly  affected  with  Christ's  death,  have  at  the  same  time  a   lively  idea  of 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  269 

Christ  hanging  upon  the  cross,  and  of  his  blood  running  from  his  wounds; 
which  things  will  not  be  wondered  at  by  them  that  have  observed  how  strong 
affections  about  temporal  matters  will  excite  lively  ideas  and  pictures  of  differ- 
ent things  in  the  mind. 

]5ut  yet  the  vigorous  exercise  of  the  mind  does  doubtless  more  strongly  im- 
press it  with  imaginary  ideas  in  some  than  others,  which  probably  may  arise 
from  the  difference  of  constitution,  and  seems  evidently  in  some,  partly  to  arise 
from  their  peculiar  circumstances :  when  persons  have  been  exercised  with  ex- 
treme terrors,  and  there  is  a  sudden  change  to  light  and  joy,  the  imagination 
seems  more  susceptive  of  strong  ideas,  and  the  inferior  powers,  and  even  the 
frame  of  the  body,  is  much  more  affected  and  wrought  upon,  than  when  the 
same  persons  have  as  great  spiritual  light  and  joy  afterwards ;  of  which  it 
rai<'"ht,  perhaps,  be  easy  to  give  a  reason.  The  forementioned  Rev.  Messrs. 
Lord  and  Owen,  who,  1  believe,  are  esteemed  persons  of  learning  and  discretion 
where  they  are  best  known,  declared  that  they  found  these  impressions  on  per- 
sons' imaiT-inations,  quite  different  things  from  what  fame  had  before  represented 
to  them,  and  that  they  were  what  none  need  to  wonder  at,  or  be  stumbled  by, 
or  to  that  purpose. 

There  have  indeed  been  some  few  instances,  of  impressions  on  persons'  ima- 
o-inalions,  that  have  been  something  mysterious  to  me,  and  I  have  been  at  a 
foss  about  them  ;  for  though  it  has  been  exceeding  evident  to  me,  by  many 
tilings  that  appeared  in  them,  both  the.i  (when  they  related  them)  and  after- 
wards, that  they  indeed  had  a  great  sense  of  the  spiritual  excellency  of  divine 
things  accompanying  them  ;  yet  I  have  not  been  able  well  to  satisfy  myself, 
whether  their  imaginary  ideas  have  been  more  than  could  naturally  arise  from 
their  spiritual  sense  of  things.  However,  I  have  used  the  utmost  caution  in  such 
cases  ;  "reat  care  has  been  taken  both  in  public  and  in  private,  to  teach  per- 
sons the  difference  between  what  is  spiritual,  and  what  is  merely  imaginary. 
I  have  often  warned  persons  not  to  lay  the  stress  of  their  hope  on  any  ideas  of 
any  outward  glory,  or  any  external  thing  whatsoever,  and  have  met  with  no 
opposition  in  such  instructions.  But  it  is  not  strange  if  some  weaker  persons,  in 
o-iviniT  an  account  of  their  experiences,  have  not  so  prudently  distinguished'  be- 
tween the  spiritual  and  imaginary  part ;  which  some,  that  have  not  been  well 
affected  to  religion,  might  take  advantage  of. 

There  has  been  much  talk  in  many  parts  of  the  country,  as  though  the  peo-' 
pie  have  symbolized  with  the  Quakers,  and  the  Quakers  themselves  have  been 
moved  with  such  reports,  and  came  here  once  and  again  hoping  to  find  good 
waters  to  fish  in ;  but  without  the  le;ist  success,  and  seem  to  be  discouraged, 
and  have  lei"t  off  coming. — There  have  also  been  reports  spread  about  the  coun- 
try, as  though  the  first  occasion  of  so  remarkable  a  concern  on  people's  minds 
here,  was  an  apprehension  that  the  w'orld  was  near  to  an  end,  which  was  alto- 
o-ether  a  false  report :  indeed  after  this  stirring  and  concern  became  so  general 
and  extraordinary ,as  has  been  related,  the  minds  of  some  were  filled  with  spec- 
ulation, what  so  "great  a  dispensation  of  divine  providence  might  forebode  ;  and 
some  reports  were  heard  from  abroad,  as  though  certain  divines  and  others, 
thought  the  conflagration  was  nigh :  but  such  reports  were  never  generally 
looked  upon  worthy  of  notice. 

The  Work  that  has  now  been  wrought  on  souls,  is  evidently  the  same  that 
was  wrouo-ht  in  my  venerable  predecessor's  days ;  as  I  liave  had  abundant  op- 
portunily  to  know,  having  been  in  the  ministry  here  two  years  wuth  him,  and 
so  conversed  with  a  considerable  number  that  my  grandfather  thought  to  be 
savin<Tlv  converted  in  that  time ;  and  having  been  particularly  acquainted  with 


260  NARRATIVE  OF 

the  experiences  of  many  that  were  converted  under  his  ininistry  before.  And  I 
know  no  one  of  them  that  in  the  least  doubts  of  its  being  the  same  spirit,  and 
the  same  work.  Persons  have  noAv  no  otherwise  been  subject  to  impression!* 
on  tlieir  imagination  than  formerly :  the  work  is  of  the  same  nature,  and  has 
not  been  attended  with  any  extraordinary  circumstances,  excepting  such  as  are 
analogous  to  the  extraordinary  degree  of  it  before  described. — And  God's  people 
that  were  formerly  converted,  have  now  partook  of  the  same  shower  of  divine 
blessing,  in  the  renewing,  strengthening,  edifying  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
that  others  have  in  his  converting  influences;  and  the  work  here  has  also  been 
plainly  the  same  with  that  which  has  been  wrought  in  those  of  other  places 
that  have  been  mentioned,  as  partaking  of  the  same  blessing.  I  have  particu- 
larly conversed  with  persons  about  their  experiences,  that  belong  to  all  parts  of 
the  country,  and  in  various  parts  of  Connecticut,  where  a  religious  concern  has 
lately  appeared ;  and  have  been  informed  of  the  experiences  of  many  others  by 
their  own  pastors. 

It  is  easily  perceived  by  the  foregoing  account,  that  it  is  very  much  the 
practice  of  the  people  here  to  converse  freely  one  with  another  of  their  spiritual 
experiences,  which  is  a  thing  that  many  have  been  disgusted  at.  But  however 
our  people  may  have,  in  some  respects,  gone  to  extremes  in  it,  yet  it  is  doubtless 
a  practice  that  the  circumstances  of  this  town,  and  neighboring  towns,  have 
naturally  led  them  into.  Whatsoever  people  are  in  such  circumstances,  where 
all  have  their  minds  engaged  to  such  a  degree,  in  the  same  affair,  that  it  is  ever 
uppermost  in  their  thoughts,  they  will  naturally  make  it  the  subject  of  conver- 
sation one  with  another  when  they  get  together,  in  which  they  will  grow  more 
and  more  free  :  restraints  will  soon  vanish,  and  they  will  not  conceal  from  one 
another  what  they  meet  with.  And  it  has  been  a  practice,  which,  in  the  gen- 
eral, has  been  attended  with  many  good  effects,  and  what  God  has  greatly  blessed 
amongst  us  f  but  it  must  be  confessed,  there  may  have  been  some  ill  consequen- 
ces of  it,  which  yet  are  rather  to  be  laid  to  the  indiscreet  management  of  it, 
than  to  the  practice  itself;  and  none  can  wonder,  if,  among  such  a  mul- 
titude, some  fail  of  exercising  so  much  prudence  in  choosing  the  time,  manner 
and  occasion  of  such  discourse,  as  is  desirable. 

But  to  give  a  clearer  idea  of  the  nature  and  manner  of  the  operations  of 
God's  Spirit,  in  this  wondeiful  effusion  of  it,  I  would  give  an  account  of  two 
particular  instances.  The  first  is  an  adult  person,  a  young  woman  whose  name 
was  Abigail  Hutchinson.  I  pitch  upon  her  especially,  because  she  is  now 
dead,  and  so  it  may  be  more  fit  to  speak  freely  of  her  than  of  living  instances  ; 
though  I  am  under  far  greater  disadvantages  on  other  accounts,  to  give  a  full 
and  clear  narrative  of  her  experiences,  than  I  might  of  some  others,  nor  can  any 
account  be  given  but  what  has  been  jetained  in  the  memories  of  her  near  friends 
and  some  others,  of  what  they  have  heard  her  express  in  her  lifetime. 

She  was  of  a  rational,  understanding  family ;  there  could  be  nothing  in  her 
education  that  tended  to  enthusiasm,  but  rather  to  the  contrary  extreme.  It  is 
in  no  wise  the  temper  of  the  family  to  be  ostentatious  of  experiences,  and  it  was 
far  from  being  her  temper.  She  was,  before  her  conversion,  to  the  observation 
of  her  neighbors,  of  a  sober  and  inoffensive  conversation,  and  was  a  still,  quiet, 
reserved  person.  She  had  long  been  infirm  of  body,  out  her  infirmity  had  never 
been  observed  at  all  to  incline  her  to  be  notional  or  fanciful,  or  to  occasion  any 
thing  of  religious  melancholy.  Sire  was  under  awakenings  scarcely  a  week, 
before  there  seemed  to  be  plain  evidence  of  lier  being  savingly  converted. 

She  was  first  awakened  in  the  winter  season,  on  Monday,  by  something  she 
heard  her  brother  say  of  the  necessity  of  being  in  good  earnest  in  seeking  re- 


SURPRISLVG   CONVERSIONS.  261 

generating  grace,  together  with  the  news  of  the  conveision  of  the  young  woman 
before  mentioned,  whose  conversion  so  generally  aflected  most  of  the  young 
people  here.  This  news  wrought  much  upon  her,  and  stirred  up  a  spirit  of 
envy  in  her  towards  this  young  woman,  whom  she  thought  very  unworthy  of 
being  distinguished  from  others  by  such  a  mercy,  but  withal  it  engaged  her  in  a 
firm  resolution  to  do  her  utmost  to  obtain  the  same  blessing ;  and,  considering  with 
herself  what  course  she  should  take,  she  thought  that  she  liad  not  a  sumcienf 
knowledge  of  the  principles  of  religion  to  render  her  capable  of  conversion ; 
whereupon  she  resolved  thoroughly  to  search  the  Scriptures,  and  accordingly 
immediately  began  at  the  begiiming  of  the  Bib)c,  intending  to  read  it  through. 
She  continued  thus  till  Thursday,  and  then  there  was  a  sutlden  alteration,  by  a 
great  increase  of  her  concern,  in  an  extraordinary  sense  of  her  own  sinfulness, 
particularly  the  sinfulness  of  her  nature,  and  wickedness  of  lier  heart,  which 
came  upon  her  (as  she  expressed  it)  as  a  flash  of  lightning,  and  struck  her  into 
an  exceeding  terror.  Upon  which  she  left  off  reading  the  Bible  in  course  as 
she  had  begun,  and  turned  to  the  New  Testament,  to  see  if  she  could  not  fim] 
.some  relief  there  for  her  distressed  soul. 

Her  great  terror,  she  said,  was  that  she  had  sinned  against  God  :  her  dis- 
tress grew  more  and  more  for  three  days,  until  (as  she  said)  she  saw  nothing 
but  blackness  of  darkness  before  her,  and  her  very  flesh  trembled  for  fear  of 
God's  wrath  ;  she  wondered  and  \\as  astonished  at  herself,  that  she  had  been 
so  concerned  for  her  body,  and  had  applied  so  often  to  physicians  to  heal  that, 
and  had  neglected  her  soul.  Her  sinfulness  appeared  with  a  very  awful  aspect 
to  her,  especially  in  three  things,  viz.,  her  original  sin,  and  her  sin  in  murmur- 
ing at  God's  providence,  in  the  weakness  and  afflictions  she  had  been  under, 
and  in  want  of  duty  to  parents,  though  others  had  looked  upon  her  to  excel  in 
dutifulness.  On  Saturday  she  was  so  earnestly  engaged  in  reading  the  Bible, 
and  other  books,  that  she  continued  in  it,  searching  for  something  to  relipve  her, 
till  her  eyes  were  so  dim,  that  she  could  not  know  the  letters.  Whilst  she 
was  thus  engaged  in  reading,  prayer,  and  other  religious  exercises,  she 
thought  of  those  words  of  Christ,  wherein  he  wants  us  not  to  be  as  the  heathen, 
that  think  they  shall  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking ;  which,  she  said,  led 
her  to  see  that  she  had  trusted  to  her  own  prayers  and  i  eligious  performances, 
and  now  she  was  put  to  a  nonplus,  and  knew  not  which  way  to  turn  herself,  or 
where  to  seek  relief. 

While  her  mind  was  in  this  posture,  her  heart,  she  said,  seemed  to  fly  to  the 
minister  for  refuge,  hoping  that  he  could  give  her  some  relief.  She  came  the 
same  day,  to  he:-  brother,  with  a  countenance  of  a  person  in  distress,  expostu- 
lating with  him,  why  he  had  not  told  her  more  of  her  sinfulness,  and  earnestly 
inquiring  of  him,  what  she  should  do.  She  seemed,  that  day,  to  feel  in  herself 
an  enmity  against  the  Bible,  which  greatly  affrighted  her.  Her  sense  of  her 
own  exceeding  sinfulness  continued  increasing  from  Thursday  till  Monday,  and 
she  gave  this  account  of  it,  that  it  had  been  an  opinion,  which,  till  now  she  had 
entertained,  that  slie  was  not  guilty  of  Adam's  sin,  nor  any  way  concerned  in 
it,  because  she  was  not  active  in  it ;  but  that  now  she  saw  she  was  guilty 
of  that  sin,  and  all  over  defiled  by  it,  and  that  the  sin  which  she  brought  into 
the  world  with  her  was  alone  sufhcient  to  condemn  her. 

On  the  Sabbath  day  she  was  so  ill  that  her  friends  thought  it  not  best  that 
she  should  go  to  public  worship,  of  which  she  seemed  very  desirous;  but 
when  she  went  to  bed  on  the  Sabbath  day  night,  she  took  up  a  resolution  that 
she  would,  the  next  morning,  go  to  the  minister,  hoping  to  find  some  relief 
there.     As  she  awaked  on  Monday  morning  a  little  before  day,  she  wondered 


262  NARRATIVE   OF 

within  herself  at  the  easiness  and  cahnness  she  felt  in  her  mind,  which  was  of 
that  kind  which  she  never  felt  before ;  as  she  thought  of  this,  such  words  as 
these  were  in  her  mind  ;  the  words  of  the  Lord  are  pure  words,  health  to  the 
soul,  and  marrow  to  the  bones ;  and  then  these  words  came  to  her  mind — the 
blood  of  Christ  cleanses  from  all  sin ;  which  were  accompanied  with  a  lively- 
sense  of  the  excellency  of  Christ,  and  his  sufficiency  to  satisfy  for  the  sins  of 
the  whole  world.  She  then  thought  of  that  expression — it  is  a  pleasant  thing 
for  the  eyes  to  behold  the  sun — which  words  then  seemed  to  her  to  be  very 
applicable  to  Jesus  Christ.  By  these  things  her  mind  was  led  into  such  con- 
templations and  views  of  Christ,  as  filled  her  exceeding  full  of  joy.  She  told 
her  brother  in  the  morning  that  she  had  seen  (i.  e.,  in  realizing  views  by  faith) 
Christ  the  last  night,  and  that  she  had  really  thought  that  she  had  not  know- 
ledge enough  to  be  converted ;  but,  said  she,  God  can  make  it  quite  easy  I  On 
Monday  she  felt  all  day  a  constant  sweetness  in  her  soul.  She  had  a  repetition 
of  the  same  discoveries  of  Christ  three  mornings  together,  that  she  had  on 
Monday  morning,  and  much  in  the  same  manner,  at  each  time,  waking  a  little 
before  day,  but  brighter  and  brighter  every  time. 

At  the  last  time,  on  Wednesday  morning,  while  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
spiritual  view  of  Christ's  glory  and  fulness,  her  soul  was  filled  with  distress  for 
Christless  persons,  to  consider  what  a  miserable  condition  they  were  in  ;  and 
she  felt  in  herself  a  strong  inclination  immediately  to  go  forth  to  warn  sinners, 
and  proposed  it  the  next  day  to  her  brother  to  assist  her  in  going  from  house  to 
house,  but  her  brother  restrained  her,  telling  her  of  the  unsuitableness  of  such  a 
method.  She  told  one  of  her  sisters  that  day,  that  she  loved  all  mankind,  but 
especially  the  people  of  God.  Her  sister  asked  her  why  she  loved  all  mankind  1 
She  replied,  because  God  had  made  them.  After  this  there  happened  to  come 
into  the  shop  where  she  was  at  work,  three  persons  that  were  thought  to  have 
been  lately  converted ;  her  seeing  them  as  they  stepped  in  one  after  another 
into  the  door,  so  affected  her,  and  so  drew  forth  her  love  to  them,  that  it  over- 
came her,  and  she  almost  fainted :  and  when  they  began  to  talk  of  the  things 
of  religion,  it  was  more  than  she  could  bear — they  were  obliged  to  cease  on 
that  account.  It  was  a  very  frequent  thing  with  her  to  be  overcome  with  a 
flow  of  affection  to  them  that  she  thought  godly,  in  conversation  with  them,  and 
sometimes  only  at  the  sight  of  them. 

She  had  many  extraordinary  discoveries  of  the  glory  of  God  and  Christ ; 
sometimes  in  some  particular  attributes,  and  sometimes  in  many.  She  gave  an 
account,  that  once,  as  those  four  words  passed  through  her  mind,  wisdom,  jus- 
tice, GOODNESS,  and  truth,  her  soul  was  filled  with  a  sense  of  the  glory  of  each 
of  these  divine  attributes,  but  especially  the  last.-i— Truth,  she  said,  sunk  the 
deepest !  and,  therefore,  as  these  words  passed,  this  w^as  repeated,  truth, 
TRUTH  !  Her  mind  was  so  swallowed  up  with  a  sense  of  the  glory  of  God's 
truth  and  other  perfections,  that  she  said,  it  seemed  as  though  her  hfe  was  going, 
and  that  she  saw  it  was  easy  with  God  to  take  away  her  life  by  discoveries  of 
himself.  Soon  after  this  she  went  to  a  private  religious  meeting,  and  her  mind 
was  full  of  a  sense  and  view  of  the  glory  of  God  all  the  time;  and  when  the 
exercise  was  ended,  some  asked  her  concerning  what  she  had  experienced ;  and 
she  began  to  give  them  an  account,  but  as  she  was  relating  it,  it  revived  such  a 
sense  of  the  same  things,  that  her  strength  failed,  and  they  were  obhged  to  take 
her  and  lay  her  upon  the  bed.  Afterwards  she  was  greatly  affected,  and  re- 
joiced with  these  words :  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  stain. 

She  had  several  days  together  a  sweet  sense  of  the  excellency  and  loveliness 
of  Christ  in  his  meekness,  which  disposed  her  continually  to  be  repeating  over 


SURPIUSING  CONVERSIONS.  263 

Uiese  words,  which  were  sweet  to  her,  mf.kk  and  i.owly  in  hkart,  Mr.F.u.  and 
LOWLY  IN  HKART.  She  oiice  expresscil  herself  to  one  of  her  sisters  to  this  pur- 
pose, that  she  had  continued  whole  days  and  whole  nij;hts,  in  a  constant  ravish- 
ing view  of  the  glory  of  God  and  Christ,  having  enjoyed  as  much  as  her  life 
could  bear.  Once  as  her  brother  was  speaking  of  the  dying  love  of  Christ,  she 
told  him  that  she  had  such  a  sense  of  it,  that  the  mere  mentioning  it  was  ready 
to  overcome  her. 

Once,  when  she  came  to  me,  she  told  how  that  at  such  and  such  a  time 
she  thought  she  saw  as  much  of  God,  and  had  as  much  joy  and  pleasure  as  was 
possible  in  this  life,  and  that  yet  afterwards  God  discovered  himself  yet  far  more 
abundantly,  and  she  saw  the  same  things  that  she  had  seen  before,  yet  more 
clearly,  and  in  another  and  far  more  excellent  and  delightful  manner,  and  was 
filled  with  a  more  exceeding  sweetness.  She  likewise  gave  me  such  an  ac- 
count of  the  sense  she  once  had  from  day  to  day  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  of 
God,  in  his  various  attributes,  that  it  seemed  to  me  she  dwelt  for  days  together 
in  a  kind  of  beatific  vision  of  God,  and  seemed  to  have,  as  I  thought,  as  im- 
mediate an  intercourse  with  him,  as  a  child  with  a  father ;  and  at  the  same 
time  she  appeared  most  remote  fiom  any  high  thought  of  herself,  and  of  her 
own  sufficiency,  but  was  like  a  little  child,  and  expressed  a  great  desire  to  be 
instructed,  telling  me  that  she  longed  very  often  to  come  to  me  for  instruction, 
and  wanted  to  live  at  my  house,  that  I  might  tell  her  her  duty. 

She  often  expressed  a  sense  of  the  glory  of  God  appearing  in  the  trees  and 
growth  of  the  fields,  and  other  works  of  God's  hands.  She  told  her  sister  that 
lived  near  the  heart  of  the  town,  that  she  once  thought  it  a  pleasant  thin^  to 
live  in  the  middle  of  the  town ;  but  noM-,  said  she,  I  think  it  much  more  plea- 
sant to  sit  and  see  the  wind  blowing  the  trees,  and  to  behold  in  the  country 
what  God  has  made.  She  had  sometimes  the  powerful  breathings  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  on  her  soul,  while  reading  the  Scripture,  and  would  express  a  sense 
that  she  had  of  the  certain  truth  and  divinity  thereof.  She  sometimes  would 
appear  with  a  pleasant  smile  on  her  countenance,  and  once  when  her  sister 
took  notice  of  it  and  asked  why  she  smiled,  she  replied,  I  am  brimful  of  a  sweet 
feeling  within  !  She  often  used  to  express  how  good  and  sweet  it  was  to  lie 
low  before  God,  and  the  lower,  said  she,  the  better !  And  that  it  was  pleasant 
to  think  of  lying  in  the  dust  all  the  days  of  her  life,  mourning  for  sin.  She 
was  wont  to  manifest  a  great  sense  of  her  own  meanness  and  dependence. 
She  often  expressed  an  exceeding  compassion,  and  pitilul  love,  which  she  found 
in  her  heart  towards  persons  in  a  Christless  condition,  which  was  sometimes  so 
strong,  that  as  she  was  passing  by  such  in  tlie  streets,  or  those  that  she  feared 
were  such,  she  would  be  overcome  by  the  sight  of  them.  She  once  said,  that 
she  ]onQ:ed  to  have  the  whole  world  saved — she  wanted,  as  it  were,  to  pull 
them  all  to  her — she  could  not  bear  to  have  one  lost. 

She  had  great  longings  to  die,  that  she  might  be  with  Christ,  which  in- 
creased till  she  thought  she  did  not  know  how  to  be  patient  to  wait  till 
God's  time  should  come. —  But  once,  when  she  felt  those  longings,  she  thought, 
with  herself,  if  1  long  to  die,  why  do  I  go  to  physicians  ? — Whence  she  con- 
cluded that  her  longings  for  death  were  not  well  regulated.  After  this  she 
often  put  it  to  herself,  which  she  should  choose,  whether  to  live  or  die,  to  be 
sick  or  to  be  well,  and  she  found  she  could  not  tell,  till  at  last  she  found  herself 
disposed  to  say  these  words — I  am  quite  willing  to  live,  and  quite  willing  to 
die — quite  willing  to  be  sick,  and  quite  willing  to  be  well ;  and  quite  willing 
for  any  thing  that  God  will  brino;  upon  me  !  And  then,  said  she,  I  felt  myself 
perfectly  easv  in  a  full  submission  to  the  will  of  God.     She  then  lamented 


264  NARRATIVE  OF 

much,  that  she  had  been  so  eager  in  her  longings  for  death,  as  it  argued  waut 
of  such  a  resignation  to  God  as  ought  to  be.  She  seemed  henceforward  to 
continue  in  this  resigned  frame  till  death. 

After  this  her  illness  increased  upon  her ;  and  once,  after  she  had  before 
spent  the  oreater  part  of  the  night  in  extreme  pain,  she  awaked  out  of  a  little 
sleep  with  these  words  in  her  heart  and  mouth. — 1  am  willing  to  suffer  for  Christ's 

sake. 1  am  wiUing  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  Christ's  sake. — I  am  willing  to 

spend  my  life,  even  my  very  life  for  Christ's  sake  !  And  though  she  had  an 
extraordinary  resignation,  with  respect  to  life  or  death,  yet  the  thoughts  of  dying 
were  exceeding  sweet  to  her.  At  a  time  when  her  brother  was  reading  in  Job. 
concerning  wonns  feeding  on  the  dead  body,  she  appeared  with  a  pleasant  smile, 
and  being  inquired  of  about  it,  she  said,  it  was  sweet  to  her  to  think  of  her  being 
in  such  circumstances.  At  another  time,  when  her  brother  mentioned  to  her 
the  danger  there  seemed  to  be  that  the  illness  she  then  labored  under,  might  be 
an  occasion  of  her  death,  it  filled  her  with  joy  that  almost  overcom.e  her.  At 
another  time,  w)ien  she  met  a  company  follov^ing  a  corpse  to  the  grave,  she 
said,  it  was  sweet  to  her  to  think,  that  they  would  in  a  little  time  follow  her  in 
like  manner. 

Her  illness,  in  the  latter  part  of  it,  was  seated  much  in  her  throat,  and  swell- 
ing inwaid  filled  up  the  pipe,  so  that  she  could  swallow  nothing  but  what  was 
perfectly  liquid,  and  but  very  little  of  that,  and  with  great  and  long  strugglingK 
and  stranglings,  that  which  she  took  in,  flying  out  at  her  nostrils,  till  she  at  last 
could  swallow  nothing  at  all :  she  had  a  raging  appetite  to  food,  so  that  she  told 
her  sister,  when  talking  with  her  about  her  circumstances,  that  the  worst  bit  she 
threw  to  her  swine  would  be  sweet  to  her ;  but  yet  when  she  saw  that  she 
could  not  swallow  it,  she  seemed  to  be  as  perfectly  contented  W'ithout  it  as  if 
she  had  no  appetite  to  it.  Others  were  greatly  moved  to  see  what  she  under- 
went, and  were  filled  with  adiniration  at  her  unexampled  patience.  At  a  time, 
when  she  was  striving  in  vain  to  get  down  a  little  food,  something  liquid,  and 
was  very  much  spent  with  it,  she  looked  upon  her  sister  with  a  smile,  saying, 
0  sister,  this  is  for  my  good  !  At  another  time,  when  her  sister  was  speaking 
of  what  she  underwent,  she  told  her,  that  she  lived  a  heaven  upon  earth  for  all 
that.  She  used  sometimes  to  say  to  her  sister,  under  her  extreme  sufferings — 
It  is  good  to  be  so  !  Her  sister  once  asked  her,  why  she  said  so  ?  Why,  says 
she,  because  God  would  have  it  so  :  it  is  best  that  things  should  be  as  God  would 
have. — It  looks  best  to  me.  After  her  confinement,  as  they  were  leading  her 
from  the  bed  to  the  door,  she  seemed  overcome  by  the  sight  of  things  abroad, 
as  showing  forth  the  glory  of  the  Being  that  had  made  them.  As  she  lay  on 
her  death-bed,  she  would  often  say  these  words — God  is  my  friend  !  And  once 
looking  upon  her  sister,  with  a  smile,  said,  0  sister!  How  good  it  is  !  How 
sweet  and  comfortable  it  is  to  consider,  and  think  of  heavenly  things  !  And  used 
this  argument  to  persuade  her  sister  to  be  much  in  such  meditations. 

She  expressed,  on  her  death-bed,  an  exceeding  longing,  both  for  persons  In 
a  natural  state,  that  they  might  be  converted,  and  for  the  godly  that  they  might 
see  and  know  more  of  God,  And  when  those  that  looked  on  themselves  as  in 
a  Christless  state  came  to  see  her,  she  would  be  greatly  moved  with  compas- 
sionate affection.  One,  in  particular,  that  seemed  to  be  in  great  distress  about  the 
state  of  her  soul,  and  had  come  to  see  her  from  time  to  time,  she  desired  her  sister 
to  persuade  not  to  come  any  more,  because  the  sight  of  her  so  wrought  on 
her  compassions,  that  it  overcome  her  nature. — The  same  week  that  she  died, 
when  she  was  in  distressing  circumstances  as  to  her  body,  some  of  the  neighbors 
that  came  to  see:  her,  asked  if  she  was  willing  to  die  1     She  replied,  that  she 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  265 

was  quite  willing  either  to  live  or  die. — She  was  willing  to  be  in  pain. — She  was 
willing  to  be  so  always  as  she  was  then,  if  that  was  the  will  of  God,  She  willed 
what  God  willed.  They  asked  her  whether  she  was  willing  lo  die  that  night? 
She  answered,  yes,  if  it  be  God's  will ;  and  seemed  to  speak  all  with  that  per- 
fect composure  of  spirit,  and  with  such  a  cheerful  and  pleasant  countenance,  that 
it  filled  them  with  admiration. 

She  was  very  weak  a  considerable  lime  before  she  died,  having  pined  away 
with  famine  and  thirst,  so  that  her  flesh  seemed  to  be  dried  upon  her  bones,  and 
therefore  could  say  but  little,  and  manifested  her  mind  very  much  by  signs.  She 
said  she  had  matter  enough  to  fill  up  all  her  time  with  talk,  if  she  had  but 
strength.  A  few  days  before  her  death,  some  asked  her  whether  she  held  her 
integrity  still  1  Whether  she  was  not  afraid  of  death  ?  She  answered  to  this 
purpose,  that  she  had  not  the  least  degree  of  fear  of  death.  They  asked  her 
why  she  would  be  so  confident '?  She  answered,  if  I  should  say  otherwise,  I 
should  speak  contrary  to  what  I  know  ;  there  is,  says  she,  indeed  a  dark  entry, 
that  looks  something  dark,  but  on  the  other  side  there  appears  such  a  bright 
shining  light,  that  I  cannot  be  afraid  !  She  said,  not  long  before  she  died,  that 
she  used  to  be  afraid  how  she  should  grapple  with  death ;  but,  says  she,  God 
has  showed  me  that  he  can  make  it  easy  in  great  pain.  Several  days  before 
she  died,  she  could  scarcely  say  any  thing  but  just  yes  and  no,  to  questions  that 
were  asked  her,  for  she  seemed  to  be  dying  for  three  days  together ;  but  seemed 
lo  continue  in  an  admirable  sweet  composure  of  soul,  without  any  interruption, 
lo  the  last,  and  died  as  a  person  that  went  to  sleep,  without  any  struggling, 
about  noon,  on  Friday,  June  27,  1735. 

She  had  long  been  infirm,  and  often  had  been  exercised  with  great  pain ; 
but  she  died  chiefly  of  famine.  It  was,  doubtless,  partly  owing  to  her  bodily 
weakness,  that  her  nature  was  so  often  overcome,  and  ready  to  sink  with  gra- 
cious afTection;  but  yet  the  truth  was,  that  she  had  n}ore  grace,  and  greater  dis- 
coveries of  God  and  Christ,  than  the  present  frail  state  did  well  consist  with. 
She  wanted  to  be  where  strong  grace  might  have  more  liberty,  and  be  without 
the  clog  of  a  weak  body  ;  there  she  longed  to  be,  and  there  she  doubtless  now 
is.  She  was  looked  upon  amongst  us  as  a  very  eminent  instance  of  Christian 
experience ;  but  this  is  but  a  very  broken  and  imperfect  account  I  have  given 
of  her :  her  eminency  would  much  more  appear,  if  her  experiences  were  fully 
related,  as  she  was  wont  to  express  and  manifest  them  while  living.  I  once 
read  this  account  to  some  of  her  pious  neighbors,  who  were  acquainted  with 
her,  who  said  to  this  purpose,  that  the  picture  fell  much  short  of  the  life,  and 
particularly  that  it  much  failed  of  duly  representing  her  humility,  and  that  admi- 
rable lowliness  of  heart,  that  all  times  appeared  in  her.  But  there  are  (blessed 
be  God  I)  many  living  instances  of  much  the  like  nature,  and  in  some  things  no 
less  extraordinary. 

But  I  now  proceed  to  the  other  instance  that  I  would  give  an  account  of, 
which  is  of  the  little  child  forementioned.  Her  name  is  Phebe  Bartlet,  daugh- 
ter of  William  Bartlet.  I  shall  give  the  account  as  I  took  it  from  the  mouths 
of  her  parents,  whose  veracity,  none  that  know  them  doubt  of. 

She  was  born  in  March,  in  the  year  1731.  About  the  latter  end  of  April, 
or  beginning  of  -May,  1735,  she  was  greatly  aflTected  by  the  talk  of  her  brother, 
who  liad  been  hopefully  converted  a  little  before,  at  about  eleven  years  of  age, 
and  then  seriously  talked  to  her  about  the  great  things  of  religion.  Her  parents 
did  not  know  of  it  at  that  time,  and  were  not  wont,  in  the  counsels  they  gave 
to  their  children,  pfirticularly  to  direct  themselves  to  her,  by  reason  of  her  being 
so  young,  and,  as  they  supposed  not  capable  of  understanding;  but  after  her 

Vol.  Ill  34 


£66  NARRATIVE   OF 

brother  had  talked  to  her,  they  observed  her  very  earnestly  to  listen  to  the  ad- 
vice they  gave  to  the  other  children,  and  she  was  observed  very  constantly  to 
retire,  several  times  in  a  day,  as  was  concluded,  for  secret  prayer,  and  grew 
more  and  more  engaged  in  religion,  and  was  more  frequently  in  her  closet,  till 
at  last  she  was  wont  to  visit  it  five  or  six  times  in  a  day,  and  was  so  engaged 
in  it,  that  nothing  would,  at  any  time  diveil  her  from  her  stated  closet  exercises. 
Her  mother  often  observed  and  watched  her,  when  such  things  occurred,  as  she 
thouo-ht  most  likely  to  divert  her,  either  by  putting  it  out  of  her  thoughts,  or 
otherwise  engaging  her  inclinations,  but  never  could  observe  her  to  fail.  She 
mentioned  some  very  remarkable  instances. 

She  once,  of  her  ov.'n  accord,  spake  of  her  unsuccessfulness,  in  that  she  could 
not  find  God,  or  to  that  purpose.  But  on  Thursday,  the  last  day  of  July,  about 
the  middle  of  the  day,  the  child  being  in  the  closet,  where  it  used  to  retire,  its 
mother  heard  it  speaking  aloud,  which  was  unusual,  and  never  had  been  ob- 
served before  ;  and  her  voice  seemed  to  be  as  of  one  exceeding  importunate 
and  engaged,  but  her  mother  could  distinctly  hear  only  these  words  (spoken  in 
her  childish  manner,  but  seemed  to  be  spoken  with  extraordinary  earnestness, 
and  out  of  distress  of  soul),  Pray  ekssed  Lord  give  me  salvation !  I  pkay,  beg 
pardon  all  my  sins  !  When  the  child  had  done  prayer,  she  came  out  of  the  closet, 
and  came  and  sat  down  by  her  mother,  and  cried  out  aloud.  Her  mother  very 
earnestly  asked  her  several  times,  what  the  matter  was,  before  she  Avould  make 
any  answer,  but  she  continued  exceedingly  ciying,  and  wreathing  her  body  to 
and  fio,  like  one  in  anguish  of  spirit.  Her  mother  then  asked  her  whether  she 
was  afraid  that  Gotl  would  not  give  her  salvation.  She  then  answered  yes,  I 
am  afraid  I  shall  go  to  hell !  Her  mother  then  endeavored  to  quiet  her,  and  told 
her  she  w^ould  not  have  her  cry — she  must  be  a  good  girl,  and  pray  every  day, 
and  she  hoped  God  would  give  her  salvation.  But  this  did  not  quiet  her  at  all 
— but  she  continued  thus  earnestly  crying  and  taking  on  for  some  time,  till  at 
length  she  suddenly  ceased  crying  and  began  to  smile,  and  presently  said  with 
a  smiling  countenance — Mother,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  come  to  me  I  Her 
mother  was  surprised  at  the  sudden  alteration,  and  at  the  speech,  and  knew  not 
what  to  make  of  it,  but  at  first  said  nothing  to  her.  The  child  presently  spake 
again,  and  said,  there  is  another  come  to  me,  and  there  is  another — there  is  three  ; 
and  being  asked  what  she  meant,  she  answered — One  is,  thy  v;ill  be  done,  and 
there  is  another — enjoy  him  forever;  by  which  it' seems  that  when  the  child 
said,  there  is  three  come  to  me,  she  meant  three  passages  of  its  catechism  that 
came  to  her  mind. 

After  the  child  had  said  this,  she  retired  again  into  her  closet;  and  her 
mother  went  over  to  her  brother's,  who  was  next  neighbor ;  and  when  she  came 
back,  the  child  being  come  out  of  the  closet,  meets  her  mother  with  this  cheer- 
ful speech — I  can  find  God  now  !  Referiing  to  what  she  had  before  complained 
of,  that  she  could  not  find  God.  Then  the  child  spoke  again,  and  said — I  love 
God!  Her  mother  asked  her  how  well  she  loved  God,  whether  she  loved  God 
better  than  her  father  and  mother,  she  said  yes.  Then  she  asked  her  Avhethei 
she  loved  God  better  than  her  little  sister  Rachel,  she  answered  yes,  belter  than 
any  thino- !  Then  her  eldest  sister,  referring  to  her  saying  she  could  find  God  now, 
asked  her  where  she  could  find  (jod  ;  she  answered,  in  heaven.  Why,  said  she, 
have  you  been  in  heaven  ?  No,  said  the  cliild.  By  this  it  seems  not  to  have 
been  any  imagination  of  any  thing  seen  with  bodily  eyes  that  she  called  God, 
when  she  said  I  can  fmd  God  now.  Her  mother  asked  her  whether  she  wan* 
afraid  of  going  to  hell,  and  that  had  made  her  cry.  She  answered,  yes,  I  was ; 
but  now  1  shall  not.  Her  mother  asked  her  whether  she  thought  that  God  had 
given  her  salvation  :  she  answered  yes.     Her  mother  asked  her,  when  ;  she 


SURPRISING   CONVERSIONS.  267 

answered  to-day.  She  nppearcd  all  that  ailcrnoon  cxceediiicf  cheerful  and  joy- 
ful. One  of  the  neighbors  asked  her  how  she  felt  herself?  She  answered,  1 
feel  better  than  I  d'ul.  The  nei'^hbor  asked  her  what  made  her  feel  better  ;  she 
answered,  Ciod  makes  me.  Tiiat  evening  as  she  lay  abed,  she  called  one  of 
her  little  cousins  to  her,  that  was  present  in  the  room,  as  having  sonielhing  to 
say  to  him  ;  and  when  he  came,  she  lold  him  that  heaven  was  better  than  earth. 
The  next  day  being  Friday,  her  mother  asking  her  her  catechism,  asked  her 
what  God  made  her  fur ;  she  answureil,  to  serve  him ;  and  added,  every  body 
should  serve  God,  and  get  an  interest  in  Christ. 

The  same  day  the  elder  children,  when  they  came  home  from  school,  seem- 
ed much  ad'ected  with  the  extraordinary  change  that  seemed  to  be  made  in 
Phebe  ;  and  her  sister  Abigail  standing  by,  her  mother  took  occasion  to  counsel 
her,  now  to  improve  her  time,  to  prepare  for  another  world  ;  on  which  Phebe 
burst  out  in  tears,  and  cried  out  poor  Nabby  !  Her  mother  told  her,  she  would 
not  have  her  cry,  she  hoped  that  Goil  would  give  Nabby  salvation ;  but  that 
did  not  quiet  her,  but  she  continued  earnestly  crying  for  some  time  ;  and  when 
she  had  in  a  measure  ceased,  her  sister  Eunice  being  by  her,  she  burst  out  again, 
and  cried  poor  Eunice  !  and  cried  exceedingly  ;  and  when  she  had  almost  done, 
she  went  into  another  room,  and  there  looked  upon  her  sister  Naomi,  and  burst 
out  again,  crying  poor  Amy  !  Her  mother  was  greatly  aflfected  at  such  a  beha- 
vior in  the  child,  and  knew  not  what  to  say  to  her.  One  of  the  neighbors  com- 
ing in  a  little  after,  asked  her  what  she  had  cried  for.  She  seemed,  at  first, 
backward  to  tell  the  reason  :  her  mother  told  her  she  might  tell  that  person,  for 
he  had  given  her  an  apple ;  upon  which  she  said,  she  cried  because  she  was 
afraid  they  would  go  to  hell. 

At  night  a  certain  minister,  that  was  occasionally  in  the  town,  was  at  the 
house,  and  talked  considerably  with  her  of  the  things  of  religion ;  and  after  he 
was  gone,  she  sat  leaning  on  the  table,  with  tears  running  out  oflier  eyes;  and 
being  asked  what  matlc  her  cry,  she  said  it  was  thinking  about  God.  The 
next  tlay  being  Saturday,  she  seemed  great  part  of  the  day  to  be  in  a  very  affec- 
tionate frame,  had  four  turns  of  crying,  and  seemed  to  endeavor  to  curb  herself, 
and  hide  her  tears,  and  was  very  backward  to  talk  of  the  occasion  of  it.  On 
the  Sabbath  day  she  was  asked  whether  she  believed  in  God ;  she  answei"ed 
yes;  and  being  told  that  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God,  she  made  ready  answer, 
and  said,  I  know  it. 

From  this  time  there  has  appeared  a  very  remarkable  abiding  change  in 
the  child  :  she  has  been  very  strict  upon  the  Sabbath,  and  seems  to  long  for 
the  Sabbath  day  before  it  comes,  and  will  often  in  the  week  time  be  inquiring  how 
long  it  is  to  the  Sabbath  day,  and  must  have  the  days  particularly  counted  over 
thit  are  between,  before  she  will  be  contented.  And  she  seems  to  love  God's 
h"use — is  very  eager  to  go  thither.  Her  mother  once  asked  her  why  she  had 
r  ich  a  mind  to  go  ?  Whether  it  it  was  not  to  see  fine  folks  ?  She  said  no,  it 
•/as  to  hear  Mr.  Edwards  preach.  When  she  is  in  the  place  of  worship,  she  is 
•'3ry  far  from  spending  her  time  there  as  children  at  her  age  usually  do,  but  ap- 
peal's with  an  attention  that  is  very  extraordinary  for  such  a  child.  She  also 
appears  very  desirous  at  all  opportunities,  to  go  to  private  religious  meetings, 
and  is  very  still  and  attentive  at  home,  in  prayer  time,  and  has  appeared  affect- 
ed in  time  of  family  prayer.  She  seems  to  delight  much  in  hearing  religious 
conversation.  When  I  once  was  there  with  some  others  that  were  strangers, 
and  talked  to  her  something  of  religion,  she  seemed  more  than  ordinarily  atten- 
".ivp ;  and  when  we  were  gone,  she  looked  out  very  wistly  after  us,  and  said — 
I  wish  they  would  come  again !  Her  mother  asked  her  why  :  says  she,  I  love 
to  hear  them  talk ! 


26S  NARRATIVE   OF 

She  seems  to  have  very  much  of  the  fear  of  God  before  her  eyes,  and  an 
extraordinary  dread  of  sin  against  him ;  of  which  her  mother  mentioned  the 
following  remarkable  instance.  Some  time  in  August,  the  last  year,  she  went 
■vvith  some  bigger  children,  to  get  some  plums,  in  a  neighbor's  lot,  knowing 
nothing  of  atiy  harm  in  what  she  did ;  but  when  she  brought  some  of  the 
plums  into  the  house,  her  mother  mildly  reproved  her,  and  told  her  that  she 
must  not  get  plums  without  leave,  because  it  was  sin  :  God  had  commanded 
her  not  to  steal.  The  child  seemed  greatly  surprised,  and  burst  out  into  tears, 
and  cried  out — I  will  not  have  these  plums !  And  turning  to  her  sister  Eunice, 
very  earnestly  said  to  her — Why  did  you  ask  me  to  go  to  that  plum  tree  1  1 
should  not  have  gone  if  you  had  not  asked  me.  The  other  children  did  not 
seem  to  be  much  affected  or  concerned  ;  but  there  was  no  pacifying  Phebe. 
Her  mother  told  her  she  might  go  and  ask  leave,  and  then  it  would  not  be  sin 
for  her  to  eat  them,  and  sent  one  of  the  children  to  that  end  ;  and  when  she  re- 
turned, her  mother  told  her  that  the  owner  had  given  leave,  now  she  might  eat 
them,  and  it  would  not  be  stealing.  This  stilled  her  a  little  while,  but  present- 
ly she  broke  out  again  into  an  exceeding  fit  of  crying  :  her  mother  asked  her 
what  made  her  cry  again  ?  Why  she  cried  now,  since  they  had  asked  leave? 
What  it  was  that  troubled  her  now?  And  asked  her  several  times  very  ear- 
nestly, before  she  made  any  answer ;  but  at  last,  said  it  was  because — because 
IT  WAS  SIN.  She  continued  a  considerable  time  crying ;  and  said  she  would  not 
go  again  if  Eunice  asked  her  a  hundred  times  ;  and  slie  retained  her  aversion 
to  that  fruit  for  a  considerable  time,  under  the  remembrance  of  her  former  sin. 

She,  at  some  times,  appears  greatly  affected  and  delighted  M^ith  texts  of 
Scripture  that  come  to  her  mind.  Particularly,  about  the  beginning  of  Novem- 
ber, the  last  year,  that  text  came  to  her  mind.  Rev.  iii.  20,  Behold  I  stand  at 
the  door  and  knock  :  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  o-pen  the  door,  I  will  come 
in,  and  sup  with  him  and  he  with  me.  She  spoke  of  it  to  those  of  the  family,  with 
a  great  appearance  of  joy,  a  smiling  countenance,  and  elevation  of  voice,  and 
afterwards  she  went  into  another  room,  where  her  mother  overheard  her 
talking  very  earnestly  to  the  children  about  it,  and  particularly  heard  her  say 
to  them,  three  or  four  times  over,  with  an  air  of  exceeding  joy  and  admiration — 
Why  it  is  to  sup  with  God.  At  some  time  about  the  middle  of  winter,  very  late 
in  the  night,  when  all  were  in  bed,  her  mother  perceived  that  she  was  awaktj 
and  heard  her  as  though  she  was  weeping.  She  called  to  her,  and  asked  her 
what  was  the  matter.  She  answered  with  a  low  voice,  so  that  her  mother 
could  not  hear  what  she  said  ;  but  thinking  it  might  be  occasioned  by  some  spirit- 
ual affection,  said  no  more  to  her  ;  but  perceived  her  to  lie  awake,  and  to  con- 
tinue in  the  same  frame  for  a  considerable  time.  The  next  morning  she  asked 
her  whether  she  did  not  cry  the  last  night :  the  child  answered  yes,  I  did  cry  a 
little,  for  I  was  thinking  about  God  and  Christ,  and  they  loved  me.  Her 
mother  asked  her,  whether  to  think  of  God  and  Christ's  loving  her  made  her 
ciy  :  she  answered  yes,  it  does  sometimes. 

She  has  often  manifested  a  great  concern  for  the  good  of  other  souls ;  and 
has  been  wont  many  times,  affectionately  to  counsel  the  other  children.  Once 
about  the  latter  end  of  September,  the  last  year,  when  she  and  some  others  of 
the  chddren  were  in  a  room  by  themselves  a  husking  Indian  corn,  the  child, 
after  a  while,  came  out  and  sat  by  the  fire.  Her  mother  took  notice  that  she 
appeared  with  a  more  than  ordinary  serious  and  pensive  countenance,  but  at 
last  she  broke  silence,  and  said  I  have  been  talking  to  Nabby  and  Eunice.  Her 
mother  asked  her  what  she  kad  said  to  them.  Why,  said  she,  I  told  them  they 
must  pray,  and  prepare  to  die,  that  they  had  but  a  little  while  to  live  in  this 
world,  and  they  m.ust  be  always  ready.     When  Nabby  came  out,  her  mcther 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  269 

asked  her  whether  she  had  said  that  to  them.  Yes,  said  she,  she  said  that  and 
a  great  deal  more.  At  other  times  the  ehild  took  her  opportunities  to  talk  to 
the  other  children  about  the  great  concern  of  their  souls  j  sometimes  so  as  mui-h 
to  alVeet  them,  and  set  them  into  tears.  She  was  once  exceeding  importunate 
with  her  mother  to  go  with  her  sister  Naomi  to  pray:  her  moliier  endeavored 
to  put  her  off,  but  she  pulled  her  by  the  sleeve,  and  seemed  as  it'  she  would  by 
no  means  be  denied.  At  last  her  mother  told  her,  that  Amy  must  go  and  pray 
herself;  but,  said  the  child,  she  will  not  go,  and  persisted  earnestly  to  beg  of 
her  mother  to  go  with  her. 

She  has  discovered  an  uncommon  degree  of  a  spirit  of  charity,  particularly 
on  the  following  occasion  :  a  poor  man  that  lives  in  the  woods,  had  lately  lost 
a  cow  that  the  family  much  depended  on,  and  being  at  the  house,  he  was  rela- 
ting his  misfortune,  and  telling  of  the  straits  and  ditFicullies  they  were  reduced 
to  by  it.  She  took  much  notice  of  it,  and  it  wrought  exceedingly  on  her  com- 
passions ;  and  after  slie  had  attentively  heard  him  a  while,  she  went  away  to 
her  father,  who  was  in  the  shop,  and  entreated  him  to  give  that  man  a  cow ; 
and  told  him  that  the  poor  man  had  no  cow  !  That  the  hunters  or  something 
else  had  killefl  his  cow  !  And  entreated  him  to  give  hirn  one  of  theirs.  Her 
father  told  her  that  tliey  could  not  spare  one.  Then  she  entreated  him  to  let 
him  and  his  family  come  and  live  at  his  house ;  and  had  much  talk  of  the 
vame  nature,  whereby  she  manifested  bowels  of  compassion  to  the  poor. 

She  has  manifested  great  love  to  her  minister ;  particularly  when  I  returned 
from  my  long  jouiney  for  my  health,  last  fall,  when  she  heard  of  it,  she  ap- 
peared very  joyful  at  the  news,  and  told  the  children  of  it  with  an  elevated 
voice,  as  the  most  joyful  tidings,  repeating  it  over  and  over,  Mr.  Edwards  is 
come  home  !  Mr.  Edwards  is  come  liorae  !  She  still  continues  very  constant 
in  secret  prayer,  so  far  as  can  be  observed  (for  she  seems  to  have  no  desire 
that  others  should  observe  her  when  she  retires,  but  seems  to  be  a  child  of  a  re- 
served temper),  and  every  night  before  she  goes  to  bed  will  say  her  catechism, 
and  will  by  no  means  miss  of  it:  she  never  forgot  it  but  once,  and  then  after 
she  was  abed,  thought  of  it  and  cried  out  in  tears — I  have  not  said  my  cate- 
chism !  And  would  not  be  quieted  till  her  mother  asked  her  the  catechism  as 
she  lay  in  bed.  She  sometimes  appears  to  be  in  doubt  about  the  condition  of 
her  soul,  and  when  asked  whether  she  thinks  that  she  is  prepared  for  death, 
speaks  sonjething  doubtfully  about  it :  at  other  times  seems  to  have  no  doubt, 
but  when  asked,  replies  yes,  without  hesitation. 

In  the  former  part  of  this  great  work  of  God  amongst  us,  till  it  got  to  its 
height,  we  seemed  to  be  wonderfully  smiled  upon  and  blessed  in  all  respects. 
Satan  (as  luis  been  already  observed)  seemed  to  be  unusually  restrained  ;  per- 
sons that  before  had  been  involved  in  melancholy,  seemed  to  be  as  it  were  wak- 
ed up  out  of  it,  and  those  that  had  been  entangled  with  extraordinary  tempta- 
tions seemed  wonderfully  to  be  set  at  liberty,  and  not  only  so,  but  it  was  the 
most  remarkable  time  of  health  that  ever  I  knew  since  I  have  been  in  the  town. 
We  ordinarily  have  several  bills  put  up,  ever)'  Sabbath,  for  persons  that  are 
sick,  but  now  we  have  not  so  much  as  one  for  many  Sabbaths  together.  But 
after  this  it  seemed  to  be  otherwise,  when  this  work  of  God  appeared  to  be  at 
its  greatest  height.  A  poor  weak  man  that  belongs  to  the  town,  being  in  great 
spii  itual  trouble,  was  hurried  with  violent  temptations  to  cut  his  own  throat, 
and  made  an  attempt,  but  did  not  do  it  effectually.  He  after  this  continued  a 
considerable  time  exceedingly  overwhelmed  with  melancholy,  but  has  now,  of  a 
long  time,  been  very  greatly  delivered,by  the  light  of  God's  countenance  lifted  up 
upon  him,  and  has  expressed  a  great  sense  of  his  sin  in  so  far  yielding  to  temp- 


270  NARRATIVE  OF 

tation,  and  there  are  in  him  all  hopeful  evidences  of  his  having  been  made  a  sub- 
ject of  saving  mercy. 

In  the  latter  part  of  May,  it  began  to  be  very  sensible  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  was  gradually  withdravving  from  us,  and  after  this  time  Satan  seemed  to 
be  more  let  loose,  and  raged  in  a  dreadful  manner.  The  first  instance  wherein 
it  appeared,  was  a  person's  putting  an  end  to  his  own  life,  by  cutting  his  throat. 
He  was  a  o-entleman  of  more  than  common  understanding,  of  strict  morals,  re- 
lio-ious  in  his  behavior,  and  a  useful,  honorable  person  in  the  town  ;  but  was  of 
a  family  that  are  exceeding  prone  to  the  disease  of  melancholy,  and  his  mother 
was  killed  with  it.  He  had,  from  the  beginning  of  this  extraordinary  time, 
been  exceedingly  concerned  about  the  state  of  his  soul,  and  there  were  some 
things  in  his  experience,  that  appeared  veiy  hopefully,  but  he  durst  entertain  no 
hope  concerning  his  ow^n  good  estate.  Towards  the  latter  part  of  his  time,  he 
grev/  much  discouraged,  and  melancholy  grew  amain  upon  him,  till  he  was 
wholly  overpowered  by  it,  and  was,  in  great  measure,  past  a  capacity  of  receiv- 
m<f  advice,  or  being  reasoned  with  to  any  purpose :  the  devil  took  the  advan- 
tage, and  drove  him  into  despairing  thoughts.  He  was  kept  awake  nights 
meditating  terror,  so  that  he  had  scarce  any  sleep  at  all,  for  a  long  time  togeth- 
er. And  it  was  observable  at  last,  that  he  was  scarcely  well  capable  of  man- 
aging his  ordinary  business,  and  was  judged  delirious  by  the  coroner's  inquest. 
The  news  of  this,  extraordinarily  affected  the  minds  of  people  here,  and 
struck  them  as  it  were  with  astonishment.  After  this,  multitudes  in  this  and 
other  towns  seemed  to  ;jave  it  strongly  suggested  to  them,  and  pressed  upon 
them,  to  do  as  this  person  had  done.  And  many  that  seemed  to  be  under  no  melan- 
choly, some  pious  persons,  that  had  no  special  darkness  or  doubts  about  the 
goodness  of  their  state,  nor  were  under  any  special  trouble  or  concern  of  mind 
about  any  thing  spiritual  or  temporal,  yet  had  it  urged  upon  them,  as  if  some- 
body had  spoken  to  them,  Cut  your  own  throat,  now  is  a  good  opportunity. 
Now  !  Now  !  So  that  they  were  obliged  to  fight  with  all  their  might  to  resist 
it,  and  yet  no  reason  suggested  to  them  why  they  should  do  it. 

About  the  same  time,  there  were  two  remarkable  instances  of  persons  led 
aw-ay  with  strange  enthusiastic  delusions :  one  at  Suffield,  and  another  at  South 
Hadley :  that  which  has  made  the  greatest  noise  in  the  country  w^as  of  the  man 
at  South  Hadley,  whose  delusion  was,  that  he  thought  himself  divinely  instruct- 
ed to  direct  a  poor  man  in  melaricholy  and  despairing  circumstances,  to  say 
certain  words  in  prayer  to  God,  as  recorded  in  Psal.  cxvi.  4,  for  his  own  relief. 
The  man  is  esteemtii  a  pious  man  :  I  have,  since  this  error  of  his,  had  a  partic- 
ular acquaintance  with  him,  and,  I  believe,  none  would  question  his  piety,  that 
had  had  such  an  acquaintance.  He  gave  me  a  particular  account  of  the  man- 
ner how  he  was  deluded,  which  is  too  long  to  be  here  inserted.  But,  in 
short,  he  was  exceedingly  rejoiced  and  elevated  with  this  extraordinary 
work,  so  carried  on  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and  was  possessed  with  an  opin- 
ion that  it  was  the  beginning  of  the  glorious  times  of  the  church  spoken  of  in 
Scripture:  and  had  read  it  as  the  opinioii  of  some  divines,  that  there  v/ould  be 
many  in  these  times  that  should  be  endued  with  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  had  embraced  the  notion  ;  though  he  had  at  first  no  apprehensions 
that  any  besides  ministers  v.'ould  have  such  gifts.  But  he  since  exceedingly 
laments  the  dishonor  he  has  done  to  God,  and  the  wound  he  has  given  re- 
ligion in  it,  and  has  lain  low  before  God  and  man  for  it. 

After  these  things  the  instances  of  conversion  were  rare  here  in  comparison 
of  what  they  had  befiii'e  been  (thougli  that  remarkable  instance  of  the  little 
child  was  afier  this) ;  and  the  Spirit  of  God  after  that  time  appeared  very  sen- 


SURPRISING  CONVERSIONS.  271 

sibly  withdrawing  from  all  parts  of  the  country  (though  we  have  heard  of  its 
goin«^  on  in  some  places  of  Connecticut,  and  that  it  continues  to  be  tarried  on 
even  to  tliis  day).  But  reli|^ion  remained  here,  and,  I  belii've  in  some  other 
places,  the  main  subject  of  conversation  for  several  montiis  after  this.  And  there 
were  some  turns,  wherein  Uod's  work  seemed  sometliini;  to  revive,  and  we 
were  ready  to  hope  that  all  was  goin^  to  be  renewed  attain  ;  yet  in  the  main 
there  was  a  gradual  decline  of  that  jxeneral,  engaged,  lively  spirit  in  religion, 
which  had  been  before.  Several  things  have  happened  since,  that  have  divert- 
ed people's  minds,  and  turned  their  convei-sation  more  to  other  atTairs,  as  parti- 
cularly his  Excellency  the  Governor's  coming  up,  and  the  Committee  of  the 
General  Court,  on  tlie  treaty  with  the  Inihans ;  and  atterwards  the  Springfield 
controversy,  and  since  that,  our  people  in  this  town  have  been  engaged  in  the 
building  of  a  new  meeting-house ;  and  some  other  occurrences  might  be  men- 
tioned, that  have  seemed  to  have  this  edect. 

But  as  to  those  that  have  been  thought  to  be  converted  among  us,  in  this 
time,  they  generally  seem  to  be  persons  that  have  had  an  abidmg  change  J)\ 
wrought  on  them  :  I  have  had  particular  acquaintance  with  many  of  them 
since,  and  they  generally  appear  to  be  persons  that  have  a  new  sense  of  things, 
new  apprehensions  and  views  of  God,  of  the  divine  attributes,  and  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  great  things  of  ihe  gospel :  they  have  a  new  sense  of  the  truth  of  them, 
and  they  affect  them  in  a  new  manner ;  though  it  is  very  far  from  being  always 
alike  with  them,  neither  can  they  revive  a  sense  of  things  when  they  please. 
Their  hearts  are  often  touched,  and  sometimes  filled  with  new  sweetnesses  and 
delights ;  there  seems  to  be  an  inward  ardor  and  burning  of  heart  that  they  ex- 
press, the  like  to  which  they  never  experienced  beibre ;  sometimes,  perhaps, 
occasioned  on'y  by  the  mr ntion  of  Christ's  name,  or  some  one  of  the  divine 
perfections  :  there  ai'e  nev^r  appetites,  and  a  new  kind  of  breathings  and  pant- 
ings  of  heart,  and  groanini^^s  that  cannot  be  uttered.  There  is  a  new  kind  of 
inward  labor  and  struggle  c»"soul  towards  heaven  and  holiness. 

Some  thai  before  were  very  rough  in  their  temper  and  manners  seem  to  be 
remarkably  softened  and  sv/eetened. — And  some  have  had  their  souls  exceed- 
ingly filled  aiid  overwhelmed  with  light,  love,  and  comfort,  long  since  the  work 
of  God  has  ceased  to  be  so  remarkably  carried  on  in  a  general  way  ;  and  some 
have  had  much  greater  experiences  of  this  nature  than  they  had  before.  And 
there  is  st'll  a  great  deal  of  religious  conversation  continued  in  tiie  town, 
amongst  young  and  old ;  a  religious  disposition  appears  to  be  still  maintained 
amongst  ciir  people,  by  their  upholding  frequent  private  religious  meetings,  and 
all  sorts  are  generally  worshipping  God  at  such  meetings,  on  Sabbath  nights,  and 
in  the  evening  after  our  public  lecture.  Many  children  in  the  town  do  still 
keep  up  such  meetings  among  themselves.  I  know  of  no  one  young  person  in 
the  town  that  has  returned  to  foimcr  ways  of  looseness  and  extravagancy  in 
any  respect,  but  we  still  remain  a  reformed  people,  and  God  has  evidently 
made  us  a  new  peo})le. 

I  cannot  say  there  has  been  no  instance  of  any  one  person  that  has  carried 
himself  so,  that  others  should  justly  be  stun)bled  concerning  his  profession  ;  nor 
am  I  so  vain  as  to  imagine  that  we  have  not  been  mistaken  concerning  any  that 
we  have  entertained  a  good  opinion  of,  or  that  there  are  none  that  pass  amongst 
us  for  sheep,  that  are  indeed  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing,  who  probably  may, 
some  time  or  other,  discover  themselves  by  their  truits.  We  are  not  so  pure 
but  that  we  have  great  cause  to  be  humbleil  and  ashameil,  that  we  are  so  im- 
pure ;  nor  so  religious  but  tliat  those  that  watch  for  our  halting  may  see  things 
in  us,  whence  they  may  take  occasion  to  reproach  ns  and  religion  ;  but  in  the 
main  theie  has  been  a  great  and  marvellous  work  of  conversion  and  sanctificc 


272  NARRATIVE   OF  SURPRISING   CONVERSIONS. 

tion  among  the  people  here,  and  they  have  paid  all  due  respects  to  those  who 
have  been  blest  ot  God  to  be  the  instruments  of  it.  Both  old  and  young  have 
shown  a  forwardness  to  hearken  not  only  to  my  counsels,  but  even  to  my  re- 
prools  from  the  pulpit. 

A  great  part  of  the  country  have  not  received  the  most  favorable  thoughts 
of  this  affair,  and  to  this  day  many  retain  a  jealousy  concerning  it,  and  preju- 
dice against  it ;  I  have  reason  to  think  that  the  meanness  and  weakness  of  the  in- 
strument, that  has  been  made  use  of  in  this  town,  has  prejudiced  many  against 
it;  it  does  not  appear  to  me  strange  that  it  should  be  so  :  but  yet  the  circum*- 
stance  of  this  great  work  of  God  is  analogous  to  other  circumstances  of  it  ^ 
God  has  so  ordered  the  manner  of  the  work  in  many  respects,  as  very  signally 
and  remarkably  to  show  it  to  be  his  own  peculiar  and  immediate  work,  and  to 
secure  the  glory  of  it  wholly  to  his  own  almighty  power  and  sovereign  grace. 
And  wliatever  the  circumstances  and  means  have  been,  and  though  we  are  so 
unworthy,  yet  so  hath  it  pleased  God  to  work !  And  we  are  evidently  a  peo- 
ple blessed  of  the  Lord  !  And  here  in  this  corner  of  the  world,  God  dwells, 
and  manifests  his  glory. 

Thus,  Reverend  Sir,  I  have  given  a  large  and  particular  account  of  this  re- 
markable affair,  and  yet  considering  how  manifold  God's  works  have  been 
amongst  us,  that  are  worthy  to  be  written,  it  is  but  a  very  brief  one.  I  should 
have  sent  it  much  sooner,  had  I  not  been  greatly  hindered  by  illness  in  my 
family,  and  also  in  myself.  It  is  probably  much  larger  than  you  expected,  and 
it  may  be  than  you  would  have  chosen.  I  thought  that  the  extraordinariness 
of  the  thing,  and  the  innumerable  misrepresentations  which  have  gone  abroad 
of  it,  many  of  which  have,  doubtless,  reached  your  ears,  made  it  necessary  that 
I  shoukl  be  particular.  But  I  would  leave  it  entirely  with  your  wisdom  to 
make  what  use  of  it  you  think  best,  to  send  a  part  of  it  to  England,  or  all,  or 
none,  if  you  think  it  not  worthy ;  or  otherwise  to  dispose  of  it  as  you  may 
think  most  ibr  God's  glory,  and  the  interest  of  religion.  If  you  are  pleased  to 
send  any  thing  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Guyse,  I  should  be  glad  to  have  it  signified  to 
him,  as  my  humble  desire,  that  since  he,  and  the  congregation  to  which  he 
preached,  have  been  pleased  to  take  so  much  notice  of  us,  as  they  have,  that 
they  would  also  think  of  us  at  the  Throne  of  Grace,  and  seek  there  for  us  that 
God  would  not  forsake  us,  but  enable  us  to  bring  forth  fruit  answerable  to  our 
profession,  and  our  mercies,  and  that  our  light  viay  so  shine  hefore  men,  thai 
others,  seeing;  our  good  works,  may  glorify  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

When  first  I  heard  of  the  ;iotice  the  Reverend  Dr.  Watts  and  Dr.  Guyse 
took  of  God's  mercies  to  us,  I  took  occasion  to  inform  our  congregation  of  it  in 
a  discourse  from  these  words  :  A  city  that  is  set  vpon  a  hill  cannot  be  hid.  And 
having  since  seen  a  particular  account  of  the  notice  of  the  Reverend  Dr.  Guyse, 
and  the  congregation  he  preached  to,  took  of  it,  in  a  letter  you  wrote  to  my 
honored  uncle  Williams,  I  read  that  part  of  your  letter  to  the  congregation,  and 
labored  as  much  as  in  me  lay  to  enforce  their  duty  fiom  it.  The  congregation 
were  very  sensibly  moved  and  affected  at  both  times. 

I  humbly  request  of  you,  Reverend  Sir,  your  prayers  for  this  country,  in  its 
nresent  melancholy  circumstances,  into  which  it  is  brought  by  the  S])ringfield 
quarrel,  which,  doubtless,  above  all  things  that  have  happened,  has  tended 
to  put  a  stop  to  the  glorious  work  here,  and  to  prejudice  this  country  against  it, 
and  hinder  the  propagation  of  it.  I  also  ask  your  prayers  for  this  town,  and 
would  particularly  beg  an  interest  in  them  for  him  who  is.  Honored  Sir,  with 
humble  respect.  Your  obedient  son  and  servant, 

JONATHAN  EDWARDS 
Northampton,  Nov.  6,  1736.  -  •. 


THOUGHTS 


ON   THE 


REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION  IN  NEW  ENGLAND, 


Vol.  IIL  as 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  occasion  of  the  following  ti-eatisc,  will  be  eeen,  in  pari,  in  tiie  preceding  nar- 
rative. The  gracious  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  wluch  IVortliampton  was  so 
abundantly  enriched,  and  which  spread  thrcugh  many  towns  in  its  vicinity,  were  soon 
followed  with  a  very  extensive  revival  over  the  land.  An  extraordinary  zeal  was 
excited  in  many  gospel  ministers.  Itinerants 'travelled  the  country  and  preached 
daily.  They  addressed  their  crowded  audiences,  not  in  the  dull  monotony  ol'a  mere 
moral  lecture,  hut  in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  and  with  power.  Their  inde- 
fatigable labors  were  crowned  with  the  most  liesjrable  success.  Zion  put  on  her  robes 
of  salvation.  Converts  to  .Tesus  were  multiplied  as  the  drops  of  the  morning  dew. 
Religion  became  almost  the  only  suhject  of  concern.  jMany  indulged  the  hoj)e  that 
the  millennial  glory  was  conmiencing.  This  glorious  work  had  its  oppo.sers.  Ariv'an- 
lage  was  taken  of  the  errors  of  some  of  its  most  zealous  promoters  to  cry  it  down,  and 
render  it  altogether  suspicious.  Mr.  Edwards'  dcsicrnwas  to  vindicate  it,  as  undoubt- 
edly a  work  of  God,  and  among  the  most  admirable  of  his  triumphs  over  the  hearts 
of  his  enemies;  to  correct  errors  which  ;ittcnded  it,  and  to  excite  augmented  cflcrts 
for  its  increase. 

The  scene  which  he  describes  is  past.  Let  it  live  however  in  our  memories 
Let  it  excite  our  fervent  gratitude,  and  call  forth  the  devout  aspirations  of  our  soule 
ibr  the  spread  of  the  victories  of  our  glorious  King  in  these  days.  Let  the  pertinent 
and  instructive  sentiments  wrought  into  the  treatise,  the  mo.sl  of  v;hich  are  adapted 
to  every  condition  in  which  the  churcli  and  the  individual  believer  can  be  placed, 
take  deep  hold  of  our  hearts  and  be  carried  out  in  their  proper  effecis  in  our  lives. 

Tliis  work  had  a  second  edition  in  .Srotlard,  soon  after  it  was  firei  published  in 
thk  country. 


THE   AUTHOR'S   PREFACE. 


In  the  ensuing  treatise,  I  condemn  ministers  assuming,  or  taking  loo  much 
upon  them,  and  appearing  as  though  they  supposed. that  they  were  the  persons, 
to  wliom  it  especially  belonged  to  dictate,  direct,  and  deterniitie;  but  perhaps 
shall  be  thought  to  be  very  guilty  of  it  myself:  and  some,  when  they  read  this 
treatise,  may  be  ready  to  say  that  I  condemn  this  in  others,  that  1  may  have 
the  monopoly  of  it.  1  confess  that  I  have  taken  a  great  deal  of  liberty  freely 
to  express  my  thougTits,  concerning  almost  every  thing  appertaining  to  the 
wonderful  work  of  God,  that  has  of  late  been  carried  on  in  the  land,  and 
to  declare  what  has  appeared  to  me  to  be  the  mind  of  God  concerning  the 
duty  ami  obligations  of  all  sorts  of  persons,  and  even  those  that  are  my 
superiors  and  fathers,  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  civil  rulers.  But  yet  I 
hope  the  liberty  I  have  taken  is  not  greater  than  can  be  justifieil.  In  this 
nation,  such  liberty  of  the  press  is  allowed,  that  every  author  takes  leave, 
without  offence,  freely  to  speak  his  opinion  concerning  tlie  management  of 
public  atlairs,  and  the  duty  of  the  legislature,  ami  those  that  are  at  the  head 
of  the  administration,  though  vastly  his  superiors.  As  now  at  this  day, 
private  subjects  olTer  their  sentiments  to  the  public,  from  the  press,  con- 
cerning the  management  of  the  war  with  Spain ;  freely  declaring  what 
they  think  to  be  the  duty  of  the  Parliament,  and  tliK  principal  ministers 
of  state,  &c.  We  in  New  England  are  at  this  day  engaged  in  a  more 
important  war:  and  I  am  sure,  if  we  consider  the  sad  jangling  and  con- 
fusion that  has  attended  it,  we  shall  confess  that  it  is  highly  requisite  thjrf 
somebody  should  speak  his  mind,  concerning  the  way  in  which  it  ought 
to  be  managed :  and  that  not  only  a  few  of  the  many  particulars,  that 
are  the  matter  of  strife  in  the  land,  should  be  debated,  on  the  one  side  and 
the  other,  in  pamphlets  (its  has  of  late  been  done  with  heat  and  fiercene&s 
enough)  ;  which  does  not  tend  to  bring  the  contention  in  general  to  an  end,  but 
rather  to  inflame  it,  and  increase  the  uproar.  But  that  something  should 
be  published,  to  bring  the  affair  in  general,  and  the  many  things  tliat  attend 
it,  that  are  the  subjects  of  debate,  under  a  particular  consideration.  And 
certainly  it  is  high  time  that  this  was  done.  If  private  persons  may  speak 
their  minds  without  arrogance  ;  much  more  may  a  minister  of  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  speak  freely  about  things  of  this  nature,  which  do  so  nearly  con- 
cern the  interest  of  the  kingdom  of  his  Lord  ami  master,  at  so  unportant 
a  juncture.  If  some  elder  minister  had  undertaken  this,  I  acknowledge  it 
would  have  been  more  proper  ;  but  I  have  heard  of  no  such  thing  a  doing, 
or  hke  to  be  done.  I  hope  therefore  I  shall  be  excuseil  for  undertaking 
inch  a  piece  of  work.  I  think  nothing  that  I  have  said  can  justly  be  inter- 
preted, as  though  I  would  impose  my  thoughts  upon  any,  or  did  not  suppose 
that  others  have  equal  right  to  think  for  themselves,  with  myself.  We  are 
not  accountable  one  to  another  for  our  thoughts ;  but  we  must  ail  give  an 
account  to  him  who  searches  our  hearts,  and  has  doubtless  his  eye  especially 


276  PREFACE. 

upon  us  at  such  an  extraordinary  season  as  this.  If  I  have  well  confirmed  my 
opinion  concerning  this  work,  and  the  way  in  which  it  should  be  acknow- 
ledged and  promoted,  with  Scripture  and  reason,  I  hope  others  that  read  it 
will  receive  it,  as  a  manifestation  of  the  mind  'and  will  of  God.  If  others 
would  hold  forth  further  light  to  me  in  any  of  these  particulars,  I  hope 
I  should  thankfully  receive  it.  I  think  I  have  been  made  in  some  measure 
sensible,  and  much  more  of  late  than  formerly,  of  my  need  of  more  wisdom 
than  1  have.  I  make  it  my  rule  to  lay  hold  of  light  and  embrace  it,  wher- 
ever I  see  it,  though  held  forth  by  a  child  or  an  enemy.  If  I  have  assumed 
too  much  in  the  following  discourse,  and  have  spoken  in  a  manner  that  savors 
of  a  spirit  of  pride,  no  wonder  that  others  can  better  discern  it  than  I  myself. 
If  it  be  so  I  ask  pardon,  and  beg  the  prayers  of  every  Christian  reader,  that  I 
may  have  more  light,  humility  and  zeal ;  and  that  I  may  be  favored  with  such 
measures  of  the  divine  Spirit,  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  stands  in  need  of,  at 
such  an  extraordinary  season. 


REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 


NEW  ENGLAND. 


PART    I. 


SHOWLN'G  THAT  THE  EXTRAORDINARY  WORK  THAT  HAS  OF  LATE  BEEN  GOING  ON  IN  THIS 
LAND,  IS  A  GLORIOUS  WORK  OF  GOD. 

The  error  of  those  %vho  have  had  ill  thoughts  of  the  great  religious  opera- 
tions on  the  minds  of  men,  that  have  been  carried  on  of  late  in  New  England 
(so  far  as  the  ground  of  such  an  error  has  been  in  the  understanding,  and  not  in 
the  disposition),  seems  fundamentally  to  lie  in  three  things: 

First.     In  judging  of  this  work  a  'priori. 

Secondly.  In  not  taking  the  holy  Scriptures  as  a  whole  rule  whereby  to 
judge  of  such  operations. 

Thirdly.     In  not  justly  separating  and  distinguishing  the  good  from  the  bad. 

I.  They  have  greatly  erred  in  the  way  in  which  they  have  gone  about  to  try 
this  wwk,  ^\hether  it  be  a  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  or  nt),  viz.,  in  judging 
of  it  a  priori ;  from  the  way  that  it  began,  the  instruments  that  have  been  em- 
ployed, the  means  that  have  been  made  use  of,  and  the  methods  that  have  been 
taken  and  succeeded,  in  carrying  it  on.  Whereas,  if  we  duly  consider  the 
matter,  it  will  evidently  appear  that  such  a  work  is  not  to  be  judged  of  a  priori^ 
but  a  posterion  :  we  are  to  observe  the  effect  wrought ;  and  if,  upon  examina- 
tion of  it,  it  be  found  to  be  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God,  we  are  bound,  with- 
out more  ado,  to  rest  in  it  as  God's  work  ;  and  shall  be  like  to  be  rebuked  of 
our  arrogance,  if  we  refuse  so  to  do  till  God  shall  explain  to  us  how  he  has 
brought  this  effect  to  pass,  or  why  he  has  made  use  of  such  and  such  means  in 
doing  of  it.  Those  texts  are  enough  to  cause  us  with  trembling  to  forbear  such 
a  way  of  proceeding;  in  judging  of  a  work  of  God's  Spirit :  Isa^  xl.  13, 14,  "  Who 
hath  directed  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  or  being  his  counsellor  hath  taught  him  ? 
With  whom  took  he  counsel  1  And  who  instructed  him,  and  who  taught  him 
in  the  path  of  judgment,  and  taught  him  knowledge,  and  showed  to  liira  the 
way  of  understanding  ?"  John  iii.  8,  "  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth  ;  and 
thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof;  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and  whith- 
er it  goeth."  We  hear  the  sound,  we  perceive  the  effect,  and  from  (hence  we 
judge  that  the  wind  docs  indeed  blow  ;  without  waiting,  before  we  pass  this 
judgment,  first  to  be  satisfied  what  should  be  the  cause  of  the  wind's  blowing 
from  such  a  part  of  the  heavens,  and  how  it  should  come  to  pass  that  it  should 
blow  in  such  a  manner,  at  such  a  time.  To  judge  a  priori,  is  a  wrong  way  of 
judging  of  any  of  the  works  of  God.  We  are  not  to  resolve  that  we  will  first 
be  satisfied  how  God  brought  this  or  the  other  effect  to  pass,  and  why  he  hath 


278  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

made  it  thus,  or  why  it  has  pleased  him  to  take  such  a  course,  and  to  use  such 
and  such  means,  before  Ave  will  acknowledge  his  work,  and  give  him  the  glory 
of  it.  This  is  too  much  for  the  clay  to  take  upon  it  with  respect  to  the  Potter. 
God.  gives  not  account  of  his  matters :  his  judgments  are  a  great  deep :  he  hath 
his  way  in  the  sea,  and  his  path  in  the  great  waters,  and  his  footsteps  are  not 
known  ;  and  who  shall  teach  God  knowledge,  or  enjoin  him  his  way,  or  say  unto 
him,  ivhaf  doest  thou  1  We  knoto  not  what  is  the  voay  of  the  Spirit,  nor  how  the  bones 
do  crrow  in  the  womb  of  her  thai  is  with  child  ;  even  so  we  know  not  the  loorks 
of  God,  who  maketk  all.  No  wonder,  therefore,  if  those  that  go  this  forbidden 
way  to  work,  in  judging  of  the  present  wonderful  operation,  are  perplexed  and 
confounded.  We  ought  to  take  heed  that  we  do  not  expose  ourselves  to  the 
calamity  of  those  who  pried  into  the  ark  of  God,  when  God  mercifully  returned 
it  to  Israel,  after  it  had  departed  fiom  them. 

Indeed  God  has  not  taken  that  course,  nor  made  use  of  those  means,  to 
begin  and  carry  on  this  great  work,  which  men  in  their  wisdom,  would  have 
thought  most  advisable,  if  he  had  asked  their  counsel;  but  quite  the  contrary 
But  it  appears  to  me  that  the  great  God  has  wrought  like  himself,  in  the  manner 
of  his  carrying  on  this  work  ;  so  as  very  much  to  show  his  own  glory,  and  exalt 
his  own  sovereignty,  poM'er,  and  all-sufficiency,  and  pour  contempt  on  all  that 
human  strength,  w-isdom,  prudence,  and  sufficiency  that  men  have  been  wont 
to  trust,  and  to  glory  in ;  and  so  as  greatly  to  cross,  rebuke,  and  chastise  the 
pride  and  other  corruptions  of  men ;  in  a  fulfilment  of  that,  Isa.  ii.  17  :  "  And 
the  loftiness  of  man  shall  be  bowed  down,  and  the  haughtiness  of  men  shall  bo 
made  low,  and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  exalted  in  that  day."  God  doth  thus,  in 
intermingling  in  his  providence  so  many  stumbling-blocks  with  this  work ;  in 
suffering  so  much  of  human  weakness  and  infirmity  to  appear  ;  and  in  ordering  so 
many  things  that  are  mysterious  to  men's  wisdom :  in  pouring  out  his  Spirit 
chiefly  on  the  common  people,  and  bestowing  his  greatest  and  highest  favors  upon 
them,  admitting  them  nearer  to  himself  than  the  great,  the  honorable,  the  rich,  and 
the  learned,  agreeable  to  that  prophecy,  Zech.  xii.  7,  "  The  Lord  also  shall  save 
the  tents  of  Judah  first,  that  the  glory  of  the  house  of  David,  and  the  glory  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  do  not  magnify  themselves  against  Judah."  Those 
that  dwelt  in  the  tents  of  Judah  M'ere  the  common  people,  that  dwelt  in  the 
country,  and  were  of  inferior  rank.  The  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  were  their 
citizens,  their  men  of  wealth  and  figure :  and  Jerusalem  also  was  the  chief  place  of 
the  habitation  or  resort  of  their  priests,  and  Levites,  and  their  officers  and  judges ; 
there  sat  the  great  Sanhedrim.  The  house  of  David  were  the  highest  rank  of 
all,  the  royal  family,  and  the  great  men  that  were  round  about  the  king.  It  is . 
evident  by  the  context  that  this  prophecy  has  respect  to  something  further  than 
the  saving  the  people  out  of  the  Babylonish  captivity. 

God  in  this  work  has  begun  at  the  lower  end,  and  he  has  made  use  of  the 
weak  and  foolish  things  of  the  world  to  carry  on  his  work.  The  ministers  that 
have  been  chiefly  improved,  some  of  them  have  been  mere  babes  in  age  and 
standing,  and  some  of  them,  such  as  have  not  been  so  high  in  reputation  among 
their  fellows  as  many  others ;  and  God  has  suffered  their  infirmities  to  appear  in 
the  sight  of  others,  so  as  much  to  displease  them  ;  and  at  the  same  time  it  has 
pleased  God  to  improve  them,  and  greatly  to  succeed  them,  while  he  has  not  so 
succeeded  others  that  are  generally  reputed  vastly  their  superiors.  Yea,  there 
is  reason  to  tliink  that  it  has  pleased  God  to  make  use  of  the  infirmities  and 
sms  of  some  that  he  has  improved  and  succeeded  ;  as  particularly  their  impru- 
dent and  rash  zeal,  and  censorious  spirit,  to  chastise  the  deadness,  negligence, 
'earthly  mindedness,  and  vanity,  that  have  been  found  among  ministers,  in  the  late 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  279 

times  of  general  declension  and  deadness,  wherein  wise  virgins  and  foolish,  min- 
ister!? and  people  have  sunk  into  such  a  deep  sleep.  These  things  in  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  that  go  fortli  as  the  ambassadors  of  Christ,  and  have  the  care  of 
immortal  souls,  are  extremely  abominable  to  God ;  vastly  more  hateful  in  his 
sight  than  all  the  imprudence,  and  intemperate  heats,  wiidness,  and  distraction 
(as  some  call  il)  of  these  zealous  preachers.  A  supine  carelessness,  and  a  vain, 
carnal,  worldly  spirit,  in  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  is  the  worst  madness  and  dis- 
traction in  the  sight  of  God.  God  may  also  make  use  at  this  day,  of  the  un- 
christian censoriousncss  of  some  preachers,  the  more  tolunuble  and  purify  some 
of  his  own  children  and  true'servants,  that  have  been  wrongfully  censured,  to  fit 
them  for  more  eminent  service,  and  future  honor  that  he  designs  them  for. 

II.  Another  Ibundation  error  of  tiiose  that  do  not  acknowledge  the  divinity 
of  this  work,  is  not  taking  tlie  Holy  Scripture  as  a  tcliolc,  and  in  itself  a  suf- 
licient  rule  to  judge  of  such  things  by.  They  that  have  one  certain  consistent 
rule  to  judge  by,  are  like  to  come  to  some  clear  determination ;  but  they  that 
have  half  a  dozen  dilferent  rules  to  make  the  thing  they  would  judge  of  agree 
to,  no  wonder  that  instead  of  justly  and  clearly  determining,  they  do  but  perplex 
and  darken  themselves  and  others.  They  that  would  learn  the  true  measure  of 
any  thing,  and  will  have  many  difTerent  measures  to  try  it  by,  and  find  in  it  a 
conformity  to,  have  a  task  that  they  will  not  accomplish. 

Those  that  I  am  speaking  of  will  indeed  make  some  use  of  Scripture,  so  far 
as  they  think  it  serves  their  turn  ;  but  do  not  make  use  of  it  alone,  as  a  rule  suf- 
ficient by  itsell',  but  make  as  much,  and  a  great  deal  more  use  of  other  things, 
diverse  and  wide  from  it,  to  judge  of  this  work  by.     As  particularly, 

1.  Some  make  philosopliy,  instead  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  their  rule  of 
judging  of  this  work ;  particularly  the  jiliilosophical  notions  they  entertain  of 
the  nature  of  the  soul,  its  faculties  and  affections.  Some  are  ready  to  say, 
"  There  is  but  little  sober,  solid  religion  in  this  work :  it  is  little  else  but  flash 
and  noise.  Religion  now-a-days  all  runs  out  into  transports  and  high  llights  of 
the  passions  and  alTections."  In  their  philosophy,  the  affections  of  the  soul  are 
something  diverse  from  the  will,  and  not  appertaining  to  the  noblest  part  of  the 
soul,  but  the  meanest  principles  that  it  has,  that  belong  to  man,  as  partaking  of 
animal  nature,  and  what  he  has  in  common  with  the  brute  creation,  rather  than 
any  thing  whereby  he  is  conformed  to  angels  and  pure  spirits.  And  though 
they  acknowledge  that  a  good  use  mny  be  made  of  the  affections  in  religion, 
yet  they  suppose  that  the  substantial  part  of  religion  docs  not  consist  in  them, 
but  that  they  are  rather  to  be  looked  upon  as  something  adventitious  and  acci- 
dental in  Christianity. 

But  T  cannot  but  think  that  these  gentlemen  labor  under  great  mistakes, 
both  in  their  philosophy  and  divinity.  It  is  true,  distinction  must  be  made  in 
affections  or  passions.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  difference  in  high  and  raised 
affections,  which  must  be  distinguished  by  the  skill  of  the  observer.  Some  are 
much  more  solid  than  others.  There  are  many  exercises  of  the  affections  that  are. 
very  flashy,  and  liitle  to  be  depended  on ;  and  oftentimes  there  is  a  great  deal 
that  appertains  to  them,  or  rather  that  is  the  effect  of  them,  that  has  its  seat  in 
animal  nature,  and  is  very  much  owing  to  the  constitution  and  fiame  of  the  body ; 
and  that  which  sometimes  more  especially  obtains  the  name  of  passion,  is  nothing 
sohd  or  substantial.  But  it  is  false  philosophy  to  suppose  this  to  be  the  case  with 
all  exercises  of  affection  in  the  sou:,  or  with  all  great  and  high  affections ;  and 
false  divinity  to  suppose  that  religious  affections  do  not  appertain  to  the  sub- 
stance and  essence  of  Clnistianity  :  on  the  contrary,  it  seems  to  me  that  the 
very  life  and  soul  oi  all  true  religion  consists  in  them. 


280  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

I  hum"b]y  conceive  that  the  affections  of  the  soul  are  not  properly  distin- 
guished from  the  will,  as  though  they  were  two  faculties  in  the  soul.  All  acts 
of  the  affections  of  the  soul  are  in  some  sense  acts  of  the  will,  and  all  acts  of 
the  will  are  acts  of  the  affections.  All  exercises  of  the  will  are  in  some  degree 
or  other,  exercises  of  the  soul's  appetition  or  aversion ;  or  w^hich  is  the  same 
thing,  of  its  love  or  hatred.  The  soul  wills  one  thing  rather  than  another,  or 
chooses  one  thing  rather  than  another,  no  otherwise  than  as  it  loves  one  thing 
more  than  another ;  but  love  and  hatred  are  affections  of  the  soul :  and  there- 
fore all  acts  of  the  will  are  truly  acts  of  the  affections  ;  though  the  exercises  of 
the  will  do  not  obtain  the  name  of  passions,  unless  the  will,  either  in  its  aversion 
or  opposition,  be  exercised  in  a  high  degree,  or  in  a  vigorous  and  lively  manner 

All  will  allow  that  true  virtue  or  holiness  has  its  seat  chiefly  in  the  heart, 
rather  than  in  the  head  :  it  therefore  follov.'s,  from  what  has  been  said  already, 
that  it  consists  chiefly  in  holy  affections.  The  things  of  religion  take  place  in 
men's  hearts,  no  further  than  they  are  affected  with  them.  The  informing  of 
the  understanding  is  all  vain,  any  farther  than  it  affeds  the  heart;  or  which  is 
the  same  thing,  has  influence  on  the  affections. 

Those  gentlemen  that  make  light  of  these  raised  affections  in  religion,  will 
doubtless  allow  that  true  religion  and  holiness,  as  it  has  its  seat  in  the  heart,  is 
capable  of  very  high  degrees,  and  high  exercises  in  the  soul.  As  for  instance ; 
they  will  doubtless  allow  that  the  holiness  of  the  heart  or  will,  is  capable  of 
being  raised  to  a  hundred  times  as  great  a  degree  of  strength  as  it  is  in  the  most 
eminent  saint  on  earth,  or  to  be  exerted  in  a  hundred  times  so  strong  and  vigor- 
ous exercises  of  the  heart ;  and  yet  be  true  religion  or  holiness  still,  but  only  in 
a  high  degree.  Now  therefore  I  would  ask  them,  by  what  name  they  will  call 
these  high  and  vigorous  exercises  of  the  will  or  heart ']  Are  they  not  high 
affections  ?  What  can  they  consist  in,  but  in  high  acts  of  love  j  strong  and 
vigorous  exercises  of  benevolence  and  complacence  ;  high,  exalting  and  admir- 
ing thoughts  of  God  and  his  perfections ;  strong  desires  after  God  'I  &c.  And 
now  what  are  we  come  to  but  high  and  raised  affections  1  Yea,  those  very 
same  high  and  raised  affections  that  before  they  objected  against,  or  made  light 
of,  as  worthy  of  little  regard  ? 

I  suppose  furthermore  that  all  will  allow  that  there  is  nothing  but  solid  re- 
ligion in  heaven  :  but  that  there,  religion  and  holiness  of  heart  is  raised  to  an 
exceeding  great  height,  to  strong,  high,  exalted  exercises  of  heart.  Now,  what 
other  kinds  of  such  exceeding  strong  and  high  exercises  ofthe  heart,  or  of  holi- 
ness, as  it  has  its  seat  in  their  hearts,  can  we  devise  for  them,  but  only  holy 
affections,  high  degrees  of  actings  of  love  to  God,  rejoicing  in  God,  admiring  of 
God  1  &c.  Therefore  these  things  in  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven,  are  not  to 
be  despised  and  cashiered  by  the  name  of  great  heats  and  transports  of  the  pas- 
sions. 

And  it  will  doubtless  be  yet  further  allowed,  that  the  more  eminent  the 
saints  are  on  earth,  and  the  stronger  their  grace  is,  and  the  higher  its  exercises 
are,  the  more  they  are  like  the  saints  in  heaven  ;  i.  e.,  (by  what  has  been  just 
now  observed)  the  more  they  have  of  high  or  raised  affections  in  religion. 

Though  there  are  false  affections  in  religion,  and  affections  that  in  some 
respects  are  raised  high,  that  are  flashy,  yet  undoubtedly  there  are  also  true, 
holy  and  solid  affections  ;  and  the  higher  these  are  raised,  the  better  :  and  if 
they  are  raised  to  an  exceeding  great  height,  they  are  not  to  be  thought  meanly 
of  or  suspected,  merely  because  of  their  great  degree,  but,  on  the  contrary,  to 
be  esteemed  and  rejoiced  in.  Charity  or  divine  love,  is  in  Scripture  represented 
as  the  sum  of  all  the  religion  of  the  heart;  but  this  is  nothing  but  a  holy  affzC' 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  281 

tion :  and  therefore  in  proportion  as  this  is  firmly  fixed  in  the  soul,  and  raised 
to  a  great  height,  the  more  eminent  a  person  is  in  holiness.  Divine  love  or 
charity  is  represented  ;ts  the  sum  of  all  the  religion  of  heaven,  and  that  wherein 
mainly  the  religion  of  the  church  in  its  more  perfect  state  on  earth  shall  consist, 
\vhen  knowledge  and  tongues,  and  proj)hesyings  shall  cease  j  and  thert  fore  the 
higher  this  holy  atlection  is  raised  in  the  church  of  (iofl,  or  in  a  gracious  soul, 
the  more  excellent  and  jicrfect  is  the  slate  of  the  church,  or  a  particular  soul. 

If  we  take  the  Scriptures  for  our  rule  then,  the  grealw  and  higher  are  the 
exercises  of  love  to  God,  delight  and  com})laccnce  in  God,  desires  and  longings 
after  God,  delight  in  the  childien  of  God,  love  to  mankind,  brokenness  of  heart, 
abhorrence  of  sin,  and  sell-abhorrence  lor  sin  ;  and  the  peace  of  God,  which 
passeth  all  understanding,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory;  admiring  thoughts  of  God,  exulting  and  glorilying  in  God;  so  much 
the  higher  is  Christ's  religion,  or  that  virtue  which  he  and  his  apostles  taught, 
raised  in  the  soul. 

It  is  a  stumbling  to  some  that  religious  affections  should  seem  to  be  so  pow- 
erful, or  that  they  should  be  so  violent  (as  they  express  it)  in  some  persons  :  they 
are  therefore  ready  to  doubt  whether  it  can  be  the  Spirit  of  God,  or  whether 
this  vehemence  be  not  rather  a  sign  of  the  operation  of  an  evil  spirit.  But 
why  should  such  a  doubt  arise  from  no  other  ground  than  this?  \Vhat  is  re- 
presented in  Scripture,  as  more  powerJul  in  its  effects,  than  the  Spirit  of  God  ? — 
Which  is  therefore  called  the  power  of  the  Highest,  Luke  i.  35.  And  its  saving 
effect  in  the  soul,  called  the  power  oj' godliness.  So  we  read  of  the  demonstra- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  and  of  power,  1  Cor.  ii.  4.  And  it  is  said  to  operate  in  the 
minds  of  men  with  the  exceeding  greatness  of  divine  power,  and  according  to 
the  working  of  God's  mighty  power,  Eph.  i.  19.  So  we  read  of  the  elfectual 
working  of  his  power,  Eph.  iii.  7.  And  of  the  power  that  worketh  in  Chris- 
tians, v.  20.  Awl  of  the  glorious  power  of  God  in  the  operations  of  the  Spirit, 
Col.  i.  11.  And  of  the  work  of  faith,  its  being  wrought  with  power,  2  Thess. 
i.  11,  and  in  2  Tim.  i.  7.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  called  the  spirit  of  power,  and 
love,  and  of  a  sound  mind.  So  the  Spirit  is  represented  by  a  mighty  wind,  and 
by  fire,  things  most  powerful  in  their  operation. 

2.  Many  are  guilty  of  not  taking  the  holy  Scriptures  as  a  sufficient  and 
whole  rule,  whereby  to  judge  of  this  work,  whether  it  be  the  work  of  God,  in 
that  they  judge  by  those  things  which  the  Scripture  does  not  give  as  any  signs 
or  marks  whereby  to  judge  one  way  or  the  other,  and  therefore  do  in  no  wise 
belong  to  the  .Scripture  rule  of  judging,  viz.,  the  effects  that  religious  exercises 
and  affections  of  mind  have  upon  the  body.  Scripture  rules  respect  the  state 
of  the  mind,  and  persons'  moral  conduct,  and  voluntary  behavior,  and  not  the 
physical  state  of  the  body.  The  design  of  the  Scri[)iure  is  to  teach  u:s  divinity, 
and  not  physic  and  anatomy.  Ministers  are  made  the  watchmen  of  men's  souls, 
and  not  of  their  bodies  ;  and  therefore  the  great  lule  which  God  has  committed 
into  their  hands,  is  to  jnake  them  divines,  and  not  physiciarrs.  Christ  knew 
what  instructions  and  rules  his  church  would  stand  in  need  of  better  than  we 
do  ;  and  if  he  had  seen  it  needful  in  order  to  the  church's  safety,  he  doubtless 
would  have  given  ministers  rules  to  judge  of  bodily  effects,  and  would  have  told 
them  how  the  pulse  shouhl  beat  under  such  and  such  religious  exercises  of  mind; 
when  men  should  look  pale,  and  when  they  should  shed  tears ;  when  they  should 
tremble,  and  whether  or  no  they  should  ever  be  faint  or  cry  out ;  or  w  hether  the 
body  should  ever  be  put  into  convulsions  :  he  probably  would  have  put  some 
book  into  their  hands,  that  should  have  tended  to  make  them  excellent  anato- 
mists and  physicians :  but  he  has  not  done  it,  because  he  did  not  see  it  to  be 

Vol    ill.  36 


282  REVIVAL  01   RELIGION 

needful.  He  judged,  that  if  ministers  thoroughly  did  their  duty  as  watchmen 
and  overseers  of  the  state  and  frame  of  men's  souls,  and  of  their  voluntary  con- 
duct accordino-  to  the  rules  he  had  given,  his  church  would  be  well  provided 
for  as  to  its  safety  in  these  matters.  And  therefore  those  ministers  of  Christ  and 
overseers  of  souls,  that  busy  themselves,  and  are  full  of  concern  about  the  invo- 
luntary motions  of  the  fluids  and  solids  of  men's  bodies,  and  from  thence  full  of 
doubts  and  suspicions  of  the  cause,  when  nothing  appears  but  that  the  state  and 
frame  of  their  minds,  and  their  voluntary  behavior  is  good,  and  agreeable  to 
God's  word  ;  I  say,  such  ministers  go  out  of  the  place  that  Christ  has  set  them 
in  and  leave  their  proper  business,  as  nnich  as  if  they  should  undertake  to-tell 
who  are  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  by  their  looks,  or  their  gait.  I  cannot 
see  which  way  we  are  in  danger,  or  how  the  devil  is  likely  to  get  any  notable 
advantage  against  us,  if  we  do  but  thoroughly  do  our  duty  with  respect  to  those 
two  things,  viz.,  the  state  of  persons'  minds,  and  their  moral  conduct,  seeing  to 
it  that  they  be  maintained  in  an  agieeableness  to  the  rules  that  Christ  has  given 
us.  If  things  are  but  kept  right  in  these  respects,  our  fears  and  suspicions  arising 
from  extraordinary  bodily  etfects  seem  wholly  groundless. 

The  most  specious  thing  that  is  alleged  against  these  extraordinary  effects 
on  the  body,  is,  that  the  body  is  impaired,  and  health  wronged ;  and  that  it  is 
hard  to  think  that  God,  in  the  merciful  influences  of  his  Spirit  on  men,  would 
wound  their  bodies  and  impair  their  health.  But  if  it  were  so  pretty  commonly, 
or  in  multiplied  instances  (which  I  do  not  suppose  it  is),  that  persons  received 
a  lasting  wound  to  their  health  by  extraordinary  religious  impressions  made 
upon  their  minds,  yet  it  is  too  much  for  us  to  determine  that  God  shall  never 
bring  an  outward  calamity,  in  bestowing  a  vastly  greater  spiritual  and  eternal 
good. 

Jacob,  in  doing  his  duty  in  wrestling  with  God  for  the  blessing,  and  while 
God  was  striving  with  him,  at  the  same  time  that  he  received  the  blessing  from 
God,  suffered  a  great  outward  calamity  from  his  hand  ;  God  impaired  his  body 
so  that  he  never  got  over  it  as  long  as  he  lived :  he  gave  him  the  blessing,  but 
sent  him  away  halting  on  his  thigh,  and  he  went  lame  all  his  life  after.  And 
yet  this  is  not  mentioned  as  if  it  were  any  diminution  of  the  great  mercy  of  God 
to  him,  when  God  blessed  him  and  he  received  his  name  Israel,  because  as  a 
Prince  he  had  power  with  God,  and  had  prevailed. 

But,  say  some,  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  are  of  a  benign  nature; 
nothing  is  of  a  more  kind  influence  on  human  nature,  than  the  merciful  breath- 
ings of  God's  own  Spirit.  But  it  has  been  a  thing  generally  supposed  and 
allowed  in  the  church  of  God,  till  now,  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  being  sick 
of  love  to  Christ,  or  having  the  bodily  strength  weakened  by  strong  and  vigor- 
ous exercises  of  love  to  him.  And  however  kind  to  human  nature  the  influences 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  are,  yet  nobody  doubts  but  that  divine  and  eternal  things, 
as  they  may  be  discovered,  would  overpower  the  nature  of  man  in  its  present 
weak  slate  ;  and  that  therefore  the  body  in  its  present  weakness,  is  not  fitted  for 
the  views,  and  pleasures,  and  employments  of  heaven  :  and  that  if  God  did  dis- 
cover but  a  little  of  tliat  which  is  seen  by  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven, 
our  frail  natures  would  sink  under  it.  Indeed  I  know  not  what  persons  may 
deny  now,  to  defend  themselves  in  a  cause  they  have  had  their  spirits  long  en- 
gaged in ;  but  I  know  these  things  do  not  use  to  be  denied  or  doubted  of.  Let 
us  rationally  consider  what  we  profess  to  believe  of  the  infinite  greatness  of  the 
things  of  God,  the  divine  wrath  ^  the  divine  glory,  and  the  divine  infinite  love 
and  grace  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  vastness  arid  infinite  importance  of  the  things 
of  eternity;  and  how  reasonable  it  is  to  suppose,  that  if  it  pleases  God  a  little 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  2S3 

.o  withdraw  theviil  and  Itt  in  lit;l>t  into  the  soul,  and  give  something  of  a  view 
of  tlie  great  things  of  another  world  in  tJieir  transcendent  and  infinite  greatness, 
that  hiunan  nature,  that  is  as  the  grass,  a  shaking  leaf,  a  weak  withering  flower, 
should  totter  under  such  a  discovery  ?  Sucli  a  bubble  is  too  weak  to  bear  the 
Weight  of  a  view  of  tilings  that  are  so  vast.  Alas  !  what  is  such  dust  and  jishes, 
that  it  should  support  itself  under  the  view  of  the  awful  wrath  or  infinite  glory 
and  love  of  Jehovah  ?  No  wonder  therefore  that  it  is  said,  no  man  can  see  me 
and  live,  and  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  (lod.  That  exter- 
nal glory  and  majesty  of  C'hrist  which  Daniel  saw,  when  there  remained  no 
strength  in  him,  and  his  comeliness  was  turned  in  him  info  corruption,  Dan.  x. 
6,  7,  8  ;  and  which  the  apoi>tle  .John  s-\w,  when  he  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead  ; 
was  but  an  image  or  shadow  of  that  spiritual  glory  and  majesty  of  Christ,  which 
will  be  manifested  in  the  souls  of  the  saints,  in  another  world,  ar.d  which  is 
sometimes,  in  some  degree,  manifest»'d  to  the  soul  in  this  world,  by  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  of  Ciod.  And  if  the  beholding  the  image,  and  external  rep- 
resentation of  this  spiritual  majesty  and  glory,  did  so  overpower  human  nature, 
is  it  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  a  siglit  of  the  spiritual  glory  itself,  which 
is  the  substance,  of  which  that  was  but  the  shadow,  shouhl  have  as  powerful 
an  eflect  ?  The  prophet  Habakkuk,  spcaklntr  of  the  awful  manifestations  God 
made  of  his  majesty  and  wrath,  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  in  the  wilderness,  and  at 
Mount  Sinai,  where  he  gave  the  Law  ;  and  of  the  merciful  influence,  and  strong 
impression  God  caused  it  to  have  upon  him,  lo  the  end  that  he  might  be  saved 
from  that  wrath,  and  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble ;  says,  Hab.  iii.  16,  "  When  I 
heard,  my  belly  trembled,  my  lips  quivered  at  the  voice,  rottenness  entered  into 
my  bones,  I  trembled  in  myself,  that  I  might  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble." 
\\'hich  is  much  such  an  cfl^cct  as  the  discovery  of  the  same  majesty  and  wrath, 
in  the  same  awful  voice  from  Mount  Sinai,  has  had  upon  many  in  these  days  ; 
and  to  the  same  purposes,  viz.,  to  give  them  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  save 
them  from  that  wrath.  The  Psalmist  also  speaks  of  very  much  such  an  eflfect 
ns  I  have  ot^en  seen  on  persons  under  religious  afl'ections  of  late  :  Psal.  cxix. 
131,  "  I  open-ed  my  mouth  and  panted,  for  I  longed  for  thy  commandments," 

God  is  pleased  sometimes  in  dealing  forth  spiritual  blessings  to  his  people, 
in  some  respect  to  exceed  the  capacity  of  the  vessel,  in  its  present  scantiness, 
so  that  he  does  not  only  fill  it  full,  but  he  makes  their  cwp  to  run  c/vcr  ;  agreea- 
ble to  Psalm  xxiii.  5.  And  pours  out  a  blessing  sometimes,  in  such  a  manner 
and  measure  that  there  is  not  room  enough  to  receive  it,  Mai.  iii.  10,  and  gives 
them  riches  more  than  they  can  carry  away  ;  as  he  did  to  .Tehoshaphat  and 
his  people  in  a  time  of  great  favor,  by  the  word  of  his  prophet  Jehaziel  in  an- 
swer to  earnest  prayer,  when  the  people  blessed  the  Lord  in  the  valley  of  Be- 
rachah,  2  Chron.  xx.  25,  26.  It  has  been  with  the  disciples  of  Christ,  for  a 
long  time,  a  time  of  great  emptiness  upon  spiritual  accounts;  they  have  gone 
hungry,  and  have  been  toiling  in  vain,  during  a  dark  season,  a  time  of  night 
with  the  church  of  God  ;  as  it  was  with  the  disciples  of  old,  when  they  had 
toiled  all  night  for  something  to  eat,  and  caught  nothing,  Luke  v.  5,  and  John 
xxi.  3.  ikt  now,  the  morning  being  come,  Jesus  appears  to  his  disciples,  and 
takes  a  compassionate  notice  of  their  wants,  and  says  to  them,  CkUdrcn,  have 
ye  any  meat  ?  And  gives  some  of  them  such  abundance  of  food,  that  they  are 
not  able  to  draw  their  net ;  yea,  so  that  their  net  breaks,  and  their  vessel  is 
overloaded,  ami  begins  to  sink ;  as  it  was  with  the  disciples  of  old,  Luke  v.  6, 
7,  and  John  xxi.  6. 

We  cannot  determine  that  God  never  shall  give  any  person  so  much  of  a 
.liscovery  of  himself,  not  only  as  to  wrakcn  their  bodies,  but  to  take  away  their 


284  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

lives.  It  is  supposed  by  very  learned  and  judicious  divines,  that  Moses's  life 
was  taken  away  after  this  manner ;  and  tliis  has  also  been  supposed  to  be  the 
case  with  some  other  saints.  Yea,  I  do  not  see  any  solid  sure  grounds  any 
have  to  determine,  that  God  shall  never  make  such  strong  impressions  on  the 
mind  by  his  Spirit,  that  shall  be  an  occasion  of  so  impairing  the  frame  of  the 
body,  and  particularly  that  part  of  the  body,  the  brain,  that  persons  shall  be  de- 
prived of  the  use  of  reason.  As  I  said  before,  it  is  too  much  for  us  to  deter- 
mine that  God  will  not  bring  an  outward  calamity  in  bestowing  spiritual  and 
eternal  blessinos :  so  it  is  too  much  for  us  to  determine,  how  great  an  outward 
calamity  he  will  bring.  If  God  gives  a  great  increase  of  discoveries  of  hmiself, 
and  of  love  to  him,  the  benefit  is  infinitely  greater  than  the  calamity,  though 
the  life  should  presently  after  be  taken  away  ;  yea,  though  the  soul  should  noi 
immediately  be  taken  to  heaven,  but  should  he  some  years  in  a  deep  sleep,  and 
then  be  taken  to  heaven :  or,  which  is  much  the  same  thing,  if  it  be  deprived 
of  the  use  of  its  faculties,  and  be  unactive  and  unserviceable,  as  if  it  lay  in  a 
deep  sleep  for  some  years,  and  then  should  pass  into  glory.  We  cannot  deter- 
mine how  great  a  calamity  distraction  is,  when  considered  with  all  its  conse- 
quences, and  all  that  might  have  been  consequent,  if  the  distraction  had  not 
happened;  nor  indeed  whether  (thus  considered)  it  may  be  any  calamity  at 
all,  or  whether  it  be  not  a  mercy,  by  preventing  some  great  sin,  or  some  more 
dreadful  thing,  if  it  had  not  been,  it  is  a  great  fault  in  us  to  limit  a  sovereign, 
all-wise  God,  whose  judgments  are  a  great  deep,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out, 
where  he  has  not  limited  himself,  and  in  things,  concerning  which,  he  has  not 
told  us  what  his  way  shall  be.  It  is  remarkable,  considering  in  what  multi- 
tudes of  instsnces,  and  to  how  great  a  degree,  the  fra:ne  of  the  body  has  been 
overpowered  of  late,  that  persons' lives  have  notwithstanding  been  preserved, 
and  that  the  instances  of  those  that  have  been  de})rived  of  reason  have  been  so 
very  few,  and  those,  perhaps,  all  of  them,  persons  under  the  pecuViar  disadvan- 
tage of  a  weak,  vapory  habit  of  body.  A  merciful  and  careful  divine  hand  is 
very  manifest  in  it,  that  in  so  many  instances  where  the  ship  has  begun  to  sink, 
yet  it  has  been  upheld,  and  has  not  totally  sunk.  The  instances  of  such  as 
have  been  deprived  of  reason  are  so  few,  that  certainly  they  are  not  enough  to 
cause  us  to  be  in  any  fright,  as  though  this  work  that  has  been  carried  on  in  the 
country,  was  like  to  be  of  baneful  influence  ;  unless  we  are  disposed  to  gather 
up  all  that  we  can  to  darken  it,  and  set  it  forth  in  frightful  colors. 

There  is  one  particular  kind  of  exercise  and  concern  of  mind,  that  many  have 
been  overpowered  by,  that  has  been  especially  stumbling  to  some ;  and  that 
is,  the  deep  concern  and  distress  that  they  have  been  in  for  the  souls  of  others. 
I  am  sorry  that  any  put  us  to  the  trouble  of  doing  that  which  seems  so  needless,  as 
defending  such  a  thing  as  this.  It  seems  hke  mere  trifling  in  so  plain  a  case,4o 
enter  into  a  formal  and  particular  debate,  in  order  to  determine  whether  there 
be  any  thing  in  the  greatness  and  importance  of  the  case  that  will  answer,  and 
bear  a  proportion  to  the  greatness  of  the  concern  that  some  have  manifest- 
ed. Men  may  be  allowed,  from  no  higher  a  principle  than  common  ingenuity- 
and  humanity,  to  be  very  deeply  concerned,  and  greatly  exercised  in  mind,  at 
the  seeing  others  in  great  danger,  of  no  greater  a  cahmity  than  drowning,  or 
being  burned  up  in  a  house  on  fire.  And  if  so,  then  doubtless  it  will  be  allow- 
ed to  be  equally  reasonable,  if  they  saw  them  in  danger  of  a  calamity  ten  times 
greater,  to  be  still  much  more  concerned  :  and  so  much  more  still,  if  the  cala- 
mity was  still  vastly  greater.  And  why  then  should  it  be  thought  unreasona- 
ble, and  looked  upon  with  a  very  suspicious  eye,  as  if  It  must  come  from  some 
bad  cause,  when  persons  are  extremely  concerned  at  seeing  others  in  very 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  286 

great  danger  of  sufierinc;  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God  to  all 
eternity  I  And  besides  it  will  doubtless  be  allowed  that  those  tliat  have  very 
great  degrees  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  is  a  spirit  of  love,  may  well  be  suppos- 
ed to  have  vastly  more  of  love  and  compassion  to  their  fellow  creatures,  than 
those  that  arc  influenced  only  by  common  humanity.  Why  should  it  be 
thought  strange  that  those  that  are  iull  of  the  spirit  of  Christ,  should  be  pro- 
porlionably,  in  their  love  to  souls,  like  to  Christ  1  Who  had  so  strong  a  love 
to  them  and  concern  for  them,  as  to  be  willing  to  drink  the  dregs  of  the  cup  of 
God's  fury  for  them  ;  and  at  the  same  time  that  he  oflered  up  his  blood  for 
souls,  offered  np  also,  as  their  high  priest,  strong  crying  and  tears,  with  an  ex- 
treme agony,  wherein  the  soul  of  ChnA  was  as  it  were  in  travail  for  the  souls 
of  the  elect ;  and  therefore  in  saving  them  he  is  said  to  see  of  the  travail  of  his 
soul.  As  such  a  spirit  of  love  to,  and  concern  for  souls  was  the  spirit  of  Christ, 
jO  it  is  the  spirit  of  the  church  ;  and  therefore  the  church,  in  desiring  and  seek- 
.ng  that  Christ  might  be  brought  forth  in  the  world,  and  in  the  souls  of  men,  is 
represented.  Rev.  xii.,  as  a  "  woman  crying,  travailing  in  birth,  and  pained  to 
be  delivered.''  The  spirit  of  those  that  have  been  in  distress  for  the  souls  of 
others,  so  far  as  I  can  discern,  seems  not  to  be  different  from  that  of  the  apos- 
tle, who  travailed  for  souls,  and  w  as  ready  to  wish  himself  accursed  from  Christ 
for  others.  And  that  of  the  Psalmist,  Psal.  cxix.  53,  "Horror  hath  taken  hold 
upon  me,  because  of  the  wicked  thai  forsake  thy  Law."  And  v.  136,  "  Rivers 
of  waters  run  down  mine  eyes,  because  they  keep  not  thy  Law."  And  that  of 
the  prophet  Jeremiah,  Jer.  iv.  19,  "My  bowels  !  My  bowels  !  I  am  pained 
at  my  very  heart  I  My  heart  maketh  a  noise  in  me !  I  cannot  hold  my  peace  ! 
Because  thou  hast  heard,  0  my  soul,  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  the  alarm  of 
war !"  And  so  chap.  ix.  1,  and  xiii.  17,  and  xiv.  17,  and  Isa.  xxii.  4.  We 
read  of  Mordecai,  when  he  saw  his  people  in  danger  of  being  destroyed  with 
a  temporal  destruction,  Estli.  iv.  1,  "  That  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  put  on  sack- 
cloth with  ashes,  and  went  out  into  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  cried  with  a  loud 
and  bitter  cry."  And  why  then  should  persons  be  thought  to  be  distracted, 
when  they  cannot  forbear  crying  out,  at  the  consideration  of  the  misery  of  those 
that  are  going  to  eternal  destruction  ? 

3.  Another  thing  that  some  mal<e  their  rule  to  judge  of  this  work  by,  in- 
stead of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  is  histoiy,  or  former  observation.  Herein  they  err 
two  ways :  First,  if  there  be  any  thing  new  and  extraordinary  in  the  circum- 
stances of  this  work,  that  was  not  observerl  in  former  times,  that  is  a  rule  with 
them  to  reject  this  work  as  not  the  work  of  God.  Herein  they  make  that  their 
rule,  that  God  has  not  given  them  for  their  rule ;  and  limit  God,  where  he  has  not 
limited  himself.  And  this  is  especially  unreasonable  in  this  case :  for  whoso- 
ever has  well  weighed  the  wonderful  and  mysterious  methods  of  divine  wisdom, 
in  carrying  on  the  work  of  the  new  creation,  or  in  the  progress  of  the  work  of 
redemption,  from  the  first  promise  of  the  seed  of  the  woman  to  this  time,  may 
easily  observe  that  it  has  alJ  along  been  God's  manner  to  open  new  scenes,  and 
to  bring  forth  to  view  things  new  and  wonderful,  such  as  eye  had  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard,  nor  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  or  angels,  to  the  astonishment  of 
heaven  and  earth,  not  only  in  the  revelations  he  makes  of  his  mind  and  will, 
but  also  in  the  works  of  his  hands.  As  the  old  creation  was  carried  on  through 
six  days,  and  appeared  all  complete,  settled  in  a  state  of  rest  on  the  seventh  ; 
so  the  new  creation,  which  is  immensely  the  greatest  and  most  glorious  work, 
is  carried  on  in  a  gradual  progress,  from  the  fall  of  man,  to  the  consummation  of 
all  things,  at  the  end  of  the  world.  And  as  in  the  progress  of  the  old  creation, 
'here  were  still  new  things  accomplished  ;  new  wonders  appeared  every  day  in 


286  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

the  sight  of  the  angels,  the  spectators  of  that  work  ;  while  those  morning  stars 
sang  together,  new  scenes  were  opened  or  things  that  they  had  not  seen  before, 
till  the  whole  was  finished ;  so  it  is  in  the  progress  of  the  new  creation.  So  that 
.that  promise,  Isa.  Ixiv.  4,  "  For  since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  men  have 
not  heard,  nor  perceived  by  the  ear,  neither  hath  the  eye  seen,  0  God,  besides 
thee,  what  he  hath  prepared  for  him  that  waiteth  for  him."  Though  it  had  a 
glorious  fulfilment  in  the  days  of  Christ  and  the  apostles,  as  the  words  are  ap- 
plied, 1  Cor.  ii.  9  ;  yet  it  always  remains  to  be  fulfilled,  in  things  that  are  yet 
behind,  uutil  the  new  creation  is  finished,  at  Christ's  delivering  up  the  kingdom 
to  the  Father.  And  we  live  in  those  latter  days,  wherein  we  may  be  especial- 
ly warranted  to  expect  that  things  will  be  accomplished,  concerning  which  it 
will  be  said,  Who  hath  heard  such  a  thing  ?     Who  hath  seen  such  things  ? 

And  besides,  those  things  in  this  work  that  have  been  chiefly  complained  of 
as  new,  are  not  so  nevt^  as  has  been  generally  imagined  :  though  they  have  been 
much  more  frequent  lately,  in  proportion  to  the  uncommon  degree,  extent  and 
swiftness,  and  other  extraordinary  circumstances  of  the^  work,  yet  they  are  not 
new  in  their  kind  ;  but  are  things  of  the  same  nature"'arhave  been  found  and 
well  approved  of  in  the  church  of  God  before,  from  time  to  time. 

We  have  a  remarkable  instance  in  Mr.  Bolton,  that  noted  minister  of  the 
church  of  England,  who,  being  awakened  by  the  preaching  of  the  famous  Mr. 
Perkins,  minister  of  Christ  in  the  University  of  Cambridge,  was  subject  to  such 
terrors  as  threw  him  to  the  ground,  and  caused  him  to  roar  with  anguish  ;  and 
the  pangs  of  the  new  birth  in  hiur  were  such,  that  he  lay  pale  and  without  sense, 
like  one  dead ;  as  we  have  an  account  in  the  Fulfilling  of  the  Scripture,  the  5th 
edition,  p.  103,  104. — We  have  an  account  in  the  same  page  of  another,  whose 
comforts  under  the  sunshine  of  God's  presence  were  so  great,  that  he  could  not 
forbear  crying  out  in  a  transport,  and  expressing  in  exclamations,  the  great  sense 
he  had  of  forgiving  mercy  and  his  assurance  of  God's  love.     And  we  have  a 
remarkable  instance  in  the  life  of  Mr.  George  Trosse,  written  by  himself  (who,  i 
of  a  notoriously  vicious,  profligate  liver,  became  an  eminent  saint  and  minister  | 
of  the  gospel),  of  terrors  occasionally  by  awakenings  of  conscience,  so  over-  ', 
powering  the  body,  as  to  deprive,  Ibr  some  time,  of  the  use  of  reason.  ■ 

Yea,  such  extraordinary  external  effects  of  inward  impressions  have  not 
only  been  to  be  found  in  here  and  there  a  single  person,  but  there  have  also  be- 
fore now  been  times  wherein  many  have  been  thus  affected,  in  some  particular 
parts  of  the  church  of  God  ;  and  such  effects  have  appeared  in  congregations,  in  [ 
many  at  once.  So  it  was  in  the  year  1625,  in  the  west  of  Scotland,  in  a  time  ^ 
of  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  was  then  a  frequent  thing  for 
many  to  be  so  extraordinarily  seized  with  terror  in  the  hearing  of  the  word,  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  convincing  them  of  sin,  that  they  fell  down,  and  were  carried 
out  of  the  church,  who  afterwards  proved  most  solid  and  lively  Christians;  as 
the  author  of  the  Fuljilhng  of  the  Scripture  informs  us,  p.  185.  The  same  au- 
thor in  the  preceding  page,  informs  of  many  in  France  that  were  so  wonder- 
fully affected  with  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  in  the  time  of  those  famous 
divines,  Farel  and  Viret,  that  for  a  time,  they  could  not  follow  their  secular 
business ;  and  p.  186,  of  many  in  Ireland,  in  a  time  of  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit 
there,  in  the  year  1628,  that  were  so  filled  with  divine  comforts,  and  a  sense  of 
God,  that  they  made  but  little  use  of  either  meat,  drink  or  sleep,  and  professed 
that  they  did  not  feel  the  need  thereof.  The  same  author  gives  an  account  of 
very  much  such  things  in  Mrs.  Catherine  Brettergh  of  Lancashire  in  England 
(p.  391,  392),  as  have  been  complained  of,  here  amongst  us,  as  wild  and  distract- 
ed :  how  that  after  great  distress,  which  very  much  affected  her  body,  the  sweat 


IN   NKW   KNGLANI).  287 

sometimes  bursting  out  upon  licr,  God  did  so  break  in  upon  ber  mind  wilb  ligbt 
and  discoveries  of  himself,  that  she  was  forced  to  burst  out,  eryinp;,  "  0  the  Joys, 
the  Joys,  the  Joys,  that  I  feel  in  my  soul  !  0  they  be  wonderful,  tbey  hv  wonder- 
ful !  The  place  where  1  now  am  is  sweet  and  pleasant !  How  comiortable  is  the 
sweetness  1  feel,  that  dclic;hts  my  soul !  The  taste  is  precious  ;  do  you  not  feel 
it  '?  Oh  so  sweet  as  it  is  !"  And  at  other  times,  "  O  my  sweet  Saviour,  shall  I  be 
one  with  thee,  as  thou  art  one  with  the  Father  ?  And  dost  thou  so  love  rne  that  am 
but  dust,  to  make  me  partaker  of  glory  with  Christ  ?  O  how  wonderful  is  thy  love  ! 
And  oh  that  my  tongue  and  heart  were  al)le  to  sound  fortii  thy  praises  as  1  ouglit." 
At  another  timer  time  she  burst  forth  thus:  "Yea  Lord,  1  feel  thy  mercy,  and 
I  am  assured  of  thy  love!  And  so  ceitain  am  I  thereof,  as  thou  art  that  God 
of  truth  :  even  so  certainly  do  I  know  myself  to  be  thine,  0  Lord  my  God  ;  and 
this  my  soul  knoweth  right  well!"  Which  last  words  .she  again  doubled.  To 
a  grave  minister,  one  I\Ir.  Harrison,  then  with  her,  she  said,  "  My  soul  hath  been 
compassed  with  the  terrors  of  death,  the  soriows  of  hell  were  upon  me,  ami  a 
wilderness  of  wo  was  in  me;  but  blessed,  blessed,  blessed  be  the  Lord  my 
God !  He  hath  brought  me  to  a  place  of  rest,  even  to  the  sweet  running  waters 
of  Life.  The  way  I  now  go  in  is  a  sweet  and  easy  way,  strewed  with  flowers; 
he  hath  brought  me  into  a  place  more  sweet  than  the  garden  of  Eden.  0  the 
joy,  the  joy,  the  delights  and  joy  that  1  fee! !     0  how  wonderful  !" 

Great  outcries  under  awakenings  were  more  liequently  heard  of  in  former 
times  in  the  country  than  they  have  been  of  late,  as  some  aged  persons  now  living 
do  testify  :  particularly  1  think  fit  liere  to  insert  a  testimony  of  my  honored  father, 
of  what  he  rememl)ers  Ibrmerly  to  liavc  heard. 

"  I  well  remember  that  one  Mr.  Alexander  Allyn,  a  Scots  gentleman  of 
good  credit,  that  dwelt  formerly  in  this  town,  showed  me  a  letter  that  came  from 
Scotland,  that  gave  an  account  of  a  sermon  preached  in  the  city  of  Edinburgh 
(as  I  remember),  in  the  time  of  the  sitting  of  the  general  assembly  of  divines 
in  that  kingdom,  that  so  affected  the  people,  that  there  was  a  great  and  loud 
cry  made  throughout  tlic  assembly.  1  have  also  been  credibly  informed,  and 
how  often  I  cannot  now  say,  that  it  was  a  common  thing,  when  the  famous  Mr. 
John  Rogers  of  Dedham  in  f.ngland  was  preaching,  for  some  of  his  hearers  to 
cry  out ;  and  by  what  1  have  heard,  I  conclude  that  it  was  usual  for  many  that 
heard  that  very  awakening  and  rousing  preacher  of  God's  word,  to  make  a 
great  cry  in  the  congregation." 

TLMOTHY  EDWARDS. 

WixcsoK,  May  5,  1742. 

Mr.  Flavel  gives  a  remarkable  instance  of  a  man  that  he  knew,  that  was 
so  wonderfully  overcome  with  divine  comforts;  which  it  is  supposed  he  knew, 
as  the  apostle  Paul  knew  the  man  that  was  caught  up  to  the  third  heaven.  He 
relates. 

That  "  As  the  person  was  travelling  alone,  with  his  thoughts  closely  fixed 
on  tlie  great  and  astonishing  things  of  another  world,  his  thoughts  began  to 
swell  liigher  and  higher,  like  the  water  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  until  at  last  they  be- 
came an  overflowing  flood  :  such  was  the  intenscness  of  his  mind,  such  the 
ravishing  tastes  of  heaveidy  joys,  and  such  his  full  assurance  of  his  interest  there- 
in, that  he  utterly  lost  all  sight  and  sense  of  this  world,  and  the  concernments 
thereof;  and  for  some  hours,  knew  not  where  he  was,  nor  what  he  was  about: 
but  having  lost  a  great  quantity  of  blood  at  the  nose,  he  found  himself  so  faint, 
that  it  brought  him  a  little  more  to  himself.  And  after  he  had  washed  himself 
at  a  spring,  and  drank  of  the  water  for  his  refreshmentj  he  continued  to  the  end 


288  BEVIVAL   OF   RELIGION 

of  his  journey,  which  was  thirty  miles;  and  all  this  while  was  sc^ce  sensible: 
and  says  he  had  several  trances  of  considerable  continuance.  The  same  blessed 
frame  was  preserved  all  that  night,  and  in  a  lower  degree,  great  part  of  the  next 
day  :  the  nifht  passed  without  one  wink  of  sleep  ;  and  yet  he  declares  he  never 
had  a  sweeter  night's  rest  in  all  his  life.  Still,  adds  the  story,  the  joy  of  the 
Lord  overflowed  him,  and  he  seemed  to  be  an  inhabitant  of  another  world.  And 
he  used  for  many  years  after  to  call  that  day  one  of  the  days  of  heaven;  and 
professed  that  he  understood  more  of  the  life  of  heaven  by  it,  than  by  all  the 
books  he  ever  read,  or  discourses  he  ever  entertained  about  it."    . 

There  have  been  instances  before  now,  of  persons  crying  out  in  transports 
of  divine  joy  in  New  England.  We  have  an  instance  in  Capt.  Clap's  memoirs, 
published  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Prince,  not  of  a  silly  woman  or  child,  but  a  man  of 
solid  undeistanding,  that  in  a  high  transport  of  spiritual  joy,  was  made  to  cry  out 
aloud  on  his  bed.  His  words,  p.  9,  are,  "  God's  Holy  Spirit  did  witness  (I  do 
believe)  together  with  my  spirit,  that  I  was  a  child  of  God,  and  did  fill  my 
heart  and  soul  with  such  full  assurance  that  Christ  was  mine,  that  it  did  so 
transport  me,  as  to  make  me  cry  out  upon  my  bed,  with  a  loud  voice,  He  is  comCf 
He  is  come .'" 

There  has,  before  now,  been  both  crying  out  and  falling  down,  in  this  town 
under  awakenings  of  conscience,  and  in  the  pangs  of  the  new  birth,  and  also  in 
some  of  the  neighboring  towns.  In  one  of  them,  more  than  seven  years  ago, 
was  a  great  number  together  that  cried  out  and  fell  down,  under  convictions; 
in  most  of  which,  by  good  information,  was  a  hopeful  and  abiding  good  issue. 
And  the  Rev.  Mr.  Williams  of  Deerfield  gave  me  an  account  of  an  aged  man 
in  that  town,  many  years  before  that,  that  being  awakened  by  his  preaching, 
cried  out  aloud  in  the  congregation.  There  have  been  many  instances  in  this 
and  some  neighboring  towns,  before  now,  of  persons  fainting  with  joyful  dis- 
coveries made  to  their  souls :  once  several  together  in  this  town.  And  there 
also  formerly  have  been  several  instances  here,  of  persons'  flesh  waxing  cold 
and  benumbed,  and  their  hands  clinched,  yea  their  bodies  being  set  into  convul- 
sions, being  overpowered  with  a  strong  sense  of  the  astonishingly  great  and  ex- 
cellent things  of  God  and  the  eternal  world. 

Secondly.  Another  way  that  some  err  in  making  history  and  former  obser- 
vation their  rule  to  judge  of  this  work,  instead  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  is  in  com- 
paring some  external,  accidental  circumstances  of  this  work,  with  what  has 
appeared  sometimes  in  enthusiasts  ;  and  as  they  find  an  agreement  in  some  such 
things,  so  they  reject  the  whole  work,  or  at  least  the  substance  of  it,  concluding 
it  to  be  enthusiasm.  So,  great  use  has  been  made  to  this  purpose  of  many  things 
that  are  found  amongst  the  Quakers ;  however  totally  and  essentially  different  in 
its  nature  this  work  is,  and  the  principles  it  is  built  upon,  from  the  whole  religion 
of  the  Quakers.  So,  to  the  same  purpose,  some  external  appearances  that  were 
found  amongst  the  French  prophets,  and  some  other  enthusiasts  in  former  times, 
have  been  of  late  trumped  up  with  great  assurance  and  triumph. 

4.  I  would  propose  it  to  be  considered,  whether  or  no,  some,  instead  of 
making  the  Scriptures  their  only  rule  to  judge  of  this  work,  do  not  make  their 
own  experience  the  rule,  and  reject  such  and  such  things  as  are  now  professed 
and  experienced,  because  they  never  felt  them  themselves.  Are  there  not  many 
that  chiefly  on  this  ground,  have  entertained  and  vented  suspicions,  if  not  peremp- 
tory condemnations  of  those  extreme  terrors,  and  those  great,  sudden  and  extra- 
Ordinary  discoveries  of  the  glorious  perfections  of  God,  and  of  the  beauty  and 
love  of  Christ ;  and  such  vehement  affections,  such  high  transports  of  love  and 
joy,  such  pity  and  distress  for  the  souls  of  others,  and  exercises  of  mind  that 


IN   NEW  ENGLAND  289 

\.:\e  such  gfieat  elTocls  on  persons'  bodies,  merely,  or  chiefly,  because  they  knew 
colliino-  about  them  by  experience '?  Persons  are  very  ready  to  be  suspicious 
ol'  uhat  they  have  not  felt  theihselvcs.  It  is  to  be  feared  many  good  men  have 
l.tcn  guilty  of  this  error;  which  yet  does  not  mike  it  the  less  unreasonable. 
Ami  perhaps  there  are  some  that  upon  this  ground  do  nol  only  reject  these  ex- 
traordinary things,  but  all  such  conviction  of  sin,  and  sucli  discoveries  of  the 
glory  of  (jiod,  and  excellency  of  Christ,  and  inward  conviction  of  the  truth  of 
the  gospel,  by  the  iminediale  influence  of  ^he  Spirit  of  God,  that  are  now  sup- 
posed to  be  necessary  to  salvation. 

These  persons  that  thus  make  their  own  experiences  their  rule  of  judgment, 
instead  of  bowing  to  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  yielding  to  his  word  as  an  infal- 
lible rule,  arc  guilty  of  casting  a  great  rellection  upon  the  understanding  of  the 
TvUst  High. 

Hi.  Another  foundation  error  of  those  that  reject  this  work,  is  their  not 
duly  distinguishing  the  good  from  the  bad,  and  very  unjustly  judging  of  the 
whole  by  a  part ;  and  so  rejecting  the  work  ingeneial,or  in  the  main  substance 
of  it,  for  the  sake  of  some  things  that  are  accidental  to  it,  that  are  evil.  They 
look  for  more  in  men  that  are  divinely  influenced,  because  subject  to  the  opera- 
tions of  a  good  spirit,  than  is  justly  to  l)c  expected  from  them  for  that  reason,  in 
this  imperfect  stale,  and  dark  world,  where  so  much  blindness  and  corru])tion 
remain  in  the  best.  When  any  profess  to  have  received  light,  and  influence, 
and  comforts  from  heaven,  and  to  have  had  sensible  communion  with  God,  many 
are  ready  to  expect  that  now  they  appear  like  angels,  and  not  still  like  poor, 
feeble,  blind  and  sinful  worms  of  the  dust.  There  being  so  much  corruption  left 
in  the  hearts  of  God's  own  children,  and  its  prevailing  as  it  sometimes  does,  is 
indeed  a  mysterious  thing,  and  always  was  a  slumbling-block  to  the  world  ;  but 
will  not  be  so  much  wondered  at  by  those  that  are  well  versed  in,  and  duly 
mindful  of,  two  things,  \\z.,  Jirst,  the  word  of  God,  which  teaches  us  the  state 
of  true  Christians  in  this  world,  and  secondly,  their  own  hearts,  at  least  if  they 
have  any  grace,  and  have  experience  of  its  conflicts  with  corruption.  They 
that  are  true  saints  are  most  inexcusable  in  making  a  great  difficulty  of  a  great 
deal  of  blindness,  and  many  sinful  errors  in  those  that  profess  godliness.  If  all 
our  conduct,  both  open  and  secret,  should  be  known,  and  our  hearts  laid  open 
to  the  world,  how  shouki  we  be  even  ready  to  fly  from  the  light  of  the  sun,  and 
hide  ourselves  from  the  view  of  mankind  !  And  what  great  allowances  would 
it  be  found  that  we  should  need,  that  others  sliould  make  for  us  1  Perhaps 
much  greater  than  we  are  willing  to  make  for  others. 

The  great  weakness  of  the  bigger  part  of  mankind,  in  any  affair  that  is  new 
and  uncommon,  appears  in  not  distinguishing,  but  either  appioving  or  condemn- 
ing all  in  the  lump. — They  that  highly  approve  of  the  affair  in  general,  cannot 
hear  to  have  any  thing  at  all  found  fault  with  ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  those 
that  fasten  their  eyes  upon  some  things  in  the  affair  that  are  amiss,  and  appear 
very  disagreeable  to  them,  at  once  reject  the  whole.  Both  which  errors  often- 
times arise  from  want  of  persons'  due  acquaintance  with  themselves.  It  is  rash 
and  unjust  when  we  proceed  thus  in  judging  either  of  a  particular  person,  or  a 
peo])le,  or  of  such  an  atfair  as  the  present  wonderful  influence  on  tlie  minds  of 
the  people  of  this  land.  Many,  if  they  see  any  thing  very  ill  in  a  particular  per 
son,  a  minister  or  private  professor,  will  at  once  brand  him  as  a  hypocrite 
And  if  there  be  two  or  three  of  a  people  or  society  that  behave  themselves  very 
irregularly,  the  whole  inusi  bear  the  blame  of  it.  And  if  tliere  be  a  few,  though 
it  may  be  not  above  one  in  a  hundred,  that  professed,  and  had  a  show  of  being 
the  happy  partakers  of  what  are  called  the  saving  benefits  of  tliis  woik,  that 
Vol.  III.  37 


290  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

prove  naught,  and  give  the  world  just  grounds  to  suspect  them,  the  whole  work 
must  be  rejected  on  their  account ;  and  those  in  general,  that  make  the  like  pro- 
fession must  be  condemned  for  their  sakes. 

So  careful  are  some  persons  lest  this  work  should  be  defended,  that  now 
they  will  hardly  allow  that  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  heart,  can 
so  much  as  indirectly,  and  accidentally  be  Ihe  occasion  of  the  exercise  of  cor- 
ruption, and  coinrnission  of  sin.  Thus  far  is  true,  that  the  influence  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  his  saving  operations,  will  not  be  an  occasion  of  the  increase  of  the 
corruption  of  the  heart  in  general,  but  on  the  contrary,  of  the  weakening  of  it : 
but  yet  there  is  nothing  unreasonable  in  supposing,  that  at  the  same  time  that 
it  weakens  corruption  in  general,  it  may  be  an  occasion  of  the  turning  what  is 
left  into  a  new  channel,  and  so  of  there  being  more  of  some  certain  kinds  of  the 
exercise  of  corruption  than  there  was  before  ;  as  that  which  tends  to  hinder  and 
stop  the  course  of  a  stream,  if  it  does  not  do  it  wholly,  may  give  a  new  course 
to  so  much  of  the  water  as  gets  by  the  obstacle.  The  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
for  instance,  may  be  an  occasion  of  nev/  ways  of  the  exercise  of  Pride,  as  has 
been  acknowledged  by  orthodox  divines  in  general.  That  spiritual  d^scoveries 
and  comforts  may,  thi'ough  the  corruption  of  the  heart,  be  an  occasion  of  the 
exercises  of  spiritual  pride,  did  not  use  to  be  doubted  of,  until  now  it  is  found 
to  be  needful  to  maintain  the  war  against  this  work. 

They  that  will  hardly  allow  that  a  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  can  be  a  re 
mote  occasion  of  any  sinful  behavior  or  unchristian  conduct,  T  suppose  will  allow 
that  the  truly  gracious  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  yea,  and  a  high  degre^ 
of  love  to  God,  is  consistent  with  these  two  things,  viz.,  a  considerable  degree 
of  remaining  corruption,  and  also  many  errors  in  judgment  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, and  in  matters  of  practice.  And  this  is  all  that  need  to  be  allowed,  in  order 
to  its  being  most  demonstratively  evident,  that  a  high  degree  of  love  to  God 
may  accidentally  move  a  person  to  that  wlrich  is  very  wrong,  and  contrary  to 
the  mind  and  will  of  God.  For  a  high  degree  of  love  to  God  will  strongly 
move  a  person  to  do  that  which  he  believes  to  be  agreeable  to  God's  will ;  and 
therefore,  if  he  be  mistaken,  and  be  persuaded  that  that  is  agreeable  to  the  will 
of  God,  which  indeed  is  very  contrary  to  it,  then  his  love  will  accidentally,  but 
strongly,  incline  him  to  that,  which  is  indeed  very  contrary  to  the  will  of 
God. 

They  that  are  studied  in  logic  have  learned  that  the  nature  of  the  cause  is 
not  to  be  judged  of  by  the  nature  of  the  effect,  nor  the  nature  of  the  effect  from 
the  nature  of  the  cause,  when  the  cause  is  only  causa  sine  qua  non,  or  an  occa- 
sional cause  :  yea,  that  in  such  a  case,  oftentimes  the  nature  of  the  effect  is  quite 
contrary  to  the  natuie  of  the  cause. 

True  disciples  of  Christ  may  have  a  great  deal  of  false  zeal,  such  as  the  dis- 
ciples had  of  old,  when  they  would  have  fire  called  for  from  heaven  to  come 
down  on  the  Samaritans,  because  they  did  not  receive  them.  And  even  so  emi- 
nently holy,  and  great,  and  divine  a  saint  as  Moses,  who  conversed  Avith  God 
from  time  to  time,  as  a  man  speaks  with  his  friend,  and  concerning  whom  God 
gives  his  testimony,  that  he  n-as  very  meek,  above  any  ■man  uj)on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  yet  may  be  rash  and  sinful  in  his  zeal,  when  his  spirit  is  stirred  by  the 
hard-heartedness  and  opposition  of  others,  so  as  to  speak  very  unadvisedly  with 
his  lips,  and  greatly  to  offend  God,  and  shut  himself  out  from  Ihe  possession  of 
the  good  things  that  God  is  about  to  accomplish  for  his  church  on  earth  ;  as 
Moses  was  excluded  Canaan,  though  he  had  brought  the  people  out  of  Egypt, 
Psal.  cvi.  32,  33.  And  men,  even  in  those  very  things  wherein  they  are  influ- 
enced by  a  truly  pious  principle,  yet,  through  error  and  want  of  due  considera- 


IN    WnW   ENGLAND.  J91 

tion  and  lautlon,  may  be  very  rasli  with  their  zeal.  It  was  a  truly  p;ood  spint 
that  aiiiinalecl  that  excellent  generallon  of  Israel  that  was  in  Joshua's  time,  in 
tiiat  allair  tiiat  we  have  an  account  of  in  the  22(1  chapter  of  Joshua  ;  and  yet 
thty  were  rash  and  heady  with  tlieir  zeal,  to  <i;o  about  to  gather  all  Israel  together 
to  go  up  so  I'uriously  1o  war  with  their  l)retliren  of  the  two  tribes  and  half,  about 
their  building  the  altar  Kd,  without  first  inquiring  into  the  matter,  or  so  much 
as  sending  a  messenger  to  be  inlbnned.  So  the  Christians  that  were  of  the  cir- 
cumcision, with  warmth  and  conlenlion  rond<'mnc(l  Peter  ibr  receiving  Cornelius, 
as  we  have  account,  Acts  xi.  This  their  heat  and  censure  was  unjust,  and  Peter 
was  wronged  in  it ;  but  there  is  ;dl  appearance  in  the  story  that  tluy  acted  from 
a  real  zeal  and  concern  ibr  the  will  and  honor  of  God.  So  the  primitive  Chris- 
tians, from  tlieir  zeal  for,  and  against  unclean  meats,  censured  and  condemned  one 
another  :  this  was  a  bad  effect,  and  yet  the  apostle  bears  them  witness,  or  at  least 
expresses  his  charity  towards  them,  that  both  sides  acted  from  a  good  principle,  and 
true  respect  to  the  Lord,  Koin.  xiv.  6. — The  zeal  of  the  Corinthians  willi  respect 
to  the  incestuous  man,  though  the  apostle  highly  commends  it,  yet  at  the  same 
time  saw  that  they  needed  a  caution,  lest  they  should  carry  it  too  far,  to  an  undue 
severity,  and  so  as  to  fail  of  Christian  meekness  and  I'orgivcness,  2  Cor.  ii.  6,7, 
8,  9,  10,  11,  and  chap.  vil.  11,  to  the  end.  Luther  that  great  reformer  had  a 
great  deal  of  bitterness  with  his  zeal. 

It  surely  cannot  be  wondered  at  by  considerate  persons,  that  at  a  time  when- 
multitudes  all  over  the  land  have  tlieir  affections  greatly  moved,  that  great  num- 
bers should  nm  into  many  errors  and  mistakes  with  respect  to  their  duty,  and 
consequently  into  many  acts  and  practices  that  are  imprudent  and  irregular.  I 
question  whether  there  be  a  man  in  New  England,  of  the  strongest  reason  and 
greatest  learning,  but  what  would  be  put  to  it  to  keep  master  of  himself,  thor- 
oughly to  weigh  his  woids,  and  consider  all  the  consequences  of  liLs  behavior, 
so  as  to  behave  himself  in  all  respects  prudently,  if  he  were  so  strongly  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  divine  and  eternal  things,  and  his  affections  so  exceedingly 
moved,  as  has  been  frequent  of  late  among  the  common  people.  How  little  do 
they  consider  human  nature,  who  look  upon  ^  so  insuperable  a  stumbling-block, 
when  such  multitudes  of  all  kinds  of  capacities,  natural  tempers,  educations, 
customs  and  manners  of  life,  are  so  greatly  and  variously  affected,  that  impru- 
dences and  irregularities  of  conduct  should  abound  :  especially  in  a  state  of  things 
so  uncommon,  and  when  the  degree,  extent,  swiftness  and  power  of  the  opera- 
tion is  so  very  extiaordinary,  and  so  new,  that  there  has  not  been  time  and  ex- 
perience enough  to  give  birth  to  rules  for  people's  conduct,  and  so  unusual  in 
times  past,  that  the  writings  of  divines  do  not  afTord  rules  to  direct  us  in  such  a 
state  of  things  ? 

A  great  deal  of  noise  and  tumult,  confusion  and  uproar,  and  darkness  mixed 
with  light,  and  evil  with  good,  is  always  to  be  expected  in  the  beginning  of 
something  very  extraordinary,  and  very  glorious  in  the  state  of  things  in  human 
society,  or  the  church  of  Gotl.  As  after  nature  has  long  been  shut  up  in  a  cold 
dead  state,  in  time  of  winter,  when  the  ?un  returns  in  the  spring,  thcc  is,  to- 
gether with  the  increase  of  the  light  aim  heat  of  the  sun,  ver}'  dirly  and  tem- 
pestuous weather,  before  all  is  settled,  calm  and  serene,  and  r.ii  nature  rejoices 
in  its  bloom  and  beauty.  It  is  in  the  new  creation  as  it  was  in  the  old,  the 
Spirit  of  God  first  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  which  was  an  occasion 
of  great  uproar  and  tumult,  and  things  we:e  gradually  brought  to  a  settled  state, 
until  at  length  all  stood  forth  in  that  beautiful,  peaceful  order,  when  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  were  fmished,  and  God  saw  every  thiog  that  he  had  made,  and 
behold  it  was  very  gooil.     When  Goil  is  about  to  bring  to  nass  somet}iing  great 


292  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

and  glorious  in  the  world,  nature  is  in  a  ferment  and  struggle,  and  the  world  as 
it  were  in  travail.  As  when  God  was  about  to  introduce  the  Messiah" into  the 
world,  and  that  new  and  glorious  dispensation  that  he  setup,  He  shook  the  heav-  | 
ens  and  the  earth,  and  shook  all  nations.  There  is  nothing  that  the  church  of 
God  is  in  Scripture  more  frequently  represented  by  than  vegetables ;  as  a  tree, 
a  vine,  corn,  &c.,  which  grackialjy  bring  forth  their  fruit,  and  are  fiist  green 
before  they  are  ripe.  A  great  levival  of  religion  is  expressly  compared  to  this 
gradual  production  of  vegetables,  Isa.  Ixi.  11 :  "As  the  earth  bringeth  forth  her 
bud,  and  as  the  garden  causeth  the  things  that  are  sown  in  it  to  spring  forth  ;  so 
the  Lord  God  will  cause  righteousness  and  praise  to  spring  forth  before  all  the 
nations.  The  church  is  in  a  special  manner  compared  to  a  palm-tree,  Cant.  vii. 
7,  8,  Exod.  XV.  27,  1  Kings,  vi.  29,  Psal.  xcli.  12.  Of  which  tree  this  pecu- 
liar thing  is  observed,  that  the  fruit  of  it,  though  it  be  very  sweet  and  good  when 
it  is  ripe,  yet  before  it  has  had  time  to  ripen,  has  -a  mixture  of  poison. 

The  weakness  of  human  nature  has  always  appeared  in  times  of  great  revi- 
val of  religion,  by  a  disposition  to  run  to  extremes  and  get  into  confusion ;  and 
especially  in  these  three  things,  enthusiasm,  superstition,  and  intemperate  zeal. 
So  it  appeared  in  the  time  of  the  reformation,  very  remarkably  ;  and  also  in 
the  days  of  the  apostles;  many  were  then  exceedingly  disposed  to  lay  weight 
on  those  things  that  were  very  notional  and  chimerical,  giving  heed  to  fables 
and  whimsies,  as  appears  by  1  Tim.  i.  4,  and  iv.  7,  2  Tim.  ii.  16,  and  v.  23, 
and  Tit.  i.  14,  and  iii.  9.  Many,  as  ecclesiastical  history  informs  us,  fell  off  into 
the  most  wild  enthusiasm,  and  extravagant  notions  of  spirituality,  and  extraor- 
dinaiy  illumination  irom  heaven  beyond  others ;  and  many  were  prone  to  su- 
perstition, will-worship  and  a  voluntary  humility,  giving  heed  to  the  command- 
ments of  men,  being  fond  of  an  unprofitable  bodily  exercise,  as  appears  by 
many  passages  in  the  apostles'  writings :  ami  what  a  proneness  then  appeared 
among  professors  to  swerve  from  the  path  of  duty,  and  the  spirit  of  the  gospel, 
in  the  exercises  of  a  rash  indiscreet  zeal,  censuring  and  condemning  ministers 
and  people;  one  saying,  I  am  of  Paul,  another  I  of  Apollos,  another  I  of  Ce- 
phas; judging  one  another  for  differences  of  opinion  about  smaller  matters,  un- 
clean meats,  holy  days  and  holy  places,  and  their  different  opinions  and  prac- 
tices respecting  civil  intercoui'se  and  communication  with  their  heathen  neigh- 
bors ?  And  how  much  did  vain  jangling  and  disputing  and  confusion  prevail 
through  undue  heat  of  spirit,  under  the  name  of  a  religious  zeal?  2  Tim.  vi.  4, 
5,  2  fiin.  ii.  16,  and  Tit.  iii.  9.  And  what  a  task  had  the  apostles  to  keep 
them  within  bounds,  and  maintain  good  order  in  the  churches  I  How  often  are 
they  mentioning  their  irregularities!  The  prevailing  of  such  like  disorders 
seems  to  have  been  the  special  occasion  of  writing  many  of  their  Epistles.  The 
chiu-ch  in  that  great  effusion  of  the  Spirit  that  was  then,  and  the  strong  im})res- 
sions  that  God's  people  were  then  under,  was  under  the  care  of  infallible  guides, 
that  watched  ovei-  them  day  and  night ;  but  yet  so  prone  were  they,  thiough 
the  weakness  and  corruption  of  human  nature,  to  get  out  of  the  way,  that  ir- 
regularity and  confusion  rose  in  some  churches,  where  there  was  an  extraordi- 
nary outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  to  a  very  great  height,  even  in  the  apostles'  life- 
time, and  under  their  eye.  And  thou5»;h  some  of  the  apostles  lived  long  to 
settle  the  state  of  things,  yet  presently  after  they  were  dead,  the  Christian 
church  ran  into  many  superstitions  and  childish  notions  and  practices,  and  in 
some  respects  into  a  great  severity  in  their  zeal.  And  let  any  wise  person  that 
has  not,  in  the  midst  of  the  dispute  '■  of  the  jiresent  day,  got  beyond  the  calm- 
aess  of  consideration,  impartially  consider  to  what  lengths,  we  may  reasonably 
suppose  many  of  the  primitive  Christians,'  in  their  heat  of  zeal,  under  tlieir  ex- 


IN   NKW   ENGLAND.  293 

tiaordlnarv  impressions  would  soon  have  p,onc,  if  they  had  had  no  inspired 
guidts  ;  and  wlielher  or  no,  it  is  not  probable  that  tiie  church  ot"  Coi inth  in  par- 
litiilar,  by  an  increase  of  their  irie<>;idarilies  and  contentions,  would  not  in  a 
little  lime  have  broke  to  jiic(;es,  ami  dissolved  in  a  state  ol' the  utmost  confusion  ? 
And  yet  this  would  have  been  no  evidence  tjiat  there  had  not  been  a  most  glo- 
rious and  remarkable  oiitpourini;  of  the  Sjiirit  in  tliat  city.  But,  as  for  us,  we 
have  no  infallible  apostle  to  guide  us,  to  rectify  disorders,  and  reclaim  us  when 
we  are  wandering  ;  but  every  one  does  what  is  right  in  his  own  eyes;  and 
they  that  err  in  judgment,  and  arc  got  into  a  wrong  path,  continue  to  wander, 
till  experience  ot  the  mischievous  issue  convinces  them  of  their  error. 

If  we  liX)k  over  this  allair,  and  seriously  weigh  it  in  its  circumstances,  it  will 
appear  a  matter  of  no  great  dilliculty  to  account  for  the  errors  that  have  been 
gone  into,  supposing  the  work  in  general  to  be  from  a  very  great  outpouring 
ul'  the  Si)irit  of  God.  It  may  easily  be  accounted  for,  that  many  have  run  into 
great  errors,  and  into  just  such  errors  as  they  have.  It  is  known  that  some 
tlrat  have  been  improved  as  great  instruments  to  promote  this  work,  have  been 
very  young ;  and  how  natural  is  it  for  such  as  are  themselves  newly  awaked 
out  of  sleep,  and  brought  out  of  that  state  of  darkness,  insensibility  and  spiritual 
ileath,  which  they  had  been  in  ever  since  they  were  born  ;  and  have  a  new 
and  wonderful  scene  opened  to  tiicm  ;  and  have  in  view  the  reality,  the  vast- 
ness,  and  infinite  importance,  and  nearness  of  spiritual  and  eternal  things ;  and 
at  the  same  lime  are  surprised  to  see  the  world  asleep  about  Ihem  ;  and  have 
not  the  advantage  of  age  and  experience,  and  have  had  but  little  opportunity 
to  study  divinity,  or  to  converse  with  aged  experienced  Christians  and  divines; 
I  say,  iiow  natural  is  it  for  such  to  fall  into  many  errors  with  respect  to  the 
state  of  mankind,  with  which  they  are  so  surprised,  and  with  respect  to  the 
means  and  methods  of  their  relief?  Is  it  any  wonder  that  they  have  not  at 
once  learned  how  to  make  all  the  allowances  that  are  to  be  made,  and  that  they 
do  not  at  once  find  out  that  method  of  dealing  with  the  Avorld,  that  is  adapted 
to  the  mysterious  state  and  nature  of  mankind  1  Is  it  any  wonder  that  they  can- 
not at  once  foresee  what  the  consequences  of  things  will  be.  what  evils  are  to 
be  guarded  against,  and  what  difficulties  are  like  to  arise,  that  are  to  be  provid- 
ed for  7 

We  have  long  been  In  a  strange  stupor ;  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
upon  the  heart  have  been  but  little  felt,  and  the  nature  of  them  but  little  taught ; 
so  that  they  are  in  many  respects  new  to  great  numbers  of  those  that  have  lately 
fallen  under  them.  And  is  it  any  wonder  that  they  tliat  never  before  had  ex- 
perience of  the  supernatural  influence  of  the  divine  Spirit  upon  their  souls,  and 
never  were  instructed  in  the  nature  of  ihcse  influences,  do  not  so  well  know 
how  to  distinguish  one  extraordinary  new  impression  from  another,  and  so  (to 
themselves  insensibly)  run  into  enthusiasm,  taking  every  strong  impulse  or  im- 
pression to  be  divine'?  How  natural  is  it  to  suppose  that  among  the  multitudes 
of  illiterate  people  (most  of  which  are  in  their  youth)  that  find  themselves  so 
wonderfully  changed,  and  brought  into  such  new,  and  before  (to  them)  almost 
unheard  of  circumstances,  that  many  shoukl  pass  wrong,  and  very  strange  judg- 
ments of  both  persons  and  things  that  are  about  them  ;  and  that  now  they  be- 
hold them  in  such  a  new  light,  they  in  their  surprise  should  go  further  from  the 
judgment  that  they  were  wont  to  make  of  them  than  they  ought,  and  in  their 
great  change  of  sentim<;nts,  should  pass  from  one  extreme  to  another  ?  And 
why  should  it  be  thought  strange,  that  those  that  scarce  ever  heard  of  >nysuch 
thing  as  an  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God  before;  or  if  they  did,  had  no  no- 
tion of  it ;  do  not  know  how  to  behave  themselves  in  such  a  new  and  strange 


294  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

State  of  things  ?  And  is  it  any  wonder  that  they  are  ready  to  hearken  to  those 
that  have  instructed  them,  that  have  been  the  means  of  deUvering  them  from 
such  a  state  of  death  and  misery  as  they  were  in  before,  or  have  a  name  for 
being  the  happy  instruments  of  promoting  the  same  work  among  others  1  Is 
it  unaccountable  that  persons  in  th«se  circumstances  are  ready  to  receive  every 
thing  they  say,  and  to  drink  down  error  as  well  as  truth  from  them  ?  And 
why  should  there  be  all  indignation  and  no  compassion  towards  those  that  are 
thus  misled  1 

When  these  persons  are  extraordinarily  affected  with  a  new  sense,  and  re- 
cent discovery  they  have  received,  of  the  greatness  and  excellency  of  the  divine 
Beino-,  the  certa'inty  and  infinite  importance  of  eternal  things,  the  preciousness 
oi  souls,  and  the  dreadful  danger  and  madness  of  mankind,  together  .with  a 
great  sense  of  God's  distinguishing  kindness  and  love  to  them ;  no  wonder  that 
now  they  think  they  must  exert  themselves,  and  do  something  extraordinary 
for  the  honor  of  God  and  the  good  of  the  souls  of  their  fellow  creatures,  and 
know  not  how  to  sit  still,  and  forbear  speaking  and  acting  with  uncommon 
earnestness  and  vigor.  And  in  these  circumstances,  if  they  be  not  persons  ot 
more  than  common  steadiness  and  discretion,  or  have  not  some  person  of  wis- 
dom to  direct  them,  it  is  a  wonder  if  they  do  not  proceed  without  due  caution, 
and  do  things  that  are  irregular,  and  that  will,  in  the  issue,  do  much  more  hurt 
than  good. 

Censuring  others  is  the  worst  disease  with  which  this  affair  kas  been  attend- 
ed :  but  yet  such  a  time  as  this  is  indeed  a  time  of  great  temptation  to  this 
sinful  error.  When  there  has  been  such  a  time  of  great  and  long  continued 
deadness,  and  many  are  brought  out  of  a  state  of  nature  into  a  state  of  grace, 
in  so  extraordinary  a  manner,  and  filled  with  such  uncommon  degrees  of  light, 
it'  is  natural  for  such  to  form  their  notions  of  a  state  of  grace  wholly  from  what 
they  experience ;  many  of  them  know  no  other  way ;  for  they  never  have  been 
taught  much  about  a  state  of  grace,  and  the  different  degrees  of  grace,  and  the 
degrees  of  darkness  and  corruption  that  grace  is  consistent  with,  nor  concern- 
ing the  manner  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  in  converting  a  soul,  and  the  vari- 
ety of  the  manner  of  his  operations  :  they  therefore  forming  their  idea  of  a  state 
of  grace  only  by  their  own  experience,  no  wonder  that  it  appears  an  insupera- 
ble difficulty  to  them  to  reconcile  such  a  state,  of  which  they  have  this  idea, 
with  what  they  observe  in  professors  that  are  about  them.  It  is  indeed  in  itself 
a  very  great  mystery,  that  grace  should  be  consistent  with  so  much  and  such 
kind  of  corruption  as  sometimes  prevails  in  the  truly  godly ;  and  no  wonder 
that  it  especially  appears  so  to  uninstructed  new  converts,  that  have  been  con- 
verted in  an  extraordinary  manner. 

Though  censoi-iousness  be  a  thing  that  is  very  sinful,  and  is  most  common- 
ly found  in  hypocrites  and  persons  of  a  pharisaical  spirit,  yet  it  is  not  so  incon- 
sistent with  true  godliness  as  some  imagine.  We  have  remarkable  instances 
of  it  in  those  holy  men  that  we  have  an  account  of  in  the  book  of  Job :  not 
only  were  Job's  three  friends,  that  seem  to  have  been  eminently  holy  men, 
guilty  of  it  in  very  unreasonably  censuring  the  best  man  on  earth,  very  posi- 
tively determining  that  he  was  an  unconverted  man ;  but  Job  himself,  that  was 
not  only  a  man  of  true  piety,  but  excelled  all  men  in  piety,  and  particularly 
excelled  in  a  humble,  meek  and  patient  spirit,  was  guilty  of  bitterly  censuring 
his  three  friends,  as  wicked,  vile  hypocrites.  Job  xvi.  9,  10,  11,  "  He  teareth 
me  in  his  wrath  who  hateth  me,  he  gnasheth  upon  me  with  his  teeth  ;  mine 
enemy  sharpeneth  his  eyes  upon  me  :  they  have  gaped  upon  me  with  their 
mouth.     God  hath  delivered  me  to  the  ungodly  and  turned  me  over  into  the 


L\   NEW  ENGLAND.  296 

rands  of  tlio  wicked."  So  lie  is  very  positive  in  it  lh;\t  tluy  are  liypocntes, 
and  shall  be  miserably  destroyed  as  su<;h,  in  the  next  chapter,  vcr.  2,  3,  4 : 
"  Are  there  not  mockers  with  nic '?  And  doth  not  mine  eye  continue  in  their 
provocation  1  Lay  down  now,  put  me  in  surety  with  thee  ;  who  is  he  that 
will  strike  hands  with  me  ?  For  thou  hast  hid  their  heart  from  understaruhng  : 
therefore  sliaU  thou  not  exalt  them."  And  aj^ain,  ver.  8,  9,  10  :  "  Upritjjht  men 
shall  be  astonished  at  this,  and  the  innocent  shall  stir  himself  againyt  the  hypo- 
crite:  the  righteous  also  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  lie  that  hath  clean  hands 
shall  be  stronger  and  stronger.  But  as  for  you  ail,  do  you  return  and 
come  now :  for  I  cannot  find  one  wise  man  (i.  e.  one  good  man)  among 
you." 

Thus  I  think  the  errors  and  irregularities  that  attend  this  work,  may  be  ac- 
counted for,  from  the  consideration  of  the  infirmity  and  weakness  and  common 
corniption  of  maidr:ind,  together  with  the  circumstances  of  the  work,  though  we 
siiould  suppose  it  .to  be  the  work  of  God.  And  it  would  not  be  a  just  objection 
in  any  to  say,  if  these  powerful  impressions  and  great  ailections  are  from  the 
Spirit  of  God,  why  does  not  the  same  Spirit  give  strength  of  understanding  and 
capacity  in  proportion,  to  those  persons  that  are  the  subjects  of  them ;  so  that 
strong  ailections  may  not,  through  their  error,  drive  them  to  an  irregular  and 
sinful  conduct '?  For  I  do  not  know  that  God  has  anywhere  obliged  himself  to 
do  it.  The  end  of  the  influences  of  God's  Spirit  is  to  njake  men  spuitually 
knowing,  wise  to  salvation,  which  is  the  most  excellent  wisdom ;  and  he  has 
also  appointed  means  for  our  gaining  such  degrees  of  other  knowledge  as  we 
need,  to  conduct  ourselves  reguhirly,  which  means  should  be  carefully  used  :  but 
the  end  of  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  is  not  to  increase  men's  natural 
capacities,  nor  has  God  obliged  himself  immediately  to  increase  civil  pmdence 
in  proportion  to  the  degrees  of  spiritual  light. 

If  we  consider  the  errors  that  attend  this  work,  not  only  as  from  man,  and 
bis  infirmity,  but  also  as  from  God,  and  by  his  permission  and  disposal,  they  are 
not  strange,  upon  the  supposition  of  its  being,  as  to  the  substance  of  it,  a  work 
of  God.  If  God  intends  this  great  revival  of  religion  to  be  the  dawning,  or  a 
forerunner  of  a  happy  state  of  his  church  on  earth,  it  may  be  an  instance  of  the 
divine  Avisdom,  in  the  beginning  of  it,  to  suffer  so  many  irregularities  and  errors 
in  conduct,  to  which  he  knew  men  in  their  present  weak  state,  were  most  ex- 
posed, under  great  religious  affections,  and  when  animated  with  great  zeal. 
For  it  will  be  very  likely  to  be  of  excellent  benefit  to  his  church,  in  the  contin- 
uance and  progress  of  the  work  afterwards  :  their  experience  in  the  first  set- 
ting out,  of  the  mischievous  consequences  of  these  errors,  and  smarting  for  them 
in  the  beginning,  may  be  a  happy  defence  to  them  afterwards,  for  many  gene- 
rations, from  these  errors,  which  otherwise  they  might  continually  be  exposed 
to.  As  when  David  and  all  Israel  went  about  to  bring  back  the  ark  into  the 
midst  of  the  land,  after  it  had  been  long  absent,  first  in  the  land  of  the  Philis- 
tines, and  then  in  Kirjathjearim,  in  the  utmost  borders  of  the  land  ;  they  at  first 
sought  not  the  Lord  after  the  due  order,  and  they  smarted  for  their  error ;  but 
this  put  ihem  upon  studying  the  law,  and  more  thoroughly  acquainting  them- 
selves with  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  and  seeking  and  serving  him  with  great- 
er circumspection  :  and  the  consequence  was  glorious,  \\7..,  their  seeking  God 
in  such  a  manner  as  was  accepted  of  him  ;  and  the  ark  of  God's  ascending  into 
the  heicrhts  of  Zion,  with  those  great  and  extraordinary  rejoicings  of  the  king 
and  all  the  people,  witliout  any  frown  or  rebuke  from  God  intermixed  ;  and 
God's  dwelling  thenceforth  in  the  midst  of  the  people,  to  those  glorious  purpo- 
ses that  are  expressed  in  the  GSth  Psalm. 


296  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

And  it  is  very  analogous  to  the  manner  of  God's  dealing  with  his  people,  to 
permit  a  great  deal  of  error,  and  suffer  the  infirmity  of  his  people  much  to  ap- 
pear, in  the  be;>-inning  of  a  glorious  work  of  his  grace  for  their  felicity,  to  teach 
them  what  they  be,  to  humble  them,  and  fit  them  for  that  glorious  prosperity  he 
is  about  to  advance  them  to,  and  the  more  to  secure  to  himself  the  honor  of  such 
a  glorious  woik :  for  by  man's  exceeding  weakness  appearing  in  the  begin- 
nino-  of  it,  it  is  evident  that  God  does  not  lay  the  foundation  of  it  in  man's 
strength  or  wisdom. 

And  as  we  need  not  wonder  at  the  errors  that  attend  this  work,  if  we  look 
at  the  hand  of  men  that  are  guilty  of  them,  and  the  hand  of  God  in  permitting 
them,  so  neither  shall  we  see  cause  to  wonder  at  them,  if  we  consider  them  with 
reo-ard  to  the  hand  tliat  Satan  has  in  them.  For  as  the  work  is  much  greater 
than  any  other  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  that  ever  has  been  in  New  England,  so 
no  vvonder  that  the  devil  is  more  alarmed  and  enraged,  and  exerts  himself  more 
vigorously  against  it,  and  does  more  powerfully  endeavor  to  tempt  and  mislead 
those  that  are  the  subjects  of  it,  or  are  its  promoters. 

Whatever  imprudences  there  have  been,  and  whatever  sinful  irregularities  ; 
whatever  vehemence  of  the  passions,  and  heats  of  tiie  imagination,  transports  and 
ecstasies  ;  and  whatever  error  in  judgment,  and  indiscreet  zeal  ;,  and  whatever 
outcries,  and  faintings,  and  agitations  of  body  ;  yet  it  is  manifest  and  notorious, 
that  there  has  been  of  late  a  very  uncommon  influence  upon  the  minds  of  a 
very  great  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  England,  from  one  end  of  the  land  to 
the  other,  that  has  been  attended  with  the  following  elTects,  viz.,  a  great  in- 
crease of  a  spirit  of  seriousness,  and  sober  consideration  of  the  things  of  the 
eternal  world  ;  a  disposition  to  hearken  to  any  thing  that  is  said  of  things  of 
this  nature,  with  attention  and  affection ;  a  disposition  to  treat  matters  of  reli- 
gion with  solemnity,  and  as  matters  of  great  importance ;  a  disposition  to  make 
these  things  the  subject  of  conversation ;  and  a  great  disposition  to  hear  the 
word  of  God  preached,  and  to  take  all  opportunities  in  order  to  it ;  and  to  at- 
tend on  the  public  worship  of  God,  and  all  external  duties  of  religion  in  a  more 
solemn  and  decent  manner ;  so  that  there  is  a  remarkable  and  general  altera- 
tion in  the  face  of  New  England  in  these  respects  :  multitudes  in  all  parts  of 
the  land,  of  vain,  thoughtless,  regardless  persons  are  quite  changed,  and  become 
serious  and  considerate  :  there  is  a  vast  increase  of  concern  for  the  salvation  of 
the  precious  soul,  and  of  that  inquiry,  What  shall  1  do  to  be  saved?  The  hearts 
of  multitudes  have  been  greatly  tak«  n  off  from  the  things  of  the  vi-orld,  its  pro- 
fits, pleasures  and  honors  ;  and  there  has  been  a  great  increase' of  sensibleness 
and  tenderness  of  conscience  :  multitudes  in  ah  parts  have  had  their  consciences 
awakened,  and  have  been  made  sensible  of  the  pernicious  nature  and  con- 
sequences of  sin,  and  what  a  dreadful  thing  it  is  to  lie  under  guilt  and  the  dis- 
pleasure of  God,  and  to  live  whhout  peace  and  reconciliation  with  him  :  they 
have  also  been  awakened  to  a  sense  of  the  shortness  ^nd  uncertainty  of  life, 
and  the  reality  of  another  world  and  future  judgment,  and  of  the  necessity  of 
an  interest  in  Christ :  they  are  n:iore  afraid  of  sin,  more  carefiil  and  inquisitive 
that  they  may  know  what  is  contrary  to  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  that  they 
may  avoid  it,  and  what  he  requires  of  them,  that  they  may  do  it ;  more  careful 
to  guard  against  temptations,  more  watchful  over  their  own  hearts,  earnestly 
desirous  of  being  informed  what  are  the  means  that  God  has  directed  to,  for 
their  salvation,  and  diligent  in  the  use  of  the  means  that  God  has  appointed  in 
his  word,  in  order  to  it. — Many  very  stupid,  senseless  sinners,  and  persons  of  & 
vain  mind,  have  been  greatly  awakened.  There  is  a  strange  alteration  almost 
all  over  New  England  amongst  young  people  :  by  a  powerful,  invisible  influ- 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  297 

ence  on  their  minds,  llity  luive  lucn  hrou^lit  to  ibrsake  those  tliinp;s  in  .i  freno- 
ral  way,  as  it  were  at  once,  that  they  weic  extremely  fond  ot,  and  ^leatly 
addicted  to,  and  that  they  seemed  to  phice  the  happiness  ol"  their  lives  m,  and 
that  nothing  hefore  could  induce  them  to  Ibrsake;  as  their  liolickinp,  vain  com- 
pany keeping,  night  walking,  their  mirth  and  jollity,  their  impure  language,  iind 
lewd  songs  ;  in  vain  did  ministers  preach  against  those  things  belore,  and  in 
vain  were  laws  made  to  restrain  them,  and  in  vain  was  all  the  vigilance  oi 
magistrates  and  civil  of iicei-s ;  but  now  they  have  almost  everywhere  dropped 
Ihem  as  it  were  ot'  themselves.  And  there  is  a  great  alteration  amongst  old 
and  young  as  to  drinking,  tavern  haunting,  profane  speaking,  and  extravagance 
in  apparel.  Many  notoriously  vicious  persons  have  been  relormed,  and  become 
externally  quite  new  creatures  :  some  that  are  wealthy,  and  of  a  fashionable,  gay 
education;  some  great  beaus  and  fine  ladies,  that  seemed  to  have  their  minds 
swallowed  up  with  nothing  but  the  vain  shows  and  pleasures  of  the  world,  have 
been  wonderlully  altered,  and  have  relinqtiishcd  these  vanities,  and  are  become 
serious,  mortified  and  bumble  in  their  conversation.  It  is  astonishing  to  see 
the  alteration  tliat  is  in  some  towns,  where  before  was  but  little  appearance  of  re- 
ligion, or  any  thing  but  vice  and  vanity  :  and  so  remote  was  all  tliat  was  to  be  seen 
or  heard  amongst  them  from  any  thing  that  savored  of  vital  piety  or  serious  re- 
ligion, or  that  had  any  relation  to  it,  that  one  would  have  thought,  if  they 
had  judged  only  by  what  appeared  in  them,  that  they  had  been  some  other 
species  from  the  serious  and  religious,  which  had  no  concern  with  another  world, 
and  whose  natures Vere  not  made  capable  of  those  things  that  appeitain  to 
Clnistian  experience,  and  pious  conversation  ;  especially  was  it  thus  among 
young  persons  :  and  now  they  are  transformed  into  another  sort  of  jieople  ; 
their  fbrmei  vain,  worldly  and  vicious  conversation  and  dispositions  seem  to  be 
forsaken,  and  they  are  as  it  were,  gone  over  to  a  new  \vorld  :  their  thoughts, 
and  their  talk  and  their  concern,  affections,  and  inquiries,  are  now  about  the 
favcH-  of  God,  an  interest  in  Christ,  a  renewed,  sanctified  heart,  and  a  spiritual 
blessedness,  and  acceptance  and  ha])piness  in  a  future  world.  And  through  the 
greater  part  of  New  England,  the  Holy  Bible  is  in  much  greater  esteem  and 
use  than  it  used  to  be  ;  the  great  things  that  are  contained  in  it  are  much  more 
regarded,  as  things  of  the  greatest  consequence,  and  are  much  more  the  subjects 
of  meditation  and  conversation  ;  and  other  books  of  piety  that  have  long  been 
of  established  reputation,  as  the  most  excellent,  and  most  tending  to  promote 
true  godliness,  have  been  abundantly  more  in  use  :  the  Lord's  day  is  more  reli- 
giously okserved  :  and  abundance  has  been  lately  done  at  making  up  dltiercnccs, 
and  confessing  faults  one  to  another,  and  making  restitution  ;  probal  ly  more 
"within  these  two  years,  than  was  done  in  thirty  years  before  :  it  has  Ijecn  so 
undoubtedly  in  many  places.  And  smprising  has  been  the  power  of  that  spirit 
that  has  been  poured  out  on  the  land,  in  many  instances,  to  destroy  old  grudges, 
and  make  up  long  continued  breaches,  and  to  bring  those  that  seemed  to  be  in 
a  confirmed  irreconcilable  alienation,  to  embrace  each  other  in  a  sincere  and 
entire  amity. 

Great  numbers  under  this  influence  have  been  brought  to  a  deep  sense  of 
their  own  sinfulness  and  vileness:  the  sinfulness  of  their  hves,  the  lieinousness 
of  their  disregard  of  the  authority  of  the  gieat  God,  and  the  heinousncKS  of  their 
living  in  contempt  of  a  Saviour:  they  have  lamented  their  former  mgligence 
of  their  souls,  and  neglecting  and  losing  precio\is  time,  'i'heir  sins  of  life  have 
been  extraordinarily  set  before  them  ;  and  they  have  also  had  a  great  sense  of 
their  sins  of  heart ;  their  hardness  of  heart,  and  enmity  against  that  which  is 
good,  and  proneness  to  all  evil;  and  also  of  the  worthlessness  of  their  own  re- 

VoL.  HI.  38 


238  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

llgious  performances,  how  unworthy  their  prayers,  praises,  and  all  that  they  ciid 
in  religion,  was  to  be  regarded  of  God  :  and  it  has  been  a  common  tiling  tiia't 
persons  have  had  such  a  sense  of  their  own  sinfulness,  that  they  have  thought 
themselves  to  be  the  worst  o[  all,  and  that  none  ever  was  so  vile  as  they  :  and 
many  seem  to  have  been  greatly  convinced  that  they  were  utterly  unworthy  of 
any  mercy  at  the  hands  of  God,  however  miserable  they  were,  and  though  they 
stood  in  extreme  necessity  of  mercy  ;  and  that  they  deserved  nothing  but  eternal 
burnino-s:  and  have  been  sensible  that  God  w^ould  be  altogether  just  and  right- 
eous in  inflicting  endless  damnation  upon  them,  at  the  same  time  that  they  have 
had  an  exceeding  affecting  sense  of  the  dreadfulness  of  such  endless  torments, 
and  have  apprehended  themselves  to  be  greatly  in  danger  of  them.  And  many 
have  been  deeply  atTected  with  a  sense  of  their  own  ignorance  and  blindness, 
and  exceeding  helplessness,  and  so  of  their  extreme  need  of  the  divine  pity  and 
help.  And  so  far  as  we  are  worthy  to  be  credited  one  by  another,  in  what  we 
say  (and  persons  of  good'  understanding  and  sound  mind,  and  known  and  ex- 
perienced probity,  have  a  right  to  be  believed  by  their  neighbors,  when  they 
speak  of  things  that  fall  under  their  observation  and  experience),  multitudes  in 
jYeio  Eno-land  have  lately  been  brought  to  a  new  and  great  conviction  of  the 
truth  and  certainty  of  the  things  of  the  gospel ;  to  a  firm  persuasion  that  Christ 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  great  and  only  Saviour  of  the  world  ;  and  that 
the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel  touching  reconciliation  by  his  blood,  and 
acceptance  in  his  rigliteousness,  and  eternal  life  and  salvation  through  him,  are 
matters  of  undoubted  truth  ;  together  with  a  most  affecting  sense  of  the  excel- 
lency and  sufficiency  of  this  Saviour,  and  the  glorious  wisdom  and  grace  of 
God  shining  in  this  way  of  salvation  ;  and  of  the  wonders  of  Christ's  dying  love, 
and  the.  sincerity  of  Christ  in  the  invitations  of  the  gospel,  and  a  consequent 
affiance  and  sweet  rest  of  soul  in  Christ,  as  a  glorious  Saviour,  a  strong  rock  and 
high  tower,  accompanied  with  an  admiring  and  exalting  apprehension  of  the 
glory  of  the  (Hvine  perfections,  God's  majesty,  holiness,  sovereign  grace,  &c., 
with  a  sensible,  strong  and  sweet  love  to  God,  and  delight  in  him,  far  surpassing 
all  temporal  delights,  or  earthly  pleasures  ;  and  a  rest  of  soul  in  him  as  a  por- 
tion and  the  fountain  of  all  good,  attended  with  an  abhorrence  of  sin,  and  self- 
loathing  for  it,  and  earnest  longings  of  soul  after  more  holiness  and  conformity 
to  God,  with  a  sense  of  the  great  need  of  God's  help  in  order  to  holiness  of  life ; 
together  with  a  most  dear  love  to  all  that  are  supposed  to  be  the  children  of  God, 
and  a  love  to  mankind  in  general,  and  a  most  sensible  and  tender  compassion  Ibi 
the  souls  of  sinners,  and  earnest  desires  of  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom 
in  the  world.  And  these  things  have  appeared  to  be  in  many  of  them  abiding,  nov/ 
for  many  months,  yea,  more  than  a  year  and  a  half;  with  an  abiding  concern  to 
live  a  holy  life,  and  great  complaintsof  remaining  corruption,  longing  to  be  more 
free  from  the  body  of  sin  and  death.  And  not  only  do  these  effects  appear  in  new 
converts,  but  great  numbers  of  those  that  were  formerly  esteemed  the  most  sober 
and  pious  people,  have,  under  the  influence  of  this  work,  been  greatly  quickened, 
and  their  hearts  renewed  with  greater  degrees  of  light,  renewed  repentance 
and  humiliation,  and  more  lively  exercises  of  faith,  love  and  joy  in  the  Lord. 
Many,  as  I  am  w^ell  knowing,  have  of  late  been  remarkably  engaged  to 
watch,  and  strive,  and  fight  against  sin,  and  cast  out  every  idol  and  sell  all  for 
Christ,  and  give  up  themselves  entirely  to  God,  and  make  a  sacrifice  of  every 
worldly  and  carnal  thing  to  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  their  souls.  And 
there  has  of  late  appeared  in  some  places  an  unusual  disposition  to  bind  them- 
selves to  it  in  a  solemn  covenant  with  God.  And  now  instead  of  meetings  at 
taverns  and  drinking  houses,  and  meetings  of  young  people  in  froiicks  and  vain 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  299 

company,  the  country  is  full  of  meetings  of  all  sorts  and  ages  of  persons,  young 
ami  old,  men,  women  and  little  children,  to  read  and  pray,  and  sing  jjraists,  and 
to  convt'ise  of  the  things  of  Clnd  and  another  ^vorld.  In  very  ni;iny  j)liic(.s  11r> 
main  of  the  conversation  in  all  companies  turns  on  religion,  and  things  of  a 
spiritual  nature.  Instead  of  vain  miith  amongst  young  peoj)le,  there  is  now 
either  mourning  under  a  sense  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  or  holy  rejoicing  in  Christ 
Jesus  :  and  instead  of  their  lewd  songs,  are  now  to  be  heard  irom  them,  song.s 
of  praises  to  God,  and  the  Lan)b  tliat  was  slain  (o  redeem  them  by  his  bhx.d. 
And  there  has  been  this  alteration  abiding  on  multitudes  all  over  the  land,  for  a 
year  and  a  half,  without  any  appearance  of  a  disposition  to  return  to  former 
vice  and  vanity.  And  under  the  influences  of  this  work,  thcr«'  have  I  een  many 
of  the  remains  of  those  wretched  people  and  dregs  of  mankind,  the  poor  Indians, 
that  seemed  to  be  next  to  a  state  of  brutality,  and  with  whom,  till  now,  it  seem- 
ed to  be  to  little  more  purpose  to  use  endeavors  for  liieir  instruction  and  awaken- 
ing, than  with  the  beasts;  whose  minds  have  now  been  strangely  opened  to 
receive  instruction,  and  have  been  deeply  affected  with  the  concerns  of  their 
precious  souls,  and  have  reformed  their  lives,  and  forsaken  their  former  stupid 
barbarous  and  brutish  way  of  living;  and  ]iarticularly  that  sin  to  which  they 
have  been  so  exceedingly  addicted,  their  drunkenness;  and  are  become  devout 
and  serious  persons;  and  many  of  them  to  appearance  brought  truly  and  greatly 
to  delight  in  the  things  of  God,  and  to  have  their  souls  very  much  engatied  and 
entertained  with  the  great  things  of  the  gospel.  And  many  of  the  poor  negroes 
also  have  been  in  like  manner  wrought  upon  and  changed.  And  the  souls  of 
ver}-  many  little  children  have  been  remarkably  enlightened,  and  their  hearts 
wonderfully  affected  and  enlarged,  and  their  mouths  opened,  expressino-  them- 
selves in  a  manner  far  beyond  their  years,  and  to  the  just  astonishment  of  those 
that  have  heard  them  ;  and  some  of  them  from  time  to  time,  for  many  months, 
greatly  and  delightfully  afllected  with  the  glory  of  divine  things,  and  the  ex- 
cellency and  love  of  the  Redeemer,  with  their  hearts  greatly  fdled  with  love  to 
and  joy  in  him,  and  have  continued  to  be  serious  and  pious  in  their  behavior. 

The  divine  power  of  this  work  has  marvellously  appeared  in  some  in- 
stances I  have  been  acquainted  with,  in  supporting  and  fortilying  the  heart  under 
great  trials,  such  as  the  death  of  children,  and  extreme  pain  of  body  ;  wonder- 
ftilly  maintaining  the  serenity,  calmness  and  joy  of  the  soul,  in  an  immovable 
rest  in  God,  and  sweet  resignation  to  him.  There  also  have  been  instances  of 
some  that  have  been  the  subjects  of  this  work,  that  under  the  blessed  influences 
of  it,  have,  in  such  a  calm,  bright  and  joyful  frame  of  mind,  been  carried  through 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 

And  now  let  us  consider. Is  it  not  strange  that  in  a  Christian,  orthodox 

country,  and  such  a  land  of  light  as  this  is,  there  should  be  many  at  a  loss 
whose  work  this  is,  whether  the  work  of  God  or  the  work  of  the  devil  ?  Is  it 
not  a  shame  to  New  England  that  such  a  work  should  be  much  doubted  of  here  ? 
Need  we  look  over  the  histories  of  all  past  times,  to  see  if  there  l;e  nr-t  some 
circumstances  and  external  appearances  that  attend  this  work,  that  have  been 
formerly  found  amongst  enthusiasts  ?  Whether  the  Montanisis  had  not  great 
transports  of  joy,  and  whether  the  French  Prophets  had  not  agitations  of  lx)(ly? 
Blessed  be  God  !  He  does  not  put  us  to  the  toil  of  such  iuquiries.  We  need 
not  say,  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven,  to  bring  us  down  something  whereby  to 
judge  of  this  work  ?  Nor  does  God  send  us  beyond  the  seas,  nor  into  past 
ages,  to  obtain  a  rule  that  shall  determine  and  satisly  us.  But  we  have  a  rule 
near  at  hand,  a  sacred  book  that  God  himself  has  put  into  our  hands,  with 
clear  and  infalhble marks,  sufficient  to  resolve  us  in  things  of  this  nature;  which 


800  REVlVAl    OF  RELIGION 

book  I  tbiuk  we  must  reject,  not  oniy  in  some  particular  passages,  but  in  the 
substance  of  it,  if  we  reject  sucb  a  work  as  bas  now  been  described,  as  not  being 
tbe  work  of  God.  Tbe  whole  tenor  of  the  gospel  proves  it ;  all  the  notion  of 
religion  that  tbe  Scriptuie  gives  uo  confirmslt. 

1  suppose  there  is  scarcely  a  minister  in  this  land,  but  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath 
used  to  pray  that  God  would  pour  out  his  Spirit,  and  w^ork  a  I'eformatlon  and 
revival  of  religion  in  the  country,  and  turn  us  from  our  intemperance,  profane- 
ness,  uncleanncss,  worliliiness  and  other  sins  :  and  we  have  kept  from  year  to 
year  days  of  public  fasting  and  prayer  to  God,  to  acknowledge  our  backslidings, 
and  humble  ouiselves  for  our  sins,  and  to  seek  of  God  forgiveness  and  reforma- 
tion :  and  now  when  so  great  and  extensive  a  reformation  is  so  suddenly  and 
wonderfully  accomplished,  in  those  very  things  that  we  have  sought  to  God  for, 
shall  we  not  acknowledge  it?  Or  when  we  do,  do  it  with  great  coldness, cau- 
tion and  reserve,  and  scarcely  take  any  notice  of  it  in  our  public  prayers  and 
praises,  or  mention  it  but  slightly  and  cursorily,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  carries 
an  appearance  as  though  we  would  contrive  to  say  as  little  of  it  as  ever  we 
could,  and  were  glad  to  pass  from  it  ?  And  that  because  (although.  Indeed 
there  be  such  a  work  attended  with  all  these  glorious  effects,  yet)  the  work  is 
attended  with  a  mixture  of  error,  imprudences,  dai'kness  and  sin  ;  because  some 
persons  are  carried  away  with  impressions,  and  iii'e  indiscreet,  and  too  censorious 
with  theu-  zeal ;  and,  because  there  are  high  transports  of  religious  affection  :  and 
because  of  some  effects  on  persons*  bodies  that  we  do  not  understand  the  Feason  of? 
f'  I  have  been  particularly  acquainted  with  many  persons  that  have  been  th^ 
I  subjects  of  the  high  and  extraordinary  transports  of  the  present  day  ;  and  in  the 
highest  transports  of  any  of  the  instances  that  I  have  been  acquainted  with, 
and  where  the  affections  of  admiration,  love  and  joy,  so  far  as  another 
could  judge,  have  been  raised  to  a  higher  pitch  than  in  any  other  instances  I 
have  observed  or  been  inibi-med  of,  the  following  things  have  been  united,  viz., 
f  a  very  frequent  dwelling  for  some  considerable  time  together,  in  such  views  of 
I  the  glory  of  the  divine  perfections,  and  Christ's  excellencies,  that  the  soul  in 
the  mean  time  has  been  as  it  were  perfectly  overwhelmed,  and  swallowed  up 
with  light  and  love,  and  a  sweet  solace,  rest  and  joy  of  soul,  that  was  altogether 
unspeakable ;  and  more  than  once  continuing  for  five  or  six  hours  together, 
Avithout  any  interruption,  in  that  clear  and  lively  view  or  sense  of  the  infinite  ■ 
beauty  and  amlableness  of  Christ's  person,  and  the  heavenly  sweetness  of  his 
excellent  and  transcendent  love  ;  so  that  (to  use  the  person's  own  expressions) 
the  soul  i-emained  in  a  kind  of  heavenly  elyslum,  and  did  as  it  were  swim  in 
the  rays  of  Christ's  love,  like  a  little  mote  swimming  In  the  beams  of  the  sun, 
or  streams  of  his  light  that  coine  In  at  a  window  ;  and  the  heart  was  swallowed  ' 
up  in  a  kind  of  glow  of  Christ's  love,  coming  down  from  Christ's  heart  in  heaven 
as  a  constant  stream  of  sweet  light,  at  the  same  time  the  soul  all  flowing  out  in 
love  to  him  ;  so  that  there  seemed  to  be  a  constant  flowing  and  reflowlng  from 
heart  to  heart :  the  soul  dwelt  on  high,  and  was  lost  In  God,  and  seemed  almost 
to  leave  the  body  ;  dwelling  in  a  pure  delight  that  fed  and  satisfied  the  soul  'y/ 
enjoying  pleasure  without  the  least  sting,  or  any  interruption  ;  a  sweetness  that 
the  soul  was  lost  in ;  so  that  (so  far  as  the  judgment,  and  woi'd  of  a  per- 
son of  discretion  may  be  taken,  speaking  upon  the  most  deliberate  con- 
sideration) what  was  enjoyed  in  each  single  minute  of  the  whole  space,  w'hlch 
was  many  hours,  was  undoubtedly  worth  more  than  all  the  outward  comfort  • 
and  pleasure  of  the  whole  life  put  together  ;  and  this  without  being  in  any 
'^  trance,  or  being  at  all  deprived  of  the  exercise  of  the  bodily  senses :  and  the 
like  heavenly  delight  and  unspeakable  joy  of  soul,  enjoyed  from  time  to  time, 


I>f   NF.W   KNGLAND.  301 

for  years  together ;  thouq;h   not  frequently  so  long  together,  to  siicli  a  height : 
extraordinary  views  of  divine  tilings,  and  religions  ailections,  being  IreqiRntly 
attended  with   very  great  eHeets  on  the  body,  nalure   ol'len  sijiking  under   the 
weight  of  divine  discoveries,  the  strength  of  the  body  taken  away,  so  as  to  de- 
prive of  all  ability  to  stand  or  speak;  sometimes  the  hands  elincrii-d,  and  the 
flesh   cold,  but  senses  still  remaining;  animal  nature  ot'ten  in  a  great  emo- 
tion and  agitation,  and  the  soul  very  olten,of  late,  so  overcome  with  great  admi- 
ration, and  a  kind  ot"  omnipotent  joy,  as  to  cause  the  person  (whollv  unavoida-   ^ 
bly)  to  leap  with  all  the  might,  with  joy  and  mighty  exultation  of  soul ;  the  soul  at 
the  same  time  being  so  strongly  drawn   towards  God   and   Christ  in  heaven. 
that  it  seemed  to  the  person  asthough  soul  and  body  would,  as  it  were  of  them- 
selves, ot"  necessity  mount  up,  lea\e  the  earth  and  ascend  thither.     These  effects 
on  the  body  dlil  not  begin  now  In   this  wonderful  season,  that   they  should   be 
owing  to  the  inlhience  ol  the  example  of  the  times,  but  about  .'-even  years  ago  ; 
and  began  in  a  much  higher  degree,  and   greater   frequency,  near   three  yeai-s 
ago,  wlien  there  was  no  such  enthusiastical  season,  as  many  account  this,  but  it 
was  a  very  dead  time  through  the  land  :  they  arose  Irom  no  distemper  catched 
from   Mr.  Whitefield,  or  Mr.  Tennent,   because  they  began   before  either  of 
them  came  into  the  country  ;  they  began,  as  I  said,  near  three  years  ago,  in  a 
great   increase,  upon  an  extraordinary  selt-dcdication,  and   renunciation  of  the 
world,  and  resignation  of  all  to  God,  made  in  a  great  view  of  Goifs  excellency, 
and  high  exercise  of  love  to  him,  and   rest   and  joy  in   him ;  since  which  time 
they  have  been  very  frequent ;  and  began  in  a  yet  higher  degree,  and  greater 
frequency,  about  a  year  and  a  half  ago,  upon  another  new  resignation  ot  all  to 
God,  with  a  yet  greater  fervency  and  delight  of  soul ;  since  which  time  the 
body  lias  been  very  often   fainting,  with   the  love  of  ChTistj  and  began  in  a 
much  higher  degree  still,  the  hist  winter,  upon  another  resignafK)ira7uf'accept-_ 
ance  ot  God,  as'the  only  portion  an(TTrapprhess~orfhe  soul,  wherein  the  A\hole  j 
wgHtT^^wul)  The  dearest  enjoyments  in  it,  were  renounced  a^  dirt  and  dung,  and  \ 
all  that  irpleasant  and  glorious,  and  all  that  Is  terrible  in  this  world,  seemed    ] 
perjeclTylo  van  ish  Into  nothing,  an  J  nothlng^lo  be  left  but  God,  in  whom  the  / 
souTwas~pcrfecny  s w aTl o w ed  u])jjiis  m  an   infinite  ocean  of  blessedness  :  since  ( 
■which  timeThere  have  often  been  great  agitations  of  body,  and  an  unavoidable 
leaping  tor  joy  ;  and  the  soul  as  it  were  dwelling  almost  without^Tnterruption,  • 
iiraKtfuTof  paradise ;  and  very  often,  in  hio;h  transports,  disposed  to  speak  of 
those  great  and  glorious  things  of  God  and  Chiist,  and  the  eternal  world,  that 
are  in  view,  to  others  that  are  present,  in   a  most  earnest  manner,  and  with  a 
loud  voice,  so  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  avoid  it :  these  ellects  on  the  body 
not  arising  from  any  bodily  distemper  or  weakness,  because  the  greatest  of  all 
have  been  in  a  good  state  of  health.     This  great  rcjf)icing  has  been  a  rejoicing 
with  trembling,  I.  e.,  attended  with  a  deep  and  lively  ^ense  of  the  greatness 
and  majesty  of  Gotl,  and  the  person's  own  exceeding  littleness   anil  vileness : 
spiritual  joys  in  this  person  never  were  attended,  either  formerly  or  lately,  with 
the  least  appearance  of  any  laughter  or  lightness  of  countenance,  or  manner  of 
speaking  ;   but  with  a  peculiar  abhorrence  of  such  appearances  in  spiritual  re- 
joicings, especially  since  joys  have  been  greatest  of  all  :  these  high   transports  \ 
when  they  have  been  past,  have  had   abiding  effects  in  the  increase  of   the   \ 
sweetness,  rest  and  humility  that  they  have  left  upon  the  soul  ;  and  a  new  en-    I 
gagedness  of  heart  to  live  to  God's   honor,  and  watch  and  fight  against  sin.    ' 
And  these  things  not  in  one  that  is  in  the  giddy  age  of  youth,  nor  in  a  new  con- 
vert, and  unexperienced  Christian,  but  in  one  tliat  was  converted  above  twen- 
ty-seven years  ago  ;  and  neither  converted,  nor  educated  in  that  enthusiasticai 


302  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

town  of  Northampton  (as  some  may  be  ready  to  call  it),  but  in  a  town  and  fa- 
mily that  none  that  1  know  of  suspected  of  enthusiasm ;  and  in  a  Christian  that 
has  been  long,  in  an  uncommon  manner,  growing  in  grace,  and  rising,  by  very 
sensible  deorees,  to  higher  love  to  God,  and  weanedness  from  the  world,  and 
mastery  over  sin  and  temptation,  through  great  trials  and  conflicts,  and  long 
continued  straggling  and  tighting  with  sin,  and  earnest  and  constant  prayer  and 
labor  in  religion,  and  engagedness  of  mind  in  the  use  of  all  means,  attended 
with  a  great  exactness  of  life  :  which  growth  has  been  attended,  not  only  with 
I  a  great  increase  of  religious  affections,  but  with  a  wonderful  alteration  of  out- 
I  ward  behavior,  in  many  things,  visible  to  those  who  are  most  intimately  ac- 
'  quainted,  so  as  lately  to  have  become  as  it  were  a  new  person  ;  and  particu- 
larly in  living  so  much  more  above  the  vvorld,  and  in  a  greater  degree  of  stead- 
fastness and  strength  in  the  way  of  duty  and  self-denial,  maintaining  the  Chris- 
tian conflict  against  temptations,  and  conquering  from  time  to  time  under  great 
trials  ;  persisting  in  an  unmoved,  untouched  calm  and  rest,  under  the  changes 
and  accidents  of  time.  The  person  had  formerly,  in  lower  degrees  of  grace, 
been  subject  to  unsteadiness,  and  many  ups  and  downs,  in  the  frame  of  mind  ; 
the  mind  being  under  great  disadvantages,  through  a  vapory  habit  of  body,  and 
often  subject  to  melancholy,  and  at  times  almost  overborne  with  it,  it  having 
been  so  even  from  early  youth  :  but  strength  of  grace,  and  divine  light  has  of 
a  long  time,  wholly  conquered  these  disadvantages,  and  carried  the  mind  in  a 
constant  manner,  quite  above  all  such  effects  of  vapors.  Since  that  resignation 
spoken  of  before,  made  near  three  years  ago,  every  thing  of  that  nature  seems  to 
be  overcome  and  crushed  by  the  pov/er  of  faith  and  trust  in  God,  and  resignation 
to  him  ;  the  person  has  remained  in  a  constant  uninterrupted  rest,  and  humble  joy 
in  God,  and  assurance  of  his  favor,  without  one  hour's  melancholy  or  darkness, 
from  that  day  to  this ;  vapors  have  had  great  effects  on  the  body,  such  as  they 
used  to  have  before,  but  the  soul  has  been  always  out  of  their  reach.  And  this 
steadfastness  and  constancy  has  remained  through  great  outward  changes  and 
trials  ;  such  as  times  of  the  most  extreme  pain,  and  apparent  hazard  of  imme- 
diate death.  What  has  been  felt  in  late  great  transpoits  is  known  to  be  noth- 
ing new  in  kind,  but  to  be  of  the  same  nature  with  what  was  felt  formerly, 
when  a  little  child  of  about  five  or  six  years  of  age;  but  only  in  a  vastly  higher 
degree.  These  transporting  views  and  rapturous  affections  are  not  attended 
with  any  enthusiastic  disposition,  to  follow  impulses,  or  any  supposed  propheti- 
cal revelations  ;  nor  have  they  been  observed  to  be  attended  with  any  appear- 
ance of  spiritual  pride,  but  very  much  of  a  contrary  disposition,  an  increase  of  a 
spirit  of  humility  and  meekness,  and  a  disposition  in  honor  to  prefer  others : 
and  it  is  worthy  to  be  remarked,  that  at  a  time  remarkably  distinguished  from 
all  others,  wherein  discoveries  and  holy  affections  were  evidently  at  the  greatest 
height  that  ever  happened,  the  greatness  and  clearness  of  divine  light  being 
overwhelming,  and  the  strength  and  sweetness  of  divine  love  altogether  over- 
powering, which  began  early  in  the  morning  of  the  holy  Sabbath,  and  lasted 
for  days  together,  melting  all  down  in  the  deepest  humility  and  poverty  of 
spirit,  reverence  and  resignation,  and  the  sweetest  meekness,  and  universal  benevo- 
lence ;  I  say,  it  is  worthy  to' be  observed,  that  there  were  these  two  things  in 
a  remarkable  manner  felt  at  that  time,  viz.,  a  peculiar  sensible  aversion  to  a 
,  judging  of  othei'S  that  were  professing  Christians  of  good  standing  in  the  visible 
church,  that  they  were  not  converted,  or  with  respect  to  their  degrees  of  grace ; 
or  at  all  intermeddling  with  that  matter,  so  much  as  to  determine  against  and 
condemn  others  in  the  thought  of  the  heart ;  it  appearing  hateful,  as  not  agree- 
ing with  that  lamblike  humility,  mt\?kness,  gentleness  and  charity,  which  the 


IN   NEW  ENGLAND.  303 

soul  Ihen,  above  other  times,  saw  the  beauty  of,  and  felt  a  disposilion  to.  The 
(iisjiosition  that  was  then  felt  was,  on  the  contraiy  to  prefer  others  to  self,  and 
to  hope  that  they  saw  more  of  God  and  loved  him  belter ;  though  beliire,  under 
smaller  discoveries,  and  feebler  exercises  of  divine  alleetion,  there  had  been  felt 
a  disposition  to  censure  and  condemn  others.  And  another  thin^  that  was  felt 
at  that  time,  Wiis  a  very  great  sense  of  the  importance  of  moral  social  duties, 
ami  liowjrreat  a  part  ot^lig;]!)!!  lay  in  them  :  tlu-re  wM*;  SUch  a"  new  sense  and 
conviction  of  this  beyond  what  iiad  been  belore,  that  it  seemed  to  be  as  it  were 
a  clear  discovery  then  made  to  the  soul ;  hut  in  general  there  has  been  a  very 
great  increase  of  a  sense  of  these  two  things,  as  divine  views  and  divine  love 
have  increased. 

The  thiiigs  alreaily  mentioned  have  been  attended  also  with  the  following 
things,  viz.,  an  extraordinary  sense  of  the  awful  majesty,  and  greatness  of  God, 
/••o  as  oftentimes  to  tak'c  away  the  bodily  strength  ;  a  sense  of  the  holiness  of 
God,  as  of  a  flame  infmitely  pure  and  bright,  so  as  sometimes  to  overwhehn  soul 
and  body ;  a  sense  of  the  piercing  all-seeing  eye  of  God,  so  as  sometimes  to 
take  away  the  bodily  strength;  and  an  extraordinary  view  of  the  infinite  terri- 
bleness  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  has  very  frequently  been  strongly  impressed 
on  the  mind,  together  with  a  sense  of  the  inellable  misery  of  sinners  that  are 
exposed  to  this  wrath,  that  has  been  overbearing  :  sometimes  t!ie  exceeding 
pollution  of  the  person's  own  heart,  as  a  sink  of  all  manner  of  abomination,  and 
?.  nest  of  vipei-s,  and  the  dreadfulncss  of  an  eternal  hell  of  God's  wrath,  opened 
to  view  both  together ;  with  a  clear  view  of  a  desert  of  that  misery  ;  \\  ilhout 
the  least  degree  of  divine  pity,  and  that  by  the  pollution  of  the  best  duties ;  yea, 
only  by  the  pollution  and  irreverence,  and  want  of  humility  that  attended  once 
'  speaking  of  the  holy  name  of  God,  when  done  in  the  best  manner  that  ever  it 
was  done  ;  the  strength  of  the  body  very  often  taken  away  with  a  deep  mourn- 
ing for  sin,  as  committed  against  so  holy  and  good  a  God,  sometimes  with  an 
affecting  sense  of  actual  sin,  sometimes  especially  indwelling  sin,  sometimes  the 
consideration  of  the  shi  of  the  heart  as  appearing  in  a  particular  thing,  as  for 
instance,  in  that  there  was  no  greater  forwardness  and  readiness  to  self-denial 
for  God  and  Christ,  that  had  so  denied  himself  for  us;  yea,  sometimes  the  con- 
sideration of  sin  that  was  in  only  speaking  one  word  concerning  the  infinitely 
great  and  holy  God,  has  been  so  affecting  as  to  overcome  the  strength  of  nature : 
a  very  great  sense  of  the  certain  truth  of  the  great  things  revealed  in  the  gos- 
pel ;  an  overwhelming  sense  of  the  glory  of  the  work  of  redemption,  and  the 
'  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ;  the  glorious  harmony  of  the  divine  attributes 
,  appearing  therein,  as  that  wherein  mercy  and  truth  are  met  together,  and  right- 
;  eousness  and  peace  have  kissed  each  other ;  a  sight  of  the  fulness  and  glorious 
(  suiTiciency  of  Christ,  that  has  been  so  affecting  as  to  overcome  the  body  :  a 
i  constant  immovable  trust  in  Go'd  through  Christ,  with  a  great  sense  of  his 
strength  and  faithfulness,  the  sureness  of  his  covenant,  and  the  immutability  of 
his  promises,  so  that  the  everlasting  mountains  and  perpetual  hills  have  appear- 
ed as  mere  shadows  to  these  things :  sometimes  the  sufficiency  and  faithfulness 
of  God  as  the  covenant  God  of  his  people,  appearing  in  these  words,  1  AM 
THAT  I  AM,  in  so  affecting  a  manner  as  to  overcome  the  body  :  a  sense  of 
the  glorious,  unsearchable,  unerring  wisdom  of  God  in  his  works,  l)oth  of  crea- 
tion and  providence,  so  as  to  swallov.'  up  the  soul,  and  overcome  the  strength 
of  the  body :  a  sweet  rejoicing  of  soul  at  the  thoughts  of  God's  being  infinitely 
and  unchangeably  happy,  and  an  exulting  gladness  of  heart  that  God  is  self- 
sulhcient,  and  infinitely  above  all  dependence,  and  reigns  over  all,  and  does  his 
viil  with  absolute  and  uncontrollable  power  and  sovereignty;  a  sense  of  the 


304  REVIVAL   OF  RELIGION 

glory  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  great  comforter,  so  as  to  overwhelm  both  soul 
and  body ;  only  mentioning  the  word  the  Comforter,  has  immediately  t^ken 
away  all  strength  ;  that  word,  as  the  person  expressed  it,  seemed  great  enough 
to  fill  heaven  and  earth  :  a  most  vehement  and  passionate  desire  of  the  honor 
and  rrlory  of  God's  name ;  a  sensible,  clear  and  constant  preference  of  it,  not 
only  to  the  person's  own  temporal  interest,  but  spiritual  comfort  in  this  world ; 
and  a  willingness  to  suffer  the  hidings  of  God's  face,  and  to  live  and  die  in 
darkness  and  horror  if  God's  honor  should  require  it,  and  to  have  no  other  re- 
ward for  it  but  that  God's  name  should  be  glorified,  although  so  much  of  the 
sweetness  of  the  light  of  God's  countenance  had  been  experienced  :  a  great 
lamentino-  of  ingratitude,  and  the  lowness  of  the  degree  of  love  to  God,  so  as  to 
deprive  of  bodily  strength ;  and  very  often  vehement  longings  and  faintings 
after  more  love  to  Christ,  and  greater  conformity  to  him ;  especially  longing 
after  these  two  things,  viz.,  to  be  more  perfect  in  humility,  and  adoration  ;  the  | 
flesh  aiid  heart,  seems  often  to  cry  out  for  a  lying  low  before  God,  and  adoring 
him  with  greater  love  and  humility:  the  thoughts  of  the  perfect  humility  with  , 
which  the  saints  in  heaven  worship  God,  and  fall  down  before  his  throne,  have  '' 
often  overcome  the  body,  and  set  it  into  a  great  agitation.  A  great  delight  in 
singing  praises  to  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  longing  that  this  present  life  j 
may  be,  as  it  were,  one  continued  song  of  praise  to  God ;  longing,  as  the  per-  I 
son  expressed  it,  to  sit  and  sing  this  life  away  ;  and  an  overcoming  pleasure  in  jl 
the  thoughts  of  spending  an  eternity  in  that  exercise;  a  living  by  faith  to  a 
great  degree  ;  a  constant  and  extraordinary  distrust  of  our  own  strength  and 
wisdom ;  a  great  dependence  on  God  for  his  help,  in  order  to  the  performance 
of  any  thing  to  God's  acceptance,  and  being  restrained  from  the  most  horrid 
sins,  and  running  upon  God,  even  on  his  neck,  and  on  the  thick  bosses  of  his 
bucklers  :  such  a  sense  of  the  black  ingratitude  of  true  saints'  coldness  and  dead- 
ness  in  religion,  and  their  setting  their  hearts  on  the  things  of  this  world,  as  to 
overcome  the  bodily  frame :  a  great  longing  that  all  the  children  of  God  might 
be  lively  in  religion,  fervent  in  their  love,  and  active  in  the  service  of  God  ;  and 
when  there  have  been  appearances  of  it  in  others,  rejoicing  so  in  beholding  the 
pleasing  sight,  that  the  joy  of  soul  has  been  too  great  for  the  body:  taking 
pleasure  in  the  thoughts  of  watching  and  striving  against  sin,  and  fighting 
through  the  way  to  heaven,  and  filling  up  this  life  with  hard  labor,  and  bearing 
the  cross  for  Christ,  as  an  opportunity  to  give  God  honor ;  not  desiiing  to  rest 
from  labors  till  arrived  in  heaven,  but  abhorring  the  thoughts  of  it,  and  seeming- 
astonished  that  God's  own  children  should  be  backward  to  strive  and  deny 
themselves  for  God  :  earnest  longings  that  all  God's  people  might  be  clothed  with 
humility  and  meekness,  like  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  feel  nothing  in  their  hearts 
but  love  and  compassion  to  all  mankind  ;  and  great  grief  when  any  thing  to  the 
contrary  seems  to  appear  in  any  of  the  children  of  God,  as  any  bitterness  or  fierce- 
ness of  zeal,  or  censoriousness,  or  reflecting  uncharitably  upon  others,  or  disput- 
ing with  any  appearance  of  heat  of  spirit ;  a  deep  concern  for  the  good  of  others' 
souls  ;  a  melting  compassion  to  those  that  looked  on  themselves  as  in  a  state 
of  nature,  and  to  saints  under  darkness,  so  as  to  cause  the  body  to  faint ;  a 
universal  benevolence  to  mankind,  with  a  longing  as  it  were  to  embrace  the 
whole  world  in  the  arms  of  pity  and  love;  ideas  of  suffering  from  enemies,  the 
utmost  conceivable  rage  and  cruelty,  with  a  disposition  felt  to  fervent  love  and 
pity  in  such  a  case,  so  far  as  it  could  be  rea>:zed  in  thought ;  fainting  with  pity 
to  the  world  that  lies  in  ignorance  and  wickedness;  sometimes  a  disposition  felt 
to  a  life  given  up  to  mourning  alone  in  a  wilderness  over  a  lost  and  miserable 
world ;  compassion  towards  them  being  often  to  that  degree,  that  would  allow 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  305 

of  no  Siippoit  or  rest,  ])ul  in  go'mo^  to  God,  and  pourlrif!;  out  the  soul  in  prayer 
for  tlieni ;  t-arru'st  dtsircs  that  the  ^vork  of  God,  tiiat  is  now  in  tlic  land,  may  be 
canii'd  on,  and  that  with  grcatir  purity,  and  iVoedom  IVon^,  all  bitter  zeal,  cen- 
.soriousness,  spiritual  pride,  hot  disputes,  &r. — a  veliement  and  constant  desire 
for  the  settiiiij;  up  of  Christ's  kinj^doni  through  the  earth,  as  a  kingdom  of  holi- 
ness, purity,  \o\v,  peace  and  happiness  to  mankind  :  the  soul  often  entertained 
with  unspeakable  delight,  and  bodily  strength  overborne,  at  the  thoughts  of 
heaven,  as  a  world  of  love,  where  love  shall  be  the  saints'  eternal  Ibod,  and 
they  shall  dwell  in  the  light  of  love,  and  swim  in  an  ocean  of  love,  and  where 
the  vtry  air  and  breath  will  be  nothing  but  love;  love  to  the  people  of  God,  or 
God's  tiue  saints,  as  such  that  have  the  image  of  Christ,  and  as  those  that  will 
in  a  very  little  time  shine  in  his  jierfect  image,  that  has  been  attended  with  that 
endearment  and  oneness  of  heart,  and  that  sweetness  and  ravishment  of  soul, 
that  has  been  altogether  inexpressible  ;  the  strength  very  often  taken  away  with 
lonoings  that  others  ni;ght  love  God  more,  and  seive  God  better,  and  have  more 
of  his  comfortable  presence,  than  the  person  that  was  the  subject  of  these  long- 
ings, desiring  to  l()]low  the  whole  woi  Id  to  heaven,  or  that  every  one  should  go 
belbre,  and  be  higher  in  grace  and  happiness,  not  by  this  person's  (funinution, 
but  by  others'  increase  :  a  delight  in  conversing  of  things  of  religion,  and  in 
seeing  Christians  together,  talking  of  the  most  spiritual  and  heavenly  things  in 
religion,  in'a  lively  and  feeling  maimer,  and  very  frequently  overcome  with  the 
pleasure  of  such  conversation:  a  great  sense  often  expressed,  of  the  importance 
of  tile  duty  of  charity  to  the  poor,  and  how  much  the  generality  of  Christians 
come  short  in  the  ])racticeof  it :  a  great  sense  of  the  need  God's  ministers  have 
of  much  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  at  this  day  especially  ;  and  most  earnest  longings 
and  wrestlings  with  God  for  them,  so  as  to  take  away  the  bodily  strength  :  tlie 
greatest,  fullest,  longest  continued,  and  most  constant  assurance  of  the  favor  of 
God,  and  of  a  title  to  future  glory,  that  ever  I  saw  any  appearance  of  in  any 
person,  <  njoying,  especially  of  late  (to  use  (he  person's  own  expression),  </ic 
riches  of  full  asstirance :  formerly  longing  to  die  with  something  of  impatience, 
but  lately,  since  that  resignation  ibrementioncd  about  three  years  ago,  an  unin- 
terrupted entire  resignation  to  God  with  respect  to  life  or  death,  sickness  or 
health,  ease  or  pain,  which  has  remained  unchanged  and  unshaken,  when  actu- 
ally under  extreme  and  violent  pains,  and  in  times  of  threatenings  of  immediate 
death  ;  but  though  there  be  this  ])atience  and  submission,  yet  the  thoughts  of 
death  and  the  day  of  judgment  are  always  exceeding  sweet  to  the  soul :  this  re- 
signation is  also  attended  with  a  constant  resignation  of  the  lives  of  dearest  earthly 
friends,  and  sometimes  when  some  of  tb.cir  lives  have  been  imminently  threatened  ; 
often  expressing  the  sweetness  of  the  liberty  of  having  wholly  left  the  world, 
and  renounced  all  lor  God,  and  having  nothing  but  God,  in  whom  is  an  infinite 
fulness.  These  things  have  been  attended  with  a  constant  sweet  peace  and 
calm  and  serenity  of  soul,  without  any  cloud  to  interrupt  it ;  a  continual  rejoic- 
ing in  all  the  works  of  God's  hantis,  the  works  of  nature,  and  God's  daily  works 
of  providence,  all  appearing  with  a  sweet  smile  upon  them  ;  a  wonderful  ac- 
cess to  God  by  prayi-r,  as  it  were  seeing  him,  and  sensibly  inmiediately  conver- 
sing with  him,  as  much  oftentimes  (to  use  the  person's  own  expressions),  as  if 
Christ  were  here  on  earth,  sitting  on  a  visible  throne,  to  be  approached  to  and 
conversed  with  ;  frequent,  plain,  sensible  and  immediate  answers  of  prayer;  all 
tears  wiped  away;  all  former  troubles  and  sorrows  of  life  forgotten,  and  all  sor- 
row and  sigliing  lied  away,  excepting  grief  for  past  sins,  and  for  remaining 
corruptio.n,  and  that  Chiist  is  loved  no  more,  and  that  God  is  no  more  honored 
in  the  world,  and  a  compassionate  grief  towards  fellow  creatures;  a  daily  sen- 
VoL.   III.  39 


306  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

slble  doing  antl  suffering  every  thing  for  God,  for  a  long  time  past,  eating 
for  God,  and  \vorking  for  God,  and  sleeping  for  God,  and  bearing  pain 
and  trouble  for  God,  and  doing  all  as  the  service  of  love,  and  so  doing 
it  with  a  continual  uninteirupted  cheerfulness,  peace  and  joy.  Oh  how  good, 
said  the  person  once,  is  it  to  work  for  God  in  the  day  time,  and  at  night  to  lie 
down  under  his  smiles  !  High  experiences  and  religious  affections  in  this  per- 
son have  not  been  attended  with  any  disposition  at  all  to  neglect  the  necessary 
business  of  a  secidar  calling,  to  spend  the  time  in  reading  and  prayer,  and  other 
exercises  of  devotion;  but  worldly  business  has  been  attended  with  great  alacrity, 
as  part  of  the  service  of  God  :  the  person  declaring  that  it  being  done  thus,  it 
is  found  to  be  as  good  as  prayer.  These  things  have  been  accompanied  with 
an  exceeding  concern  and  zeal  for  moral  duties,  and  that  all  professors  may  with 
them  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  their  Saviour ;  and  an  uncommon  care  to  per- 
form relative  and  social  duties,  and  a  noted  eminence  in  them  ;  a  great  inotfen- 
siveness  of  life  and  conversation  in  the  sight  of  others  ;  a  great  meekness,  gentle- 
ness, and  benevolence  of  spirit  and  behavior  ;  and  a  great  alteration  in  those 
things  that  formerly  used  to  be  the  person's  failings  ;  seeming  to  be  much  over- 
come and  swallowed  up  by  the  late  great  increase  of  grace,  to  the  observation 
of  those  that  are  most  conversant  and  most  intimately  acquainted  :  in  times  of 
the  brightest  light  and  highest  flights  of  love  and  joy,  finding  no  disposition  to 
any  opinion  of  being  now  perfectly  free  from  sin  (agreeable  to  the  rtotion  of  the 
Wesleys  and  their  followers,  and  some  other  high  pretenders  to  spirituality  in 
these  days),  but  exceedingly  the  contrary  :  at  such  times  especially,  seeing  how 
loathsome  and  polluted  the  soul  is,  soul  and  body  and  every  act  and  word  ap- 
pearing like  rottenness  and  corruption  in  that  pure  and  holy  light  of  God's 
glory  ;  not  slighting  instruction  or  means  of  grace  any  more  for  having  had 
great  discoveries  ;  on  the  contrary,  never  more.sensible  of  the  need  of  instruc- 
tion than  now.  And  one  thing  more  may  be  added,  viz*,  that  these  things 
have  been  attended  with  a  particular  dislike  of  placing  religion  much  in  dress, 
and  spending  much  zeal  about  those  things  that  in  themselves  are  matters  of 
indifference,  or  an  affecting  to  show  humility  and  devotion  by  a  mean  habit,  or 
a  demure  and  melancholy  countenance,  or  any  thing  singular  and  superstitious. 
Now  if  such  things  are  enthusiasm,  and  the  fruits  of  a  distempered  brain,  let 
my  brain  be  evermore  possessed  of  that  happy  distemper !  If  this  be  distraction, 
I  pray  God  that  the  world  of  mankind  may  be  all  seized  with  this  benign,  meek, 
beneficent,  beatifical,  glorious  distraction  !  If  agitations  of  body  were  found  in 
the  French  prophets,  and  ten  thousand  prophets  more,  it  is  little  to  their  pm- 
pose  who  bring  it  as  an  objection  against  such  a  work  as  this,  unless  their  pur- 
pose be  to  disprove  the  whole  of  the  Christian  religion.  The  great  affections 
and  high  transports  that  others  have  lately  been  under,  are  in  general  of  the 
same  kind  with  those  in  the  instance  that  has  been  given,  though  not  to  so  high 
a  degree,  and  many  of  them,  not  so  pure  and  unmixed,  and  so  well  regulated. 
I  have  had  opportunity  to  observe  many  instances  here  and  elsewhere ;  and 
though  there  are  some  instances  of  great  affections  in  which  there  has  been  a 
great  mixture  of  nature  with  grace,  and  in  some,  a  sad  degenerating  of  religious 
affections;  yet  there  is  that  uniformity  observable,  that  it  is  easy  to  be  seen  that 
in  general  it  is  the  same  spirit  from  whence  the  work  in  all  parts  of  the  land 
has  originated.  And  what  notions  have  they  of  religion,  that  reject  what  has 
been  described  as  not  true  religion  ?  What  shall  we  find  to  answer  those  ex- 
pressions in  Scripture,  The  peace  of  God  that  passeth  all  understanding :  rejoic- 
ing with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory,  in  believing  in  and  loving  an  unseen 
Saviour  :  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing :  God's  shining  into  our  hearts,  to  give 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  2fft 

hi'  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jems  Christ ; 
uulh  open  face,  beholding  iis  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  being  changed 
into  the  satne  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord : 
hacing  ihe  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,  by  the  Holy  Ghost  given  to  xis : 
having  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  of  glory,  rest  vpon  us :  a  being  called  out  of 
darkness  into  marvellous  light  ;  and  having  the  day  star  arise  in  our  hearts  : 
I  say,  if  those  things  that  have  been  mentioned,  do  not  answer  these  expres- 
sions, what  else  can  we  find  out  that  does  answer  them  ?  Those  that  do 
not  think  such  things  as  these  to  be  the  fruits  of  the  true  Spirit,  would  do  well 
to  consider  what  kind  of  spirit  they  are  waiting  and  praying  for,  and  what  sort 
of  fruits  they  expect  he  should  produce  when  he  comes.  1  suppose  it  will  gen- 
erally be  allowed  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  glorious  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  of  Goil  to  be  expected,  to  introiluce  very  joyful  and  glorious  times  upon 
religious  accounts ;  times  wherein  holy  love  and  joy  will  be  raised  to  a  great 
height  in  true  Christians  :  but  if  those  things  that  have  been  mentioned  be  re- 
jected, what  is  left  that  we  can  find  wherewith  to  patch  up  a  notion,  or  form  an 
idea,  of  the  high,  blessed,  joyful  religion  of  these  times  ?  What  is  that  any 
have  a  notion  of,  that  is  very  sweet,  excellent  and  joyful,  of  a  religious  nature, 
that  is  entirely  of  a  different  nature  from  these  things  ? 

Those  that  are  waiting  for  the  fruits  in  order  to  determine  whether  this  be 
the  work  of  God  or  no,  would  do  well  to  consider  two  things  :  1.  What  they 
are  waiting  for:  whether  it  be  not  this;  to  have  this  wonderful  religious  in- 
fluence that  is  on  the  minds  of  people  over  and  past,  and  then  to  see  how  they  will 
behave  themselves.  That  is.  to  have  grace  subside,  and  the  actings  of  it  in  a 
great  measure  to  cease,  and  to  have  persons  grow  cold  and  dead,  and  then  to 
see  whether  after  that  they  will  behave  themselves  with  that  exactness  and 
brightness  of  conversation,  that  is  to  be  expected  of  lively  Christians,  or  those 
that  are  in  the  vigorous  exercises  of  grace. — There  are  many  that  will  not  be  satis- 
fied with  any  exactness  or  laboriousness  in  religion  now,  while  persons  have 
their  minds  much  moved,  and  their  affections  are  high ;  for  they  lay  it  to  their 
flash  of  affection,  and  heat  of  zeal,  as  they  call  it;  they  are  waiting  to 
see  whether  they  will  carry  themselves  as  well  as  when  these  affections  are 
over :  that  is,  they  are  waiting  to  have  persons  sicken  and  lose  their  strength, 
that  they  may  see  v.hether  they  will  then  behave  themselves  like  healthy  strong 
men.  I  would  desire  that  they  would  also  consider  whether  they  be  not  wait- 
ing for  more  than  is  reasonably  to  be  expected,  supposing  this  to  be  really  a 
great  work  pf  God,  and  much  more  than  has  been  found  in  former  great  out- 
pourings of  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  have  been  universally  acknowledged  in  the 
Christian  church  ?  Do  not  they  expect  fewer  instances  of  apostasy,  and  evidences 
of  hypocrisy  in  professors,  and  those  that  for  the  present  seem  to  be  under  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit,  than  were  after  that  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  apostles'  days,  or  that  which  was  in  the  time  of  the  reformation  ?  And  do 
not  they  stand  prepared  to  make  a  mighty  argument  of  it  against  this  work,  if 
there  should  be  half  so  many  ?  And  2.  They  would  do  -well  to  consider  how 
long  they  will  wait  to  see  the  good  fruit  of  this  work,  before  they  will  deter- 
mine in  favor  of  it.  Is  not  their  M'aiting  unlimited  ?  The  visible  fruit  that  is 
to  be  expected  of  a  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  a  countrv,  is  a  visible 
reformation  in  that  country  :  what  reformation  has  lately  been  brought  to  pass 
in  New  England,  by  this  work,  has  been  before  observed.  And  has  it  not  con- 
tinued long  enough  already,  to  give  reasonable  satisfaction  ?  If  God  cannot 
work  on  the  hearts  of  a  people  after  such  a  manner,  as  to  show  his  hand  so 
plainly,  as  reasonably  to  expect  it  should  be  acknowledged  in  a  year  and  a 


308  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

half,  or  Iwt)  years  time;  yet  surely  it  is  unreasonable,  that  our  expectations  and 
demands  should  be  unlimited,  and  our  waiting  without  any  bounds. 

As  there  is  the  clearest  evidence,  from  those  things  that  have  been  observed, 
that  this  is  the  work  of  God,  so  it  is  evident  that  it  is  a  very  great  and  wonderful, 
and  exceeding  glorious  work  of  God.  This  is  certain,  that  it  is  a  great  and 
wonderful  event,  a  strange  revolution,. an  unexpected,  surprising  overturning  ot 
things,  suddenly  brought  to  pass  ;  such  as  never  has  been  seen  in  New  Eng- 
land, and  scarce  ever  lias  been  heard  of  in  any  land.  Who  that  saw  the  stale 
of  thtno;s  in  New  England  a  few  years  ago,  the  state  that  it  was  settled  in,  and 
the  way  that  we  had  been  so  long  going  on  in,  would  have  thought  that  in  so 
little  a  time  there  would  be  such  a  change  ?  This  is  undoubtedly  either  a  very 
oreat  work  of  God,  or  a  great  work  of  the  devil,  as  to  the  main  substance  of  it. 
For  though  undoubtedly,  God  and  the  devil  may  work  together  at  the  same 
time,  and  in  the  same  land ;  and  when  God  is  at  work,  especially  if  he  be  very 
remarkably  at  work,  Satan  will,  to  his  utmost  endeavor,  intrude,  and  by  inter- 
mingling his  work,  darken  and  hinder  God's  work;  yet  God  and  the  devil  do 
not  work  together  in  producing  the  same  event,  and  in  effecting  the  same 
change  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men :  but  it  is  apparent  that  there  are  some 
things  wherein  the  main  substance  of  this  work  consists,  a  certain  eff'ect  that  is 
produced,  and  akeration  that  is  made  in  the  apprehensions,  affections,  dis- 
positions and  behavior  of  men,  in  which  there  is  a  likeness  and  agreement 
everywhere :  now  this  I  say,  is  either  a  wonderful  work  of  God,  or  a  mighty 
work  of  the  devil ;  and  so  is  either  a  most  happy  event,  greatly  to  be  admired 
and  rejoiced  in,  or  a  most  awful  calamity.  Therefore  if  what  has  been  said 
before,  be  sufficient  to  determine  it  to  be  as  to  the  main,  the  work  of  God,  then 
it  must  be  acknowledged  to  be  a  very  wonderful  and  glorious  work  of  God. 

Such  a  work  is  in  its  nature  and  kind,  the  most  glorious  of  any  work  of 
God  whatsoever ;  and  is  always  so  S])oken  of  in  Scripture.  It  is  the  work  of 
redemption  (the  great  end  of  all  other  works  of  God,  and  of  which  the  work 
of  creation  was  but  a  shadow),  in  the  event,  success  and  end  of  it:  it  is  the 
work  of  new  creation,  that  is  infinitely  more  glorious  than  the  old.  I  am  bold 
to  say,  that  the  work  of  God  in  the  conversion  of  one  soul,  considered  together 
with  the  source,  foundation  and  purchase  of  it,  and  also  the  benefit,  end  and  etfrnal 
issue  of  it,  is  a  more  glorious  work  of  God  than  the  creation  of  the  whole  ma- 
terial universe ;  it  is  the  most  glorious  of  God's  works,  as  it  above  all  others 
manifests  the  glory  of  God:  it  is  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  that  which  shows 
the  exceeding  greatness  of  GocVspoicer,  and  the  glory  and  riches  of  divine  grace, 
and  wherein  Christ  has  the  most  glorious  triumph  over  his  enemies,  and  where- 
in God  is  mightily  exalted :  and  it  is  a  work  above  all  others  glorious,  as  it 
concerns  the  happiness  of  mankind  ;  more  happiness,  and  a  greater  benefit  to 
man,  is  the  fruit  of  each  single  drop  of  such  a  shower,  than  all  the  temporal 
good  of  the  most  happy  revolution  in  a  land  or  nation  amounts  to,  or  all  that 
a  people  could  gain  by  the  conquest  of  the  world. 

And  as  this  work  is  very  glorious  in  its  nature,  so  it  is  in  its  degree  and  cir- 
cumstances. It  will  appear  very  glorious  if  we  consider  the  unworthiness  of 
the  people  that  are  the  subjects  of  it ;  what  obligations  God  has  laid  us  under 
by  the  special  privileges  we  have  enjoyed  for  our  souls'  good,  and  the  great 
things  God  did  tor  us  at  our  first  settlement  in  the  land  ;  and  how  he  has  fol- 
lowed us  with  his  goodness  to  this  day,  and  how  we  have  abused  his  goodness ; 
bow  long  we  have  been  revolting  more  and  more  (as  all  confess),  and  how 
very  corrupt  we  v^^ere  become  at  last ;  in  how  great  a  degree  we  had  cast  off 
God,  and  forsaken  the  fountain  of  living  waters :  how  obstinate  we  have  bee» 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  309 

diul'M  all  mnniuT  of  means  tliat  God  has  used  with  us  to  rcclaitn  us ;  h.'AV  often 
we  liave  mocked  (iod  with  hypocritical  pretences  of  humiliation,  as  in  our  an- 
nual days  of  public  lastiutr,  and  otlicr  thin«^s,  while  instead  of  reforming,  we 
only  ^rew  worse  and  worse  ;  how  dead  a  time  it  was  eyerywhcre  before  this 
woik  began  :  if  we  consider  these  things,  wc  shall  be  most  stupidly  ungrateful, 
it  we  do  not  acknowledge  God's  yisiting  of  us  as  he  has  done,  as  an  instance 
of  the  glorious  triumph  of  free  and  soyereign  grace. 

The  work  is  yery  glorious  if  we  consider  the  extent  of  it  :  being  in  this  re- 
spect vastly  beyond  any  former  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  that  ever  was  known 
in  New  fc^ngland.  There  has  formerly  sometimes  been  a  remarkable  awaken- 
ing and  success  of  the  means  of  grace,  ii.  some  jiarticular  congregation ;  and 
this  uscil  to  be  much  taken  notice  of,  and  ack'iowledged  to  be  glorious,  though 
the  towns  and  congregations  rouml  about  continued  dead ;  but  now  God  has 
brought  to  pass  a  new  thing,  he  has  wrought  a  great  work  of  this  nature,  that 
lias  extended  from  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other,  besides  what  has  been 
wrought  in  other  Biilish  colonies  in  America. 

The  work  is  very  glorious  in  the  great  numbers  that  have  to  appearance, 
been  turned  from  sin  to  God,  and  so  delivered  from  a  wretched  captivity  to  sin 
and  Satan,  saved  from  everlasting  burnings,  and  made  heirs  of  eternal  glory. 
How  high  an  honor,  and  great  reward  of  their  labors,  have  some  eminent  per- 
sons of  note  in  the  church  of  God,  signified  that  they  should  esteem  it,  if  they 
should  be  made  the  instruments  of  the  conversion  and  eternal  salvation  of  but 
one  soul !  And  no  greater  event  than  that  is  thought  worthy  of  great  notice 
in  heaven  among  the  hosts  of  glorious  angels,  who  rejoice  and  sing  on  such  an 
occasion  ;  and  when  there  are  many  tliousands  of  souls  thus  converted  and  sav- 
ed, shall  it  be  esteemed  Avorth  but  little  notice,  and  be  mentioned  with  cokhiess 
and  indilference  here  on  earth, by  those  among  whom  such  a  work  is  wrought? 

The  work  has  been  very  glorious  anti  wonderful  in  many  circumstances  and 
events  of  it,  that  have  been  extraordinary,  wherein  God  has,  in  an  uncommon 
manner,  made  his  hand  visible,  and  his  power  conspicuous;  as  in  the  extraor- 
dinary degrees  of  awakening,  the  suddenness  of  conversions  in  innumerable  in- 
stances, in  which,  though  the  work  was  quick,  yet  the  thing  wrought  is  manifestly 
durable.  How  common  a  thing  has  it  been  for  a  great  part  of  a  congregation  to 
be  at  once  moved,  by  a  mighty  invisible  power ;  and  for  six,  eight,  or  ten  souls 
to  be  converted  to  God  (to  all  appearance),  in  an  exercise,  in  whom  the  vis- 
ible change  still  continues!  How  great  an  alteration  has  been  made  in  some 
towns;  yea.  some  populous  towns;  the  change  still  abiding !  And  how  many 
verv  vicious  persons  have  been  wrought  upon,  so  as  to  become  visibly  new 
creatures!  God  has  also  made  his  hand  very  visible,  and  his  work  glorious,  in 
the  multitudes  of  little  children  that  have  been  wrought  upon  :  I  suppose  there 
have  been  some  hundreds  of  instances  of  this  nature  of  late,  any  one  of  which 
formerly  would  have  been  looked  upon  so  remarkable,  as  to  be  worthy  to  be 
recorded,  and  published  through  the  land.  The  work  is  very  glorious  in  its  in- 
Huences  and  elFects  on  many  that  have  been  very  ignorant  and  barbarous,  as  I 
before  observed  of  the  Indians  and  Negroes. 

The  work  is  also  exceeding  glorious  in  the  high  attainments  of  Christians,  In 
the  extraordinary  degrees  of  light,  love  and  spiritual  joy,  that  God  has  bestow- 
trl  upon  great  multitudes.  In  this  respect  also,  the  lanci  in  all  parts  has  abound- 
ed with  such  instances,  any  one  of  which  if  they  had  happened  formerly,  would 
have  been  tboiight  worthy  to  be  taken  notice  of  by  God's  people,  throughout 
the  British  dominions.  The  new  Jerusalem  in  this  respect  has  begun  to  corae 
down  from  heaven,  and  perhaps  i>:ver  were  more  of  the  prelibations  of  heaven's 
glory  given  upon  earth. 


310  RtVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

There  being  a  great  many  errors  and  sinful  irregularities  mixed  with  this 
"work  of  God,  arising  irom  our  weakness,  darkness  and  corruption,  does  not 
hinder  this  work  of  God's  power  and  grace  from  being  very  glorious.  Our 
follies  and  sins  that  we  mix,  do  in  some  respects  manifest  the  gloi-y  of  it :  the 
glory  of  divine  power  and  grace  is  set  off  with  the  greater  lustre,  by  what  ap- 
pears at  the  same  time  of  the  weakness  of  the  earthen  vessel.  It  is  God's  plea- 
sure that  there  shoukl  be  something  remarkably  to  manifest  the  weakness  and 
unworthiness  of  the  subject,  at  the  same  time  that  he  displays  the  excellency  of 
his  power  and  riches  of  his  grace. — And  I  doubt  not  but  some  of  those  things 
that  make  some  of  us  here  on  earth  to  be  out  of  humor,  and  to  look  on  this 
work  with  a  sour,  displeased  countenance,  do  heighten  the  songs  of  the  angels, 
when  they  praise  God  and  the  Lamb  for  what  they  see  of  the  glory  of  God's 
all-sufficiency,  and  the  efficacy  of  Christ's  redemption.  And  how  unreasonable 
is  it  that  we  should  be  backward  to  acknowledge  the  glory  of  what  God  has 
done,  because  withal,  the  devil,  and  we,  in  hearkening  to  him,  have  done  a 
spreat  deal  of  mischief! 


PART    II. 

Showing  the  Obhgations  that  all  are  under  to  acknowledge,  rejoice  in,  and  promote 
this  Work,  and  the  great  Danger  of  the  contrary. 

There  are  many  things  in  the  word  of  God,  that  show  that  when  God  re- 
markably appears  in  any  great  work  for  his  church,  and  against  his  enemies,  it 
is  a  most  dangerous  thing,  and  highly  provoking  to  God,  to  be  slow  and  back- 
ward to  acknowledge  and  honor  God  in  the  work,  and  to  lie  still  and  not  to 
put  to  a  helping  hand.  Christ's  people  are  in  Scripture  represented  as  his 
army  ;  he  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts  or  armies  :  he  is  the  captain  of  the  host  of  the 
Lord,  as  he  called  himself  when  he  appeared  to  Joshua,  with  a  sword  drawn  in 
his  hand,  Joshua  v.  13,  14,  15.  He  is  the  captain  of  his  people's  salvation ; 
and  therefore  it  may  well  be  highly  resented  if  they  do  not  resort  to  liim  when 
he  orders  his  banner  to  be  displayed  ;  or  if  they  refuse  to  follow  him  when  he 
blows  the  trumpet,  and  gloriously  appears  going  forth  against  his  enemies.  God 
expects  that  every  living  soul  should  have  his  attention  roused  on  such  an  oc- 
casion, and  should  most  cheerfully  yield  to  the  call,  and  heedfully  and  diligent- 
ly obey  it ;  Isa.  xviii.  3,  "  All  ye  inhabitants  of  the  world,  and  dwellers  on  the 
earth,  see  ye  when  he  lifteth  up  an  ensign  on  the  mountains ;  and  when  he 
bloweth  the  trumpet,  hear  ye."  Especially  should  all  Israel  be  gathered  after 
their  captain,  as  we  read  they  were  after  Ehud,  when  he  blew  the  trumpet  in 
mount  Ephraim,  when  he  had  slain  Eglon  king  of  Moab,  Judg.  iii.  27,  28. 
How  severe  is  the  martial  law  in  such  a  case,  when  any  of  an  army  refuses  to 
obey  the  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  follow  his  general  to  the  battle !  God  at  such  a 
time  appears  in  peculiar  manifestations  of  his  glory,  and  therefore  not  to  be  af- 
fected and  animated,  and  to  lie  still,  and  refuse  to 'follow  God,  will  be  resented 
as  a  high  contempt  of  him.  If  a  subject  should  stand  by,  and  be  a  spectator 
of  the  solemnity  of  his  prince's  coronation,  and  should  appear  silent  and  sullen, 
when  all  the  multitude  were  testifying  their  loyalty  and  joy,  Avith  loud  accla- 
0jations ;  how  greatly  would  he  expose  himself  to  be  treated  as  a  rebel,  and 
quickly  to  perish  by  the  authority  of  the  pi-ince  that  he  refuses  to  honor  ! 

At  a  time  when  God  manifests  himself  in  such  a  great  work  for  his  church, 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  being  neuters ;  there  is  a  necessity  of  being  either  for 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  311 

or  a^ramst  the  king  that  then  glorioifsly  appears :  as  when  a  king  is  crowned, 
anil  (liere  are  pubhc  manifestations  of  joy  on  that  occasion,  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  stanthng  by  as  an  indillcrcnl  spectator;  all  niu.st  ai)pear  as  byal  sub- 
jects^ and  express  their  joy  on  that  occasion,  or  be  accounted  enemies  :  so  it 
always  is  when  God,  in' any  great  dispensation  of  his  providence,  does  remark- 
ably set  his  king  on  his  holy  liill  of  Zion,  and  C:hrist  in  an  extraordmary  man- 
ner'conies  down  from  heaven  to  tht  earth,  and  appears  in  his  visible  churcli  m 
a  "-reat  work  of  salvation  for  his  people :  so  it  was  when  Christ  came  down 
from  heaven  in  his  incarnation,  and  appeared  on  earth  in  his  human  presence ; 
there  was  no  such  thing  as  being  neuters,  neither  on  his  side  nor  against  him  : 
those  that  sat  still  and  said  nothinoj,  and  did  not  declare  for  him,  and  come  and 
join  with  him,  after  he,  by  his  word  and  works,  had  given  suflicient  evidence 
who  he  was,  were  justly  looked  upon  as  his  enemies;  as  Christ  says, Matt.  xu. 
30,  "He  that  is  not  wi'lh  me  is  against  me ;  and  he  that  galherelh  not  with 
me,  scattereth  abroad."  So  it  is  in  a  time  when  Christ  is  reinaikably  spiritually 
present,  as  well  as  when  he  is  boilily  present ;  and  when  he  comes  to  carry  on 
the  work  of  redemption  in  the  appfication  of  it,  as  well  as  in  the  revelation 
and  purchase.  If  a  king  should  come  into  one  of  his  provinces,  that  had  been 
oppressed  by  its  foes,  where  some  of  liis  subjects  had  fallen  off  to  the  enemy, 
and  joined  With  them  against  their  lawful  sovereign  and  his  loyal  subjects; 
I  say,  if  the  lawful  sovereign  himself  should  come  into  the  province,  and  shouhl 
ride  forth  there  against  his  enemies,  and  should  call  upon  all  that  were  on  his 
side  to  come  and  "gather  themselves  to  him  ;  there  would  be  no  such  tiling,  m 
such  a  case,  as  standing  neuter :  they  that  laid  still  and  staid  at  a  distance  would 
undoubtedly  be  looked  upon  and  treated  as  rebels.  So  in  the  d:.y  of  battle,  when 
two  mnies  join,  there  is  no  sucli  thing  for  any  present  as  being  ol  neither  party, 
all  must  be  on  one  side  or  the  other  ;  and  they  that  are  not  lound  with  the  con- 
queror in  such  a  case,  must  expect  to  have  his  weapons  turned  agamst  them, 
and  to  fall  with  the  rest  of  his  enemies. 

When  God  manifests  himself  with  such  glorious  power  in  a  work  oi  this 
nature,  he  appears  especially  determined  to  put  honor  upon  his  Son,  and  to  fulfil 
his  oath  that  he  has  sworn  to  him,  that  he  would  make  every  knee  to  bow,  and 
every  tongue  to  confess  to  him.  God  hath  had  it  much  on  his  heart,  from  all 
eternity,  to  glorify  his  dear  and  only  begotten  Son  ;  and  there  are  some  special 
seasons  that'^he  appoints  to  that  end,  wherein  he  comes  forth  with  omnipotent 
power  to  fulfil  his  promise  and  oath  to  him ;  and  these  times  are  times  ot  re- 
markable pouring  out  of  his  Spirit,  to  advance  his  kingdom ;  such  a  day  is 
a  day  of  his  power,  wherein  his  people  shall  be  made  willing,  and  he  shall  rule 
in  the  midst  of  his  enemies  ;  ihese  especially  are  the  times  wherein  God  declares 
his  firm  decree  that  his  Son  shall  reign  on  his  holy  lull  of  Zion  ;  and  therelore 
those  that  at  such  a  time  do  not  kiss  the  Son,  as  he  then  man-.tests  himsell,  and 
appears  in  the  glory  of  his  majesty  and  grace,  expose  themselves  to  pe7Wt/rom 
tkeway,  iind  to  he  dashed  in  pieces  with  a  rod  of  iron.  ,  •  ,   /    7  •;/ 

As  such  a  time  is  a  time  wherein  God  eminently  sets  his  king  on  his  holy  fnll 
of  Zion,  so  it  is  a  time  wherein  he  remarkablv  fulfils  that  in  Isa.  xxyiii.  16 : 
"Therefore  thus saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  1  'lay  in  Zion  for  a^toun.  ation  a 
stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner  stone,  a  sure  foundation.  W  hich  the 
two  Apostles  Veter  and  Paul  (1  Pet.  ii.  6,  7,  8,  and  Rom.  ix.  33)  join  with 
that  prophecy,  Isa.  viii.  14,  15,  "  And  he  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary  ;  but  for  a 
stone  of  stumbling,  and  for  a  rock  of  offence  to  both  the  houses  ot  Israel  for 
a  oin  and  for  a  snare  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  :  and  many  among  them 
shall  stumble  and  fall,  and  be  broken,  and  be  snared  and  taken."     As  signify- 


312  REVIVAL   OF  RELIGION 

ing  tliat  both  are  fulfilled  together.  Yea,  both  are  joined  together  by^the  pro- 
phet Isaiah  himself;  as  you  may  see  in  the  context  of  that  lorementioned,  Isa. 
xxviii.  16.  In  ver.  13,  preceding,  it  is  said,  "  But  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  unto 
Iheai  precept  upon  precept,  precept  upon  precept ;  line  upon  line,  line  upon 
line ;  heie  a  little,  and  there  a  little,  that  they  might  go,  and  fall  backward,  and 
be  broken,  and  snared  and  taken."  And  accordingly  it  always  is  so,  that  when 
Christ  is  in  a  peculiar  and  eminent  manner  manifested  and  magnified,  by  a 
glorious  woi  k  of  God  in  his  church,  as  a  foundation  and  sanctuary  for  some,  he 
is  remarkably  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence,  a  gin  and  a  snare  to 
others.  They  that  continue  long  to  stumble,  and  be  oiiended  and  ensnared  in 
their  minds,  at  such  a  great  and  glorious  work  of  Christ,  in  God's  account, 
stumble  at  Christ,  and  are  oifended  in  him  ;  ibr  the  work  is  that  by  which  he 
makes  Christ  manliest,  and  shows  his  glory,  and  by  which  he  makes  the  stone 
that  the  builders  refused,  to  become  the  head  of  the  corner.  This  shows  how 
dangerous  it  is  to  continue  always  stumbling  at  such  a  work,  forever  doubting  of 
it,  and  forbearing  fully  to  acknowledge  it,  and  give  God  (he  glory  of  it.  Such 
persons  are  in  danger  to  go,  and  fall  backward,  and  be  broken,  and  snared  and 
taken,  and  to  have  Christ  a  stone  of  stumbling  to  them,  that  shall  be  an  occasion 
of  their  ruin;  while  he  is  to  others  a  sancti(Gry,and  a  sure  foundation. 

The  prophet  Isaiah,  Isa.  xxix.  14,  :?peaks  of  God's  proceetling  to  do  a 
marvellous  work  and  a  wonder,  which  should  stumble  and  confound  the  wisdom 
of  the  wise  and  prudent;  which  the  apostle  in  Actsxiii.  41,  applies  to  the  glori- 
ous work  of  salvation  wrought  in  those  days  by  the  redemption  of  Christ,  and 
that  glorious  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  to  apply  it  that  followed  ;  the  prophet 
in  the  context  of  that  place  in  Isa.  xxix.,  speaking  of  the  same  thing,  and  of  the 
prophets  and  rulers  and  seers,  those  wise  and  jirudent,  whose  eyes  God  had 
closed,  says  to  them,  verse  9,  "  Stay  yourselves  and  wonder."  In  the  original 
it  is.  Be  ye  slow  and  ivonder.  I  leave  it  to  others  to  consider  whether  it  is  not 
natural  to  interpret  it  thus,  "  Wonder  at  this  marvellous  work  ;  let  it  be  a  strange 
thing,  a  great  mystery  that  you  know  not  what  to  make  of,  and  that  you  are 
very  slow  and  backward  to  acknowledge,  long  delaying  to  come  to  a  determi- 
nation concerning  it."  And  what  persons  are  in  danger  of  that  wonder,  and 
are  thus  slow  to  acknowledge  God  in  such  a  work,  we  leain  by  that  of  the 
apostle  in  that  forementioned  Acts  xiii.  41,  "  Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder 
and  perish  ;  for  1  work  a  work  in  your  days,  a  work  which  you  shall  in  no  wise 
believe,  though  a  man  declare  it  unto  you  " 

The  church  of  Christ  is  called  upon  gi'eatly  to  rejoice,  when  at  any  time 
Christ  remarkably  appears,  coniing  to  his  church,  to  carry  on  the  work  of  sal- 
vation, to  enlarge  his  own  kingdom,  and  to  deliver  poor  souls  out  of  the  pit^ 
wherein  there  is  no  water,  in  Zech.  ix.  9,  10,  11 :  "  Rejoice  greatly  0  daughter 
of  Zion,  shout  0  daughter  of  Jerusalem ;  behold  thy  king  cometh  unto  thee  ; 
he  is  just  and  having  salvation. — His  dominion  shall  be  from  sea  to  sea.—  As  for 
thee  also,  by  the  blood  of  thy  coAcnant,  I  have  sent  ibrth  thy  prisoners  out  of 
the  pit  wherein  is  no  water.''  Christ  was  pleased  to  give  a  notable  typicat 
or  symbolical  repsesentation  of  such  a  great  event  as  is  spoken  of  in  that 
prophecy,  in  his  solemn  entry  into  the  literal  Jerusalem,  which  was  a  type 
of  the  church  or  daughter  of  Zion,  there  spoken  of;  probably  intending  il 
as  a  figure  and  prelude  of  that  great  actual  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy,  that  was 
to  be  aftev  his  ascension,  by  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  and  that  more  full  accomplishment  that  should  be  in  the  latter  ages  of 
the  Christian  church.  We  have  an  account,  that  when  Christ  made  this  his 
solemn  entry  into  Jerusalem,  and  the  whole  I'-iltitude  of  the  disciples  were  rejoic- 


IN   NEW  ENGLAND.  313 

mg  and  prnlsing  God  with  loud  voices,  for  all  the  mighty  works  that  they  had 
seen,  the  Pharisees  from  aiDong  the  multiliide  said  to  Christ,  Master,  rchulcc  thy 
disciples  ;  but  we  are  told,  Luke  xix.  39,  40,  Christ  "  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  1  tell  you,  that  if  these  should  hold  their  peace,  the  stones  would  inunedi- 
ately  cry  out :"  signifying,  that  if  Christ's  professing  disciples  shouiii  he  unaf- 
fected on  stich  an  occasion,  and  should  not  appear  openly  to  acknowledge  and 
rejoice  in  the  glory  of  God  therein  appearing,  it  would  manifest  such  fearhd 
hardness  of  heart,  so  exceeding  that  of  the  stones,  that  the  very  stones  would 
condemn  ihera.  Should  not  this  make  those  consider,  who  have  held  tlieir  peace 
so  long  .since  Christ  has  come  to  our  Zion  having  salvation,  and  so  won(hrfuIly 
manifested  his  glory  in  this  mighty  work  of  his  Sjiirit,  and  so  many  of  his  tl.sciplts 
have  been  rejoicing  and  praising  God  with  loud  voices? 

It  must  be  acknowledged  that  so  great  and  wonderful  a  work  of  God'-* 
Spirit,  is  a  work  wherein  God's  hand  is  renmikahly  liflcd  up,  and  wherein  he 
displays  his  majesty,  and  shows  great  favor  and  mercy  to  sinners,  in  the  glori- 
ous opportunity  he  gives  them  ;  and  by  w^hich  he  makes  our  land  to  become  nmch 
more  a  land  of  upr^htness:  therefore  that  place,  Isa.  xxvi,  10,  11,  shows  the 
great  danger  of  not  sx^eing  God's  hand,  and  acknowledging  his  glory  and  majesty 
in  such  a  work:  "Let  favor  be  shown  to  the  wicked,  yet  will  he  not  learn 
righteousness  ;  in  the  land  of  uprightnes,s  he  will  ileal  unjustly,  and  will  not  be- 
hold the  majesty  of  the  Lord.  Loril,  when  thy  hanil  is  lifted  up,  they  will  not 
see ;  but  they  shall  see,  and  be  ashamed  for  their  envy  at  the  people  ;  yea,  the 
fire  of  thine  eneraie^  shall  devour  them." 

It  is  not  unlikely  that  this  work  of  God's  Spirit,  that  is  so  extraor<linary  and 
wonderful,  is  the  dawning,  or  at  least,  a  prelude  of  that  glorious  work  of  God, 
so  often  foretold  in  Scripture,  which  in  the  progress  and  issue  of  it  shall  renew 
the  world  of  mankind.  If  we  consider  how  long  since,  the  things  foretold,  as 
what  should  precede  this  great  event  have  been  accomplished  ;  and  how  long 
this  event  has  been  expected  by  the  church  of  God,  and  thought  to  be  nigh  by 
the  most  eminent  men  of  God'in  the  church  ;  and  withal  consider  what  the 
state  of  things  now  is,  and  has  for  a  considerable  lime  been,  in  the  church  of 
God,  and  woTld  of  mankind,  we  cannot  reasonably  think  otherwise,  than  that 
the  beginning  of  this  great  work  of  God  must  be  near.  And  there  are  inany 
thintrs^that  make  it  probable  that  this  work  will  begin  in  America.  It  is  sig- 
nified that  it  shall  begin  in  some  very  remote  part  ot  the  world,  that  the  rest  of 
the  world  have  no  communication  with  but  by  navigation,  in  Isa.  Ix.  9 :  "  Sure- 
ly the  Isles  will  wait  for  me,  and  the  ships  of  Tarshish  fii-sl,  to  bring  my  sons 
from  far."'  It  is  exceeding  manifest  that  this  chapter  is  a  prophecy  of  the 
prosperity  of  the  chiu-ch,  in  its  most  glorious  stale  on  earth,  in  the  laller  days  j 
and  I  cannot  think  that  any  thing  else  can  be  here  intended  but  America,  by 
the  Isles  that  are  afar  olf,  from  whence  the  first  born  sons  of  that  glorious  day 
shall  be  brounht.  Indeed  by  the  isles,  in  prophecies  of  gospel  times,  is  very 
often  meant  ICurope  :  it  is  so  in  prophecies  of  that  great  spreading  ol  the  gos- 
pel that  should  be  soon  after  Christ's  time,  because  it  was  far  separated  Irom 
that  part  of  the  world  where  the  church  of  God  had,  until  then  been,  by  the 
sea.  But  this  prophecy  cannot  have  respect  to  the  convei-sion  of  Europe,  in  the 
time  of  that  great  work  of  God,  in  the  primiiive  ages  of  the  Christian  church  ; 
for  it  was  not  fulfilleil  then  :  the  isles  and  ships  of  Tarshish,  thus  understood, 
did  not  wait  for  God  first ;  that  glorious  work  did  not  begin  in  Europe,  but  m 
Jerusalem,  and  had  for  a  considerable  time,  been  very  wonderfully  carried  on 
in  Asia,  before  it  reached  Europe.  And  as  it  is  not  that  work  of  God  that  is 
chiefly  intended  in  this  chapter,  but  that  more  glorious  work  that  shoula  be  m 

Vol.  111.  40 


314  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

the  ]Mev  iigis  of  the  Christian  church,  therefore  some  other  part  of  the  world 
is  here  intended  by  the  Isles,  that  should  he  as  Europe  then  was,  far  separated 
from  that  part  of  the  world  where  the  church  had  before  been,  by  the  sea,  and 
with  which  it  can  have  no  communication  but  by  the  ships  of  Tarshish  And 
what  is  chiefly  intended  is  not  the  British  Isles,  nor  any  Isles  near  the  other 
continent  ;  lor  they  are  spoken  of  as  at  a  great  distance  from  that  part  of  the 
.vorld  where  the  church  had  till  then  been.  This  prophecy  therefore  seems 
plainly  to  point  out  America,  as  the  first  fruits  of  that  glorious  day. 

God  has  made  as  it  were  two  Avorlds  here  below,  the  old  and  the  new 
(according  to  the  names  they  are  now  called  by),  two  great  habitable  conti- 
nents, far  se}iarated  one  from  the  other  ;  the  latter  is  but  newly  discovered,  it 
was  formerly  wholly  unknown,  from  age  to  age,  and  is  as  it  were  now  hut 
newly  created  :  it  has  been,  until  of  late,  wholly  the  possession  of  Satan,  the 
chuich  of  God  having  never  been*  in  it,  as  it  has  been  in  the  other  continent, 
ti-om  the  beginning  of  the  world.  This  new  world  is  probably  now  discover- 
ed, that  the  new  and  most  glorious  state  of  God's  church  on  earth  might  com- 
mence there  ;  that -God  might  in  it  begin  a  new  world  in  a  spiritual  respect, 
when  he  creates  the  nnv  heavens  and  new  earth. 

God  has  already  put  that  honor  upon  the  other  continent,  that  Christ  was 
born  there  literally,  and  there  made  the  purchase  of  redemjition  :  so,  as  Provi- 
dence observes  a  kind  of  equal  distribution  of  things,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  the 
great  spiritual  birth  of  Christ,  and  the  most  glorious  application  of  redemption 
is  to  begin  in  this:  as  the  elder  sister  brought  forth  Juc|[ah,  of  whom  came 
Christ,  and  so  she  was  the  mother  of  Christ :  but  the  younger  sister,  after  long 
barrenness,  brought  forth  Joseph  and  Benjamin,  the  beloved  children.  Joseph, 
that  had  the  most  glorious  apparel,  the  coat  of  many  colors,  who  was  separated 
from  his  brethren,  and  was  exalted  to  such  glory  out  of  a  dark  dungeon,  and 
ie(\  and  saved  the  woild,  v.hen  ready  to  perish  with  famine,  and  was  as  a  fruit- 
ful bough  by  a  well,  whose  branches  ran  over  the  wall,  and  was  blessed  with 
all  manner  of  blessings  and  precious  things,  of  heaven  and  earth,  through  the 
good  will  of  him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush  ;  and  was,  as  by  the  horns  of  a  unicorn, 
to  push  the  people  together,  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  i.  e.,  conquer  the  world. 
See  Gen.  xlix.  22,  &c.,  and  Deut.  xxxiii.  13,  &c.  And  Benjamin,  whose  mess 
was  five  times  so  great  as  that  of  any  of  his  brethren,  and  to  whom  Joseph,  the 
type  of  Christ,  gave  wealth  and  raiment  far  beyond  all  the  rest.  Gen.  xlv.  22. 
The  other  continent  hath  slain  Christ,  and  has  from  age  to  age  shed  the  blood 
of  the  saints  and  martyrs  of  Jesus,  rind  has  often  been  as  it  were  deluged  with 
the  church's  blood  :  God  has  therefore  probably  reserved  the  honor  of  building 
the  gloiious  temple  to  the  daughter,  that  has  not  shed  so  much  blood,  when  those 
times  of  the  peace,  and  prosperity,  and  glory  of  the  church  shall  commence,  that 
were  typified  by  the  reign  of  Solomon. 

The  Gentiles  first  received  the  true  religion  from  the  JeM'S  :  God's  church  of 
ancient  times  had  been  among  them,  and'Christ  was  of  them  :  but  that  there 
might  be  a  kind  of  equality  in  the  dispensations  of  Providence,  God  has  so  ordered 
it,  that  v/hen  the  Jews  come  to  be  admitted  to  the  benefits  of  the  evangelical 
dispensation,  and  to  receive  their  highest  privileges  of  all,  they  should  receive 
the  gospel  from  the  Gentiles.  Though  Christ  was  of  them,  yet  they  have  been 
guilty  of  crucifying  him  ;  it  is  therefore  the  will  of  God,  that  that  people  should 
not  have  the  honor  of  communicating  the  blessings  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  its 
most  glorious  state,  to  the  Gentiles,  but  on  the  contrary,  they  shall  receive  the 
gospel  in  the  beginning  of  that  glorious  day,  from  the  Gentiles.  In  some  analogy 
to  this,  I  apprehend  God's  dealings  will  be  with  the  two  continents.     Ameiica 


L\   NF.W   ENGLAND.  315 

liris  .a'coiveil  the  true  lellgion  of  the  olil  continent ;  tin*  cliurch  of  ancient  times 
has  been  there,  and  Christ  is  iVom  thence :  but  that  there  may  be  an  equality, 
and  inasmuch  as  that  continent  has  crucified  Christ,  they  shall  not  have  the 
honor  of  communicating  religion  in  its  most  glorious  state  to  us,  but  we  to 
them. 

The  old  continent  has  been  the  source  and  original  of  mankind,  in  several 
respects.  The  first  parents  of  mankind  dwelt  there  ;  and  there  dwelt  Noah  and 
his  sons ;  and  there  the  second  Adam  was  born,  and  was  crucified  and  rose  again  : 
and  it  is  probable  that,  in  some  measure  to  balance  these  things,  the  most  glori- 
ous renovation  of  the  world  shall  originate  from  the  new  c(jntinen(,  and  the 
church  of  God  in  that  respect  be  from  hence.  And  so  it  is  probable  that  that 
will  come  to  pass  in  spirituals,  that  has  in  temporals,  with  respect  to  America  ; 
that  whereas  till  of  late,  the  world  was  supplied  with  its  silver  and  gold  and 
earthly  treasures  from  the  old  continent,  now  it  is  supplied  chiefly  from  the  new, 
so  tlie  coui-se  of  things  in  spiritual  respects  will  be  in  like  manner  turned. 

And  it  is  worthy  to  be  noted  that  America  was  discovered  about  the  time 
of  the  reformation,  or  but  little  before :  which  reformation  was  the  first  thing 
that  God  did  towards  the  glorious  renovation  of  the  world,  after  it  had  sunk  into 
the  depths  of  darkness  and  ruin,  under  the  great  antichristian  apostasy.  So  that 
as  soon  as  this  new  world  is  (as  it  were)  created,  and  stands  forth  in  view,  God 
presently  goes  about  doing  some  great  thing  to  make  way  for  the  introduction 
of  the  church's  latter  day  glory,  that  is  to  have  its  first  seat  in,  and  is  to  take  its 
rise  from  that  new  world. 

It  is  agreeable  to  God's  manner  of  working,  when  he  accomplishes  any 
glorious  work  in  the  world,  to  introduce  a  new  and  more  excellent  state  of  his 
church,  to  begin  his  work  where  his  church  had  not  been  till  then,  and  where 
was  no  foundation  already  laid,  that  the  power  of  God  might  be  the  more  con- 
spicuous ;  that  the  work  might  apjiear  to  be  entirely  God's,  and  be  more  mani- 
festly a  creation  out  of  nothing  ;  agreeably  to  Hos.  i.  10  :  "  And  it  shall  come 
to  pass  that  in  the  place  where  it  was  said  unto  them,  ye  are  not  my  people, 
there  it  shall  be  said  unto  them,  ye  are  the  sons  of  the  living  God."  When 
God  is  about  to  turn  the  earth  into  a  Paradise,  he  does  not  begin  his  work  where 
there  is  some  good  growth  already,  but  in  a  wilderness,  where  nothing  grows, 
and  nothing  is  to  be  seen  but  diy  sand  and  barren  rocks  ;  that  the  light  may 
t;hine  out  of  darkness,  and  the  world  be  replenished  from  emptiness,  and  the 
earth  watered  by  springs  from  a  droughty  desert ;  agreeably  to  many  prophe- 
cies of  Scripture,  as  ]sa.  xxxii.  15:  '•  Until  the  Spirit  be  poured  from  on  high, 
and  the  wilderness  become  a  fruitlul  field."  And  chap.  xli.  IS,  '*  I  will  o])en 
rivers  in  high  places,  and  fountains  in  the  midst  of  the  valleys  ;  I  will  make  the 
wilderness  a  pool  of  water,  and  the  dry  land  springs  of  water  :  I  will  j)lant  in 
the  wililerness  the  cedar,  the  shittah  tree,  and  the  irtyrtle  and  oil  tree  :  J  will 
set  in  the  desert  the  fir  tree,  and  the  pine,  and  the  box  tree  toguthLr ;"  and 
chap,  xliii.  20,  "  I  will  give  waters  in  the  wilderness,  and  rivers  in  the  desert, 
to  give  drink  to  my  people,  my  clioscn."  And  many  other  parallel  Scriptures 
might  be  mentioned. 

I  observed  before,  that  when  God  is  about  to  do  some  great  work  for  his 
church,  his  manner  is  to  begin  at  the  lower  end  ;  so  when  he  is  about  to  renew 
the  whole  habitable  earth,  it  is'  probable  that  he  will  begin  in  this  utmost, 
meanest,  youngest  and  weakest  part  of  it,  where  the  church  of  God  has  been 
planted  last  of  all ;  and  so  the  first  shall  be  last,  and  the  last  first ;  and  that  will 
be  fulfilled  in  an  eminent  manner  in  Isa.  xxiv.  16,  "  From  the  uttermost  part  of 
the  earth  have  we  heard  songs,  even  glory  to  the  righteous." 


316  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

There  are  several  tilings  that  seem  to  me  to  argue,  that  when  the  Sun  ui 
Righleousness,  the  sun  of  the  new  heavens  and  new  earth,  comes  to  rise,  and 
comes  forth  as  the  bridegroom  of  liis  church,  rejoicing  as  a  strong  man  to  run 
his  race,  having  his  going  forth  from  the  end  of  heaven,  and  his  circuit  to  the 
end  of  'it,  that°iothing  may  be  hid  from  the  light  and  heat  of  it,*  that  thesun 
shall  rise  in  the  west,  contrary  to  the  course  of  this  world,  or  the  course  of  things 
in  the  old  heavens  and  earth.  The  course  of  God's  providence  shall  in  that 
day  be  so  wonderfully  altered  in  many  respects,  that  God  will  as  it  were  change 
the  course  of  nature,  in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  his  church  ;  as  God  changed  the 
course  of  nature,  and  caused  the  sun  to  go  from  the  West  to  the  East,  when 
llezekiah  was  healed,  and  God  promised  to  do  such  great  things  for  his  church, 
to  deliver  it  out  of  the  hand  of  the  king  of  Assyria,  by  that  mighty  slaughter  by 
the  angel ;  which  is  often  used  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  as  a  type  of  the  glorious 
deliverance  of  the  church  from  her  enemies  in  the  latter  days  :  the  resurrection 
of  Hezekiah,  the  king  and  captain  of  the  church  (as  he  is  called  2  Kings  xx.  5), 
as  it  were  from  the  dead,  is  given  as  an  earnest  of  the  church's  resurrection  and 
salvation,  Isa.  xxxviii.  6,  and  is  a  type  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ.  At  the 
same  time  there  is  a  resurrection  of  the  sun,  or  corning  back  and  rising  again  from 
the  west,  whither  it  had  gone  down  ;  which  is  also  a  type  of  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness. The  sun  was  brought  b?ck  ten  degrees  ;  which  probably  brought  it 
to  the  meridian.  The  Sun  of  Righteousness  has  long  been  going  down  from 
east  to  west ;  and  probably  when  the  time  comes  of  the  church's  deliverance 
from  her  enemies,  so  often  typified  by  the  Assyrians,  the  light  will  rise  in  the 
west,  until  it  shines  through  the  world,  like  the  sun  in  its  meridian  brightness. 

The  same  seems  also  to  be  represented  by  the  course  of  the  waters  of  the 
sanctuary,  Ezek.  xlvii.,  which  was  from  west  to  east ;  which  waters  undoubtedly 
represent  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  progress  of  his  saving  influences,  in  the  latter 
ages  of  the  world :  for  it  is  manifest  that  the  whole  of  those  last  chapters  of 
Ezekiel,  are  concerning  the  glorious  state  of  the  church  that  shall  then  be. 

And  if  we  may  suppose  that  this  glorious  work  of  God  shall  begin  in  any 
part  of  America,  1  think  if  we  consider  the  circumstances  of  the  settlement  of 
New  England,  it  must  needs  appear  the  most  likely  of  all  American  colonies,  to 
be  the  place  whence  this  work  shall  principally  take  its  rise. 

And  if  these  things  are  so,  it  gives  more  abundant  reason  to  hope  that  what 
is  now  seen  in  America,  and  especially  in  New  England,  may  prove  the  dawn 
of  that  glorious  day  :  and  the  very  uncommon  and  wonderful  circumstances  and 
events  of  this  work,  seem  to  me  strongly  to  argue  that  God  intends  it  as  the 
beginning  or  forerunner  of  something  vastly  great. 

I  have  thus  long  insisted  on  this  point,  because  if  these  things  are  so,  it  greatly 
manifests  how  much  it  behooves  us  to  encourage  and  promote  this  work,  and 
how  dangerous  it  will  be  to  forbear  so  to  do. 

It  is  very  dangerous  for  God's  professing  people  to  lie  still,  and  not  to  come 
to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  whenever  he  remarkably  pours  out  his  Spirit,  to  carry 
on  the  work  of  redemption  in  the  application  of  it ;  but  above  all  when  he 
comes  forth  in  that  last  and  greatest  outpouring  of  his  Spirit,  to  introduce  that 
happy  day  of  God's  power  and  salvation,  so  often  spoken  of.  That  is  especial- 
ly the  appointed  season  of  the  application  of  the  redemption  of  Christ :  it  is 

*  It  is  evident  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  iIiosr  expressions  in  Psal.  xix.  4,  5,  and  6  verses,  has  respect 
to  something  else  besides  the  natural  sun  ;  and  that  an  eye  is  had  to  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  that  by 
his  light  converts  the  soul,  makes  wise  the  simple,  enlightens  the  eyes,  and  rejoices  the  heart ;  and  by 
his  preached  gospel  enlightens  and  warms  the  world  of  mankind.  By  tbe  Psalmist's  ovm  application  in 
verse  7,  and  the  apostle's  application  of  verse  4.  in  Rom.  x.  18. 


JN   NKW   ENGLAND.  317 

(lie  proper  time  of  the  kingdom  ol"  heaven  upon  earth,  (ho  a])pointp(l  lime  of 
Christ's  reign:  the  reign  of  Salan  as  god  of  this  world  hists  till  then;  this  is 
tlie  jiroi'e-r  time  of  actual  redemption,  or  new  creation,  as  is  evident  by  Isa.  Ixv. 
17,  18,  and  Ixvi.  12,  antl  Rev.  xxi.  1.  All  the  outpourings  of  the  Spirit  of  (Jod 
thai  are  before  this,  are  as  it  were  by  way  of  anticipation. 

There  was  indeed  a  glorious  season  of  (he  applicatif)n  of  rcdeniplion,  in  tin 
fii-st  ages  of  the  Christian  cliurch,  that  began  at  Jerusalem,  on  the  day  of  pentc- 
cost;  but  tliat  was  not  the  jirojier  time  of  ingathering  ;  it  was  only  as  it  were 
the  feast  of  the  fust  fruits ;  the  ingathering  is  at  the  end  of  the  year,  or  in  the 
last  ages  of  the  Christian  church,  as  is  represented,  Kev.  xiv.  14,  15,  IG,  and 
will  probably  as  much  exceed  wliat  was  in  the  first  ages  of  the  ChristiaJi  church, 
though  that  filled  the  Roman  cmiiire,  as  that  ixcecdcd  all  that  had  been  before, 
under  the  Old  Testament,  confined  only  to  the  land  of  Judea. 

The  great  danger  of  not  appearing  openly  to  acknowUdge,  rejoice  in,  and 
promote  that  great  work  of  God,  in  bringing  in  that  glorious  harvest,  is  repre- 
sented in  Zech.  xiv.  16,  17,  18,  19 :  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  one 
that  is  left,  of  all  the  nations,  Avhich  come  against  Jerusalem,  shall  even  go  up, 
from  year  to  year,  to  worship  the  king,  the  Loid  of  Hosts,  and  to  keej)  the  feast 
of  tabernacles.  And  it  shall  be,  that  whoso  w  ill  not  come  up,  of  all  the  Jamilies 
of  tiie  earth,  unto  Jerusalem,  to  woiship  the  king,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  even  upon 
them  shall  be  no  rain.  And  if  the  family  of  Egyj4  go  not  iij),  and  come  not,  tliat 
have  no  rain,  there  shall  be  the  plague  wiierewith  the  Lord  will  suiite  the 
heathen,  that  come  not  up  to  keep  the  feast  of  tabernacles.  This  shall  be 
the  punishment  of  Egypt,  and  the  punishment  of  all  nations  that  come  not 
up  to  keep  the  feast  of  tabernacles."  Is  is  evident  by  all  the  context,  that 
the  glorious  day  of  the  church  of  God  in  the  latter  ages  of  the  world,  is  the 
time  spoken  of :  the  feast  of  tabernacles  here  seems  to  signify  that  glorious 
spiritual  least,  which  God  shall  then  make  for  his  church,  the  surae  that  is 
spoken  of  Isa.  xxv.  5,  and  the  great  sj)iiitual  rejoicings  of  God's  people  at  that 
time.  There  were  three  great  feasts  in  Israel,  at  which  all  (he  males  were  ap- 
pointed to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  ;  the  feast  of  the  passover  ;  and  the  ieast  of  the 
first  fruits,  or  the  least  of  pentecost ;  and  the  fe;ist  of  ingatliering,  at  the  end  of 
the  year,  or  the  feast  of  tal)ernacks.  In  the  fiist  of  these,  viz.,  the.  feast  cf  the 
passover,  was  represented  the  purchase  of  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ,  the 
paschal  Lamb,  that  was  slain  at  the  lime  of  that  feast.  The  other  two  that 
followed  it,  were  to  represent  the  two  great  seasons  of  the  applicaiioyi  of  the 
purchased  redemption  :  in  the  former  of  them,  viz.,  the  feast  of  the  fr^tf-vifs, 
which  was  called  the  feast  of  pentecost,  was  represented  that  time  of  tlse  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit,  that  was  in  the  first  ages  of  the  Christian  church,  for  the 
bringing  in  the  first  fruits  of  Christ's  redemption,  which  began  at  Jerusalem,  on 
the  day  of  pentecost :  the  other,  which  was  the  feast  ofingatherivg,  at  the  end 
of  tlie  year,  which  the  children  of  Israel  were  appointed  to  keep  on  oc»  asion  of 
their  gatheiing  in  their  corn  and  (heir  wine,  and  all  the  fruit  of  their  land,  and 
was  called  ihe  feast  of  tabeniac/es,  represented  (he  other  more  joylul  arjd  glo- 
rious season  of  the  application  of  Christ's  redemption,  wliich  is  to  be  in  the  lat- 
ter days;  the  great  day  of  ingathering  of  (he  elec(,  the  proper  and  appointed 
time  of  gathering  in  God's  fruits,  when  the  angel  of  the  covenant  shall  thrust  in 
his  sickle,  and  gather  the  harvest  of  the  earth;  and  the  clusters  of  (ho  vine  of 
the  earth  shall  also  be  gathered.  This  was  upon  many  accounts  the  greatest 
feast  of  the  three :  there  were  much  greater  tokens  of  rejoicing  in  this  feast, 
than  any  other :  the  people  then  dwelt  in  booths  of  green  boughs,  and  were 
commanded  to  take  boughs  of  goodly  trees,  branches  of  palm  trees,  and  the 


318  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

boughs  of  thick  trees,  and  willows  of  the  brook,  and  to  rejoice  befove  the  Lord 
their  God  :  which  represents  the  flourishing,  beautiful,  pleasant  state  the  church 
<;hall  be  in,  rejoicing  in  God's  grace  and  love,  triumphing  over  all  her  enemies, 
'it  the  time  typified  by  this  feast.  The  tabernacle  of  God  was  first  set  up  among 
•  he  children  of  Israel,  at  the  lime  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles;  but  in  that  glo- 
rious time  of  the  Christian  church,  God  will  above  all  other  times  set  up  his 
tabernacle  amongst  men.  Rev.  xxi.  3,  "  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven. 
yayino",  The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and 
ih'ey  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their  God." 
rhe  world  is  supposed  to  have  been  created  about  the  time  of  the  year  wherein 
the  feast  of  tabernacles  was  appointed  ;  so  in  that  glorious  time,  God  will  create 
a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth.  The  temple  of  Solomon  was  dedicated  at  the 
<ime  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  when  God  descended  in  a  pillar  of  cloud,  and 
dwelt  in  the  temple ;  so  at  this  happy  time  the  temple  of  God  shall  be  glori- 
ously built  up  in  the  world,  and  God  shall  in  a  wonderful  manner  come  do-wn 
trom  heaven  to  dwell  with  his  church.  Christ  is  supposed  to  have  been  born 
at  the  feast  of  tabernacles ;  so  at  the  commencement  of  that  glorious  day,  Christ 
shall  be  born ;  then  above  all  other  times  shall  the  Woman  clothed  with  the 
.v«?),  icith  the  mooji  vnder  herfcet^  that  is  in  travail,  and  pained  to  be  delivered, 
oriug  forth  her  son  to  rule  all  nations,  Rev.  xii.  at  the  beginning.  The  feast  of 
tabernacles  was  the  last  feast  that  Israel  had  in  the  whole  year,  before  the  fact 
of  the  earth  was  destroyed  by  the  winter  ;  presently  after  the  rejoicings  of  thai 
least  were  past,  a  tempestuous  season  began.  Acts  xxvii.  9,  "  Sailing  was  no\s 
dangerous  because  the  feast  M'as  now  already  past."  So  this  great  feast  of  tht 
Christian  church  will  be  the  last  feast  she  shall  have  on  earth :  soon  after  it  is  past 
this  lower  world  will  be  destroyed.  At  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  Israel  left  theii 
houses  to  dwell  in  booths  or  green  tents,  w^iich  signifies  the  great  w^anedness 
of  God's  people  from  the  world,  as  pilgrims  and  strangers  on  the  earth,  and  theii 
great  joy  therein.  Israel  were  prepared  for  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  by  the  feast 
of  trumpets,  and  the  day  of  atonement  both  on  the  same  month  ;  so  way  shali 
be  made  for  the  joy  of  the  church  of  God,  in  its  glorious  state  on  earth,  by  the 
extraordinary  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  deep  repentance  and  humiliation  foi 
past  sins,  and  the  great  and  long  continued  deadness  and  carnality  of  the  visibk 
church.  Christ  at  the  great  feast  of  tabernacles,  stood  in  Jerusalem,  and  cried, 
saying,  Jf  any  man  thirst  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink  :  he  that  believeth 
on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  riven  of  living 
waters  :  signifying  the  extraordinary  freedom  and  riches  of  divine  grace  towards 
sinners,  at  that  day,  and  the  extraordinary  measures  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that 
shall  be  then  given ;  agreeable  to  Rev.  xxi.  6,  and  xxii.  17. 

It  is  threatened  here  in  this  14th  chapter  of  Zech.  that  those  who  at  that 
time  shall  not  come  to  keep  this  feast ;  i.  e.,  that  shall  not  acknowledge  God'? 
glorious  works,  and  praise  his  name,  and  rejoice  with  his  people,  but  should 
stand  at  a  distance,  as  unbelieving  and  disaffected  ;  upo7i  them  shall  be  no  rain  ; 
and  that  this  shall  be  the  plague  wbeiewith  they  shall  all  be  smitten  ;  that  is, 
they  shall  have  no  share  in  that  shower  of  divine  blessing  that  shall  then  descend 
on  the  earth,  that  spiritual  rain  spoken  of,  Isa.  Ixiv.  3.  But  God  would  give  them 
over  to  hardness  of  heart  and  blindness  of  mind. 

The  curse  is  yet  in  a  more  awful  manner  denounced  against  such  as  shall 
appear  as  opposprs  at  that  time,  ver.  12 :  "  And  this  shall  be  the  plague, 
wherewith  the  Lord  shall  smite  all  the  people  that  have  fought  against  Jerusa- 
lem, their  flesh  shall  consume  away  while  they  stand  upon  their  feet,  and  their 
eyes  shall  consume  away  in  their  holes,  and  their  tongue  shall  consume  away  in 


LV  NEW   ENGLAND.  319 

their  mouth."  Here  also  in  all  j)robaLility  it  is  a  spiritual  JTidtrmcnt,  or  a  platrue 
and  curse  tVoin  (jod  upon  tlit-  soul,  rather  than  upon  tlie  \>oi\y,  that  is  inlumlod ; 
that  such  persons,  who  at  that  time  shall  oppose  (iod's  people  in  his  work,  shall 
in  an  extraordinary  manner  be  given  over  to  a  slate  ol' spiritual  death  and  ruin, 
that  they  shall  remarkably  appear  dead  while  alive,  and  shall  be  as  walking 
rotten  corpses,  while  they  go  about  amongst  men. 

The  great  ilanger  of  not  joining  with  (jod's  people  at  that  glorious  day  is 
also  represented,  Isa.  Ix.  12 :  '■  For  the  nation  and  kingdom  that  will  not  serve 
thee  shall  perish  ;  yea,  those  nations  shall  be  utterly  wasted." 

Most  of  tlie  great  temporal  deliverances  that  were  wrought  for  Israel  of  old, 
as  divines  and  expositors  observe,  were  typical  of  the  great  spiritual  works  of  God 
for  the  salvation  of  men's  souls,  and  the  deliverance  and  prosperity  of  his 
church,  in  the  days  of  the  gospel ;  and  especially  did  they  represent  that 
greatest  of  all  deliverances  of  God's  church,  and  chief  of  (joiI's  works,  of  actual 
salvation,  that  shall  be  in  the  latter  tlays;  which  as  has  been  observed  is  above 
all  others,  the  appointed  time,  and  proper  season  of  actual  redemption  ol  men's 
souls.  But  it  may  be  observed  that  if  any  appeared  to  oppose  God's  work 
in  those  great  temporal  deliverances ;  or  if  there  were  any  of  his  professing 
people,  that  on  such  occasions  lay  still,  and  stood  at  a  distance,  and  did  not 
arise  and  acknowledge  God  in  his  work,  and  appear  to  promote  it ;  it  was  what 
in  a  remarkable  manner  incensed  God's  anger,  and  brought  his  curse  upon  such 
persons.     , 

So  when  God  wrought  that  great  work  of  bringing  the  children  of  Israel 
out  of  Etrypt  (which  was  a  type  of  God's  delivering  his  church  out  of  the 
spiritual  Egypt,  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of  Antichrist,  as  is  evident  by  Rev,  xi.  8, 
and  XV.  3).  How  highly  did  God  resent  it,  when  the  Amalekites  appeared  as 
opposers  in  that  aflfair !  And  how  dreadfully  did  he  curse  them  for  it !  Exod. 
xvii.  14,  15,  16,  "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  write  this  for  a  memorial  in 
a  book,  and  rehearse  it  in  the  cars  of  Joshua ;  for  I  will  utterly  put  out  the  re- 
membrance of  Araalek  from  under  heaven.  And  Moses  built  an  altar,  and 
called  the  name  of  it  Jehovah  Nissi;  for  he  said,  because  the  Lord  will  have 
war  Avith  Amalek,  from  generation  to  generation."  And  accordingly  we  fmd 
that  God  remembered  it  a  long  lime  after,  1  Sam.  xv.  3.  And  how  hiirhlydid 
God  resent  it  in  the  Moabites  and  Ammonites,  that  they  did  not  lend  a  helping 
hand,  and  encourage  and  promote  the  alFair !  Deut.  xxiii.  3,4,  "  An  Ammonite 
or  Moabite  shall  not  enter  into  the  congregation  of  the  Lord  ;  even  to  their 
tenth  generation,  shall  they  not  enter  into  the  congregation  of  the  Lord  forever; 
because  they  met  you  not  with  bread  anil  with  water,  in  the  way  when  ye 
came  forth  out  of  Egj'pt."  And  how  were  the  children  of  Ileubin,  and  the 
children  of  Gad,  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh  threatened  if  they  <litl  not  go 
and  help  their  brethren  in  their  wars  against  the  Canaanitcs,  Deut.  xxxii. 
20,  21,  22,  23  :  "  And  Moses  said  unto  them,  if  ye  will  do  this  thing,  if  ye  will 
go  armed  before  the  Lord  to  war,  and  will  go  all  of  you  armed  over  Jordan, 
before  the  Lord,  until  ho  hath  driven  out  his  enemies  from  before  him,  and  the 
land  be  subdued  before  the  Lord,  then  afterward  ye  shall  return  and  be  guiltless 
before  the  Lord,  and  before  Israel,  and  this  land  shall  be  your  possession  before 
the  Lord  :  but  if  ye  will  not  do  so,  behold  ye  have  sinned  against  the  Lord,  and 
be  sure  your  sin  will  find  you  out." 

That  was  a  glorious  work  of  God  that  he  wrought  for  Israel,  when  he  de- 
livered them  from  the  Canaanites,  by  the  hand  of  Deborah  and  Barak :  almost 
ever^-  thlnfr  about  it  showed  a  remarkable  hand  of  God.  It  was  a  prophetess, 
one  immediatelv  inspired  by  God,  that  called  the  people  to  the  battle,  and  con- 


320  REVIVAL   OF   RELIGION 

ducted  them  in  the  whole  affair.  The  people  seem  to  have  been  miraculously 
animated  and  encouraged  in  the  matter,  when  they  willingly  offered  themselves, 
and  gathered  together  to  the  battle;  they  jeoparded  tiieir  lives  in  the  high 
places  of  the  field,  without  being  pressed  or  Jhired  ;  when  one  would  have 
thought  they  should  have  but  little  courage  for  such  an  undertaking;  for  what 
could  a  number  of  poor,  w-eak,  defenceless  slaves  do,  without  a  shield  or  spear 
to  he  seen  among  forty  thousand  of  them,  to  go  against  a  great  prince,  with  his 
mighty  host,  and  nine  hundred  chariots  of  iron  ?  And  the  success  did  wonder- 
fully show  the  hand  of  God  ;  wdiich  makes  Deborah  exultingly  to  say,  Judg. 
V.  21,  "  O  my  soul,  thou  hast  trodden  down  strength  !"  Christ  with  his  heavenly 
host  was  engaged  in  that  battle  ;  and  therefore  it  is  said,  ver.  20,  "  They  fought 
from  heaven,  the  stars  in  their  courses  fought  against  Sisera."  The  Avork  of 
God  therefore  in  this  victory  and  deliverance  thai  Christ  and  his  host  wrought 
for  Israel,  was  a  type  of  that  victory  and  deliverance  which  he  will  accomplish 
for  his  church  in  that  great  battle,  that  last  conflict  that  the  church  shall  have 
with  her  open  enemies,  that  shall  introduce  the  church's  latter  day  glory  ;  as 
appears  by  Rev.  xvi.  16  (speaking  of  that  great  battle) :  "  And  he  gathered 
them  together  into  a  place,  called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  Armageddon,"  i.  e., 
the  mountain  of  Megiddo  ;  alluding,  as  is  supposed  by  expositors,  to  the  place 
where  the  battle  was  fought  with  the  host  of  Sisera,  Judg.  v.  19 :  "  The  kings 
came  and  fought,  the  kings  of  Canaan,  in  Taanach  by  the  waters  of  Megiddo." 
Which  can  signify  nothing  else,  than  that  this  battle,  which  Christ  and  his 
church  shall  have  with  their  enemies,  is  the  antitype  of  the  battle  that  was 
fought  there.  But  what  a  dreadfid  curse  from  Christ,  did  some  of  God's  pro- 
fessing people  Israel  bring  upon  themselves,  by  lying  still  at  that  time,  and  not 
putting  to  a  helping  hand  ?  Judg.  v.  23  :  "  Curse  ye  Meroz,  said  the  angel  of 
the  Lord,  curse  ye  bitterly  the  inhabitants  thereof,  because  they  came  not  to  the 
help  of  the  Lord,  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty."  The  angel  of 
the  Lord  was  the  captain  of  the  host ;  he  that  had  led  Israel,  and  fought  for 
them  in  that  battle,  who  is  very  often  called  the  angel  of  the  Lord'm  Scripture ;  the 
same  that  appeared  to  Joshua  w^ith  a  sword  drawn  in  his  hand,  and  told  him  that  he 
was  come  as  the  captain  of  the  host  of  the  Lord;  and  the  same  glorious  captain 
that  we  have  an  account  of,  as  leading  forth  his  hosts  to  that  battle,  of  which 
this  w-as  the  type.  Rev.  xix.  11,  &c.  It  seems  the  inhabitants  of  Meroz  were 
unbelieving  concerning  this  great  work,  nor  would  they  hearken  to  Deborah's 
pretences,  nor  did  it  enter  into  them  that  such  a  poor  defenceless  company, 
should  ever  prevail  against  those  that  were  so  mighty ;  they  did  not  acknow- 
ledge the  hand  of  God,  and  therefore  stood  at  a  distance,  and  did  nothing  to 
promote  the  work :  but  what  a  bitter  curse  from  God  did  they  bring  upon  them- 
selves by  it ! 

It  is  very  probable  that  one  great  reason  w^hy  the  inhabitants  of  Meroz  were 
so  unbelieving  concerning  this  work,  M^as  that  they  argued  a  priori;  they  did 
not  like  the  beginning  of  it,  it  being  a  woman  that  first  led  the  way,  and  hati 
the  chief  conduct  in  the  affair ;  nor  could  they  believe  that  such  despicable  in- 
struments, as  a  company  of  unarmed  slaves,  were  ever  like  to  effect  so  great  a 
thing  ;  and  pride  and  unbelief  wrought  together,  in  not  being  willing  to  follow 
Deborah  to  the  battle. 

It  was  another  glorious  work  of  God  that  he  wrought  for  Israel,  in  the  vic- 
tory that  was  obtained  by  Gideon  over  the  Midianites  and  Amalel^ites,  and  the 
children  of  the  east,  when  they  came  up  against  Israel  like  grasshoppers,  a  mul- 
titude that  could  not  be  numbered.  This  also  was  a  remarkable  type  of  the 
victory  of  Christ  and  his  church  over  his  enemies,  by  the  pouring  out  of  the 


IN  m:\v  fngland.  321 

Spirit  with  the  preached  gospel,  as  is  evident  by  the  manner  of  it,  which  Gideon 
was  immeihately  directed  to  ofCJod  ;  which  was  not  by  human  sword  or  bow, 
but  only  by  blowing  oi"  trumpets,  and  by  lights  in  earthen  vessels.  W'c  read 
(hat  on  this  occasion,  Gideon  called  the  people  together  to  help  in  this  great 
atlair  ;  and  that  accordingly,  great  numbers  resorted  to  hini,  and  came  to  the 
help  of  the  Lord,  Judg.  vii.  ii3,  21.  But  there  were  some  also  at  that  tirne, 
that  were  unbelieving,  and  would  not  acknowledge  the  hand  of  God  in  that 
nork,  though  it  was  so  great  and  wonderlul,  nor  woulil  lh<'y  join  to  promote 
it  J  and  they  were  the  inhabitants  of  Succoth  and  Penuel  :  Gideon  desired  their 
help,  when  he  was  pursuing  after  Zebah  and  Zalmutma ;  but  they  despised  his 
pretences,  and  his  confidence  of  the  Lord's  being  on  his  side,  to  deliver  those 
two  great  princes  into  the  hands  of  such  a  despicable  company,  as  he  and  his 
three  hundred  men,  and  would  not  own  the  work  of  God,  norall'ord  Gideon  any 
assistance:  God  proceeded  in  this  work  in  a  way  that  was  exceeding  cross  to 
their  pride.  And  they  also  refused  to  own  the  work,  because  they  argued  a 
priori ;  they  could  not  believe  that  God  would  do  i^uch  great  ihiniis  by  such  a 
despicable  instrument ;  one  of  such  a  poor  mean  family  in  Manasseh,  and  he 
the  least  in  his  father's  house;  and  the  company  that  was  with  him  appeared 
very  wretched,  being  but  three  hundred  men,  and  they  weak  and  faint  :  but  we 
see  how  they  suffered  for  their  folly,  in  not  acknowledging,  and  ajipearing  to 
promote  this  work  of  God.  Gideon,  when  he  returned  from  the  victory,  /w/c 
them,  unci  taught  them  with  the  briers  and  (horns  of  the  wilderness,  and  beat 
down  the  tower  of  Penuel  (he  brought  dov\n  their  pride,  and  their  false  confi- 
dence), and  slew  the  men  of  the  cily,  Judg.  chap.  8.  This,  in  all  probability 
Gideon  did,  as  moved  and  directed  by  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  that  is  Christ,  that 
fii-st  called  him,  and  sent  him  forth  in  this  battle,  antl  instructed  and  directed  him, 
in  the  whole  affair. 

The  return  of  the  ark  of  God  to  dwell  in  Zion,  in  the  midst  of  the  land  of 
Israel,  after  it  had  been  long  absent,  lirst  in  the  land  of  the  Philistines,  and  then 
in  Kirjalhjearim,  in  the  utmost"  borders  of  tlie  land,  did  livelily  represent  the 
return  of  God  to  a  professing  people,  in  the  spiritual  tokens  of  his  presence, 
after  long  absence  from  them ;  as  well  as  the  ark's  ascending  up  into  a  moun- 
tain, tvpified  Christ's  ascension  into  heaven.  It  is  evident  by  the  Psalms  that 
were  penned  on  that  occasion,  especially  the  68th  Psalm,  that  the  exceeding 
rejoicings  of  Israel  on  that  occasion,  represented  the  joy  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
on  his  returninir  to  it,  after  it  has  been  in  a  low  and  dark  state,  to  revive  his 
work,  bringing  iiis  people  hacL\  as  it  were  from  Bnshan,  and  from  the  depth  of 
the  sen,  scattering  their  spiritual  enemies,  and  causing  that  though  they  had  lain 
among  the  pots,  yd  they  should  he  as  the  wings  of  a  dove,  covered  vy'lh  silver^ 
and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold  ;  and  giving  the  blessed  tokens  of  his  pres- 
ence in  his  house,  that  his  people  may  see  the  goings  of  God  the  kiv^  in  his 
smictuary  ;  and  that  the  gifts  which  David,  with  such  royal  bounty,  distributed 
amongst  the  people  on  that  occasion  (2  Sam.  vi.  18,  19,  and  1  Chron.  xvi.  2, 
3),  represent  spiritual  blessings,  that  Christ  liberally  sends  down  on  his  church, 
by  the  outpourings  of  his  Spirit.  See  Psal.  Ixviii.  1,  3,  13,  IS,  19,  20,  21,  22, 
23,  24.  And  we  have  an  account  how  that  all  the  people,  Irom  Sliihor  of 
Eg}^pt,  even  unto  the  entering  in  of  Ilamath,  gfithercd  together,  and  appeared 
to^join  and  assist  in  that  great  affair  ;  and  that  all  Israel  hrouglU  up  th-  ark  of 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  with  shouting,  and  ivitk  sound  of  the  cornet,  and  with 
trumpets,  and  with  cymbals,  nmlcing  a  noise  wi'h  psalteries  and  harps,  1  Chron. 
xiii;  2,  5,  and  xv.  28.  And  not  only  the  men,  but  the  women  of  Israel,  the 
Vol.  III.  41 


322  REVIVAL   OF  RELIGION 

daughters  of  Zion,  appeared  as  publicly  joining  in  the  praises  and  rejoicings  that 
were  on  that  occasion,  2  Sam.  vi.  19.  But  we  read  of  one  of  David's  wives, 
even  Michal,  Saul's  daughter,  whose  heart  was  not  engaged  in  the  affair,  and 
did  not  appear  with  others  to  rejoice  and  praise  God  on  this  occasion,  but  kept 
away,  and  stood  at  a  distance,  as  disaffected,  and  disliking  the  managements; 
she  despised  and  ridiculed  the  transports,  and  extraordinary  manifestations  of 
joy  that  then  were;  and  (he  curse  that  she  brought  upon  herself  by  it,  was  that, 
of  beino-  barren  to  the  day  of  her  death.  Let  this  be  a  warning  to  us :  let  us 
take  heed,  in  this  day  of  the  bringing  up  of  the  ark  of  God,  that  while  we  are 
in  visibility  and  profession  the  spouse  of  the  spiritual  David,  we  do  not  show 
ourselves  to  be  indeed  the  chihhen  of  false-hearted  and  rebellious  Saul,  by  our 
standino-  aloof,  and  not  joining  in  the  joy  and  praises  of  the  day,  and  dis- 
liking and  despising  the  joys  and  affections  of  God's  people,  because  they  are 
to  so  high  a  degree,  and  so  bring  the  curse  of  perpetual  barrenness  upon  our  souls. 
Let  us  take  heed  that  we  be  not  like  the  son  of  the  bond  woman,  that  M-as 
born  after  the  flesh,  that  persecuted  him  that  was  born  after  the  Spirit,  and 
mocked  at  the  feasting  and  rejoicings  that  were  made  for  Isaac  when  he  was 
weaned ;  lest  we  should  be  cast  out  of  tlie  family  of  Abraham,  as  he  was,  Gen. 
xxi.  8,  9.  That  affair  contained  spiritual  mysteries,  and  was  typical  of  things 
that  come  to  pass  in  these  days  of  the  gospel ;  as  is  evident  by  the  apostle's 
testimony,  Gal.  iv.  23,  to  the  end.  And  particularly  it  seems  to  have  been  typi- 
cal of  two  things.  L  The  weaning  of  the  church  from  its  milk  of  carnal  ordi- 
nances, ceremonies,  shadows,  and  beggarly  elements,  upon  the  coming  of  Christ, 
and  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  in  the  days  of  the  apostles.  The  church  of 
Christ,  in  the  times  of  the  Old  Testament,  was  in  its  minority,  and  was  a  babe ; 
and  the  apostle  tell?  us  that  babes  must  be  fed  with  milk,  and  not  with  strong 
meat ;  but  when  God  weaned  his  church  from  these  carnal  ordinances,  on  the 
ceasing  of  the  legal  dispensation,  a  glorious  gospel  feast  was  provided  for  souls, 
and  God  fed  his  people  with  spiritual  dainties,  and  filled  them  with  the  Spirit, 
and  gave  them  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  Ishmael,  in  mocking  at  the  time  of 
Isaac's  feast,  by  the  apostle's  testimony,  represented  the  carnal  Jews,  the  chil- 
dren of  the  literal  Jerusalem,  who,  when  they  beheld  the  rejoicings  of  Christians, 
m  their  spiritual  and  evangelical  privileges,  w^ere  filled  with  envy,  deriding,  con- 
tradicting and  blaspheming,  Acts  ii.  13,  and  chap.  xiii.  45,  and  xviii.  6.  And 
therefore  were  cast  out  of  the  family  of  Abraham,  and  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  to 
wander  through  the  earth.  2.  This  weaning  of  Isaac  seems  also  to  represent  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  which  is  several  times  represented  in  Scripture  by  the  wean- 
ing of  a  child ;  as  in  Psal.  cxxxi.,  and  Isa.  xxviii.  9.  Because  in  conversion,  the  soul 
is  weaned  from  the  enjoyments  of  the  world,  which  are  as  it  were  the  breast  of  our 
mother  earth  ;  and  is  also  weaned  from  the  covenant  of  our  first  parents,  M'hich 
we  as  naturally  hang  upon,  as  a  child  on  its  mother's  breasts  :  and  the  great 
feast  that  Abraham  made  on  that  occasion,  represents  the  spiritual  feast,  the 
heavenly  privileges,  and  holy  joys  and  comforts,  which  God  gives  souls  at  their 
conversioi;.  Now  is  the  time  when  God  is  in  a  remarkable  manner  bestowing 
the  blessings  of  such  a  feast.  Let  every  one  take  heed  that  he  does  not  now 
show  himself  to  be  the  son  of  the  bond  woman,  and  born  after  the  flesh,  by 
standing  and  deriding,  with  mocking  Ishmael ;  lest  they  be  cast  out  as  he  was, 
and  it  be  said  concerning  (hem,  these  sons  of  the  bond  woman,  shall  not  be  heirs 
with  the  sons  of  the  free  woman.  Do  not  let  us  stumble  at  the  things  that  have 
been,  because  they  are  so  great  and  extraordinary  ;  for  if  we  have  run  with  the 
footmen,  and  they  have  wearied  us,  how  shall  we  cont^d  with  horses  1     There 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  3SS 

IS  doubtless  a  llrae  cominn;  wlu-n  (lod  will  accomplish  things  vastly  greater  and 
more  extraordinary  than  these. 

And  that  \vc  may  be  warned  not  to  continue  doubtin<^  and  unbelievintr,  con- 
cerniiiLC  this  work,  because  ot"  the  extraordinary  degree  of  it,  and  the  suddenness 
and  swiftness  of  the  accomjdislnnent  of  the  great  things  that  pertain  lo  it,  let 
us  consider  the  example  of  the  vuibelieving  lord  in  Samaria  ;  who  could  not 
believe  so  extraordinary  a  work  of  God  to  be  accomplished  so  suddenly  as  was 
declared  to  him  :  the  prophet  Elisha  foretold  that  the  great  famine  in  Samaria 
should  very  suddenly,  even  in  one  day,  be  turned  into  an  extraordinary  plenty  ; 
but  the  work  was  too  great,  and  too  sudden  for  him  to  believe ;  says  he.  If  the 
Lord  should  make  ivindous  in  hccwen,  might  this  thing  be?  And  the  curse  that 
he  brought  upon  himself  by  it,  was  that  he  saw  it  with  his  eyes,  and  did  not  eat 
thereof,  but  miserably  perished,  and  was  trodden  down  as  the  mire  of  the  streets, 
when  others  were  feasting  and  rejoicing,   2  Kings,  chap.  7. 

When  God  redeemed  his  people  from  their  13abylonish  captivity,  and  they 
rebuilt  Jerusalem,  it  was,  as  is  universally  owned,  a  remarkable  type  of  the  spir- 
itual redemption  of  God's  church  ;  and  particularly,  was  an  eminent  type  of 
the  great  deliverance  of  the  Christian  church  from  spiritual  Babylon,  and  their 
rebuilding  the  spiritual  Jerusalem,  in  the  latter  days ;  and  therefore  they  are 
often  spoken  of  under  one  by  the  prophets :  and  this  probably  was  the  main 
reason  that  it  was  so  ordered  in  Providence,  and  particularly  noted  in  Scripture, 
that  the  children  of  Israel,  on  that  occasion,  kept  the  greatestyin.?^  nf  tabernacles^ 
that  ever  had  been  kept  in  Israel,  since  the  days  of  Joshua,  when  the  people 
were  first  settled  in  Canaan  (Neh.  viii.  16,  17);  because  at  that  time  happened 
that  restoration  of  Israel,  that  had  the  greatest  resemblance  of  that  great  resto- 
ration of  the  church  of  God,  of  which  i\\c  feast  of  tabunaclrs  was  the  type,  of 
any  that  had  been  since  Joshua  first  brought  the  people  out  of  the  wilderness, 
and  settled  them  in  the  good  land.  But  we  read  of  some  that  opposed  the  Jews 
in  that  affair,  and  weakened  their  hands,  and  ridiculed  God's  people,  and  the 
instruments  that  were  improved  in  that  work,  and  despised  their  hope,  and  made 
as  though  their  confidence  was  little  more  than  a  shadow,  and  would  utterly  fail 
them.  What  do  these  feeble  Jeu-s?  say  they:  Will  they  fortify  themselves?  Will 
they  sacrifice  ?  Will  they  make  an  end  in  a  day  ?  Will  they  revive  the  stones 
out  of  the  heaps  of  the  rubbish  tchich  arc  burned?  Even  that  xchich  they  biiild, 
if  a  fox  go  yp,  he  shall  even  break  doum  their  stone  wall.  Let  not  us  be  in  any 
measure  like  them,  lest  it  be  said  to  us,  as  Nehemiah  said  to  them,  Neh.  ii.  20, 
"  We  his  servants  will  arise  and  build ;  but  you  have  no  portion,  nor  right,  nor 
memorial  in  Jerusalem."  And  lest  we  bring  Nehcmiah's  imprecation  upon  us, 
chap.  iv.  5,  "  Cover  not  their  iniquity,  and  let  not  their  sin  be  blotted  out 
from  before  thee;  for  they  have  provoked  thee  to  anger,  before  the  builders." 

As  persons  will  greatly  expose  themselves  to  the  curse  of  God,  by  opposing 
or  standing  at  a  distance,  and  keeping  silence  at  such  a  time  as  this;  so  for 
persons  to  arise,  and  readily  to  acknowledge  God.,  and  honor  him  in  such  a  work, 
and  cheerfully  and  vigorously  to  exert  themselves  to  promote  it,  will  be  to  put 
themselves  much  in  the  way  of  the  divine  blessing.  What  a  mark  of  honor 
does  God  put  upon  those  in  Israel,  that  willingly  offered  themselves,  and  came 
to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty,  when  the  angel  of  the  Lord  led 
forth  his  armies,  and  tlicy  fought  from  heaven  against  Sisera  1  Judg.  v.  2,  9, 
14,  15,  17,  18.  And  what  a  great  blessing  is  pronounced  on  Jael,  the  wife  of 
Heber  the  Kenite,for  her  appearing  on  the  Lord's  sifle,  and  for  what  she  did  to 
promote  this  work,  ver.  24,  which'was  no  less  than  the  curse  pronounced  in  the 
preceding  verse,  against  Meroz,  for  lying  still :  Blessed  above  women  shall  Jael 


324  REVIVAL   OF  RELIGION 

the  wife  of  Heher  the  Kcnite  be,  Messed  shall  she  be  above  ivomen  in  the  tent 
And  what  a  blessing  is  pronounced  on  those  which  shall  have  any  hand  in  the 
destruction  of  Baby?on,  which  was  the  head  city  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  and 
of  the  enemies  of  the  church  of  God  .  Psal.  exxxvii.  9,  "  Happy  shall  he  be, 
that  takelh,  and  dasheth  thy  Jitlle  ones  against  the  stones."  What  a  particular 
and  honorable  notice  is  taken,  in  the  records  of  God's  word,  of  those  that  arose, 
and  appeared  as  David's  helpers,  to  introduce  him  into  the  kingdom  of  Israel, 
in  the  xiith  chapter  of  1  Chron.  The  host  of  those  that  thus  came  to  the  help  of 
the  Lord,  in  that  work  of  his,  and  glorious  revolution  in  Israel,  by  whicb  the 
kingdom  of  that  great  type  of  the  Messiah  v>'-as  set  up  in  Israel,  is  compared  to 
the  host  of  God,  ver.  22  :  "  At  that  time,  day  by  day,  there  came  to  David,  to  help 
him,  until  it  was  a  great  host,  like  the  host  of  God."  And  doubtless  it  was  in- 
tended to  be  a  type  of  that  host  of  God,  that  shall  appear  with  the  spiritual 
David,  as  his  helpers,  when  he  shall  come  to  set  up  his  kingdom  in  the  world ; 
the  same  host  that  we  read  of,  Rev.  xix.  14.  The  Spirit  of  God  then  pronounced 
a  special  blessing  on  David's  helpers,  as  those  that  were  co-workers  with  God : 
ver.  18,  "Then  the  Spirit  came  upon  Amasai,  who  was  chief  of  the  captains, 
and  he  said,  Thine  are  we,  David,  and  on  thy  side,  thou  son  of  Jesse ;  peace, 
peace  be  unto  thee,  and  peace  be  to  thine  helpers,  for  thy  God  helpeth  thee." 
So  we  may  conclude  that  God  will  much  more  give  his  blessing  to  such  as  come 
to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  when  he  sets  his  own  dear  Son  as  king  on  his  holy  hill 
ofZion;  and  they  shall  be  received  by  Christ,  and  he  will  put  peculiar  honor 
upon  them,  as  David  did  on  those  his  helpers;  as  we  have  an  account,  in  the 
following  words,  ver.  IS :  "  Then  David  received  them,  and  made  them  captains 
of  the  band.''  It  is  particularly  noted  of  those  that  came  to  David  to  ?Iebron, 
ready  armed  to  the  war,  to  turn  the  kingdom  of  Saul  to  him,  according  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  that  "  they  were  men  that  had  understanding  of  the  times,  to 
know  what  Israel  ought  to  do,"  ver.  23  and  32.  Herein  they  differed  from  the 
Pharisees  and  other  Jews,  that  did  not  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  at  the  time 
that  the  great  Son  of  David  appeared  to  set  up  his  kingdom  in  the  world,  whom 
Christ  condemns,  that  they  had  not  understanding  of  those  times,  Luke  vii.  56, 
"  Ye  hypocrites,  ye  can  discern  the  face  of  the  sky,  and  of  the  earth  ;  but  how  is 
it,  that  ye  do  not  discern  these  tim.es  ?"  So  it  always  will  be,  when  Christ  re- 
markably appears  on  eaith,  on  a  design  of  setting  up  his  kingdom  here,  there 
will  be  many  that  will  not  understand  the  times,  nor  what  Israel  ought  to  do,  and 
so  will  not  come  to  turn  about  the  kingdom  to  David. 

The  favorable  notice  that  God  will  take  of  such  as  appear  to  promote  the 
"work  of  God,  at  such  a  time  as  this,  may  also  be  argued  irom  such  a  very  par- 
ticular notice  being  taken  in  the  sacred  records,  of  those  that  helped  in  rebuild- 
ing the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  upon  the  return  from  the  Babylonish  captivity, 
Nehem.  chap  iii. 

At  such  a  time  as  this,  when  God  is  setting  his  king  on  his  holy  hill  of  Zion, 
or  establishing  his  dominion,  or  showing  forth  his  regal  glory  from  thence,  he 
expects  that  his  visible  people,  without  exception,  should  openly  appear  to  ac- 
knowledge him  in  such  a  work,  and  bow  before  him,  and  join  with  him.  But 
especially  does  he  expect  this  of  civil  rulers:  God's  eye  is  especially  upon 
them,  to  see  how  they  behave  themselves  on  such  an  occasion.  If  a  new 
king  comes  to  the  throne,  when  he  comes  from  abroad,  and  enters  into  his  king- 
dom, and  makes  his  solemn  entry  into  the  royal  city,  it  is  expected  that  all  sorts 
should  acknowledge  him;  but  above  all  others  is  it  expected  that  the  great  men, 
and  public  officers  of  the  nation  should  then  make  their  appearance,  and  attend 
on  their  sovereign,  with  suitable  congratulations,  and  manifestations  of  respect 


IN   NEW  ENGLAiND.  325 

and  royalty  :  if  such  as  these  stand  at  a  distance,  at  such  a  titne,  it  will  be  much 
more  taken  notice  of,  and  will  awaken  the  prince's  jealousy  and  disph-asure  much 
more,  than  such  a  behiivior  in  the  common  people.  And  thus  it  is  when  the 
«etei-n:d  Son  of  Goil,  and  heir  of  the  workl,  by  whom  kings  reign,  and  princes 
decree  justice,  whom  his  Father  lias  appointed  to  be  King  of  kings,  comes  as  it 
were  from  far,  and  in  the  spiritual  tokens  of  his  jiresence,  enters  into  the  royal 
city  Zion  ;  God  has  his  eye  at  such  a  time,  especially  upon  those  princes,  nobles, 
and  jutlges  of  the  earth,  spoken  of  Prov.  viii.  16,  to  see  how  they  behave  tliem- 
selves,  whether  they  bow  to  him,  that  he  has  made  the  head  of  all  principality 
and  power.  This  is  evident  by  the  2d  Psuhn,  ver.  6,  7,  10,  II,  12 :  "  Yet  have 
I  set  my  king  upon  my  holy  hdl  of  Zion.  i  will  declare  the  decree ;  the  Lord 
hath  said  unto  me,  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  Be  wise  now 
therelbre,  0  ye  kings,  be  instructeil,  ye  judges  of  tlie  earth  ;  serve  the  Lord  with 
fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling ;  kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish 
from  the  way,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little."  There  seems  to  be  in 
the  words,  an  allusion  to  a  new  king's  coming  to  the  throne,  and  makini;  his 
solemn  entry  into  the  royal  city  (as  Zion  was  the  royal  city  in  Israel) ;  when  it 
IS  expected  that  all,  especially  men  in  public  office  and  authority,  should  mani- 
fest their  loyalty,  by  some  open  and  visible  token  of  respect,  by  the  way,  as  he 
passes  along ;  and  those  that  refuse  or  neglect  it  are  in  danger  of  being  imme- 
diately struck  down,  and  perisliing  from  the  way,  by  which  the  king  goes  in 
solemn  procession. 

The  day  wherein  God  does  in  an  eminent  manner  send  forth  the  rod  of 
Christ's  strength  out  of  Zion,  that  he  may  rule  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies, 
the  day  of  his  power,  wherein  his  people  shall  be  made  willing,  is  also  eminently 
a  day  of  his  wrath,  e^specially  to  such  rulers  as  oppose  him,  or  will  not  bow  to 
him  ;  a  day  wherein  he  "shall  strike  through  kings,  and  fill  the  places  with  the 
dead  bodies,  and  wound  the  heads  over  many  countries.''  Psal.  110.  And 
thus  it  is,  that  when  the  Son  of  God  girds  his  su-ord  upon  his  thigh,  luith  his 
glory  and  his  majedy,  and  in  his  majcdy  rides  prosperously,  because  of  trxdh^ 
meekness  and  ri^tcous.irss,  his  right  hand  teaches  him  terrible  things.  It  was 
the  princes  of  Succoth  especially,  that  sutfered  punishment,  when  the  inhabit- 
ants of  that  city  refused  to  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  when  Gideon  was 
pursuing  after  Zebah  and  Zalinunna ;  we  read  that  Gideon  took  the  elders  of 
the  city,  and  thorns  of  the  wilderness,  and  briers,  and  with  them  he  taught  the 
men  of  Succoth.  It  is  especially  taken  notice  of  that  the  rulers  and  chief 
men  of  Israel,  were  called  upon  to  assist  in  the  affair  of  bringing  up  the  ark 
of  God  ;  they  were  chiefly  consulted,  and  were  principal  in  the  management  of 
the  alfair.  1  Chron.  xiii.  1,  "  And  David  consulted  with  the  captains  of  thou- 
sands and  hundreds,  and  with  every  leader."  And  chap.  xv.  25,  "  So  David  and 
the  elders  of  Israel,  and  the  captains  over  thousands,  went  to  bring  up  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  out  of  the  house  of  Obed  Edom,  with  joy."  So  2  Sam. 
vi.  1.  And  so  it  was  when  the  ark  w;is  brought  into  the  teraj)le,  1  Kings  viii.  13, 
and  2  Chron.  v.  2,  4. 

And  Jis  rulers,  by  neglecting  their  duty  at  such  a  time,  will  especially  ex- 
pose themselves  to  God's  great  displeasure,  so  by  fully  acknowledging  God  in 
such  a  work,  and  bv  cheerfully  and  vigorously  exerting  themselves  to  promote  it;_, 
they  will  especially  »e  in  the  way  of  receiving  peculiar  honors  and  rewards  at 
God's  hands.  It  is  noted  of  the  princes  of  Israel,  that  they  especially  appeared 
to  honor  God  with  their  princely  offering,  on  occasion  of  the  setting  up  tlie  tab- 
ernacle of  God,  in  the  congregation  of  Israel  (which  I  have  observed  already 
was  done  at  the  time  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  and  was   a  type  of  the  tab- 


326  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

ernacle  of  God's  being  with  men,  and  his  dwelling  with  men  m  the  latter 
days) :  and  with  what  abundant  particularity,  is  it  noted  of  eacl:  prince,  how 
much  he  offered  to  God  on  that  occasion,  for  their  everlasting  honor,  in  the  7th 
chapter  of  Numbers.  And  so  with  how  much  favor  and  honor  does  the  Spirit 
of  God  take  notice  of  those  princes  in  Israel,  that  came  to  the  help  of  the  Lord, 
in  the  war  against  Sisera,  Judg.  v.  9  :  "  My  heart  is  towards  the  governors  of 
Israel,  that  offered  themselves  willingly  among  the  people."  And  ver.  14, 
"  Out  of  Machir  came  down  governors."  Ver.  55,  "  And  the  princes  of  Issa- 
char  were  with  Deborah."  And  in  the  account  that  we  have  of  the  rebuilding 
the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  in  the  third  chapter  of  Nehemiah,  it  is  particularly 
noted,  what  a  hand  one  and  another  of  the  rulers  had  in  this  affair ;  we  have 
an  account  that  such  a  part  of  the  wall  was  repaired  by  the  ruler  of  the  half 
part  of  Jerusalem,  and  such  a  part  by  the  ruler  of  the  other  half  part  of  Jerusa- 
lem, and  such  a  part  by  the  ruler  of  part  of  Bethhaccerera,  and  such  a  part  by 
the  ruler  of  part  of  Mizpah,  and  such  a  part  by  the  ruler  of  the  half  part  of 
Bethzur ;  and  such  a  part  by  the  ruler  of  Mizpah,  ver.  9,  12,  14,  15,  16,  19. 
And  there  it  is  particularly  noted  of  the  rulers  of  one  of  the  cities,  that  they  put 
not  their  necks  to  the  work  of  the  Lord,  though  the  common  people  did  ;  and 
they  are  stigmatized  for  it,  in  the  sacred  records,  to  their  everlasting  reproach, 
ver.  5 :  "  And  next  unto  them,  the  Tekoltes  repaired  ;  but  their  nobles  put  not 
their  necks  to  the  work  of  the  Lord."  So  the  Spirit  of  God  with  special  honor, 
takes  notice  of  princes  and  rulers  of  several  tribes,  that  assisted  in  bringing  up 
the  ark,  Psal.  Ixviii.  27. 

And  I  humbly  desire  that  it  may  be  considered,  whether  we  have  not  reason 
to  fear  that  God  is  provoked  with  this  land,  that  no  more  notice  has  been  taker- 
of  this  glorious  work  of  the  Lord,  that  has  been  lately  carried  on,  by  the  civi: 
authority ;  that  there  has  no  more  been  done  by  them,  as  a  public  acknowledg- 
ment of  God  in  this  work,  and  no  more  improvement  of  their  authority  to  pro- 
mote it,  either  by  appointing  a  day  of  public  thanksgiving  to  God,  for  so  un- 
speakable a  mercy,  or  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  to  humble  ourselves  before 
God,  for  our  past  deadness  and  unprofitableness  under  the  means  of  grace,  and 
to  seek  the  continuance  and  increase  of  the  tokens  of  his  presence  ;  or  so  much 
as  to  enter  upon  any  public  consultation,  what  should  be  done  to  advance  the 
present  revival  of  religion,  and  great  reformation  that  is  begun  in  the  land. 
Is  there  not  danger  that  such  a  behavior,  at  such  a  time,  will  be  interpreted  by 
God,  as  a  denial  of  Christ  ?  If  but  a  new  governor  comes  into  a  province,  how 
much  is  there  done,  especially  by  those  that  are  in  authority,  to  put  honor  upon 
him,  to  arise  and  appear  publicly,  and  go  forth  to  meet  him,  to  address  and 
congratulate  him,  and  with  great  expense  to  attend  upon  him  and  aid  him  1  If 
the  authority  of  the  province,  on  such  an  occasion,  should  all  sit  still  and  say 
and  do  nothing,  and  take  no  notice  of  their  new  governor,  would  there  not 
he  danger  of  its  being  interpreted  by  him,  and  his  prince  that  sent  him,  as  a 
denial  of  his  authority,  or  a  refusing  to  receive  him,  and  honor  him  as  their  go- 
vernor ?  And  shall  the  head  of  the  angels,  and  Lord  of  the  universe,  come 
down  from  heaven,  in  so  wonderful  a  manner,  into  the  land,  and  shall  all  stand 
at  a  distance,  and  be  silent  and  inactive  on  such  an  occasion  ?  I  would  humbly 
recommend  it  to  our  rulers,  to  consider  whether  God  does  not  now  say  to  them. 
Be  wise  now,  ye  rulers,  he  instructed  ye  judges  of  JVew  England  ;  kiss  the  Son, 
lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way. 

It  is  prophesied,  Zech.  xii.  8,  that  in  the  glorious  day  of  the  Christian 
church,  the  house  of  David,  or  the  rulers  in  God's  Israel,  shall  be  as  God,  as  the 
angel  of  the  Lord,  before  his  peopL\     But  how  can  such  rulers  expect  to  have 


IX   NEW   ENGLAND.  327 

any  share  in  this  glorious  promise,  that  do  not  so  much  as  dpenly  acknowledire 
God  in  the  work  ot  thai  Spirit,  by  which  the  glory  of  that  day  is  to  be  accom- 
plished .'  The  days  are  coming  so  often  spoken  of  when  the  saints  sliall  reign 
on  earth,  and  all  (lominion  and  authority  shall  be  given  into  their  hands  :  but 
if  our  rulers  would  partake  of  this  honor,  they  ought  at  such  a  day  as  this,  to 
bring  their  glory  and  iionor  into  the  spiritual  Jerusalem,  agreeably  to  Rev. 
xxi.  24. 

But  above  all  others,  is  God's  eye  upon  ministers  of  the  gospel,  as  expect- 
ing of  them,  that  they  should  arise,  and  acknowledge  and  honor  him  in  such  a 
Work  as  this,  and  do  their  utmost  to  encourage  and  promote  it :  for  to  promote 
such  a  work,  is  the  very  business  which  they  are  called  and  devoteil  to ;  it  is 
the  oflice  to  which  they  are  appointed  as  c.o-\\nrkers  with  Christ,  and  as  his 
auibas^sadors  and  instruments,  to  awaken  and  convert  sinners,  and  establish, 
build  up,  and  comfort  saints;  it  is  the  business  they  have  been  solemnly  charg- 
ed with,  before  God,  angels  and  men,  and  that  they  have  given  up  themselves 
to,  by  the  most  sacred  vows.  These  especially,  are  theofRcers  of  Christ's  king- 
dom, that  above  all  other  men  upon  earth,  do  represent  his  person,  into  whose 
hands  Christ  has  committed  the  sacred  oracles,  and  holy  ordinances,  and  all  his 
appointed  means  of  grace,  to  be  administered  by  them  ;  they  are  the  stewards 
of  liis  household,  into  whose  hands  he  has  committed  his  provision  ;  the  immor- 
t.il  souls  of  men  are  committed  to  them,  as  a  flock  of  sheep  are  committed  to 
the  care  of  a  shepherd,  or  as  a  master  commits  a  treasure  to  the  care  of  a  ser- 
vant, (;f  which  he  must  give  an  account :  it  is  expected  of  tiiem,  alx)ve  all 
others,  that  they  should  have  understanding  of  the  times,  and  know  what  Israel 
ought  to  do  ;  for  it  is  their  business  to  acquaint  themselves  with  things  pertain- 
ing to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  teach  and  enlighten  others  in  things  of  this 
nature.  VVe  that  are  employed  in  the  sacred  work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  are 
the  watchmen  over  the  city,  to  whom  God  has  committed  the  keys  of  the  gates 
ofZion;  and  if  when  the  rightful  king  of  Zion  comes,  to  deliver  his  people 
from  tlie  enemy  that  oppresses  them,  we  refuse  to  open  the  gates  to  him,  how 
greatly  shall  we  expose  ourselves  to  his  wrath !  We  are  appointed  to  be  the 
captains  of  the  host  in  this  war :  and  il  a  general  will  highly  resent  it  in  a  pii- 
vate  s.)ldier,  if  he  reluses  to  follow  him  when  his  banner  is  displayed,  and  his 
trumpet  blown  ;  how  much  more  will  he  resent  it  in  the  oflicei-s  of  his  army ! 
The  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  consisting  in  the  administration  of  God's  word 
and  ordinances,  is  the  principal  means  that  God  has  appointed  for  carrying  on 
his  work  on  the  souls  of  men  ;  and  it  is  his  revealed  will,  that  whenever  that 
glorious  revival  of  religion,  and  reformation  of  the  world,  so  often  spoken  of  in 
iiis  word,  is  accomplished,  it  should  be  principally  by  the  labors  of  his  ministers  ; 
and  therefore  how  heinous  will  it  be  in  the  sight  of  God,  if  when  a  work  of  that 
nature  is  be^un,  we  appear  unbelievini!;,  slow,  backward,  and  disallected  ? 
There  was  no  sort  of  persons  among  the  Jews  that  was  in  any  measure  treated 
witii  such  manifestations  of  God's  great  displeasure,  and  severe  in<lignation,  for 
not  acknovvledging  Christ,  and  the  work  of  his  Spirit,  in  the  days  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  as  the  ministers  of  religion :  see  how  Christ  deals  with  them  for  it, 
in  the  23d  chapter  of  .Matthew.  With  what  gentleness  did  Christ  treat  publi- 
cans and  harlots,  in  comparison  of  them  ! 

When  the  tabernacle  was  erected  in  the  camp  of  Israel,  and  Go<l  came 
down  from  heaven  to  dwell  in  it,  the  priests  w&re  above  all  others  concerned, 
and  busily  employed  in  the  solemn  transactions  of  that  occasion,  Levit.  chap,  viii 
and  ix.  And  so  it  was  at  the  time  of  the  dedication  of  the  temple  of  Solomon, 
1  Kings  chap.  viii.  and  2  Chron,  chap.  v.  vi.  and  vii.,  which  was  at  the  time  of  ihe 


328  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

feast  of  tabernacles,  at  the  same  time  that  the  tabernacle  was  erected  m  the 
wilderness :  and  the  Levites  were  primarily,  and  most  immediately  concerned 
in  bringing  up  the  ark  into  mount  Zion  ;  the  business  properly  belonged  to 
them,  and  the  ark  was  carried  upon  their  shoulders  :  1  Chron.  xv.  2,  "  Then 
David  said,  ^None  ought  to  carry  the  ark  of  God  but  the  Levites ;  for  them  liath  the 
Lord  chosen  to  cany  the  ark  of  God,  and  to  minister  unto  him  forever."  And 
V.  11,  12,  "  And  David  called  for  Zadok  and  Abiathar  the  priests,  and  for  the 
Levites,  for  Uiiel,  Asaiah,  and  Joel,  Shemaiah,  and  Eliel,  and  Aminadab,  and  said 
unto  them.  Ye  are  the  chief  of  the  fathers  of  the  Levites ;  sanctify  yourselves,  both 
ye,  and  your  brethren,  that  you  may  bring  up  the  ark  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
unto  the  place  that  1  have  prepared  for  it."  So  we  have  an  account  that  the 
priests  led  the  way  in  rebuilding  the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  after  the  Babylonish 
caplivily,  Neh.  iii.  at  the  beginning. 

If  ministers  preach  never  so  good  doctrine,  and  are  never  so  painful  and 
laborious  in  their  work,  yet,  if  at  such  a  day  as  this,  they  show  to  their  people, 
that  they  are  not  well  atTected  to  this  work,  but  are  very  doubtful  and  suspicious 
of  it,  they  will  be  very  likely  to  do  their  people  a  great  deal  more  hurt  than 
good  :  for  the  very  fame  of  such  a  great  and  extraordinary  work  of  God,  if 
their  people  were  suffered  to  believe  it  to  be  his  work,  and  the  example  of  other 
towns,  together  with  what  preaching  they  might  hear  occasionally,  would  be 
likely  to  have  a  much  greater  influence  upon  the  minds  of  their  people  to  awak- 
en them  and  animate  them  in  religion,  than  all  their  labors  with  them  :  and 
besides  their  minister's  opinion  wmII  not  only  beget  in  them  a  suspicion  of  the 
work  they  hear  of  abroad,  whereby  the  mighty  hand  of  God  that  appears  in  it, 
loses  its  influence  upon  their  minds,  but  it  will  also  tend  to  create  a  suspicion 
of  every  thing  of  the  like  nature,  that  shall  appear  among  themselves,  as  being 
something  of  the  same  distemper  that  has  become  so  epidemical  in  the  land  ; 
and  that  is,  in  effect,  to  create  a  suspicion  of  all  vital  religion,  and  to  put  the 
people  upon  talking  against  it,  and  discouraging  it,  wherever  it  appears,  and 
knocking  it  in  the  head,  as  fast  as  it  rises.  And  we  that  are  ministers,  by  look- 
ing on  this  work,  from  year  to  year,  with  a  displeased  countenance,  shall  effect- 
ually keep  the  sheep  from  their  pasture,  instead  of  doing  the  part  of  shepherds 
to  them,  by  feeding  tliem ;  and  our  people  had  a  great  beal  better  be  w^ithout 
any  settled  minister  at  all,  at  such  a  day  as  this. 

We  that  are  in  this  sacred  office  have  need  to  take  heed  what  we  do,  and 
how  we  behave  ourselves  at  this  time  :  a  less  thing  in  a  minister  will  hinder 
the  work  of  God,  than  in  others.  If  we  are  very  silent,  or  say  but  little  about 
the  work,  in  our  public  prayers  and  preaching,  or  seem  carefully  to  avoid  speak- 
ing of  it  m  our  conversation,  it  will  and  justly  may  be  interpreted  by  our  peo- 
ple, that  we  who  are  their  guides,  to  whom  they  are  to  have  their  eye  for 
spiritual  instruction,  are  suspicious  of  it ;  and  this  will  tend  to  raise  the  same 
suspicions  in  them  ;  and  so  the  forementioned  consequences  will  follow.  And 
if  wc  really  hinder,  and  stand  in  the  way  of  the  work  of  God,  whose  business 
above  all  others  it  is  to  promote  it,  how  can  we  expect  to  partake  of  the  glori- 
ous benefits  of  it  ?  And  by  keeping  others  from  the  benefit  of  it,  we  shall  keep 
them  out  of  heaven  ;  therefore  those  awful  words  of  Christ  to  the  Jewish  teach- 
ers, should  be  considered  by  us.  Matt,  xxiii.  13  :  "  Wo  unto  you,  for  }ou  shut 
up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  for  ye  neither  go  in  yourselves,  neither  suffer  ye 
them  that  are  entering,  to  go  in."  If  we  keep  the  sheep  from  their  pasture, 
how  shall  we  answer  it  to  the  great  shepherd,  that  has  bought  the  fiock  with 
Lis  precious  blood,  and  has  committed  the  care  of  them  to  us  ?  I  would  hum- 
bly desire  of  every  minister  that  has  thus  long  remained  disaffected  to  this  work. 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  309 

oad  has  had  conteniptibio  thoughts  of  it,  to  consider  whether  he  has  not  hither- 
to been  like  Michal,  without  any  child,  or  at  least  in  a  great  mcasur(;  harrni 
and  unsuccessful  in  his  work  :  1  pray  God  it  may  not  be  a  perpetual  barren- 
ness as  has  was. 

The  times  of  Christ's  remarkably  ai)pearing,  in  behalf  of  his  church,  and  to 
revive  religion,  and  advance  his  kingdom  in  the  worlil,  are  often  spoken  of  in  the 
prophecies  of  Scripture,  as  times  wherein  he  will  remarkably  execute  jut^gmenLs 
on  such  ministers  or  shepherds,  as  do  not  feed  the  flock,  but  hinder  their' l)ein"- 
[ci\,  and  so  deliver  his  tlock  from  them,  as  Jer.  xxiii.  throughout,  and  EzeL 
xxxiv.  throughout,  and  Zech.  x.  3,  and  Isa.  Ivi.  7,  S,  9,  &.c.  I  observed  be- 
fore that  Christ's  solemn,  macjnificent  entry  into  Jtru.salem,  seems  to  be  desi<ni- 
ed,  as  a  representation  of  his  glorious  coming  into  his  church,  the  spiritual 
Jerasalem  ;  and  therefore  it  is  worthy  to  be  noted,  to  our  present  purpose,  tiiat 
Christ  at  that  time,  cast  out  all  them  that  solil  and  bought  in  the  temple,  and 
overthrew  the  tables  of  the  money-changei^,  and  the  seats  of  them  that  sold 
doves ;  signifying  that  when  he  should  come  to  set  up  his  kingdrun  on  earth, 
he  would  cast  out  those  out  of  his  house,  who,  instead  of  being  faithful  minis- 
ters, officiated  there  only  for  worldly  gain  :  not  that  1  determine  that  all  minis- 
ters that  arc  suspicious  of  this  work,  do  so ;  but  I  mention  these  things  to  show 
that  it  is  to  be  expected,  that  a  time  of  a  glorious  outpouring  of  the  .Spirit  0 
God  to  revive  religion,  will  be  a  time  of  remarkable  judgments  on  those  minis-. 
tei-s  that  do  not  serve  the  end  of  their  ministry. 

The  example  of  the  unbelieving  lord  in  Samaria,  should  especially  be  for 
the  warning  of  ministers  and  rulers:  at  the  time  when  God  turned'an  extreme 
famuie  into  a  great  plenty,  by  a  wonderful  work  of  his,  llie  king  appointed  this 
lord  to  have  the  charge  of  the  gate  of  the  city;  where  he  saw  the  common 
people,  in  multitudes,  entering  with  great  joy  anil  gladness,  loaded  with  provi- 
sion, to  feed  and  feast  their  almost  famished  bodies ;  but  he  himself,  though  he 
saw  it  with  his  eyes,  never  had  one  taste  of  it,  but  being  weak  with  f;imine, 
sunk  down  in  the  crowd,  and  was  trodden  to  death,  as  a  punishment  of  God, 
for  his  not  giving  credit  to  that  great  and  wonderful  work  of  God,  when  suffi- 
ciently manifested  to  him  to  require  his  belief  Ministers  are  those,  that  the 
King  of  the  church  has  appointed  to  have  the  charge  of  the  gate,  at  which  his 
people  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  there  to  be  entertained  and  satisfied 
with  an  eternal  feast ;  ministers  have  the  charge  of  the  house  of  God,  which  is 
the  gate  of  heaven. 

Ministers  should  especially  take  heed  of  a  spirit  of  envy  towards  other  min- 
isters, that  God  is  pleaseil  to  make  more  use  of  to  carry  on  this  work,  than  they; 
and  that  they  do  not,  from  such  a  spirit,  reproach  some  preachers,  that  have  the 
true  Spirit,  as  though  they  Avcre  influenced  by  a  false  spirit,  or  were  bereft  of 
reason,  and  were  mad,  and  were  proud,  false  pretenders,  and  deserved  to  be  put 
in  prison  or  the  stocks,  as  disturbers  of  the  peace ;  lest  they  exj)Ose  themselves 
to  the  curse  of  Shemaiah,  the  Nehelaraite,  who  envied  the  prophet  Jeremiah, 
and  in  this  manner  reviled  him,  in  his  letter  to  Zeghaniah  the  priest,  Ji-r.  xxix. 
•26,  27  :  "  Tiie  Lord  hath  made  thee  priest,  in  the  stead  of  Jehoiada  the  priest, 
that  ye  should  be  officers  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  for  every  man  that  is  mad, 
and  maketh  himself  a  prophet,  that  thou  shouldst  put  him  in  prison,  and  in  the 
stocks.  Now  therefore,  why  hast  thou  not  reproved  Jeremiah  of  Anathoth, 
which  maketh  himself  a  prophet  to  you  ?"  His  curse  is  denounced  in  the  32d 
verse  :  "  Therefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord,  behold,  I  will  punish  Shemaiah  the 
Nehelamite,  and  his  seed  ;  he  shall  not  have  a  man  to  dwell  among  his  people, 
neither  shall  he  behold  the  good  that  I  will  do  for  my  people,  saitli  the  Lord, 


330  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

because  he  hath  taught  rebellion  against  the  Lord."  All  those  that  are  others' 
superiors  or  elders,  sliould  take  heed,  that  at  this  day  they  be  not  like  the  elder 
brother,  who  could  not  bear  it,  that  the  prodigal  should  be  made  so  much  of, 
and  should  be  so  sumptuously  entertained,  and  would  not  join  in  the  joy  of  the 
feast ;  was,  like  Michal,  Saul's  daughter,  offended  at  the  music  and  danchig 
that  he  heard  ;  the  transports  of  joy  displeased  him ;  it  seemed  to  him  to  be  an 
unseemly  and  unseasonable  noise  and  ado,  that  was  made ;  and  therefore  stood 
at  a  distance,  sullen,  and  much  oifended,  and  full  of  invectives  against  the  young 
prodigal. 

It"  is  our  wisest  and  best  way,  fully,  and  without  reluctance,  to  bow  to  tho 
great  God  in  this  work,  and  to  be  entirely  resigned  to  him,  with  respect  to  tho 
manner  in  which  he  carries  it  on,  and  the  instruments  he  is  pleased  to  make  use 
of,  and  not  to  show  ouiselves  out  of  humor,  and  sullenly  to  refuse  to  acknow- 
ledge the  work,  in  the  full  glory  of  it,  because  we  have  not  had  so  great  a  hand 
in  promoting  it,  or  have  not  shared  so  largely  in  the  blessings  of  it,  as  some 
others ;  and  not  to  refuse  to  give  all  that  honor,  that  belongs  to  others,  as  in- 
struments, because  they  are  young,  or  are  upon  other  accounts,  much  inferior 
to  ourselves,  and  many  others,  and  may  appear  to  us  very  unworthy,  that  God 
should  put  so  much  honor  upon  them.  When  God  comes  to  accomplish  any 
great  work  for  his  church,  and  for  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  his  Son, 
he  always  fulfils  that  scripture,  Isa.  ii.  17  :  "  And  the  loltiness  of  man  shall  be 
bowed  down,  and  the  haughtiness  of  men  shall  be  made  low,  and  the  Lord  alone 
shall  be  exalted  in  that  day."  If  God  has  a  design  of  carrying  on  this  work, 
every  one,  whether  he  be  great  or  small,  must  either  bow  to  it,  or  be  broken 
before  it :  it  may  be  expected  that  God's  hand  will  be  upon  every  thing  that  is 
liigh,  and  stitf,  and  strong  in  opposition,  as  in  Isa.  ii.  12,  13,  14,  15  :  "  For  the 
day  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  shall  be  upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and 
upon  every  one  that  is  lifted  up,  and  he  shall  be  brought  low  ;  and  upon  all 
the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  that  are  high  and  lifted  up,  and  upon  all  the  oaks  of 
Bashati,  and  upon  all  the  high  mountains,  and  upon  all  the  hills  that  are  lifted 
up,  and  upon  every  high  tower,  and  upon  every  fenced  wall." 

Not  only  magistrates  and  ministers,  but  every  living  soul,  is  now  obliged  to 
acknowledge  God  in  this  work,  and  put  to  his  hand  to  promote  it,  as  they 
would  not  expose  themselves  to  God's  curse.  All  sorts  of  pei-sons,  throughout 
the  whole  congregation  of  Israel,  great  and  small,  rich  and  poor,  men  and  wo- 
men, helped  to  build  the  tabernacle  in  the  wilderness  j  some  in  one  way,  others 
in  another ;  each  one  according  to  his  own  capacity :  every  one  whose  heart  stirred 
him  up,  and  every  one  whom  his  spirit  made  willing ;  all  sorts  contributed,  and 
all  sorts  were  employed  in  that  affair,  in  labors  of  their  hands,  both  men  and 
women  :  some  brought  gold  and  silver  ;  others  blue,  purple  and  scarlet,  and  fine 
linen  ;  others  offered  an  offering  of  biass  ;  others,  with  whom  was  found  Shittim 
"wood,  brought  it  an  offering  to  the  Lord  :  the  rulers  brought  onyx  stones,  and 
spice,  and  oil ;  and  some  brought  goats'  hair  ;  and  some  rams'  skins,  and  others 
badgers'  skins.  See  Exod.  xxxv.  20,  &c.  And  we  are  told,  verse  29,  "  The 
children  of  Israel  brought  a  willing  offering  unto  the  Lord,  every  man  and  wo- 
man, whose  heart  made  them  willing."  And  thus  it  ought  to  be  in  this  day  of 
building  the  tabernacle  of  God  ;  with  such  a  willing  and  cheerful  heart,  ought 
every  man,  woman,  and  child,  to  do  something  to  promote  this  work  :  those 
that  have  not  onyx  stones,  or  are  not  able  to  bring  gold  or  silver,  yet  may  bring 
goats'  hair. 

As  all  sorts  of  persons  were  employed  in  building  the  tabernacle  in  the  wil- 
derness, so  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel  were  called  together  to  set  up  the 


IN   M:W  ENGLAND.  331 

taberniii.'le  in  Shiloh,  after  they  came  into  Canaan,  Josn.  xviil.  1.  And  sc 
again,  the  whole  congrej^ation  of  Israel  were  gatmred  together,  to  brine;  up  the 
ark  of  God,  from.Kirjalhjearini ;  and  again,  they  were  all  assen.lilnl  to  bring  it 
up,  out  of  the  house  o(  Obed  Kdom  info  mount  Zion  ;  so  again,  all  Israel  met 
together  to  assist  in  the  great  allair  of  (he  dedication  of  the  temple,  and  bringing 
the  ark  into  it:  so  we  have  an  account,  how  thai  all  sorts  assisted  in  the  re- 
building the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  not  only  the  proper  inhabitants  of  Jerusalcu),  IjuI 
those  that  dwelt  in  other  parts  of  the  land;  not  only  the  priests  and  rulers,  but 
the  Nethinims  and  merchants,  husbandmen,  and  mecliitnics,  and  women,  Neh.  iii. 
5,  12,  2G,  31,  32.  And  we  have  an  account  of  one  and  another,  that  he  re- 
paired over  against  his  house,  ver.  10,  and  23,  28,  and  of  one  that  repaired 
over  against  his  chamber,  ver.  30.  So  now,  at  this  time  of  the  rebuilding  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem,  every  one  ought  to  promote  the  work  of  God  within  his  own 
sphere,  and  by  doing  what  belongs  to  him,  in  the  place  in  which  Ciod  has  set 
him ;  men  in  a  private  capacity,  may  repair  over  against  their  houses  :  and  even 
those  that  have  not  the  government  of  families,  and  have  but  part  of  a  house  be- 
longing to  them,  should  repair,  each  one  over  against  his  chamber  :  and  every  one 
should  be  engaged  to  do  the  utmost  that  lies  in  his  power,  laborino-  with  th» 
utmost  watchfulness,  care  and  diligence,  with  united  hearts,  and  united  strength, 
and  the  greatest  readiness  to  assist  one  another  in  this  work:  as  God's  people 
rebuilt  the  wall  of  Jerusalem  ;  who  were  so  diligent  in  the  work,  that  they 
wrought  from  break  of  day,  till  the  stars  appeared,  and  did  not  so  much  as  put 
off  their  clothes  in  the  night ;  and  wrought  with  that  care  and  watchfulness, 
that  with  one  hand  they  wrought  in  the  v.ork,  and  with  the  other  hand  held 
a  weapon  ;  besides  the  guard  they  set  to  defend  them  ;  and  were  so  well  united 
in  it,  that  they  took  care,  that  one  should  stand  ready,  with  a  trumpet  in  his 
hand,  that  if  any  were  assaulted  in  one  part,  those  in  the  other  parts  at  the  sound 
of  the  trumpet,  might  resort  to  them,  and  help  them,  Neh.  iv.  at  the  latter  end. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  that  the  press  should  be  improved  to  no  purpose 
contrary  to  the  interest  of  this  work.  We  read  that  when  God  fought  against 
Sisera,  for  the  deliverance  of  his  oppressed  church,  thcij  that  handle  the  pen  of 
the  writer  came  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  in  that  allair,  Judg.  v.  14.  Whatever 
sort  of  men  in  Israel  they  were  that  were  intended,  yet  as  the  words  were  In- 
dited by  a  Spirit,  that  had  a  perfect  view  of  all  events  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
and  had  a  special  eye  in  this  song,  to  that  great  event  of  the  deliverance  of 
God's  church,  in  the  latter  days,  of  which  this  di  liverance  of  Israel  was  a  type, 
it  is  not  unlikely  that  they  have  respect  to  autliors,  those  that  should  light 
against  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  with  their  pens.  Those  therefore  that  publish 
pamphlets,  to  the  disadvantage  of  this  work,  and  tending  either  directly  or  in- 
directly to  bring  it  under  suspicion,  and  to  discourage  or  hinder  it,  would  do  well 
thoroughly  to  consider  whether  this  be  not  indeed  the  work  of  (Jod  ;  anu 
whether  if  it  be,  it  is  not  likely  that  God  will  go  forth  as  fire,  to  consume  aL 
that  stands  in  his  way,  and  so  burn  up  those  pamphlets ;  and  whether  there  be 
not  danger  that  the  fire  that  is  kindled  in  them,  will  scorch  the  authors. 

When  a  people  oppose  Christ  in  the  work  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  it  is  because 
it  touches  them,  in  something  that  is  dear  to  their  carnal  niimis  ;  and  becau.se 
they  see  the  tendency  of  it  is  to  cross  their  pride,  and  deprive  them  of  the  ob- 
jects of  their  lusts.  We  shouhl  take  heed  that  at  this  day  we  be  not  like  the 
Gadarenes,  who,  when  Christ  came  into  their  country,  in  the  exercise  of  his 
glorious  power  and  grace,  triinnphing  over  a  legion  of  devils,  and  delivering  a 
miserable  creature,  that  ha*!  long  been  their  captive,  were  all  alarmed,  because 
they  lost  their  swine  by  it,  and  the  whole  multitude  of  the  country  came,  and 


332  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

besought  him  to  depart  out  of  their  coasts  :  they  loved  their  fiUhy  swine  better 
than  Jesus  Clirist ;  and  had  rather  have  a  legion  of  devils  in  their  country,  with 
their  herd  of  swine,  than  Jesus  Christ  without  them. 

This  work  may  be  op})osed,  not  only  by  directly  speakirig  against  the  whole 
of  it :  persons  may  say  that  they  believe  there  is  a  good  work  carried  on  in  the 
country  ;  and  may  sometimes  bless  God,  in  their  public  prayers,  in  general 
terms, "for  any  awakenings  or  revivals  of  religion,  there  have  lately  been  in  any 
parts  of  the  land  ;  and  may  pray  that  God  would  carry  on  his  own  work,  and 
pour  out  his  Spirit  more  and  more  ;  and  yet,  as  I  apprehend,  be  in  the  sight  of 
God,  great  opposers  of  his  work  :  some  will  express  themselves  after  this  man- 
ner, tiiat  are  so  far  from  acknowledging  and  rejoicing  in  the  infinite  mercy, 
and  glorious  grace  of  God,  in  causing  so  happy  a  change  in  the  land,  that  they 
look  upon  the  religious  state  of  the  country,  take  it  in  the  whole  of  it,  much 
more  sorrowful  tliau  it  was  ten  years  ago  ;  and  whose  conversation,  to  those 
that  are  well  acquainted  with  them,  evidently  shows,  that  they  are  more  out  of 
humor  with  the  state  of  things,  and  enjoy  themselves  less,  than  they  did  before 
ever  this  work  began. — If  it  be  manifestly  thus  with  us,  and  our  talk  and  be- 
havior with  respect  to  this  work,  be  such  as  has  (though  but)  an  indirect  ten- 
dency, to  beget  ill  thoughts  and  suspicions  in  others  concerning  it,  we  are 
opposers  of  the  work  of  God. 

Instead  of  coming  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  we  shall  actually  light  against 
him,  if  we  are  abundant  in  insisting  on,  and  setting  forth  the  blemishes  of  tjie 
work,  so  as  to  manifest  that  we  rather  choose,  and  are  more  forward  to  take 
notice  of  what  is  amiss,  than  v;hat  is  good  and  glorious  in  the  work.  Not  but 
that  the  errors  that  are  committed,  ought  to  be  observed  and  lamented,  and  a 
proper  testimony  borne  against  them,  and  the  most  probable  means  should  be 
used  to  have  them  amended  :  but  an  'insisting  much  upon  them,  as  though  it 
were  a  pleasing  theme,  or  speaking  of  them  v/ith  more  appearance  of  heat  of 
spirit,  or  with  ridicule,  or  an  air  of  contempt,  than  grief  for  them,  has  no  ten- 
dency to  correct  the  errors ;  but  has  a  tendency  to  darken  the  glory  of  God's 
power  and  grace,  ajipearing  in  the  substance  of  the  work,  and  to  beget  jealous- 
ies and  ill  tlioughts  in  the  minds  of  others,  concerning  the  whole  of  it.  What- 
ever errors  many  zealous  persons  have  run  into,  yet  if  the  work,  in  the  sub- 
stance of  it,  be  the  work  of  God,  then  it  is  a  joyful  day  indeed ;  it  is  so  in 
heaven,  and  ought  to  be  so  among  God's  people  on  earth,  especially  in  that 
part  of  the  earth,  where  this  glorious  work  is  carried  on.  It  is  a  day  of  great 
rejoicing  with  Christ  himself,  the  good  shepherd,  when  he  finds  his  sheep  that 
was  lost,  lays  it  on  his  shoulders  rejoicing,  and  calls  together  his  friends  and 
neighbors,  saying,  rejoice  with  me  :  if  we  therefore  are  Christ's  friends,  now  it 
should  be  a  day  of  great  rejoicing  with  us.  If  we  viewed  things  in  a  just  light, 
so  great  an  event  as  the  conversion  of  such  a  multitude  of  sinners,  would  draw 
and  engage  our  attention,  much  more  than  all  the  imprudences  and  irregulari- 
ties that  have  been  ;  our  hearts  would  be  swallowed  up  with  the  glory  of  this 
event,  and  we  should  have  no  great  disposition  to  attend  to  any  thing  else. 
The  imprudences  and  errors  of  poor  feeble  worms,  do  not  hinder  or  prevent 
great  rejoicing,  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God,  over  so  many  poor  sin- 
ners that  have  repented  ;  and  it  will  be  an  argument  of  something  very  ill  in 
us,  if  they  prevent  our  rejoicing. 

Who  loves  in  a  day  of  great  joy  and  gladness,  to  be  much  insisting  on  those 
things  that  are  uncomfortable  ?  Would  it  not  be  very  improper,  on  a  king's 
coronation  day,  to  be  much  in  taking  notice  of  the  blemishes  of  the  royal  fami- 
y  1     Or  would  it  be  agreeable  to  the  bridegroom  on  the  day  of  his  espousals, 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  333 

the  (I'lv  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart,  to  be  much  insistinnr  on  the  hUiiushis  of 
his  biiile  I  \Ve  have  an  ae.eouiit.  how  that  at  the  time  of  that  joyful  dispensa- 
tion ol"  Providence,  the  restoration  of  the  church  of  Israel,  alter  the  Babylonish 
captivity,  and  at  the  time  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  many  wej)!  at  the  faults 
Ihat  were  louiul  amongst  the  pcopli-,  but  were  reprovett  for  takinp  so  much 
notice  of  the  blemishes  of  that  alliiir,  as  to  overlciok  the  cause  of  rejoicing.  Nch. 
viil.  9,  10,  11,  12,"  And  Nehemiah,  which  is  thcTirshatha,  and  Ezra  the  priest 
the  scribe,  and  the  Levites  that  taught  the  people,  said  unto  all  the  people, 
this  Hay  is  holy  unto  the  Lord  your  Ciod,  mourn  not  nor  weep ;  fc:  all  the  peo- 
ple wept,  when  they  heard  the  words  of  the  law.  Then  he  said  unto  them,  go 
your  way,  cat  the  iat,  and  drink  the  sweet,  and  send  portions  unto  them,  lor 
whom  nothing  is  prepared  ;  for  (liis  day  is  holy  unto  our  Lord  ;  neither  be 
ye  sorry,  for  the  joy  of  the  Lord  is  your  strength.  So  the  Levites  stilled  all 
the  people,  saying,  hold  your  peace,  for  the  day  is  holy,  neither  be  ye  grieved. 
And  all  the  people  went  their  way,  to  eat,  and  to  drink,  and  to  send  portions, 
and  to  make  great  mirth,  because  they  had  understood  the  words  that  were  de- 
clared unto  them." 

Goii  doubtless  now  expects,  that  all  sorts  of  persons  in  New  England,  rul- 
ers, ministers  and  people,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  old  and  young,  should 
take  great  notice  of  his  hand,  in  this  mighty  work  of  his  gi  ace,  and  should  ap- 
pear to  acknowledge  his  glory  in  it,  and  greatly  to  rejoice  in  it,  every  one  doing 
his  utmost,  in  the  place  that  God  has  set  them  in,  to  promote  it.  And  God,  ac- 
cording to  his  wonderful  patience,  seems  to  be  still  waiting,  to  give  us  opportu- 
nity, thus  to  acknowledge  and  honor  him.  But  if  we  finally  refuse,  there  is 
not  the  least  reason  to  expect  any  other,  than  that  his  awful  curse  will  pursue 
us,  and  that  the  pourings  out  of  his  wrath  will  be  proportionable  to  the  despis- 
ed outpourings  of  his  Spirit  and  grace. 


PART    III. 


Showing,  in  many  Instances,  whnrcin  iJic   SuWjectp,  or  zealous  Promoters  of  this 
Work,  havo  been  injuriouely  blamed. 

This  work,  that  has  lately  been  carried  on  in  the  land,  is  the  work  of  God, 
and  not  the  work  of  man.  Its  beginning  has  not  been  of  man's  power  or  de- 
vice, and  its  being  carried  on,  depends  not  on  om-  strength  or  wisilom  ;  but  yet 
God  exi)ects  of  all,  that  they  should  use  their  utmost  endeavors  to  promote  it, 
and  that  the  hearts  of  all  should  be  greatly  engaged  in  this  a(I\iir,  and  that  we 
should  improve  our  utmost  strength  in  it,  however  vain  human  strength  is  with- 
out the  power  of  God  ;  and  so  he  no  less  requires  that  we  should  improve  our 
utmost  care,  wisdom  and  prudence,  though  liuman  wisdom,  of  itself  be  as  vain 
as  human  strength.  Though  God  is  wont  to  carry  on  such  a  work,  in  such  a 
manner  as,  many  ways,  to  show  the  weakness  and  vanity  ol  means  and 
human  endeavors,  in  themselves  ;  yet  at  the  same  time,  he  carries  if  on  in  such 
a  manner,  as  to  encourage  diligence  and  vigilance,  in  the  u.-c  of  proper  means 
and  endeavors,  and  to  punish  the  neglect  of  them.  Therefore  in  our  endea- 
vors to  promote  this  great  work,  we  ought  to  use  the  utmost  caution,  vigilance 
and  skill,  in  the  measures  we  take  in  order  to  it.  A  great  alTair  should  be  man- 
aged vv'ith  great  prudence  :  this  is  the  most  important  affair  that  ever  New 
E^ngland  w^s  called  to  he  concerned  in.     When  a  people  are  engaged  in  war 


334  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

with  a  powerful  and  crafty  nation,  it  concerns  them  to  manage  an  affair  of  such 
consequence  with  the  utmost  discretion.  Of  what  vast  importance  ther.  must  il 
be,  that  we  should  be  vigilant  and  prudent,  in  the  management  of  this  great 
war  that  New  England  now  has,  with  so  great  a  host  of  such  subtle  and  cruel 
enemies,  wherein  we  must  either  conquer  or  be  conquered,  and  the  consequence 
of  the  victory,  on  one  side,  will  be  our  eternal  destruction,  in  both  soul  and 
body  in  hell,  and  on  the  other  side,  our  obtaining  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and 
reigning  in  it  in  eternal  glory  ?  We  had  need  always  to  stand  on  our  watch, 
and  to  be  well  versed  in  the  art  of  war,  and  not  to  be  ignorant  of  the  devices 
of  our  enemies,  and  to  take  heed  lest  by  any  means  we  be  beguiled  through  their 
subtilty. 

Though  the  devil  be  strong,  yet  in  such  a  war  as  this,  he  depends  more  on 
his  craft  than  his  strength :  and  the  course  he  has  chiefly  taken,  from  time  to 
time,  to  clog,  hinder  and  overthrow  revivals  of  religion  in  the  church  of  God, 
has  been  by  his  subtle,  deceitful  management,  to  beguile  and  mislead  those  that 
have  been  engaged  therein  ;  and  in  such  a  course  God  has  been  pleased,  in  his 
holy  and  sovereign  providence,  to  suffer  hira  to  succeed,  oftentimes,  in  a  great 
measure  to  overthrow  that,  wliich  in  its  beginning  appeared  most  hopeful  and 
glorious.  The  work  that  is  now  begun  in  New  England,  is,  as  I  have  shown, 
eminently  glorious,  and  if  it  should  go  on  and  prevail,  would  make  New  Eng- 
land a  kind  of  heaven  upon  earth  :  is  it  not  therefore  a  thousand  pities,  that  it 
should  be  overthrov.'n,  through  wrong  and  improper  management,  that  we  are 
led  into  by  our  subtle  adversary  in  our  endeavors  to  promote  it  ? 

In  treating  of  the  methods  that  ought  to  be  taken  to  promote  this  work,  I 
would, 

1.  Take  notice,  in  some  instances,  wherein  fault  has  been  found  with  the 
conduct  of  those  that  have  appeared  to  be  the  subjects  of  it,  or  have  been  zeal- 
ous to  promote  it  (as  I  apprehend)  beyond  just  cause. 

2.  I  would  show  what  things  ought  to  be  corrected  or  avoided. 

3.  I  would  show  positively,  what  ought  to  be  done  to  promote  this  glorious 
work  of  God. 

I.  I  would  take  notice  of  some  things,  at  which  offence  has  been  taken 
without,  or  beyond  just  cause. 

One  thing  that  has  been  complained  of,  is  ministers  addressing  themselves, 
rather  to  the  affections  of  their  hearers,  than  to  their  understandings,  and  strid- 
ing to  raise  their  passions  to  the  utmost  height,  rather  by  a  very  affectionate 
manner  of  speaking,  and  a  great  appearance  of  earnestness,  in  voice  and  ges- 
ture, than  by  clear  reasoning  and  informing  their  judgment :  by  which  meana 
it  is  objected,  that  the  aflections  are  moved,  without  a  proportionable  enlighten- 
ing of  the  understanding. 

To  which  1  would  say,  I  am  far  from  thinking  that  it  is  not  very  profitable, 
for  ministers  in  their  preaching,  to  endeavor  clearly  and  distinctly  to  explain 
the  doctrines  of  religion,  and  unravel  the  difficulties  that  attend  them,  and  to 
confirm  them  with  strength  of  reason  and  argumentation,  and  also  to  observe 
some  easy  and  clear  method  and  order,  in  their  discourses,  for  the  help  of  the 
understanding  and  memory  ;  and  it  is  very  probable  that  these  things  have 
been  of  late,  too  much  neglected,  by  many  ministers ;  yet,  I  believe  that,the 
objection  that  is  made,  of  affections  raised  without  enlightening  the  understand- 
ing, is  in  a  great  measure  built  on  a  mistake,  and  confused  notions  that  some  have 
about  the  nature  and  cause  of  the  affections,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  de- 
pend on  the  understanding.  All  affections  are  raised  either  by  light  in  the  un- 
derstanding, or  by  some  error  and  delusion  m  the  understanding  ;  for  all  affec' 


IN   NEW  ENGLAND.  335 

tions  do  ccilaiiily  arise  Irom  some  aj>j)reheiisioii  in  the  uiulerstandinf; ;  and  lliat 
apprehension  must  either  be  agreeable  to  trutli,  or  else  be  some  mistake  or  de- 
lusion ;  if  it  be  an  apprehension  or  notion  tiial  is  agreeable  to  trutli,  then  it  is 
light  ill  the  understanding.  Therefore  tiie  thing  to  be  inquired  into  is,  whether 
the  apprehensions  or  notions  ol'divine  and  eternal  things,  that  are  raised  in  jieople's 
minds,  by  these  afTectionate  preachers,  whence  their  aflections  are  excited,  be 
apprehensions  that  are  agreeable  to  truth,  or  whether  they  are  mistakes.  If 
the  former,  llien  the  affections  arc  raised  the  way  they  should  be,  viz.,  by  in- 
forming the  mind,  or  conveying  light  to  the  understanding.  They  go  away 
with  a  wrong  notion,  that  think  that  those  preachers  cannot  affect  their  hearers, 
by  enlightening  their  understandings,  that  do  not  do  it  by  such  a  distinct,  and 
learned  hanilling  of  the  doctrinal  points  of  religion,  as  depends  on  human  disci- 
pline, or  the  strength  of  natural  reason,  and  tends  to  enlarge  their  liearers' 
learning,  and  speculative  knowledge  in  divinity.  The  manner  of  j)reiKhing 
without  this,  may  be  such  as  shall  tend  very  much  to  set  divine  and  elernal 
things  in  a  right  view,  and  to  give  the  hearers  such  ideas  and  apprehensions  of 
them  as  are  agreeable  to  truth,  and  such  impressions  on  their  hearts,  as  are  an- 
swerable to  the  real  nature  of  things:  and  not  only  the  words  that  are  spoken, 
but  the  manner  of  speaking,  is  one  thing  that  has  a  great  tendency  to  liiis.  1 
think  an  exceedhig  atfectionate  way  of  preaching  about  the  great  things  of  re- 
ligion, has  in  itself  no  tendency  to  beget  false  apprehensions  of  them  ;  but  on 
the  contrary  a  much  greater  tendency  to  beget  true  apprehensions  of  them,  than 
a  moderate,  dull,  inditrerent  way  of  speaking  of  them.  An  appearance  of  af- 
fection and  earnestness,  in  the  manner  of  delivery,  if  it  be  very  great  indeed, 
yet  if  it  be  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the  subject,  and  be  not  beyond  a  propor- 
tion to  its  importance,  and  worthiness  of  alTection,  and  there  be  no  aj)j)iarance 
of  its  being  feigned  or  forced,  has  so  much  the  greater  tendency  to  beget  true 
ideas  or  apprehensions  in  the  minds  of  the  hearers,  of  the  subject  spoken  of, 
and  so  to  enlighten  the  understanding;  and  that  for  this  reason,  that  such  a 
way  or  manner  of  speaking  of  these  things,  docs  in  fact,  more  truly  represent 
them,  than  a  more  cold  and  indilFerent  way  of  speaking  of  them.  If  the  sub- 
ject be  in  its  own  nature,  worthy  of  very  great  affection,  then  a  speaking  of  it 
Avith  very  great  affection,  is  most  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  that  subject,  or  is 
the  truest  representation  of  it,  and  therefore  has  most  of  a  tendency  to  beget 
true  ideas  of  it,  in  the  minds  of  those,  to  whom  the  representation  is  made. 
And  I  do  not  think  ministers  are  to  be  blamed,  for  raising  the  aflections  of  their 
hearers  too  high,  if  that  which  they  are  aflected  with,  be  only  that  which  is 
worthy  of  affection,  and  their  affections  arc  not  raised  beyond  a  proportion  to 
their  importance,  or  worthiness  of  affection.  I  should  think  myself  in  tlie  way  of 
my  duty,  to  raise  the  affections  of  my  iiearei-s  as  high  as  I  possibly  can,  provid- 
ed that  they  are  affected  with  nothing  but  truth,  and  with  affections  that  are 
not  disagreeable  to  the  nature  of  what  they  are  affected  with.  I  know  it  has 
long  been  fashionable  to  despise  a  very  earnest  and  palhetical  way  of  jireach- 
ing:  and  they,  and  they  only  have  been  valued  as  preachers,  that  have  sliown 
the  greatest  extent  of  learning,  and  strength  of  reason,  and  correctness  of  method 
and  language:  but  I  humbly  conceive  it  has  been  for  want  of  understand- 
ing, or  duly  considering  human  nature,  that  such  preacliin^  has  been  ihougiit 
to  have  the  greatest  tendency  to  answer  the  ends  of  preaching :  and  the  expe- 
rience of  the  present  and  past  ages  abundantly  confirms  the  same.  Though,  as 
I  said  before,  clearness  of  distinction  and  illustration,  and  strength  of  reason, 
and  a  good  method,  in  the  doctrinal  handling  of  the  truths  of  religion,  is  many 
ways  needful  and  profitable,  and  njDt  to  be  neglected,  yet  an  increase  in  specu- 


336  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

lative  knowledge  in  divinity,  is  not  what  is  so  much  needed  by  our  people,  as 
something  else.  Men  may  abound  in  this  sort  of  light  and  have  no  heat.  How 
much  has  there  been  of  this  sort  of  knowledge  in  the  Christian  world,  in  this 
nge !  Was  there  ever  an  age  wherein  strength  and  penetration  of  reason,  extent  ot 
learning,  exactness  of  distinction,  corr(^',tness  of  style,  and  clearness  of  expres- 
sion, did  so  abound  ?  And  yet  was  there  ever  an  age,  wherein  there  has  been  so 
little  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin,  so  little  love  to  God,  heavenly  mindedness,  and  holi- 
ness of  life,  among  the  prolessors  of  the  true  religion  7  Our  people  do  not  so  much 
need  to  have  their  heads  stored,  as  to  have  their  hearts  touched;  and  they  stand 
in  the  greatest  need  of  that  sort  of  preaching,  that  has  the  greatest  tendency 
to  do  this. 

Those  texts,  Isa.  Iviii.  1,  "  Cry  aloud,  spare  not,  lift  up  thy  voice  like  a 
trumpet,  and  show  my  people  their  transgression,  and  the  house  of  Jacob  their 
sins."  And  Ezek.  vi.  11,  "Thus  sailh  the  Lord  God,  smite  with  thine  hand, 
and  stamp  with  thy  foot,  and  say,  alas,  for  all  the  evil  abominations  of  the  house 
of  Israel  !"  I  say  these  texts  (however  the  use  that  some  have  made  of  them 
has  been  laughed  at)  will  fully  justify  a  great  degree  of  pathos,  and  manifes- 
tation of  zeal  and  fervency  in  preaching  the  word  of  God :  they  may  indeed  be 
abused,  to  justify  that  which  would  be  odd  and  unnatural,  amongst  us,  not  mak- 
ing due  allowance  for  difference  of  manners  and  customs,  in  different  ages  and 
nations  ;  but  let  us  interpret  them  how  we  will,  Ihey  at  least  imply,  that  a  most 
affectionate  and  earnest  manner  of  delivery,  in  many  cases,  becomes  a  preacher 
of  God's  word. 

Preaching  of  the  word  of  God,  is  commonly  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  in  such 
expressions,  as  seem  to  import  a  loud  and  earnest  speaking;  as  in  Isa.  xl.  2, 
"  Speak  ye  comfortably  to  Jerusalem,  and  cry  unto  her,  that  her  iniquity  is  par- 
doned." And  ver.  3,  "  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness,  prepare 
ye  the  way  of  the  Lord."  Ver.  6,  "  The  voice  said  cry :  and  he  said,  what 
shall  I  cry  1  All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  goodliness  thereof,  as  the  flower  of 
the  field."  Jer.  ii.  2,  "  Go  and  cry  in  the  ears  of  Jerusalem,  saying,  thus  saith 
the  Lord,"  &c.  Jonah  i.  2,  "  Arise,  go  to  Nineveh,  that  great  city,  and  cry 
against  it."  Isa.  Ixi.  1,  2,  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me,  because 
the  Lord  hath  anointed  me,  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  meek,  to  proclaim 
liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound,  to 
proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  and  the  year  of  vengeance  of  our 
God."  Isa.  Ixii.  11,  "  Behold,  the  Lord  hath  proclaimed  unto  the  end  of  the 
world,  say  ye  to  the  daughter  of  Zion,  behold  thy  salvation  cometh,"  &c.  Rom. 
X.  18,  "  Their  sound  went  into  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  end  of  the 
Vvorld."  Jei'.  xi.  6,  "  Proclaim  all  these  words  in  the  cities  of  Judah,  and  in  the 
streets  of  Jerusalem,  saying,  hear  ye  the  words  of  this  covenant,  and  do  them." 
So  chap.  xix.  2,  and  vii.  2.  Prov.  viii.  1,  "  Doth  not  wisdom  cry,  and  under- 
standing put  forth  her  voice  ?"  Ver.  3,  4,  "  She  crieth  at  the  gates,  at  the 
entry  of  the  city,  at  the  coming  in  at  the  doors  ;  unto  you,  0  men,  I  call,  and 
my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men !"  And  chap.  i.  20,  "  Wisdom  crieth  without, 
she  uttereth  her  voice  in  the  streets."  Chap.  ix.  3,  "  She  hath  sent  forth  her 
maidens,  she  crieth  upon  the  high  places  of  the  city."  John  vii,  37,  "  In  the 
last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying,  if  any  man 
tliirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink." 

It  seems  to  be  foretold,  that  the  gospel  should  be  especially  preached  in  a 
loud  and  earnest  manner,  at  the  iiitroduction  of  the  prosperous  state  of  religion, 
in  the  latter  days.  Isa.  xl.  9,  "  0  Zion,  that  bringest  good  tidings,  get  thee  up 
uto  the  high  mountain !     0  Jerusalem,  that  bringest  good  tidings,  lift  up  thj 


I.V   NEW   ENGLAND.  337 

voice  with  strcn^rih !  Lift  up,  and  be  not  afraid  !  Say  unto  the  cities  of  Ju(hih, 
behold  your  God  I"  Isa.  lii.  7,  8,  '•  iiow  beautiful  upon  the  niouiitaifis,  iue  the 
feet  of  Inni  that  l)ringc(h  good  tithngs  !  Thy  watchmen  shall  lift  up  the  voice." 
Jsa.  xxvii.  13,  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  "in  that  day,  that  the  great  tiuuipet 
shall  be  blown,  and  they  sh.dl  come  which  were  ready  to  perish."  And  this 
will  be  one  way,  that  tiie  church  of  CkhI  will  cry  at  that  lime,  like  a  travading 
woman,  when  C'hrist  mystical  is  going  to  be  brouglit  forth  ;  as  Rev.  xii.  at  tiie 
begiiming.  It  will  be  by  ministers,  that  are  her  moulh  :  ami  it  will  be  this  way, 
that  Christ  will  then  cry  lilce  a  travailing  woman,  as  m  Isa.  xlii.  14,"  I  have 
long  time  hohlen  my  peace:  I  have  been  slill,  and  refrained  myself;  now  will 
1  cry  like  a  travailing  woman."  Christ  cries  by  his  ministers,  and  the  church 
cries  by  her  officers.  And  it  is  worthy  to  be  noted,  that  the  word  conunonly 
used  in  the  New  Testament,  that  we  translate  prcack,  properly  signifies  lo  pro- 
claim aloud  like  a  crier. 

Another  thing  that  some  ministers  have  been  greatly  blamed  for,  and  i  ihink 
unjustly,  is  speaking  terror  to  them,  that  are  already  under  great  terrors,  in>tead 
of  comforting  thein. — Indeed,  if  ministers  in  such  a  case,  go  about  to  terrify 
persons  with  that  which  is  not  true,  or  to  aflfright  them  by  representing  their 
case  worse  than  it  is,  or  in  any  respect  otherwise  than  it  is,  they  are  to  be  con- 
denmed;  but  if  they  terrily  them  only  by  slill  holding  forth  more  light  to  them, 
and  giving  them  to  understand  more  ol  the  truth  of  their  case,  they  aie  alto- 
gether to  be  justified.     When  sinners'  consciences  are  greatly  awakened  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  it  is  by  light  imparted  to  the  conscience,  enabling  them  to  see 
their  case   to    be,  in  some  measure,  as  it  is  ;  and  if  more  light  be  let  in, 
it  will  terrify  them  still  more:  but  ministers  are  not  therelbre  10  be   blamed 
that  they  endeavor  to  hold  forth  more  light   to  the  conscience,  and  do  not 
rather   alleviate   the   pain    they  are    under,    by  intercepting    ami  obstructing 
that  ligl'.t  that  shines  already.     To  say  any  thing  to  those  wlio  have  never  be- 
lieved in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  represent  their  case  any  otherwise  t:  an  ex- 
ceeding terrible,  is  not  to  preach  the  word  of  God   to  them;  for  the  word  of 
God  reveals  nothing  but  truth,  but  this  is  to  delude  them.     Why  should  we  be 
afraid  to  let  persons,  that  are  in  an  infinitely  miserable  condition,  know  the  truth 
or  bring  them  into  the  light,  ibr  fear  it  should  terrify  them  '?     It  is  light  that 
must  convert  them,  if  ever  they  are  converted.     The  more  wc  bring  sinneis  into 
the  light,  while  they  are  miserable,  and  the  light  is  terrible  to  them,  the  more 
likely  it  is,  that  by  and  ijy,  the  light  will  be  joyful  to  them.     The  ease,  peace 
and  comfort,  that  natural   men  enjoy,  have  their  foundation  in  darkness  and 
blindness;  therefore  as  that  darkness  vanishes,  and  light  comes  in,  their  peace 
vanishes,  and  they  are  terrified  :  but  that  is  no  good  argument,  why  we  should 
endeavor  to  hold  their  darkness,  that  we  may  uphold  their  comfort.     The  truth 
is,  that  as  long  as  men  reject  Christ,  and  do  not  savingly  believe  in  him,  how- 
ever they  may  be  awakened,  and  however  strict  and  conscientious,  and  labori- 
ous they  may  be  in  religion,  they  have  the  wrath  of  God  abiding  on  them,  tbejr 
are  his  "enemies,  and  the  children  of  tiie  devil  (as  the  Scripture  calls  all  that  be 
not  savingly  converteil,  Matt.  xiii.  3S,  1  John  iii.  10)  ;  and  it  is  uncertain  whe- 
ther they  sliall   ever  obtain  mercy  :  God  is  under  no  obligation  to  show  them 
mercy,  nor  will  he  be,  if  they  fast  and  pray  and  cry  never  so  much  ;  and  they  are 
then  especially  provoking  God,    under  those  terrors,  tiiat  they  stand  it  out 
against  Christj  and  will  not  accept  of  an  offered  Saviour,  though  they  see  so 
much  need  of  him :  and  seeing  this  is  the  truth,  they  should  be  told  so,  that 
they  may  be  sensible  what  their  case  indeed  is. 

To  blame  a  minister,  for  thus  declaring  the  truth  to  those  who  are  under 

Vol.  m.  43 


338  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

awakenings,  and  not  immediately  administering  comfort  to  them,  is  like  blam- 
ing a  surgeon,  because  when  he  has  begun  to  thrust  in  his  lance,  whereby  he 
has  already  put  his  patient  to  gicat  pain,  and  he  shrieks  and  cries  out  with  an- 
guish, he  is  so  cruel  that  he  will  not  stay  his  hand,  but  goes  on,  to  thrust  it  in 
furthei-,  until  he  comes  to  the  core  of  the  wound.  Such  a  compassionate  phy- 
sician, who  as  soon  as  his  patient  began  to  flinch,  should  withdraw  his  hand, 
and  go  about  immediately  to  apply  a  plaster,  to  skin  over  the  wound,  and  leave 
the  core  untouched,  would  be  one  that  would  heal  the  hurt  slightly,  crying 
peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace. 

Indeed  something  else  besides  terror,  is  to  be  preached  to  them,  whose  con- 
sciences are  avv^akened.  The  gospel  is  to  be  preached  to  them  :  they  are  to  he 
told  that  there  is  a  Saviour  provideil,  that  is  excellent  and  glorious,  who  has 
shed  his  precious  blood  for  sinners,  and  is  every  way  sufficient  to  save  them,  that 
stands  ready  to  receive  them,  if  they  will  heartily  embrace  him  ;  for  this  is 
also  the  truth,  as  well  as  that  they  now  are  in  an  infinitely  dreadful  condition  ; 
this  is  the  word  of  God.  Sinners  at  the  same  time  that  they  are  told  how- 
miserable  their  case  is,  should  be  earnestly  invited  to  come  and  accept  of  a 
Saviour,  and  yield  their  hearts  unto  him,  with  all  the  winning,  encouraging 
arguments,  for  them  so  to  do,  that  the  gospel  affords  :  but  this  is  to  induce  them 
to  escape  from  the  misery  of  the  condition  that  they  are  now  in  :  but  not  to 
make  them  think  their  present  condition  less  miserable  than  it  is,  oi-  at  all  to 
abate  their  uneasiness  and  distress,  while  they  are  in  it ;  that  W'ould  be  the  way 
to  quiet  them,  and  fasten  them  in  it,  and  not  to  excite  them  to  fly  from  it, — 
Comfort,  in  one  sense,  is  to  be  held  forth  to  sinners,  under  awakenings  of  con- 
science, i.  e.,  comfort  is  to  be  offered  to  them  in  Christ,  on  condition  of  their 
flying  from  their  present  miserable  state,  to  him  :  but  comfort  is  not  to  be  ad- 
ministered to  them,  in  their  present  state,  as  any  thing  that  they  have  now  any 
title  to,  while  out  of  Christ.  No  comfort  is  to  be  administered  to  them,  from  any 
thing  in  them,  any  of  their  qualifications,  prayers  or  other  performances,  past, 
present  or  future ;  but  ministers  should,  in  such  cases,  strive  to  their  utmost  to 
take  all  such  comforts  fiom  them,  though  it  greatly  increases  their  terror. 
A  person  that  sees  himself  ready  to  sink  into  bell,  is  ready  to  strive, 
some  way  or  other,  to  lay  God  under  some  obligation  to  him ;  but  he  is  to  be 
beat  ofi"lrora  every  thing  of  that  nature,  though  it  greatly  increases  his  terror, 
to  see  himself  wholly  destitute,  on  every  side,  of  any  refuge,  or  any  thing  of  his 
own  to  lay  hold  of;  as  a  man  that  sees  himself  in  danger  of  drowning,  is  in 
terror,  and  endeavors  to  catch  hold  on  every  twig  v.'ithin  his  reach,  and  he  that 
pulls  away  those  twigs  from  him,  increases  his  terror ;  yet  if  they  are  insufficient 
to  save  him,  and  by  being  in  his  way,  prevent  his  looking  to  that  which  will 
save  him,  to  pull  them  away,  is  necessary  to  save  his  life. 

If  sinners  are  in  any  distress,  from  any  error  that  they  embrace,  or  mistake 
they  are  under,  that  is  to  be  removed  :  for  instance,  if  they  are  in  terror,  from 
an  apprehension  that  they  have  committed  the  unpardonable  sin,  or  that  those 
things  have  happened  to  them  that  are  certain  signs  of  reprobation,  or  any  other 
delusion,  such  terrars  have  no  tendency  to  do  them  any  good  ;  for  these  terrors 
are  from  temptation,  and  not  from  conviction  :  but  that  terror  which  arises  from 
conviction  or  a  sight  of  truth,  is  to  be  inci  eased  ;  for  those  that  are  most  awaken- 
ed, have  great  remaining  stupidity,  they  have  a  sense  of  but  littleof  that  which 
is  ;  and  it  is  from  remaining  blindness  and  darkness,  that  they  see  no  more ; 
and  that  remaining  blindness  is  a  disease,  that  we  ought  to  endeavor  to 
remove.  I  am  not  afraid  to  tell  sinners,  that  are  most  sensible  of  their  misery, 
that  their  case  is  indeed  as  miserable  as  they  think  it  to  be,  and  a  thousand  times 


I^'  NEW  ENGLAND.  339 

tnore  so  ;  for  this  is  the  truth.  Some  may  be  ready  to  say,  that  though  it  be  the 
truth,  yet  the  truth  is  not  to  be  spoken  at  all  times,  and  seems  not  to  be  season- 
able tiien  :  but  it  seems  to  me,  such  truth  is  never  more  seasonable  than  at  such 
a  time,  when  Christ  is  ben^inninir  to  open  the  eyes  of  conscience.  Ministers 
ought  to  act  as  co-workers  wilii  iiim  ;  to  take  tlial'oi)portunity,  and  to  the  utmost 
to  improve  that  advanta<j;e,  and  strike  wliile  the  iron  is  hot,  and  wiien  the  light 
has  begun  to  shine,  ihen  \u  remove  all  obstacles,  and  use  all  projjer  means,  that 
it  may  come  in  more  lully,  and  the  work  be  done  thoroughly  then.  And  expe- 
rience abundantly  shows,  t!iut  to  take  this  course,  is  not  of  a  hurtful  tendency, 
but  very  much  the  contrary :  I  have  seen,  in  very  many  instances,  tiie  happy  eirccts 
of  it,  and  oftentimes  a  very  speedy  hapj)y  issue,  and  never  knew  any  ill  conse- 
quence, in  case  of  real  conviction,  and  when  distress  has  been  only  from  thence. 
1  know  of  hut  one  case,  wherein  the  truth  ought  to  be  withheld  from  sinners 
in  distress  of  conscience,  and  that  is  the  case  of  melancholy  :  and  it  is  not  to 
be  withheld  from  them  then,  because  the  truth  tends  to  do  them  hurt,  but  because 
if  we  sjH-ak  the  truth  to  them,  sometimes  they  will  be  deceived  and  led  into 
error  by  it,  through  that  strange  disj)osition  there  is  in  them  to  take  things  wrong. 
.So  that  that  which  as  it  is  spoken,  is  truth,  as  it  is  heard  and  received,  and  ap- 
plied by  them,  is  falsehood ;  as  it  will  be  unless  the  truth  be  spoken  with  abun- 
dance of  caution  and  prudence,  and  consideration  of  their  disposition  and  circum- 
stances. But  the  most  awful  truths  of  God's  word,  ought  not  to  be  withheld 
from  public  congregations,  because  it  may  happen  that  some  such  melancholic 
persons  may  be  in  it ;  any  more  than  the  Bible  is  to  be  withheld  from  the  Chris- 
tian world,  because  it  is  manifest  that  there  are  a  great  many  melancholic  per- 
sons in  Christendom,  that  exceedingly  abuse  the  awful  things  contained  in  the 
Scripture,  to  their  own  wounding.  Nor  do  I  think  that  to  be  of  weight,  which 
is  made  use  of  by  some,  as  a  great  and  dreadful  objection  against  the  terrifying 
preaching  that  has  of  late  been  in  New  England,  viz.,  that  there  have  been  some 
instances  of  melancholic  persons  that  have  so  abused  it,  that  the  issue  has  been 
the  niurder  of  themselves.  The  objection  from  hence  is  no  stronger  against 
awakening  preaching,  than  it  is  against  the  Bible  itself:  there  are  hundreds, 
and  probably  thousands  of  instances  might  be  produced,  of  persons  that  have 
murdered  themselves,  under  religious  melancholy  :  these  murders,  probably 
never  would  have  been,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  Bible,  or  if  the  world  had  re- 
mained in  a  state  of  heathenish  darkness.  The  Bible  has  not  only  been  the 
occasion  of  these  sad  effects,  but  of  thousands,  and  I  suppose  millions,  of  other 
cruel  murders,  that  have  been  committed,  in  the  persecutions  that  have  been 
raised,  that  never  would  have  been,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  Bible :  many  whole 
countries  have  been,  as  it  were,  deluged  with  innocent  bloofl,  which  would  not  have 
been,  if  the  gospel  never  had  been  preached  in  the  world.  It  is  not  a  good  objec- 
tion against  any  kind  of  preaching,  tliatsome  men  abuse  it  greatly  to  their  hurt. 
It  has  been  acknowledged  by  all  divines,  as  a  thing  common  in  all  ages,  and 
all  Christian  coimtries,  that  a  very  great  part  of  those  that  sit  under  the  gospel, 
<lo  so  abuse  it,  that  it  only  proves  an  occasion  of  their  far  more  aggravated 
damnation,  and  so  of  men's  eternally  murdering  their  souls ;  which  is  an  effect 
infinitely  more  terrible  than  the  murder  of  their  bodies.  It  is  as  unjust  to  lay 
che  blame  of  these  self  murders  to  those  ministers  who  have  declared  tlie  awful 
cruths  of  God's  word,  in  the  most  lively  and  affecting  maimer  they  were  capa- 
ble of,  as  it  would  be  to  lay  the  blame  of  hardening  men's  iiearts,  and  blinding? 
their  eyes,  and  their  more  dreadt'ul  eternal  damnatinn,  to  the  prophet  Isaiah,  or 
Jesus  Christ,  because  this  was  the  consequence  of  their  preaching,  with  respect 
to  many  of  their  hearers.     Isa.  vi.  10,  John  ix.  39,  Matth.  xiii.  14.     Though 


340  REVIVAL  OF  REI.  GION 

a  very  few  have  abused  the  awakening  preaching  that  has  lately  been,  to  so 
sad  an  effect  as  to  be  the  cause  of  their  own  temporal  death  ;  yet  it  may  be  to 
one  such  instance,  theie  have  been  hundreds,  yea  thousands,  that  have  been 
saved,  by  this  means,  from  eternal  death. 

What  has  more  especially  given  offence  to  many,  and  raised  a  loud  cry 
against  some  preachers,  as  though  their  conduct  were  intolerable, is  their  flight- 
ing poor  innocent  children,  with  talk  of  hell  fire,  and  eternal  damnation.  But 
if  those  that  complain  so  loudly  of  this,  really  believe,  what  is  the  general  pro- 
fession of  the  country,  viz.,  that  all  are  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  and 
heirs  of  hell ;  and  that  every  one  that  has  not  been  born  again,  whether  he  be 
youno-  or  old,  is  exposed,  every  momei'.t,  to  eternal  destruction,  under  the  wrath 
of  Almighty  God;  I  say,  if  they  really  believe  this,  then  such  a  complaint  and 
cry  as  this,  bewrays  a  great  deal  of  weakness  and  inconsideration.  As  inno- 
cent as  children  seem  to  be  to  us,  yet,  if  they  are  out  of  Christ,  they  are  not  so 
in  God's  sight,  but  are  young  vipers,  and  are  infinitely  more  hateful  than  vipers, 
and  are  in  a  most  miserable  conflition,  as  well  as  grown  persons  ,•  and  they  are 
.naturally  very  senseless  and  stupid,  being  born  as  the  wild  ass's  colt,  and  need 
"much  to  awaken  them.  Why  should  we  conceal  the  truth  from  them  ?  Will 
those  children  that  have  been  dealt  tenderly  with,  in  this  respect,  and  lived  and 
died  insensible  of  their  misery,  until  they  come  to  feel  it  in  hell,  ever  thank  pa- 
rents, and  others,  tor  their  tenderness,  in  not  letting  them  know  what  they  were 
in  danger  of?  If  parents' love  towards  their  children  was  not  blind,  it  would 
aflfect  them  much  more  to  see  their  children  every  day  exposed  to  eternal  burn- 
ings, and  yet  senseless,  than  to  see  them  suffer  the  distress  of  that  a\vakenin<^, 
that  is  necessary  in  order  to  their  escape  from  them,  and  that  tends  to  their 
being  eternally  happy,  as  the  children  of  God.  A  child  that  has  a  dangerous 
wound,  may  need  the  painful  lance,  as  well  as  grown  persons ;  and  that  would  be 
a  foohsh  pity,  in  such  a  case,  that  should  hold  back  the  lance,  and  throw  away 
the  life.  1  have  seen  the  happy  effects  of  dealing  plainly,  and  thoroughly  with 
children,  in  the  concerns  of  their  souls,  without  sparing  them  at  all,  in  many 
instances;  and  never  knew  any  ill  consequences  of  it  in  any  one  instance. 

Another  thing,  that  a  great  deal  has  been  said  against,  is  having  so  frequent 
rehgious  meetings,  and  spending  so  much  time  in  religion.  And  indeed,  there 
are  none  of  the  externals  of  religion,  but  what  are  capable  of  excess :  and  I 
believe  it  is  true,  that  there  has  not  been  a  due  proportion  observed  in  religion 
of  late.  We  have  placed  religion  too  much  in  external  duties  of  the  first  table ; 
we  have  abounded  in  religious  meetings,  and  in  praying,  reading,  hearing, 
singing,  and  religious  conference ;  and  there  has  not  been  a  proportionable  in- 
crease of  zeal  for  deeds  of  charity,  and  other  duties  of  the  second  table  ;  though 
it  must  be  ackno\yledged  that  they  are  also  much  increased.  But  yet  it  appears 
to  me,  that  this  objection  of  persons  spending  too  much  time  in  religion,  has 
been  in  the  general  groundless.  Though  worldly  business  must  be  done,  and 
persons  ought  not  to  neglect  the  business  of  their  particular  callings,  yet  it  Is  to 
the  honor  of  God,  that  a  people  should  be  so  much  in  outward  acts  of  religion, 
as  to  carry  in  it,  a  visible,  public  appearance,  of  a  great  engagednessof  mmd  in 
it,  as  the  main  business  of  life :  and  especially  is  it  fit,  that  at  such  an  extraor- 
dinary time,  when  God  appears  unusually  present  with  a  people,  in  wonderful 
works  of  power  and  mercy,  that  they  should  spend  more  time  than  usual  in  re- 
ligious exercises,  to  put  honor  upon  that  God  that  is  then  extraordinarily  present, 
and  to  seek  his  face;  as  it  was  whh  the  Christian  church  in  Jerusalem,  on  oc- 
casion of  that  extraordinary  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit,  soon  after  Christ's  ascen- 
sion, Acts  ii.  46  :  "  And  they  continued  daily  with  one  accord,  in  the  temple, 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  341 

and  breaking  bread,  from  house  to  house."  And  so  it  was  at  Ephesus,  at  a 
time  of  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  there;  the  Christians  there  attended  pub- 
lic religiou.-^  exercises,  every  day,  for  two  years  together,  Acts  xix.  S,  9,  10  : 
"  And  lie  went  into  the  synai^ogue,  and  s])ake  boldly  for  the  space  of  three 
months,  disputing  and  persuading  the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God  : 
but  when  divers  were  hardened,  and  believed  not,  but  spake  evil  of  that  way, 
before  the  multitude,  he  departed  from  them,  and  separated  the  disciples,  disput- 
ing daily  in  the  school  of  one  Tyrannus  ;  and  this  continued,  by  the  space  of 
iwo  yeais;  so  that  all  they  which  dwell  in  Asia,  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
bolh  Jews  and  Greeks."  And  as  to  the  grand  objection,  o(  six  dui/s-  shall  Oum 
labor,  all  that  can  be  understood  by  it,  and  all  that  the  very  objectors  themselves 
understand  by  it,  is  that  we  may  follow  our  secular  labors  in  those  six  days, 
that  are  not  the  Sabbath,  and  oughl  to  be  diligent  in  them  :  not  but  that  some- 
times, we  may  turn  Irom  them,  even  within  those  six  days,  to  keep  a  day  of 
fasting,  or  thanksgiving,  or  to  attend  a  lecture ;  and  tha{  more  frequently  or 
rarely,  as  God's  providence  and  the  state  of  things  shall  call  us,  according  to 
the  best  judgment  of  our  discretion. 

Thouiih  secular  business,  as  I  said  before,  ought  not  to  be  neglected,  yet  I 
cannot  see  how  it  can  be  maintained,  that  religion  ought  not  to  be  attended,  so 
as  in  the  least  to  injure  our  temporal  affairs,  on  any  other  principles  than  those 
of  infidelity.  None  objects  against  injuring  one  temporal  adair  for  the  sake 
of  aiiolher  temporal  nlTair  of  much  greater  imj)ortance  ;  and  therefore,  if  eternal 
things  are  as  real  as  temporal  things,  and  are  indeed  of  infinitely  greater  impor- 
tance ;  then  why  may  we  not  voluntarily  suffer,  in  some  measure,  in  our  tempo- 
ral concerns,  while  we  are  seeking  eternal  riches,  and  immortal  glory  ?  It  is 
looked  upon  no  way  improper  for  a  whole  nation,  to  spend  considerable  time, 
and  much  of  their  outward  substance,  on  some  extraordinary  temporal  occasions, 
for  the  sake  only  of  the  ceremonies  of  a  public  rejoicing ;  and  it  would  be 
thought  dishonorable  to  be  very  exact,  about  what  we  spend,  or  careful  lest  we 
injure  our  estates,  on  such  an  occasion :  and  why  should  we  be  exact  only  with 
Almighty  God,  so  that  it  should  be  a  crime  to  be  otherwise  than  scrupulously 
caretul,  lest  we  injure  ourselves  in  our  temporal  interests,  or  put  honor  upon 
him,  and  seek  our  own  eternal  happiness?  We  shnuld  take  heed  that  none  of 
us  be  in  any  wise  like  Judas,  wlio  greatly  complained  of  needless  expense, 
and  waste  of  outward  substance,  to  put  honor  upon  Christ,  when  Mary  broke 
her  box,  and  poured  the  precious  ointment  on  his  head  :  he  had  indigna- 
tion willVm  himselt  on  that  account,  and  cries  out,  Why  was  this  waste  of 
the  ointment  made?  For  it  might  have  ben  sold  for  more  than  three  hundred 
pencr,  and  have  been  given  to  the  poor.  Mark  xiv.  3,  4,  5,  &c.,  and  John  xii- 
4,  5,  &,c. 

And  besides,  if  the  matter  be  justly  considered  and  examined,  I  believe  it 
will  be  found,  that  the  country  has  lost  no  time  from  their  temporal  affairs,  by 
the  late  revival  of  religion,  but  have  rather  gained  time;  and  that  more  time 
has  been  saved  from  frolicking  and  tavern  haunting,  idleness,  unprofitable  visits, 
vain  talk,  fruitless  pastimes,  and  needless  diversions,  than  has  lately  been 
^pent  in  extraordinary  religion  ;  ami  probably  five  times  as  much  has  been  sav- 
ed in  persons'  estates,  at  the  tavern,  and  in  tlieir  apparel,  as  has  been  spent  by 
religious  meetings. 

Tiie  great  complaint  that  is  made  against  so  much  time  spent  in  religion, 
cannot  be  in  general  from  a  real  concern  that  God  may  be  honored,  and  his 
will  done,  and  the  best  good  of  men  promoted  ;  as  is  very  manifest  from  this,  that 
now  there  is  a  much  more  earnest  and  zealous  outer}'  made  in  the  country,  against 


341  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

this  extraordinary  religion,  than  was  before,  against  so  much  time  spent  in  tav- 
ern haunting,  vain  company  keeping,  night  walking,  and  other  things,  which 
wasted  both  our  time  and  substance,  and  injured  our  moral  virtue. 

The  frequent  preaching  that  has  lately  been,  has  in  a  particular  manner 
been  objected  against  as  unprofitable  and  prejudicial.  It  is  objected  that  when 
sermons  are  heard  so  very  often,  one  sermon  tends  to  thrust  out  another  ;  so  thai 
persons  lose  the  benefit  of  all :  they  say  two  or  three  sermons  in  a  week  is  as 
much  as  they  can  remember  and  digest  Such  objections  against  frequent 
preaching,  if  they  are  not  from  an  enmity  against  religion,  are  for  want  of  duly 
considering  the  way  that  sermons  usually  profit  an  auditory.  The  main  bene- 
fit that  is  obtained  by  preaching,  is  by  impression  made  upon  the  mind  in  the 
time  of  it,  and  not  by  any  effect  that  arises  afterwards  by  a  remembrance  of 
what  was  delivered.  And  though  an  after  remembrance  of  what  was  heard 
in  a  sermon  is  oftentimes  very  profitable ;  yet,  for  the  most  part,  that  remem- 
brance is  from  an  impression  the  Avords  made  on  the  heart  in  the  time  of  it ; 
and  the  memory  profits,  as  it  renews  and  increases  that  impression  ;  and  a  fre- 
quent inculcating  the  more  important  things  of  religion  in  preaching,  has  no 
tendency  to  rase  out  such  impressions,  but  to  increase  them,  and  fix  them  deeper 
and  deeper  in  the  mind,  as  is  found  by  experience.  It  never  used  to  be  objected 
against,  that  persons,  upon  the  Sabbaih,  after  they  have  heard  two  sermons 
that  day,  should  go  home  and  spend  the  remaining  part  of  the  Sabbath  in  read 
ing  the  Scriptures,  and  printed  sermons  ;  which,  in  proportion  as  it  has  a  ten 
dency  to  affect  the  mind  at  all,  has  as  much  of  a  tendency  to  drive  out  what  they 
have  heard,  as  if  they  heard  another  sermon  preached.  It  seems  to  have  been 
the  practice  of  the  apostles  to  preach  every  day  in  places  where  they  went ;  yea_. 
though  sometimes  they  continued  long  in  one  place.  Acts  ii.  42,  and  46,  Acts 
xix.  8,  9,  10.  They  did  not  avoid  preaching  one  day,  for  fear  they  should 
thrust  out  of  the  minds  of  their  hearers  what  they  had  delivered  the  day  before  ; 
nor  did  Christians  avoid  going  every  day  to  hear,  for  fear  of  any  such  bad  effect, 
as  is  evident  by  Acts  ii.  42,  46. 

There  are  some  things  in  Scripture  that  seem  to  signify  as  much,  as  that 
there  should  be  preaching  in  an  extraordinary  frequency,  at  the  time  when  God 
should  be  about  to  introduce  that  flourishing  state  of  religion  that  should  be  in 
the  latter  days ;  as  that  in  Isa.  Ixii.  at  the  beginning  :  "  For  Zion's  sake  Avill  I 
not  hold  my  peace,  for  Jerusalem's  sake,  I  will  not  rest ;  until  the  righteous- 
ness thereof  go  forth  as  brightness,  and  the  salvation  thereof,  as  a  lamp  that 
burneth  :  and  the  Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy  glory." 
And  ver.  5,  6,  "  For  as  a  young  man  marrieth  a  virgin,  so  shall  thy  sons  marry 
thee  ;  and  as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy  God  rejoice 
over  thee.  I  have  set  watchmen  upon  thy  walls,  0  Jerusalem.,  which  shall 
never  hold  their  peace,  day  nor  night."  The  destruction  of  the  city  of  Jericho, 
is  evidently,  in  all  its  circumstances,  intended  by  God,  as  a  great  type  of  the 
overthrow  of  Satan's  kingdom  ;  the  priests  blowing  with  trumpets  at  that  time, 
represents  ministers  preaching  the  gospel ;  the  people  compassed  the  city  seven 
days,  the  priests  blowing  the  trumpets  ;  but  when  the  day  was  come  that  the 
walls  of  the  city  were  to  fall,  the  priests  were  more  frequent  and  abundant  in 
blowing  their  trumpets ;  there  was  as  much  done  in  one  day  then,  as  had  been 
done  in  seven  days  before ;  they  compassed  the  city  seven  times  that  day,  blow- 
ing their  trumpets,  until  at  length  it  come  to  one  long  and  perpetual  blast,  and 
then  the  walls  of  the  city  fell  down  flat.  The  extraordinary  preaching  that 
shall  be  at  the  beginning  of  that  glorious  jubilee  of  the  church,  is  represented 
by  the  extraordinary  sounding  of  tr";:mpetSj  throughout  the  land  of  Canaan,  at 


IN  NEW   KXCLAND.  343 

the  beginning  of  the  year  of  jubilee  ;  and  by  the  reading  of  the  law,  lu-'fore  all 
Israel,  in  the  year  of  release,  at  ihe  fe-ast  of  tabernacles.  And  the  crowin"-  of 
the  eocic,  at  break  of  day,  which  brought  Peter  to  repentance,  seems  to  me 
to  be  intended  to  signify,  the  awalc(;ning  of  God's  church  out  of  their  hthargy, 
whcreir)  they  had  denied  their  Lord,  by  the  extraordiriary  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel, that  shall  be  at  tlie  dawning  of  the  day  of  the  cliurch's  light  and  glory. 
Anil  there  seems  at  this  day  to  lie  an  unconuuon  hand  of  divine  Proviilcnce,  in 
animating,  enabling,  and  upholding  some  ministers  in  such  abundant  lal)ors. 

Another  thing,  wherein  I  think  sotnt.'  ministers  have  been  injured,  is  in  being 
very  much  blamed  for  making  so  much  of  outcries,  fainlings,  and  other  bodily 
cfficts  ;  speaking  of  them  a.s  tokens  of  the  presence  of  God,  and  arguments  of  the 
success  of  preaching ;  seeming  to  strive  to  their  utmost  to  bring  a  congregation 
lo  that  pass,  and  seeming  to  rejoice  in  it,  yea,  even  blessing  God  for  it,  when 
they  see  these  elfects. 

Concerning  this  I  would  observe,  in  the  first  place,  that  there  are  many 
things,  witli  respect  to  cryings  out,  falling  down,  &c.,  that  are  chr.rged  on 
ministers,  that  they  are  not  guilty  of.  Some  would  have  it,  that  they  speak  of 
these  things  as  certain  evidences  of  a  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  hearts 
of  their  hearers,  or  that  they  esteem  tiiese  bodily  eti'ects  themselves  to  be  the 
work  of  God,  as  though  the  Spirit  of  God  took  hold  of,  and  agitated  the  bodies 
of  men  ;  and  some  are  charged  with  making  these  things  essential,  and  suppos- 
ing that  persons  cannot  be  converted  without  them ;  whereas  I  never  yet  could 
see  the  person  that  held  either  of  these  things. 

But  for  speaking  ©f  such  elfects  as  probable  tokens  of  God's  presence,  and 
arguments  of  the  success  of  preaching,  it  seems  to  me  they  are  not  to  be  blamed  ; 
because  1  think  they  are  so  indeed :  and  therefore  when  I  see  them  excited  by 
preaching  the  important  truths  of  God's  word,  urged  and  enforced  by  proper 
arguments  and  motives,  or  are  consequent  on  other  means  that  are  good,  1  do 
not  scruple  to  speak  of  tliem,  and  to  rejoice  in  them,  and  bless  God  for  them  as 
such;  and  that  for  this  (as  I  think)  good  reason,  viz.,  that  from  time  to  time, 
upon  proper  inquiry  and  examination,  and  observation  of  the  consequence  and 
fruits,  1  have  found  that  these  are  all  evidences  that  persons  in  whom  these  ellects 
appear,  are  under  the  influences  of  God's  Spirit,  in  such  cases.  Cryings  out,  in 
such  a  manner,  and  with  such  circumstances,  as  I  have  seen  them  from  time  to 
time,  is  as  much  an  evidence  to  me,  of  the  general  cause  it  proceeds  from,  as 
language  :  I  have  learned  the  meaning  of  if,  the  same  way  that  persons  learn 
the  meaning  of  language,  viz.,  by  use  and  experience.  1  confess  that  when  I  see 
a  great  crying  out  in  a  congregation,  in  the  manner  that  I  have  seen  it,  when 
those  things  are  held  forth  to  them  that  are  worthy  of  their  being  greatly  affected 
by,  I  rejoice  in  it,  much  more  than  merely  in  an  appearance  of  solemn  attention, 
and  a  show  of  affection  by  weeping;  and  that  because  when  there  have  been 
those  outcries,  I  have  found  from  time  to  time,  a  much  greater  and  more  excel- 
lent effect.  To  rejoice  that  the  work  of  God  is  carried  on  calmly,  without  much 
ado,  is  in  effect  to  rejoice  that  it  is  carried  on  with  less  power,  or  that  there  is 
not  so  much  of  the  influence  of  God's  Spirit :  for  though  the  degree  of  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit  of  Goil,  on  particular  persons,  is  by  no  means  to  be  judged 
of  by  the  degree  of  external  appearances,  because  of  the  different  constitution, 
tempers,  and  circumstances  of  men ;  yet  if  there  be  a  ver)'  powerful  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  a  mixed  multitude,  it  will  cause  some  way  or  other,  a 
great  visible  commotion. 

And  as  to  ministers  aiming  at  such  effects,  and  striving  by  all  means  to 
bring  a  congregation  to  that  pass,  that  there  should  be  such  an  uproar  among 


344  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

them ;  I  suppose  none  aim  at  it  any  otherwise,  than  as  they  strive  to  raise  the 
affections  of  their  hearers  to  such  a  height,  as  very  often  appears  in  these 
effects  •  and  if  it  be  so,  that  those  affections  are  commonly  good,  and  it  be  found 
by  experience  that  such  a  degree  of  lliem  commonly  has  a  good  effect,  i  think 
they  are  to  be  justified  in  so  doing. 

Ac-ain,  some  ministers  have  been  blamed  for  keeping  persons  together,  that 
have  been  under  great  affections,  which  have  appeared  in  such  extraoidinary 
outward  manifestations.  Many  think  this  promotes  confusion,  that  persons  in 
such  circumstances  do  but  discompose  each  other's  minds,  and  disturb  the  minds 
of  others;  and  that  therefore  it  is  best  they  should  be  dispersed,  and  that  when 
any  in  a  congregation  are  strongly  seized,  so  that  they  cannot  forbear  outward 
manifestations  of  it,  they  should  be  removed  that  others'  minds  may  not  be  di- 
verted. 

But  I  cannot  but  think  that  those  that  thus  object  go  upon  quite  wrong  no- 
tions of  things:  for  tliough  persons  ought  to  take  heed  that  they  do  not  make 
an  ado  without  necessity  ;  for  this  will  be  the  way  in  time,  to  have  such  appear- 
ances lose  all  their  effect ;  yet  the  unavoidable  manifestations  of  strong  religious 
affections  tend  to  a  happy  influence  on  the  minds  of  bystanders,  and  are  found 
by  experience  to  have  an  excellent  and  durable  effect ;  and  so  to  contrive  and 
order  tilings,  that  others  may  have  opportunity  and  advantage  to  observe  them, 
has  been  found  to  be  blessed,  as  a  great  means  to  promote  the  woik  of  God ; 
and  to  prevent  their  being  in  the  way  of  observation,  is  to  prevent  the  effect  of 
that,  which  God  makes  use  of,  as  a  principal  means  of  carrying  on  his  work,  at 
such  an  extraordinary  time,  viz.,  example;  which  is  often  spoken  of  in  Scrip- 
ture, as  one  of  the  chief  means  by  which  God  would  carry  on  his  work,  in  the 
time  of  the  prosperity  of  religion  in  the  latter  days :  I  have  mentioned  some 
texts  already  to  this  purpose,  in  what  I  published  before,  oUhe  marks  of  a  icork 
oftJie  true  SjnrU  ;  but  would  here  mention  some  others.  In  Zech.  ix.  15,  16, 
those  that  in  the  latter  days  should  be  filled,  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  with  the 
Holy  Spirit,  so  as  to  appear  in  outward  manifestations,  and  making  a  noise,  are 
spoken  of  as  those  that  God,  in  these  uncommon  circumstances,  will  set  up  to 
the  view  of  others,  as  a  prize  or  ensign,  by  their  example  and  the  excellency 
of  their  attainments,  to  animate  and  draw  others,  as  men  gather  about  an  en- 
sign, and  run  for  a  prize,  a  crown  and  precious  jewels,  set  up  in  their  view. 
The  words  are  :  And  they  shall  drink,  and  make  a  7wise,  as  through  icine  ;  and 
they  shall  be  filed  like  bowls,  and  as  the  corners  of  the  altar:  and  the  Lord 
their  God  shall  save  tJiem,  in  that  day,  as  the  flock  of  his  people  ;  for  they  shall 
he  as  the  stones  of  a  crown,  lifted  up  as  an  eiisign  vpon  his  land.  (But  I  shall 
have  occasion  to  say  sometliing  more  of  this  Scriptuie  afterwards.)  Those  that 
make  the  objection  I  am  upon,  instead  of  sufferino-  this  prize  or  ensign  to  be  in 
public  view,  are  for  having  it  removed,  and  hid  in  some  corner.  To  the  like 
purpose  is  that,  Isa.  Ixii.  3,  "  Thou  shalt  be  a  crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the 
Lord,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy  God."  Here  it  is  observable,  that 
it  is  not  said,  thou  shalt  be  a  croAvn  7ipon  the  head,  but  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord ; 
i.  e.,  held  forth,  in  thy  beauty  and  excellency,  as  a  prize,  to  be  bestowed  upon 
others  that  shall  behold  thee,  and  be  animated  by  the  brightness  and  lustre 
which  God  shall  endow  thee  with.  The  great  influence  of  the  example  of  God's 
people,  in  their  bright  and  excellent  attainments,  to  propagate  religion,  in  those 
days,  is  further  signified,  in  Isa.  Ix.  3,  "  And  the  Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  light, 
and  kings  to  the'brightness  of  thy  rising."  With  ver.  22,  "  A  little  one  shall 
become  a  thousand,  and  a  small  one  a  strong  nation."  And  Zech.  x.  8,  9, 
"  And  they  shall  increase  as  they  have  increased  ;  and  I  wiL  sow  them  among 


IN   NKU'   ENGLAND.  345 

the  peoj)!i'."   And  llos.  ii.  -23,"  And  I  will  sow  her  unto  me  in  tljo  curlh."     So 
Jtr.  xxxi.  27. 

AiiotJKT  (liincr  tliat  ^ives  <;ri'at  di.sfjust  to  many,  is  (he  disposition  that  per- 
sons- show,  under  ^:reat  afFeclions,  to  speak  so  much,  and  with  sueh  earnestness 
anil  velumence,  to  be  seltinir  forth  the  t^reatncss  and  wonderfulness  and  iiupor- 
tanre  of  divine  and  eternal  things  ;  and  to  be  so  passionately  warning,  invitiii" 
anil  entreating  others.  ^ 

Concerning  which  I  would  say,  th;il  I  am  fur  from  thinking  that  such  a 
disposition  should  be  wholly  witliout  any  limits  or  regulation  (as  I  shall  more 
partictdarly  show  afterwards)  ;  and  I  believe  some  have  erred,  in  setting  no 
bounds,  and  indulging  and  encouraging  this  disposition  without  any  kind  o( 
restraint  or  direction  :  but  yet,  it  seems  to  nv%  that  such  a  disposition  in  gene- 
ral, is  what  both  reason  and  Scripture  will  jiislify.  Those  that  are  olfended  at 
such  things,  as  though  they  were  unreasonable,  arc  not  just :  upon  examination 
it  will  probably  be  Ibund,  that  they  have  one  rule  of  reasoning  about  temporal 
things,  and  another  about  spiritual  things. — They  would  not  at  all  wonder,  if  a 
person  on  some  very  great  and  alfecting  occasion,  of  extraordinary  danger  or 
great  joy,  that  eminently  and  immediately  concerns  hiin  and  others,  is  disposed 
to  speak  much,  and  with  grent  earnestness,  especially  to  those  to  whom  lie  is 
united,  in  the  bonds  of  dear  affection,  and  great  concern  for  their  good.  And 
therefore,  if  they  were  just,  why  would  not  they  allow  it  in  spiritual  things? 
And  much  more  in  them,  agreeably  to  the  vastly  greater  importance,  and  more 
affecting  nature  of  spiritual  things,  and  the  concern  wliich  true  religion  causes  in 
men's  minds  for  the  good  of  others,  and  the  disposition  it  gives  and  excites  to 
speak  God's  praises,  to  show  forth  his  infinite  glor}',  and  talk  of  all  his  glorious 
perfections  and  works  1 

That  a  very  great  sense,  of  the  right  kind,  of  the  importance  of  the  things 
of  religion,  ami  the  danger  sinners  are  in,  should  sometimes  cause  an  almost 
msupcrable  disposition  to  speak  and  warn  others,  is  agreeable  toJcr.  vi.  10, 
11 :  "To  whom  shall  I  speak,  and  give  warning,  tliat  they  may  hear?  Behold, 
their  ear  is  uncircumcised,  and  they  cannot  hearken  :  behold,  the  word  of  the 
Lord  is  unto  them  a  reproach  ;  they  have  no  delight  in  it.  Therefore  I  am 
full  of  the  fuiy  of  the  Loid  ;  I  am  weaiy  with  liolding  in  ;  I  will  pour  it  out 
upon  the  children  abroad,  anrl  upon  the  assembly  of  the  young  men  together; 
for  even  the  husband  with  the  wite  shall  be  taken,  the  aged  with  him  that  is 
full  of  days."  And  that  true  Christians,  when  they  come  to  be  as  it  were  wak- 
ed out  of  sleep,  and  to  be  filled  with  a  sweet  and  joyful  sense  of  the  excellent 
thintrs  of  religion,  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  or  by  other  means  of  grace, 
should  be  disposed  to  he  much  in  speaking  of  divine  things,  though  before  they 
were  dumb,  is  agreeable  to  what  Christ  says  to  his  church,  Cant.  vii.  9:  "And 
the  roof  of  thy  mouth  is  like  the  best  wine,  for  my  beloved,  that  goeth  <lown 
sweetly,  causing  the  lips  of  those  that  are  asleep  to  speak."  The  roof  of  the 
church's  mouth,  is  the  officers  in  the  church,  that  preach  the  gospel ;  their 
word  is  to  Christ's  beloved,  like  the  best  wine,  that  gr^es  down  sweetly  :  extra- 
ordinarily refreshing  and  enlivening  the  saints,  causinir  them  to  sneak,  though 
before  they  were  mute  and  asleep.  It  is  said  by  some  that  the  pei>ple  tliat  are 
the  subjects  of  this  work,  when  they  get  together,  talking  loudly  and  earnestly, 
m  their  pretended  great  joys,  several  in  a  room,  talking  at  the  same  time,  make 
a  noise  just  like  a  company  of  drunken  persons.  On  which  I  would  observe, 
that  it  is  foretold  that  Clod's  people  should  do  so,  in  that  foremenlioned  place, 
Zech.  ix.  15,  16,  17,  which  I  shall  now  take  more  particular  notice  of:  the 
words  are  as  follows  :  "  The  Lord  of  hosts  shall  defend  them ;  and  thev  shall 
Vol.  Ill  44 


346  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGIOi'v 

devour  and  subdue  with  sling-stones  ;  and  they  shall  diink,  and  make  a  noise, 
as  through  wine,  and  they  shall  be  filled  like  bowls,  and  as  the  corners  of  the 
altar  :  and  the  Lord  their  God  shall  save  them  in  that  day,  as  the  flock  of  his 
people ;  for  they  shall  be  as  the  stones  of  a  crown,  lifted  up,  as  an  ensign, 
upon  his  land  :  ibr  how  great  is  his  goodness !  And  liow  great  is  his  beauty  ! 
Corn  shall  make  the  young  men  cheerful,  and  new  wine  the  maids."  The 
*vords  are  very  lemarkable  :  here  it  is  foretold,  that  at  the  time  when  Christ 
shall  set  up  a  universal  kingdom  upon  earth  (ver.  20),  the  children  of  Zion 
shall  drink,  until  they  are  filled  like  the  vessels  of  the  sanctuary:  and  if  we 
would  know  what  they  shall  be  thus  filled  with,  the  prophecy  does,  in  effect, 
explain  itself:  they  shall  be  filled,  as  the  vessels  of  the  sanctuary  that  contain- 
ed the  drink  ofTering,  which  was  wine ;  and  yet  the  words  imply,  that  it  shall 
not  literally  be  wine  that  they  shall  drink,  and  be  fdled  with,  because  it  is  said, 
they  shall  drink,  and  make  a  noise  as  through  nine,  as  if  they  had  drank  wine: 
which  implies  that  they  had  not  literally  done  it ;  and  (herelbre  we  must  under- 
stand the  vvords,  that  they  shall  drink  into  that,  and  be  filled  with  that,  which 
the  wine  of  the  drink  offering  represented,  or  was  a  type  of,  which  is  the  Holy 
Spirit,  as  well  as  the  blood  of  Christ,  that  new  wine  that  is  drunk  in  our  heaven- 
ly Father's  kingdom  :  they  shall  be  filled  with  the  Spirit,  which  the  apostle  sets 
in  opposition  to  a  being  drunk  with  wine,  Eph.  v.  IS.  This  is  the  new  wine 
spoken  of,  ver.  17.  It  is  the  same  with  that  hcst  nine  spoken  of  in  Canticles^ 
that  goes  dozen  sueefly,  causing  the  lips  of  those  that  ore  asleep  to  speak.  It  is 
here  foretold,  that  the  children  of  Zion,  in  the  latter  days,  should  be  filled  with 
that  which  should  make  them  cheerful,  and  cause  them  to  make  a  noise  as 
through  wine,  and  by  which  these  joyful  happy  persons  that  are  thus  filled, 
shall  be  as  the  stones  of  a  crov^-n,  lifted  up  as  an  ensign  upon  God's  land,  being- 
made  joyful,  in  the  extraordinary  manifestations  of  the  beauty  and  love  of 
Christ :  as  it  follows,  Hov)  great  is  his  goodness  !  And  hoio  great  is  his  heaxtty  J 
And  it  is  further  remarkable  that  it  is  here  foretold,  that  it  should  be  thus 
especially  araong-st  young  people  :  Corn  sliall  make  the  young  men  cheirfvi, 
and  new  wine  the  maids.  It  would  be  ridiculous  to  understand  this  of  literal 
bread  and  wine :  without  doubt,  the  same  spiritual  blessings  are  signified  by 
bread  and  wine  here,  which  were  repiesented  by  Melchizedeck's  bread  and 
wine,  and  are  signified  by  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  Lord's  supper.  One  of 
the  marginal  readings  is,  shall  make  the  yoting  men  to  speak,  which  is  agreeable 
to  that  in  Canticles,  of  the  best  wine's  causing  the  lips  of  those  that  are  asleep 
to  speak. 

We  ought  not  to  be,  in  any  measure,  like  the  unbelieving  Jews  in  Christ's 
time,  who  were  disgusted  both  with  crying  out  with  distress,  and  with  joy. — 
When  the  poor  blind  man  ciied  out,  before  all  the  multitude,  Jesns,  thou  son  of 
David,  have  mercy  on  me,  and  continued  instantly  thus  doing,  the  multitude  re- 
buked hirn,  and  charged  him  that  he  should  hold  his  tongue,  Mark  x.  46,  47, 
48,  and  Luke  xviii.  38,  39.  They  looked  upon  it  to  be  a  very  indecent  noise 
that  he  made  ;  a  thing  very  ill  becoming  him  to  cause  his  voice  to  be  heard,  so 
much,  and  so  loud,  among  the  multitude.  And  when  Christ  made  his  solemn 
and*  triumphant  entry  into  Jerusalem  (which,  I  have  before  observed,  was  a  type 
of  the  glory  and  triumph  of  the  latter  days),  the  whole  multitude  of  the  disci- 
ples, of  all  sorts,  especially  young  people,  began  to  rejoice  and  praise  God  with 
a  loud  voice,  for  all  the  mighty  works  that  they  had  seen,  saying.  Blessed  be  the 
King  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  !  Peace  in  heaven,  and  glory  in  the 
highest !  The  Pharisees  said  to  Christ,  Master,  rebuke  thy  disciples.  They  did  not 
understand  such  great  transports  of  joy  ;  it  seemed  to  them  a  very  unsuitable 


IN   XKW   ENGLAND.  S47 

and  indecent  noise  and  clamor  that  they  made,  a  confused  uproar,  many  cr}ino' 
out  together,  as  thousjh  they  were  out  of  their  wifs;  thf-y  wondered  that  Christ 
would  tolerate  it.  Hut  wliat  says  Christ  ?  J  tvll  ynu,  that  ifllnse  should  hold 
their  peace,  th"  stones  would  i in  medial cly  cry  out.  The  words  seoms  to  iiitiinate 
as  much,  as  that  there  was  cause  enough  to  constrain  those  whose  hearts  were 
not  hariLer  than  the  very  stones,  to  cry  out  and  nuike  a  noise  ;  whicli  is  some- 
thing like  that  other  evpression,  oicausim^thc  lips  o/lhasc  thai  arc  asleep  to  speak 

When  many  under  great  religious  ath*ctions,  are  earnestly  speaking  together, 
of  divine  wonclei-s,  in  various  parts  of  a  company,  to  those  that  are  next  to^them  ; 
some  attending  to  what  one  says,  and  others  to  another,  there  is  something  very 
beautiful  in  it,  provided  they  do  not  speak  so  many  as  to  drown  each  other's 
voices,  that  none  can  hear  what  any  say  ;  lliere  is  a  greater  and  more  allV-cting 
appearance  of  a  joint  engagedness  of  heart,  in  the  love  and  praises  of  ( Jod. 
And  I  had  rather  see  it,  than  to  see  one  speaking  alone,  and  all  attending  to 
what  he  says;  it  has  more  of  the  appearance  of  conversation.  When  a  nudti- 
tude  meet  on  any  occasion  of  tem[)oral  rejoicing,  freely  and  cheerfully  to  con- 
vei-se  together,  they  are  not  wont  to  observe  the  ceremony  of  but  one  "speaking 
at  a  time,  while  all  the  rest,  in  a  formal  manner,  set  themselves  to  attend  to  what 
he  says  ;  that  would  spoil  all  convei-sation,  and  turn  it  into  the  formality  of  set 
speeches,  and  the  solemnity  of  preaching.  It  is  better  for  lay  persons,  when 
they  speak  one  to  another  of  the  things  of  God,  when  they  meet  together, 
to  spoak  after  the  manner  of  Christian  convei-saiion,  than  to  observe  the  formali- 
ty of  but  one  speaking  at  a  time,  th(?  whole  multitud(!  silently  and  solemnly  at- 
tending to  what  he  says ;  which  would  carry  in  it  too  much  of  the  air,  oi  the 
authority  and  solemnity  of  preaching.  What  the  apostle  says,  1  Cor.  xiv.  29, 
30,  31,  "  Let  the  prophets  speak,  two  or  three,  and  let  the  otlier  judge  :  if  any 
thing  be  revealed  to  another  that  sitteth  by,  let  the  tirst  hold  his  peace  :  for  ye 
may  all  prophesy,  one  by  one,  that  all  may  loam,  and  all  may  be  comforted," 
1  say,  this  does  not  reach  this  case ;  because  what  the  apostle  is  speaking  of  is 
the  solemnity  of  their  religious  exercises,  in  public  worship,  and  persons  speak- 
ing in  the  church,  by  immediate  inspiration,  and  in  the  use  of  the  gift  of  prophesy, 
or  some  gift  of  inspiration,  in  the  exercise  of  wjiich  they  acted  as  extraordinary 
ministers  of  Christ. 

Another  thing  that  some  have  found  fault  with,  is  abounding  so  much  in 
singing,  in  religious  meetings.  Objecting  against  such  a  thing  as  this  seems 
to  arise  from  a  su^picion  already  established  of  this  work  :  they  doubt  of  the 
pretended  extraordinary  love  and  joys  that  attend  this  work,  and  so  find  fault 
with  the  manifestations  of  them.  If  they  thought  persons  were  truly  the  sub- 
jects of  an  extraordinary  degree  of  divine  love,  and  heavenly  rejoicing  in  God, 
I  suppose  they  would  not  wonder  at  their  having  a  disposition  to  be  much  in 
praise.  They  will  not  object  against  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven  singing 
praises  anil  hallelujahs  to  God,  without  ceasing,  day  or  night ;  and  therefore 
doubtless  will  allow  that  the  more  the  saints  on  earth  are  like  them  in  their  dis- 
positions, the  more  they  will  be  disposed  to  do  like  them.  They  will  readily- 
own  that  the  generality  of  Christians  have  great  reason  to  be  ashamed  that 
they  have  so  little  thankfulness,  and  are  no  more  in  praising  God,  whom  they 
have  such  infinite  cause  to  praise.  And  why  therefore  should  Christians  be 
found  fault  with,  for  showing  a  disposition  to  be  much  in  praising  God,  and 
manifesting  a  delight  in  that  heavenly  exercise  ?  To  complain  of  this,  is  to  be 
too  much  like  the  Pharisees,  who  were  disgusted  when  the  multitude  of  the  dis- 
ciples began  to  rejoice,  and,  with  loud  voices  to  praise  God,  and  cry  Hosanna^ 
•when  Christ  was  entering  into  Je.-'isalera. 


348  REVIVAL   OF  RELIGION 

ThM-e  arc  many  things  in  Scripture  that  seem  to  intimate,  that  praising 
God  V'th  in  speeches  and  son2;S,  will  be  what  the  church  of  God  will  very 
rauch  ;)bound  in,  in  the  approaching  glorious  day.     So  on  the  seventh  day  of 
compa8sin^■  the  walls  of  Jericho,  when  the  priests  blew  with  the  trumpets,  in 
an  extraordinary  manner,  the  people  shouted  with  a  great  shout,  and  the  wall 
of  the  city  lelldown  flat.     So  the  ark  was  brought  back   from  its  banishment, 
with  extraordinary  shouting  and  singing  of  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel. 
And  the  j^laccs  in  the  prophecies  of  Scripture,  that  signify  that  the  church  ol 
God,  in  that  glorious  jubilee  that  is  foretold,  shall  greatly  abound  in  singing 
and  shouting  forth  the  praises  of  God,'flre  too  many  to  be  mentioned.     And 
there  will  be  cause  enough  for  it :  I  believe  it  will  be  a  time  wherein  both 
heaven  and  earth  will  be  much  more  full  of  joy  and  praise,  than   ever  they 
v/ere  belbre.     But  what  is  more  especially  found  fault  with  in  the  singing  that 
is  now  practised,  is  making  use  of  hymns  of  human  composure.     And  I  am  far 
from  thinking  that  the  book  of  Psalms  should  be  thrown  by  in  our  public  wor- 
.'hi'),  but  that  it  should  always  be  used  in  the  Christian  church,  to  the  end  of  the 
•.vorid  :  but  I  knov.^  of  no  obligation  we  are  under  to  conline  ourselves  to  it.    1 
r?.n  lirid  no  command  or  rule  of  God's  word,  that  does  any  more  confine  us  to 
the  words  of  the  Scripture  in  our  singing,  than  it  does  in  our  praying;  we 
'.pc'jk  to  God  in  both :  and  I  can  see  no  reason  why  we  should  limit  oiuselyes 
.0  such  particular  forms  of  words,  that  we  lind  in  the  Bible,  in  speaking  to  him 
•oy  way  of  praise,  in  metre,  and  with  music,  than  when  we  speak  to  him  in 
oiose,  by  way  of  prayer  and   supphcation.     And  it  is  really  needful  that  we 
ihould  have  some  other  songs  besides  the  psalms  of  David :  it  is  unreasonable 
;o  suppose  that  the  Christian  church,  should  forever,  and  even  in  times  of  her 
p-reatest  light  in  her  praises  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  be  confined  only  to  _  the 
vvords  of  the  Old  Testament,  wherein  all  the  greatest  and   most  glorious  things 
of  the  gospel,  that  are  infinitely  the  greatest  subjects  of  her  praise,  are  spoken 
of  under  a  vail,  and  not  so  much  as  the  name  of  our  glorious  Redeemer,  ever 
mentioned,  but  in  some  dark  figure,  or   as  hid  under  the  name  of  some  type. 
And  as  to  our  making  use  of  the  words  of  others,  and  not   those  that  are  con- 
ceived by  ourselves,  it  is  no  more  than  we  do  in  all  our  public  prayers  ;  the 
whole  worshipping  asscnibly,  excepting  one  only,  makes  use  of  the  words,  that 
are  conceived  by  him  that  speaks  for  the  rest. 

Another  thing  that  many  have  disliked,  is  the  religious  meetings  of  children, 
to  read  and  pray  together,  and  perform  religious  exercises  by  themselves.  What 
is  objected  is  children's  want  of  that  knowledge  and  discretion,  that  is  requisite, 
in  order  to  a  decent  and  prolitable  management  of  religious  exercises.     But  it 
appears  to  me  the  objection  is  not  sufficient :  children,  as  they  have  the  nature 
of  men,  are  inclined  to  society  ;  and  those  of  them  that  are  capable  of  society 
one  v.'ith  another,  are  capable  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  its   ac- 
tive fruils ;    and  if  they  arc  inclined  by  a  religious  disposition,  that  they  have 
from  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  improve  their  society  one  with  another,  in  a  religious 
manner,  and  to  religious  purposes,  who  should  forbid   them?     If  tkjy  have 
not  discretion  to  observe  method  in  their  religious  performances,  or  to  speak 
sense  in  all  that  they  say  in  prayer,  they  may  notwithstanding  have  a  good 
meaning,  and  God  understands  them,  and  "it  does  not  spoil  or  interrupt  their  de- 
votion one  for  another.     We  that  are  grown  persons,  have  defects  in   our 
prayers,  that  are  a  thousand  times  worse  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  are  a  greater 
confusion,  and  more  absurd  nonsense  in  his  eyes,  than  their  childish  indiscretions. 
There  is  not  so  mucli  difference  before  God,  between  children   and  grown  per- 
sons, as  we  are  ready  to  imagine ;  we  are  all  poor,  ignorant,  foolish  babes,  in 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  349 

his  sifTht :  our  adult  a<^e  docs  not  bring  us  so  much  nearer  to  God,  as  we  are 
apt  to  think.  God  in  Ihis  work  has  shown  a  remarkable  re[;ard  to  little  chil- 
dren; never  was  there  such  a  i^lorious  work  amongst  jx-rsnns  in  their  childhooil, 
as  has  been  of  late,  in  New  England  :  lie  has  been  phased  in  a  wonderful  nian- 
lun-  to  perfect  praise  out  of  tlur  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  ;  and  many  of 
them  have  more  of  that  knowledge  and  wisdom,  that  pleases  hira,  and  renders 
their  religious  worship  acceptable,  than  many  of  the  great  and  learned  men  of 
the  world ;  it  is  they,  in  the  sight  of  God,  are  the  ignorant  and  foolish  children* 
these  arc  grown  men,  and  a  hundred  years  old,  in  comparison  with  them;  and 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  days  are  coining,  prophesied  of  Isa.  Ixv.  20,  when 
*'the  child  shall  die  a  hundred  yoars  old," 

I  have  seen  many  happy  etfecls  of  children's  religious  meetings ;  and  God 
has  seemed  often  remarkably  to  own  them  in  their  meetings,  and  really  descend- 
ed from  heaven  to  be  amongst  them :  I  have  known  several  probable  instances 
of  children's  being  converted  at  such  meetings.  I  should  therefore  thiuK',  that 
if  children  appear  to  be  really  moved  to  it,  by  a  religious  disposition,  and  not 
meuely  from  a  childish  alfectation  of  imitating  grown  persons,  they  ought  by  no 
means  to  be  discouraged  or  discountenanced  :  but  yet  it  is  fit  that  care  should 
be  taken  of  them,  by  their  parents,  and  pastors,  to  instruct  and  direct  them,  and 
to  correct  imprudent  conduct  and  irregularities,  if  they  are  perceived ;  or  anv 
thing  by  which  the  devil  may  pervert  and  destroy  the  design  of  their  meetings. 
All  should  take  heed  that  they  do  not  find  tault  with,  and  despise  the  religion 
of  children,  from  an  evil  principle,  lest  they  should  be  like  the  chief  pi  icsts  and 
scribes,  who  were  sore  displeased  at  the  religious  worship  and  praises  of  liltlf 
children,  and  tiie  honor  they  gave  Christ  in  the  temple.  We  have  an  account 
of  it,  and  what  Christ  said  upon  it,  in  Matt.  xxi.  15,  16 :  "  And  when  the 
chief  priests  and  scribes  saw  the  wonderful  things  tiuit  he  did,  and  the  children 
crying  in  the  temple  and  saving,  llosanna  to  the  Son  of  David,  they  were  sore 
displeased,  and  said  unto  him,  Ilearest  thou  what  these  say  ?  And  Jesus  saith 
unto  them,  Yea  :  have  ye  never  read,  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings 
thou  hast  perfected  praise  ?" 


PART    IV. 

r^nowing  what  tilings  are  lo  be  corrected  or  avoided,  in  promotiufj  tliis  Work,  or  in  our 
behavior  under  it. 

Havlvg  thus  observed,  in  .some  instances,  wherein  the  conduct  of  those  that 
have  appeared  to  be  the  subjects  of  this  work,  or  have  been  zealous  to  promote 
it,  has  been  objected  against,  or  complained  of,  without  or  beyond  just  cause,  I 
jn-oceed  now, 

II.  To  show  what  things  ought  to  be  corrected  or  avoided. 

Many  that  are  zealous  for  this  glorious  work  of  God,  are  heartily  sick  of  the 
great  noise  there  is  in  the  country,  about  imprudences  and  disorders:  they  have 
heard  it  so  often  from  th"-;  mouths  of  opposcrs  that  they  are  prejudiced  agamst 
the  sound ;  and  they  look  upon  it  that  that  which  is  called  a  being  prudent  and 
regular,  which  is  so  much  insisted  on,  is  no  other  than  being  asleep,  or  cold  and 
dead  in  religion,  and  that  the  great  imprudence  that  is  so  much  cried  out  of,  is 
only  a  being  alive,  and  engaged  in  the  things  of  Gfxl :  and  they  are  therefore 
rather  confirmed  in  any  practice,  than  brought  off  from  it,  by  the  clamor  they 


350  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

hear  against  it,  as  imprudent  and  irregular.  And  to  tell  :Iie  truth,  the  cry  of 
irregularity  and  imprudence  has  been  much  more  in  the  mouths  of  those  that 
have  been  enemies  to  the  main  of  the  work  than  others  ;  for  they  have  watched 
for  the  halting  of  the  zealous,  and  eagerly  catched  at  any  thing  that  has  been 
wrong,  and  have  greatly  insisted  on  it,  made  the  most  of  it  and  magnified  it ; 
especially  have  they  watched  lor  errors  in  zealous  preachers,  that  are  much  in 
reproving  and  condemning  the  wickedness  of  the  times  :  they  would  therefore 
do  well  fo  consider  that  scripture,  Isa.  xxix.  20,21 :  "  The  scorner  is  consumed, 
and  all  that  watch  for  iniquity,  are  cut  off,  that  make  a  man  an  offender  for  a 
word,  and  lay  a  snare  for  him  that  rcproveth  in  the  gate,  and  turn  aside  the  just 
for  a  thing  of  nought."  They  have  not  only  too  much  insisted  on,  and  magni- 
fied real  errois,  but  have  very  injuriously  charged  them  as  guilty,  in  things 
wherein  they  have  been  innocent,  and  have  done  their  duty.  This  has  so  pre- 
judiced the  minds  of  some,  that  they  have  been  ready  to  think  that  all  that  has 
been  said  about  errors  and  imprudences,  was  injurious  and  from  an  ill  spirit ; 
and  has  confirmed  them  in  it,  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  any  prevailing  impru- 
dences ;  and  it  has  made  them  less  cautious  and  suspicious  of  themselves,  lest 
they  should  err.  Herein  the  devil  has  had  an  advantage  put  into  his  hands 
and  has  taken  the  advantage;  and,  doubtless,  has  been  too  subtle  for  some  of 
the  true  friends  of  religion.  That  would  be  a  strange  thing  indeed,  if  in  so 
great  a  commotion  and  revolution,  and  such  a  new  state  of  things,  wherein  so 
many  have  been  engaged,  none  have  been  guilty  of  any  imprudence  ;  it  would 
be  such  a  revival  of  religion,  as  never  was  yet,  if  among  so  many  men,  not 
guided  by  infallible  inspiration,  there  had  not  been  prevailing  a  pretty  many  no- 
table errors  in  judgment  and  conduct ;  our  young  preachers,  and  young  converts, 
must  in  general  vastly  exceed  Luther,  the  head  of  the  reformation,  who  was 
guilty  of  a  great  many  excesses,  in  that  great  affair,  in  which  God  made  him 
the  chief  instrument. 

If  we  look  back  into  the  history  of  the  church  of  God  in  past  ages,  we  may 
observe  that  it  has  been  a  common  device  of  the  devil,  to  overset  a  revival  of 
religion,  when  he  finds  he  can  keep  men  quiet  and  secure  no  longer,  then  to 
drive  them  to  excesses  and  extravagances.  He  holds  them  back  as  long  as  he 
can,  but  when  he  can  do  it  no  longer,  then  he  will  push  them  on,  and  if  possi- 
ble, run  them  upon  their  heads.  And  it  has  been  by  these  means  chiefly,  that 
he  has  been  successful,  in  several  instances,  to  overthrow  most  hopeful  and 
promising  beginnings :  yea,  the  principal  means  by  which  the  devil  was  suc- 
cessful, by  degrees,  to  oveiset  that  grand  religious  revival  of  the  world,  that  was 
in  the  primitive  ages  of  Christianity,  and  in  a  manner,  to  overthrow  the  Chris- 
tian church  through  the  earth,  and  to  make  way  for,  and  bring  on  the  great 
antichristian  apostasy,  that  masterpiece  of  the  devil's  work,  was  to  improve  the 
indiscreet  zeal  of  Christians,  to  drive  ti;em  into  those  three  extremes,  of  enthu- 
siasm, superstition,  and  severity  towards  ojyposers  ;  which  should  be  enough  for 
an  everlasting  warning  to  the  Christian  church. 

Though  the  devil  will  do  his  diligence  to  stir  up  the  open  enemies  of  religion, 
vet  he  knows  what  Ls  for  his  interest  so  well,  that  in  a  time  of  revival  of  religion, 
his  main  strength  shall  be  tried  with  the  friends  of  it,  and  he  will  chiefly  exerl 
himself  in  his  attempts  upon  them,  to  mislead  them.  One  truly  zealous  person. 
in  the  time  of  such  an  event,  that  seems  to  have  a  great  hand  in  the  affair,  and 
draws  the  eyes  of  many  upon  him,  may  do  more,  through  Satan's  being  too 
subtle  for  him,  to  hinder  the  work,  than  a  hundred  great,  ani  strong,  and  open 
opposers. 

In  the  time  of  a  great  work  of  Christ,  his  hands,  with  which  he  workSy  ai-e 


I\   Ni:W   ENGLAND.  35 j 

jftcn  woumled  in  the  house  of  his  friends;  and  his  work  liindeml  chully  bv 
them  :  so  that  if  any  (.iie  inquires,  as  in  Zech.  xiii.  6,  "  What  are  those  wound's 
in  thine  hands?"  he  may  answer,  "Those,  willi  wliich  I  was  wounded  in  the 
house  of  my  friends.'' 

The  erroi-s  of  the  friends  of  the  work  of  Uod,  and  especially  of  the  ^rv.a 
pr.imoters  of  it,  give  vast  advantage  to  tlie  enemies  of  such  a  work.  Indeed 
ihere  are  many  things  tiial  are  no  errors,  but  are  only  duties  faithfully  and 
thoroughly  done,  that  wound  (!ic  minds  of  such  persons  more,  and  are  more  cross 
U)  them,  than  real  errors:  but  yet  one  real  error  gives  opposers  as  much  advan- 
tage, and  hinders  and  clogs  the  work  as  much  as  ten  that  are  onlv  supjioscM 
oiu's.  Real  errors  do  not  Iret  and  gall  the  enemies  of  religion,  so  mu'ch  as  those 
tilings  that  are  strictly  right ;  but  they  encourage  them  more  ;  they  give  tlrem 
liberty  and  open  a  gap  for  them;  so  that  some  that  before  kept  their  enmity 
burning  in  their  own  bowels,  antl  dui-st  not  show  themselves,  will  on  such  an 
occasion  take  courage,  and  give  themselves  vent,  and  their  rage  will  be  like 
that  of  an  enemy  let  loose;  and  those  that  lay  still  belore,  bavin"-  nothing  to 
say,  but  what  they  would  be  ashamed  ot  (agreeable  to  Tit.  ii.  8),  when  they 
have  such  a  weapon  put  into  their  hands  wilTlight  with  all  violence.  And  in- 
deeil  the  enemies  of  religion  would  not  know  what  to  do  tor  weapons  to  fight 
with,  were  it  not  for  the  errors  of  the  friends  of  it ;  and  S(»  must  soon  fall  beibre 
tlu  ni.  And  besides  in  real  errors,  tilings  that  are  truly  disagreeable  (o  the  rules 
of  God's  word,  we  cannot  expect  the  divine  protection,  and  that  God  will  ap- 
pear on  our  side,  as  il"  our  errors  were  only  supposed  ones. 

Since  therefore  the  errors  of  the  friends  and  promoters  of  such  a  glorious 
work  of  God,  are  of  such  dreadful  consequence  ;  and  seeing  the  devil,  being 
sensible  of  this,  is  so  assiduous,  and  watchful  and  sul)tle  in  his  attempts  with 
them,  and  has  thereby  been  so  successful  to  overthrow  religion  heretotore,  cer- 
tainly such  pei-sons  ought  to  be  exceeding  circumspect  and  vigilant,  difiident 
and  jealous  of  themselves,  and  humbly  dcjiinrlont  on  the  guidance  of  the  good 
Shepherd.  1  Pet.  iv.  7, "  Be  sober,  and  watch  unto  prayer."  And  chap.  v.  8, 
"  Be  sober,  be  vigilant ;  because  your  adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion, 
walkelh  about."  For  persons  to  go  on  resolute'ly  in  a  kind  of  heat  and  vehe- 
mence, despising  admonition  and  correction,  being  confident  that  they  must  be 
in  the  right,  because  they  are  full  of  the  Spirit,  is  directly  contrary  to  the  impoit 
of  these  words,  be  sober,  be  vigilant. 

It  is  a  mistake  I  have  observed  in  some,  by  which  they  have  been  greatly 
exposed,  to  their  wounding,  that  they  think  they  are  in  no  danger  ol  going 
astray,  or  being  misled  by  the  devil,  because  they  are  near  to  God  ;  and  so  have 
no  jealous  eye  upon  themselves,  and  neglect  vigilance  and  circumspection,  as 
needless  in  their  case.  They  say  they  do  not  think  that  God  will  leave  them  to 
dishonor  him,and  wound  religion  as  long  as  they  keep  near  to  him  :  and  I  believe 
so  too,  as  long  as  they  keep  near  to  God  in  that  respect,  that  they  maintain  a 
universal  and  diligent  watch,  and  care  to  do  their  duty,  and  avoid  sin,  and 
snares,  with  diffidence  in  themselves,  and  humble  dependence  and  prayer  fulness  : 
but  not  merely  because  they  are  near  to  God,  in  that  respect,  that  they  now  are 
receiving  blessed  communications  from  God,  in  refreshing  views  of  him  ;  if  at 
the  same  time  they  let  down  their  watch,  and  are  not  jealous  over  their  own 
hearts,  by  reason  of  its  remaining  blindness  and  corruption,  and  a  subtle  adver- 
sary. It  is  a  grand  error,  for  persons  to  think  they  are  out  of  danger  of  the 
devil,  and  a  corrupt  deceittul  heart,  even  in  their  highest  flights,  and  most  raised 
frajies  of  spiritual  joy.  For  persons  in  such  a  confidence,  to  cease  to  be  jealous 
of  themselves,  and  to  neglect  watchfulness  and  care,  is  a  presumption  by  which 


352  REVIVAL   OF   RELIGION 

I  have  known  many  wofully  ensnared.  However  highly  we  may  be  favored 
with  divine  discoveries  and  cotnlorls,  yet  as  long  as  we  are  in  the  w^orld,  we 
are  in  the  enemy's  country ;  and  tlierefore  that  direction  of  Christ  to  his  disci- 
ples, is  never  out  of  date  in  tliis  world,  Luice  xxi.  36  :  "  Watch  and  pray  always, 
ihat  ye  may  be  accounted  worthy  to  escape  all  these  things,  and  to  stand  before 
the  Son  of  man." 

It  was  not  out  of  date  with  the  disciples,  to  whom  it  was  given,  after  they 
came  to  be  filled  so  full  with  the  Holy  (j-host,  and  out  of  their  belUes  flowed 
rivers  of  living  water,  by  that  great  effusion  of  the  Spirit  upon  them,  that  began 
on  the  day  of  pentecost.  And  though  God  stands  ready  to  protect  his  people, 
especially  those  that  are  near  to  him,  yet  he  expects  great  care  and  labor  of  all ; 
and  tiiat  we  should  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  we  may  stand  in  the 
evil  day  :  and  whatever  spiritual  privileges  we  are  raised  to,  we  have  no  war- 
rant to  expect  protection  in  any  other  way  ;  for  God  has  appointed  this  whole 
life,  as  a  state  of  labor,  to  be  all,  as  a  race  or  a  battle  ;  the  state  of  i-est  where- 
in we  shall  be  so  out  of  danger,  as  to  have  no  need  of  watching  and  fighting, 
is  reserved  for  another  world.  I  have  known  it  in  abundance  of  instances,  that 
the  devil  is  come  in  very  remarkably,  even  in  the  midst  of  the  most  exalted,  and 
upon  some  accounts  excellent  frames :  it  may  seem  a  great  mystery  that  it 
should  be  so  ;  but  it  is  no  greater  mystery,  than  that  Christ  should  be  taken 
captive  by  the  devil,  and  carried  into  the  wilderness,  immediately  after  the 
heavens  had  been  opened  to  him,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  like  a  dove 
upon  him,  and  he  heard  that  comfortable,  joyful  voice  from  the  Father,  saying, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  rchoin  I  am  well  pleased.  In  like  manner  Christ  in 
the  heart  of  a  Christian,  is  oftentimes  as  it  were  taken  by  the  devil,  and  carried 
captive  into  a  wilderness,  presently  after  heaven  has  been,  as  it  were  opened  to 
the  soul,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  has  descended  upon  it  like  a  dove,  and  God  has  been 
sweetly  owning  the  believer,  and  testifying  his  favor  to  him  as  his  beloved  child. 

It  is  therefore  a  great  error,  and  sin  in  some  persons,  at  this  day,  that  they 
are  fixed  in  their  way,  in  some  things  that  others  account  errors,  and  will  not 
hearken  to  admonition  and  counsel,  but  are  confident  that  they  are  in  the  right 
of  it,  in  those  practices  that  they  find  themselves  disposed  to,  because  God  is 
much  with  them,  and  they  have  great  degrees  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  There  were 
some  such  in  the  the  apostles'  days  :  the  Apostle  Paul,  writing  to  the  Corinthi- 
ans, was  sensible  that  some  of  them  would  not  be  easily  convinced  that  they 
had  been  in  any  error,  because  they  looked  upon  themselves  spiritual,  or  full  of 
the  Spirit  of  God.  1  Cor.  xiv.  37,  38,  "  If  any  man  think  himself  to  be  a  pro- 
phet, or  spiritual,  let  him  acknowledge  that  the  things  that  I  write  unto  you, 
are  the  commandment  of  the  Lord ;  but  if  any  man  be  ignorant,  let  him  be 
ignorant." 

And  although  those  that  are  spiritual  amongst  us,  have  no  infallible  apos- 
tle to  admonish  them,  yet  let  me  entreat  them,  by  the  love  of  Christ,  calmly  and 
impartially  to  weigh  what  may  be  said  to  them ,  by  one  that  is  their  hearty  and 
fervent  friend  (although  an  inferior  worm),  in  giving  his  humble  opinion,  con- 
cerning the  errors  that  have  been  committed,  or  that  we  may  be  exposed  to,  in 
methods  or  practices  that  have  been,  or  may  be  fallen  into,  by  the  zealous  friends 
or  promoters  of  this  great  work  of  God. 

In  speaking  of  the  errors  that  have  been,  or  that  we  are  in  danger  of,  I 
would, 

First,  take  notice  of  the  causes  whence  the  errors  that  attend  a  great 
revival  of  religion  usually  arise :  and  as  I  go  along,  take  notice  of  some  parti- 
cular errors  that  arise  from  each  of  those  causes. 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  353 

Secondlyy  observe  some  errors,  that  some  liave  lately  f;or.e  intOj  that  have 
been  owini;  to  the  iiilluence  of  several  of  those  causes  conjunctly. 

As  (o  the  first  of  these,  the  errors  that  attend  a  great  revival  of  religion, 
usually  arise  from  these  three  things: 
1.  I  udiscerned  spiritual  pride. 
'2.   Wrong  princii)les. 

3.  Ignorance  of  Satan's  advantages  and  devices. 

The  tii-st,  and  the  worst  cause  of  errors,  that  prevail  in  such  a  state  of  thin£is, 
\sspirifiml  pride.  This  is  the  main  door,* by  which  the  devil  comes  into  the 
hearts  of  those  that  are  zealous  for  the  advancement  of  rehgion.  It  is  the  chiet 
inlet  of  smoke  from  the  bottomless  pit,  to  diirken  the  mind,  and  mislead  the 
judgment :  this  is  the  main  handle  by  which  the  devil  has  hold  of  religious 
persons,  and  the  chief  source  of  all  the  mischief  that  he  introduces,  to  clog  and 
hinder  a  work  of  God.  This  cause  of  error  is  the  main-spiing,  or  at  least  the 
main  support  of  all  the  rest.  Until  tiiis  disease  is  cured,  medicines  are  in  vain 
applied  to  heal  other  diseases.  It  is  by  this  that  the  mind  defends  itself  in  other 
errors,  anil  guards  itself  against  light,  by  which  it  might  be  corrected  and  re- 
claimed. The  spiritually  proud  man  is  full  of  light  already,  he  docs  not  need 
instruction,  and  is  ready  to  despise  the  offer  of  it.  But  if  this  disease  be  healed, 
other  things  are  easily  rectified.  The  humble  person  is  like  a  little  child,  he 
easily  receives  instruction ;  he  is  jealous  over  himself,  sensible  how  liable  he  is 
to  go  astray  :  and  therefore  if  it  be  suggested  to  him  that  he  docs  so,  he  is  ready 
most  narrowly  and  impartially  to  inquire.  Nothing  sets  a  person  so  much  out 
of  the  devil's  reach,  as  humility,  and  so  prepares  the  mind  for  true  divine  li'j:ht, 
Avithout  darkness,  and  so  clears  the  eye  to  look  on  thiu'^s  as  they  truly  arc.  Psal. 
XXV.  9,  "  The  meek  will  he  guide  in  judgment,  and  the  meek  he  will  teach  his 
way."  Therefore  we  should  fight,  neither  with  small,  nor  with  great,  but  with 
the  king  of  Israel:  our  first  care  should  be  to  rectify  the  heart,  and  pull  the 
beam  out  of  our  eye,  and  then  we  shall  see  clearly. 

I  know  that  a  great  many  things  at  this  day,  are  very  injuriously  laid  to  the 
pride  of  those  that  are  zealous  in  the  cause  of  God.  When  any  person  appears, 
in  any  respect,  remarkably  distinguished  in  religion  from  others,  if  he  professes 
those  spiritual  comforts  and  joys  that  are  greater  than  ordinary,  or  if  he  appears 
distinguishingly  zealous  in  religion,  if  he  exerts  himsL-lf  more  than  others  do,  in 
the  cause  of  religion,  or  if  he  seems  to  be  distinguished  with  success,  ten  to  one, 
but  it  will  immediately  awaken  the  jealousy  of  those  that  are  about  him  ;  and 
they  will  suspect  (whether  they  have  cause  or  no),  that  he  is  very  proud  of  his 
goodness,  and  that  he  afTccts  to  have  it  thought  that  nobody  is  so  good  as  he; 
and  all  his  talk  is  heard,  and  all  his  behavior  beheld,  with  this  prejudice.  Those 
that  are  themselves  cold  and  dead,  and  especially  such  as  never  hatl  any  experi- 
ence of  the  power  of  godlintss  on  their  own  hearts,  are  ready  to  entertain  such 
thoughts  of  the  best  Christians  ;  which  arises  from  a  secret  enmity  against  vital 
and  fervent  piety. 

But  then  those  that  are  zealous  Christians  should  take  heed  that  this  injurious- 
ness  of  those  that  are  cold  in  religion  does  not  prove  a  snare  to  them,  and  the 
devil  does  not  take  ailvanlage  from  it,  to  blind  theii-  eyes  from  beholding  what 
there  is  indeed  of  this  nature  in  their  hearts,  and  make  them  think,  because  they 
are  charged  with  pride  wrongfully,  and  from  an  ill  spirit,  in  many  things,  that 
therefore'it  is  so  in  every  thing. — Alas,  how  much  pride  have  the  best  of  us  in 
our  hearts  !  It  is  the  worst  part  of  the  body  of  sin  and  death  :  it  is  the  first  sin 
that  ever  entered  into  the  universe,  and  the  last  that  is  rooted  out:  it  Is  God's 
most  stubborn  enemy. 

Vol.  111.  45 


354-  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

The  corruption  of  nature  may  all  be  resolved  into  two  things,  fride  and 
worldly-mindedness,  the  devil  and  the  beasf,  or  self  &nd  the  tcorld.  These  arc 
the  two  pillars  of  Dagon's  temple,  on  which  the  whole  house  leans.  But  the 
former  of  these  is,  every  v/ay,  the  worst  part  of  the  corruption  of  natuie  ;  it  is 
the  first  born  son  of  the  devil,  and  his  image  in  the  heart  of  man  chiefly  consists 
in  it ;  it  is  the  last  thing  in  a  sinner  that  is  overborne  by  conviction,  in  order  to 
conversion;  and  here  is  the  saint's  hardest  conflict;  it  is  the  last  thing  that  he 
obtains  a  good  degree  oi  conquest  over,  and  liberty  from  ;  it  is  that  which  most 
directly  militates  against  God,  and^is  most  contrary  to  the  Spiiit  of  the  Lamb  of 
God  ;  and  it  is  most  like  the  devil  its  father,  in  a  serpentine  deceitfulness  and 
secrecy  :  it  lies  deepest,  and  is  most  active,  is  most  ready  secretly  to  mix  itself 
with  every  thing. 

And  of  all  kinds  of  pride,  spiritual  pride  is  upon  many  accounts  the  most 
hateful ;  it  is  most  like  the  devil ;  it  is  most  hke  the  sin  that  he  committed  in 
a  heaven  of  light  and  glory,  where  he  was  exalted  high  in  divine  knowledge, 
honor,  beauty  and  happiness.  Pride  is  much  more  difficultly  discerned  than  any 
other  corruption,  for  this  reason,  that  the  nature  of  it  does  very  much  consist  in 
a  person's  having  too  high  a  thought  of  himself:  but  no  wonder  that  he  that 
has  too  high  a  thought  of  himself,  does  not  know  it ;  for  he  necessarily 
thinks  that  the  opinion  he  has  of  himself,  is  what  he  has  just  grounds  for, 
and  therefore  not  too  high ;  if  he  thought  such  an  opinion  of  himself  was 
v^ithout  just  grounds,  he  w-ould  therein  cease  to  have  it.  But  of  all  kinds  of  pride, 
spiritual  pride  is  the  most  hidden,  and  difficultly  discovered  ;  and  that  for  this 
reason,  because  those  that  are  spiritually  proud,  their  pride  consists  much  in  a 
high  conceit  of  those  two  things,  viz.,  their  light,  and  their  humility;  both 
•which  are  a  strong  prejudice  against  a  discovery  of  their  pi'ide.  Being  proud 
of  their  light,  that  makes  them  not  jealous  of  themselves  ;  he  that  thinks  a  clear 
light  shines  around  him,  is  not  suspicious  of  any  enem.y  lurking  near  him,  unseen  : 
and  then  being  proud  of  their  humility,  that  makes  them  least  of  all  jealous  of 
themselves  in  that  particular,  viz.,  as  being  under  the  prevalence  of  pride. 
There  are  many  sins  of  the  heart  that  are  very  secret  in  their  nature,  and  diffi- 
cultly discerned.  The  Psalmist  says,  Psal.  xix,  12,  "  Who  can  understand  his 
errors'?  Cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults."  But  spiritual  pride  is  the  most 
secret  of  all  sins.  The  heart  is  so  deceitful  and  unsearchable  in  nothing  in  the 
world,  as  it  is  in  this  matter,  and  there  is  no  sin  in  the  world,  that  men  are  so 
confident  in,  and  so  dilhcultly  convinced  of:  the  very  nature  of  it  is  to  work 
self-contidence,  and  drive  away  self-diffi.dence,  and  jealousy  of  any  evil  of  that 
kind.  There  is  no  sin  so  much  like  the  devil,  as  this,  for  secrecy  and  subtlety, 
and  appearing  in  a  great  many  shapes,  undiscerned  and  unsuspected,  and  ap- 
pearing as  an  angel  of  hght :  it  takes  occasion  to  arise  from  every  thing;  it 
perverts  and  abuses  every  thing,  and  even  the  exercises  of  real  grace,  and  real 
humility,  as  an  occasion  to  exert  itself:  it  is  a  sin  that  has,  as  it  were,  many 
lives ;  if  you  kill  it,  it  will  live  still ;  if  you  mortify  and  suppress  it  in  one  shape, 
it  rises  in  another;  if  you  think  it  is  all  gone,  yet  it  is  there  still :  there  are  a 
great  many  kinds  of  it,  that  lie  in  different  forms  and  shapes,  one  under  another, 
and  encompass  the  heart  like  the  coats  of  an  onion ;  if  you  pull  off  one  there  is 
another  underneath. — We  had  need  therefore  to  have  the  greatest  watch  im- 
aginable, over  our  liearts,  with  respect  to  this  matter,  and  to  cry  most  earnestly 
to  the  great  searcher  of  hearts,  for  his  help.  He  that  trusts  his  own  heart  is  a 
fool. 

God's  own  people  should  be  the  more  jealous  of  themselves,  with  respect 
to  this  particular,  at  this  day,  because  the  temptations  that  many  have  to  this  sin 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  355 

are  oxccedinsr  o;rcat :  the  great  and  dislin^rui-shing  privileges  to  which  Go(J 
admits  many  of  his  saints,  and  the  liigh  honors  that  he  puts  on  some  ministers 
are  great  trials  of  persons  in  this  respect.  It  is  true  tliat  great  degrees  of  the 
spiritual  presence  ol'  God  tend  greatly  to  mortify  j)ride  and  all  corruption  ;  hut 
yet,  tliough  in  the  experience  otsucii  favors,  there  he  much  to  restrain  pride  one 
way,  there  is  much  to  tempt  and  provoke  it  another;  and  we  shall  he  in  great 
danger  thereby  without  great  watchfulness  and  prayerfulness.  There  was  much 
in  tlie  circumstances  that  the  angels  that  fell,  were  in,  in  heaven,  in  their  great 
honors  anil  high  privileges,  in  beliohfuig  the  face  of  God,  and  view  of  his  infi- 
nite glory,  to  cause  in  them  exercises  of  humility,  and  to  keep  them  from  pride ; 
yet  through  want  of  watchl'ulness  in  them,  their  great  honor  and  heavenly  privi- 
lege proved  to  be  to  them,  an  undoing  temptation  to  pride,  though  they  had  no 
prmciple  of  pride  in  their  hearts  to  expose  them.  Let  no  saint  therelbre,  how- 
ever eminent,  and  however  near  to  God,  think  himself  out  of  danger  of  this: 
lie  that  thinks  himself  most  out  of  danger,  is  indeed  most  in  danger.  The 
apostle  Paul,  who  doubtless  was  as  eminent  a  saint  as  any  are  now,  was  not  out 
of  danger,  even  just  after  he  was  admitted  to  sec  God  in  the  third  heavens,  by 
the  inlbrmation  he  himself  gives  us,  2  Cor.  chap.  xii.  And  yet  doubtless,  what 
he  saw  in  heaven  of  the  inetrable  glory  of  the  divine  Being,  had  a  direct  ten- 
dency to  make  him  appear  exceeding  little  and  vile  in  his  own  eyes. 

Spiritual  pride  in  its  own  nature  is  so  secret,  that  it  is  not  so  well  discerned 
by  immediate  intuition  on  the  thing  itself,  as  by  the  effects  and  fruits  ol  it ;  some 
of  which,  I  would  mention,  together  with  the  contrary  fruits  of  pure  Christian 
humility. 

Spiritual  pride  disposes  to  speak  of  other  persons'  sins,  their  enmity  against 
God  and  his  people,  the  miserable  delusion  of  hypocrites  and  their  enmity  against 
vital  piety,  and  the  deadness  of  some  saints,  with  bitterness,  or  with  laughter 
and  levity,  ami  an  air  of  contempt ;  whereas  pure  Christian  humility  rather 
disposes,  either  to  be  silent  about  them,  or  to  speak  of  them  with  grief 
and  pity. 

Spiritual  pride  is  very  apt  to  suspect  others :  whereas  a  humble  saint  is 
most  jealous  of  himself,  he  is  so  suspicious  of  nothing  in  the  world  as  he  is  of 
his  own  heart.  The  epiritually  proud  person  is  apt  to  lind  fault  with  other  saints, 
that  they  are  low  in  grace,  and  to  be  much  in  observing  how  cold  and  dead 
they  be,  and  crying  out  of  them  for  it,  and  to  be  quick  to  discern  and  take  notice 
of  their  deficiencies  :  but  the  eminently  humble  Christian  has  so  much  to  do  at 
home,  and  sees  so  much  evil  in  his  own  heart,  and  is  so  concerned  about  it, 
that  he  is  not  apt  to  be  very  busy  with  others'  hearts  ;  he  complains  most  of 
himself,  and  cries  out  of  his  own  coldness  and  lowness  in  grace,  and  is  apt  to 
esteem  others  better  than  himself,  and  is  ready  to  hope  that  there  is  nobody  but 
what  has  more  love  and  thankfulness  to  God  than  he,  and  cannot  bear  to  think 
ttiat  others  should  bring  forth  no  :uore  fruit  to  God's  honor  than  he.  Some  that 
have  spiritual  pride  mixed  with  high  discoveries  and  great  transports  of  joy, 
that  dispose  them  in  an  earnest  manner  to  talk  to  others,  are  apt,  in  such  frames, 
to  be  callini!:  upon  ollu.-r  Christians  that  are  about  them,  and  sharply  reproving 
them  for  their  being  so  cold  and  lifeless.  And  there  are  some  others  that  be- 
have themselves  very  ditlerently  from  these,  who  in  their  raptures  are  overwhelm- 
ed with  a  sense  of  their  own  vileness  ;  and  when  they  have  extraordinary-  dis- 
coveries of  God's  glory,  are  all  taken  up  about  their  own  sinfulness ;  and  though 
they  also  are  disposed  to  speak  much  and  veiy  earnestly,  yet  it  is  very  much  in 
crying  out  of  themselves,  and  exhorting  fellow  Christians,  but  in  a  charitable 
and  humble  manner.     Pure  Christian  humility  disposes  a  person  to  take  notice 


356  REVIVAL   OF  RELIGION 

of  every  thing  that  is  in  any  respect  good  in  others,  and  to  make  the  best  of  it, 
and  to  diminish  their  faiUngs  ;  but  to  have  liis  eye  chiefly  on  those  things  tl.  at 
are  bad  in  himself,  and  to  take  much  notice  of  every  thing  that  aggravates 
them. 

In  a  contrariety  to  this,  it  has  been  the  manner  in  some  places,  or  at  least 
the  manner  of  some  persons,  to  speak  of  almost  every  thing  that  they  see  amiss 
in  others,  in  the  most  harsh,  severe  and' terrible  language.  It  is  frequent  with 
them  to  say  of  others'  opinions  or  conduct  or  advice,  or  of  their  coldness,  their 
silence,  their  caution,  their  moderation,  and  their  prudence,  and  many  other 
things  that  appear  in  them,  that  they  are  from  the  devil,  or  from  hell ;  that  such 
a  thing  is  devilish,  or  hellish,  or  cursed,  and  that  such  persons  are  serving  the 
devil,  or  the  devil  is  in  them,  that  they  are  soul  murderers,  and  the  like  ;  so 
that  the  words  devil  and  hell  are  almost  continually  in  their  mouths.  And  such 
kind  of  language  they  will  commonly  use,  not  only  towards  wicked  men,  but 
towards  them  that  they  themselves  allow  to  be  the  true  children  of  God,  and 
also  towards  ministers  of  the  gospel  and  others  that  are  very  much  their  supe- 
riors. And  they  look  upon  it  a  virtue  and  high  attainment,  thus  to  behave 
themselves. — Oh,  sny  ih^y,  we  7nust  be  plain  hearted  and  bold  for  Christ,  we 
must  declare  war  against  sin  icherever  ice  see  it,  we  must  not  inince  the  matter 
in  the  cause  of  God,  and  when  speaking  for  Christ.  And  to  make  any  distinc- 
tion in  persons,  or  to  speak  the  more  tenderly,  because  that  which  is  amiss  is 
seen  in  a  superior,  they  look  upon  as  very  mean  for  a  follower  of  Christ,  when 
speaking  in  the  cause  of  his  master. 

What  a  strange  device  of  the  devil  is  here  to  overthrow  all  Christian  meek- 
ness and  gentleness,  and  even  all  show  and  appearance  of  it,  and  to  defile  the 
mouths  of  the  children  of  God,  and  to  introduce  the  language  of  common  sailors 
among  the  followers  of  Christ,  under  a  cloak  of  high  sanctity  and  zeal  and 
boldness  for  Christ!  And  it  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  weakness  of  the 
human  mind,  and  how  much  too  cunning  the  devil  is  for  us  ! 

The  grand  defence  of  this  way  of  talking  is,  that  they  say  no  more  than 
what  is  true ;  they  only  speak  the  truth  without  mincing  the  matter  ;  and  that 
true  Christians  that  have  a  great  sight  of  the  evil  of  sin,  and  -.icquaintance  with 
their  own  hearts  know  it  to  be  true,  and  therefore  will  not  be  offended  to  hear 
such  harsh  expressions  made  use  of  concerning  them  and  their  sins  ;  it  is  only 
(say  they)  hypocrites,  or  cold  and  dead  Christians,  that  are  provoked  and  feel 
their  enmity  rise  on  such  an  occasion. 

But  it  is  a  grand  mistake  to  think  that  we  may  commonly  use  concerning 
one  another  all  such  language  as  represents  the  worst  of  each  other,  according 
to  strict  truth.  It  is  really  true  that  every  kind  of  sin,  and  every  degree  of  it, 
is  devilish  and  from  hell,  and  is  cursed,  hellish,  and  condemned  or  damned  : 
and  if  persons  had  a  full  sight  of  their  hearts  they  would  think  no  terms  too  bad 
for  them  ;  they  would  look  like  beasts,  like  serpents,  and  like  de\ils  to  themselves  ; 
they  would  be  at  a  loss  for  language  to  express  what  they  see  in  themselves, 
the  worst  terms  they  c-ould  think  ot',  would  seem  as  it  were  faint  to  represent 
what  they  see  in  themselves.  But  shall  a  child  therefore,  from  time  to  time,, 
use  such  language  concerning  an  excellent  and  eminently  holy  father  or  mother, 
as  that  the  devil  is  in  them,  that  they  ha\e  such  and  such  devilish,  cursed  dis- 
positions, that  they  commit  every  day  hundreds  of  hellish,  damned  acts,  and  that 
they  are  cursed  dogs,  hell-hounds,  and  devils  ?  And  shall  the  meanest  of  the 
people  be  justified,  in  commonly  using  such  language  concerning  the  most  ex- 
cellent magistrates,  or  their  most  eminent  ministers  ?  I  hope  nobody  has  gone 
to  this  height :  but  the  same  pretences  of  boldness,  plain-heartedness,  and  de- 


LV   \i:W   ENGLAND.  357 

claifil  war  against  sin,  will  as  well  justify  these  things  as  the  things  they  are 
actually  made  use  ol  to  justit'y.  If  we  proceed  in  such  a  manner,  on  sucii  prin- 
ciples as  these,  what  a  lace  will  be  introduced  upon  the  church  of  Christ,  the 
little  beloved  flock  of  that  gentle  shepherd  the  Lamb  of  (Jod  !  What  a  souikI 
shall  we  bring  into  the  house  of  God.  into  the  family  of  his  dear  little  cinldren  ! 
How  I'ar  oil' shall  we  soon  banish  that  lovely  appearance  of  humility,  sweetness, 
gentleness,  mutual  honor,  benevolence,  complacence,  and  an  esteem  of  others 
above  themselves,  which  ought  to  clothe  the  children  of  God  all  over  !  Not 
but  that  Christians  shoidd  watch  over  one  another,  and  in  any  wise  reprove  one 
another,  and  be  much  in  it,  and  do  it  plainly  and  faithfully;  but  it  does  not 
thence  Ibllow  that  dear  brethren  in  the  family  of  God,  in  rebuking  one  another, 
should  use  worse  language  than  Michael  the  archangel  durst  use  when  rebuking 
the  devil  himself. 

Christians  that  are  but  fellow  worms  ought  at  least  to  treat  one  another  with  as 
much  humility  and  gentleness  as  Christ  that  is  infinitely  above  them  treats  them. 
Hut  how  dill  Christ  treat  his  disciples  when  they  were  so  cold  towards  him  and 
so  regardless  of  him,  at  the  time  when  his  soul  was  exceeding  sorrowful  even 
unto  death,  and  he  in  a  dismal  agony  was  crying  and  sweating  blood  for  them, 
and  they  would  not  watch  with  him,  and  allow  him  the  comfort  of  their  con)pa- 
ny  one  hour  in  his  great  distress,  though  he  once  and  again  desired  it  of  them  ? 
One  would  think  that  then  was  a  proper  time  if  ever  to  have  reproved  them  for 
a  devilish,  hellish,  cursed  and  damned  slothfulness  and  deadness.  But  after 
what  manner  does  Christ  reprove  them  ?  Behold  his  astonishing  gentleness ! 
Says  he,  What,  could  ye  not  xoutch  with  me  one  hour  ?  The  spirit  indcid  is 
willing,  but  thcjlesh  is  weak.  And  how  did  he  treat  Peter  when  he  was  ashamed 
of  his  master,  while  he  was  made  a  mocking  stock  and  a  spitting  stock  for  him  ? 
Why  he  looked  upon  him  with  a  look  of  love,  and  melted  his  heart. 

And  though  we  read  that  Christ  once  turned  and  said  unto  Peter,  on  a  cer- 
tain occasion,  Get  thee  behind  7nc,  Satan  ;  and  this  may  seem  like  an  instance 
of  harshness  and  severity  in  reproving  Peter;  yet  I  humbly  conceive  that  this 
is  by  many  taken  wrong,  and  that  this  is  indeed  no  instance  of  Christ's  severity  in 
his  treatment  of  Peter,  but  on  the  contrary,  of  his  wonderful  gentleness  and 
grace,  distinguishing  between  Peter  and  the  devil  in  him,  not  laying  the  blame 
of  what  Peter  had  then  said,  or  imputing  it  to  him,  but  to  the  devil  that  influ- 
enced him.  Christ  saw  the  devil  then  present,  secretly  influencing  Peter  to  do 
the  part  of  a  tempter  to  his  master  ;  and  therefore  Christ  turned  liini  about  to 
Peter,  in  whom  the  devil  then  was,  and  spake  to  the  devil  and  rebuked  hira. 
Thus  tlie  grace  of  Chri*t  does  not  behold  iniquity  in  his  people,  imputes  not 
what  is  amiss  in  them  to  them,  but  to  sin  that  dwells  in  them,  and  to  Satan  that 
influences  them.     But  to  return  : 

Spiritual  pride  often  disposes  persons  to  singularity  in  external  appearance, 
to  allect  a  singular  way  of  speaking,  to  use  a  difTerent  sort  of  (lialect  from 
others,  or  to  be  singular  in  voice,  or  air  of  countenance  or  behavior  :  but  he 
that  is  an  eminently  humble  Christian,  though  he  will  be  firm  to  his  duty,  how- 
ever sintrular  he  is  in  it ;  he  will  go  in  the  way  that  leads  to  heaven  alone, 
though  all  the  world  f.irsakes  him  ;  yet  he  delights  not  in  singularity  for  sm- 
gularlty's  sake,  he  does  not  affect  to  set  up  himself  to  be  viewed  and  observed 
as  one  distinguished,  as  desiring  to  be  accounted  better  than  others,  or  despising 
their  company,  or  a  union  and  conformity  to  them ;  but  on  the  contrary  is  dis- 
posed to  become  all  things  to  all  men,  and  to  yield  to  others,  and  conform  to 
them  and  please  them,  in  every  thintx  but  sin.  Sjiiritual  pride  commonly  occa- 
sions a  certain  stillness  and  inflexibility  in  persons,  in  their  own  judgment  and 


358  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

their  own  ways  ;  whereas  the  eminently  humble  person,  though  he  he  infiexi- 
ble  in  his  duty,  and  in  those  things  wherein  God's  honor  is  concerned ;  and 
with  regard  to  temptation  to  those  things  he  apjirehends  to  be  sinful,  though  in 
never  so  small  a  degree,  he  is  not  at  all  of  a  yieklable  spirit,  but  is  like  a  bra- 
zen wall ;  yet  in  other  things  he  is  of  a  pliable  disposition,  not  disposed  to  set 
up  his  own  opinion,  or  his  own  will ;  he  is  ready  to  pay  deference  to  others- 
opinions,  and  loves  to  comply  with  their  inclinations,  and  has  a  heart  that  is 
tender  and  flexible  like  a  little  child. 

Spiritual  pride  disposes  persons  to  affect  separation,  to  stand  at  a  distance 
from  others,  as  better  than  they,  and  loves  the  show  and  appearance  of  the 
distinction  :  but  on  the  contrary,  the  eminently  humble  Christian  is  ready  to 
look  upon  himself  as  not  woi-thy  that  others  should  be  united  to  him,  to  think 
himself  more  brutish  than  any  man,  and  worthy  to  be  cast  out  of  human  society, 
and  especially  unworthy  of  the  society  of  God's  children  ;  and  though  he  will 
not  be  a  companion  with  one  that  is  visibly  Christ's  enemy,  and  delights  most  in 
the  company  of  lively  Christians,  will  choose  such  for  his  companions,  and  will 
be  most  intimate  with  them,  and  does  not  at  all  delight  to  spend  away  much 
time  in  the  company  of  those  that  seem  to  relish  no  conversation  but  about 
worldly  things  ;  yet  he  does  not  love  the  appearance  of  an  open  separation 
from  visible  Christians,  as  being  a  kind  of  distinct  company  from  them,  that 
are  one  visible  company  with  him  by  Christ's  appointment,  and  will  as  much 
as  possible  shun  all  appearances  of  a  superiority,  or  distinguishing  himself  as 
better  than  others  :  his  universal  benevolence  delights  in  the  appearance  of 
union  with  his  fellow  creatures,  and  will  maintain  it  as  much  as  he  possibly 
can,  without  giving  open  countenance  to  iniquity,  or  wounding  his  own  soul ; 
and  herein  he  follows  the  example  of  his  meek  and  lowly  Redeemer,  who  did 
not  keep  such  a  separation  and  distance  as  the  Pharisees,  but  freely  ate  with 
publicans  and  sinners,  that  he  might  win  them. 

The  eminently  humble  Christian  is  as  it  were  clothed  with  lowliness,  mild- 
ness, meekness,  gentleness  of  spirit  and  behavior,  and  with  a  soft,  sweet,  con- 
descending, winning  air  and  deportment ;  these  things  are  just  like  garments  to 
him,  he  is  clothed  all  over  with  them.  1  Pet.  v.  5,  "  And  be  clothed  with 
humility."  Col.  iii.  12,  "  Put  on  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and 
beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long- 
suffering. 

Pure  'Christian  humility  has  no  such  thing  as  roughness,  or  contempt ;  or 
fierceness  or  bitterness,  in  its  nature ;  it  makes  a  person  like  a  little  child., 
harmless  and  innocent,  and  that  none  need  to  be  afraid  of;  or  like  a  lamb,  des- 
titute of  all  bitterness,  wrath,  anger,  and  clamor,  agreeable  to  Eph.  iv.  31. 

With  such  a  spirit  as  this  ought  especially  zealous  ministers  of  the  gospel 
to  be  clothed,  and  those  that  God  is  pleased  to  improve  as  instruments  in  his 
hands  of  promoting  his  work  :  they  ought  indeed  to  be  thorough  in  preaching 
the  word  of  God,  without  mincing  the  matter  at  all ;  in  handhng  the  sword  of 
the  Spirit,  as  the  ministers  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  they  ought  not  to  be  mild  and 
gentle  ;  they  are  not  to  be  gentle  and  moderate  in  searching  and  awakening 
the  conscience,  but  should  be  sons  of  thunder  :  the  word  of  God,  which  is  in  it- 
self sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  ought  not  to  be  sheathed  by  its  minis- 
ters, but  so  used  that  its  sharp  edges  may  have  their  full  effect,  even  to  the 
dividing  asunder  soul  and  spirit,  joints  and  marrow  (provided  they  do  it  without 
judging  particular  persons,  leaving  it  to  conscience  and  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
make  the  particular  application)  ;  but  all  their  conversation  should  savor  of  no- 
thing but  lowliness  and  good  will,  love  and  pity  to  all  mankind  ;  so  that  such 


IN"   M.W   KNGLAND.  359 

a  spirit  should  be  like  a  sweet  odor  diffused  around  them  wherever  they  go,  or 
like  a  litiilil  shinini;-  about  them,  their  laces  should,  as  it  were,  shine  with 'it  ; 
tliL'y  should  he  like  lions  to  f^uilty  consi-ieiices,  but  like  lambs  to  men's  persons'. 
Tins  would  have  no  tendency  to  prevent  the  awakening;  of  men'.s  consciences, 
but  on  the  contrary  would  have  a  very  <;reat  tendency  to  awaken  them  ;  it 
would  make  way  for  the  sharp  sword  to  enter ;  it  would  remove  the  obstacles, 
and  make  a  naked  breast  for  the  arrow.  Yea,  the  amiable,  Christ-like  conver- 
sation of  such  ministers,  in  itself  would  terrify  tiie  consciences  of  men,  as  well  as 
their  teirible  preaching  ;  both  would  co-operate,  one  with  another,  to  subdue 
the  hard,  and  bring  down  the  proud  heart.  If  there  had  been,  constantly  and 
universally  observable,  such  a  behavior  as  this  in  itinerant  preachers,  it  would 
have  terrified  the  consciences  of  s^mers,  ten  tunes  as  much  as  all  the  invectives, 
and  the  censorious  talk  there  has  been  concerning  particular  jiersons,  for  their 
opposition,  hypocrisy,  delusion,  pharisaism,  &.c.  These  things  in  general  have 
rather  stupified  siiuiers'  consciences  ;  they  take  them  up,  and  make  use  of  them 
as  a  shield,  wherewith  to  dei'ttud  themselves  from  the  sharp  arrows  of  the  word, 
that  arc  shot  by  these  preachers :  the  enemies  of  the  present  work  have  been 
grad  of  these  things  with  all  their  hearts.  Many  of  the  most  bitter  of  them  are 
probably  such  as  in  the  beginning  of  this  work  had  their  consciences  something 
galled  and  terrifietl  with  it ;  but  these  errors  of  awakening  preachers  are  the 
things  1  hey  chiefly  make  use  of  as  plasters  to  heal  the  sore  tiiat  was  made  in 
their  coas;;iences. 

Spiritual  pride  takes  great  notice  of  opposition  and  injuries  that  are  receiv- 
ed, and  is  apt  to  be  often  speaking  of  them,  and  to  be  nmch  in  taking  notice  of 
the  aggravations  of  them,  either  with  an  air  of  bitterness  or  contempt :  whereas 
pure  unmixed  Christian  humility,  disposes  a  pei-son  rather  to  be  like  his  blessed 
Lord,  when  reviled,  dumb,  not  opening  his  mouth,  but  committing  himself  in 
silence  to  him  that  judgeth  righteously.  The  eminently  humble  Christian,  the 
more  clamorous  and  furious  the  world  is  against  him,  the  more  silent  and  still 
will  he  be  ;  unless  it  be  in  his  closet,  anil  there  he  will  not  be  still.  Our  bless- 
ed Lord  Jesus  seems  never  to  have  been  so  silent  as  when  the  world  com- 
passed him  round,  reproaching,  butietting,  and  spitting  on  him,  with  loud  and 
virulent  outcries,  and  horrid  cruelties. 

There  has  been  a  great  deal  too  muxh  talk  of  late,  among  many  of  the  true 
and  zealous  friends  of  religion,  about  opposition  and  persecution.  It  becomes  the 
followers  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  when  the  world  is  in  an  uproar  about  them,  and 
full  of  clamor  against  them,  not  to  raise  another  noise  to  answer  it,  but  to  b*; 
still  and  quiet :  it  is  not  beautiful,  at  such  a  time  to  have  pulpits  and  conver- 
sation ring  with  the  sound,  prrsccution,  persecution,  or  with  abundant  talk  about 
Pharisees,  carnal  persecutors,  and  the  seed  of  the  serpent. 

Meekness  and  quietness  asnong  God's  people,  when  opposed  and  reviled, 
would  be  the  surest  way  to  have  God  remarkably  to  appear  for  their  defence. 
It  is  particularly  observed  nf  Moses,  on  the  occasion  of  Aaron  atxl  Miriam  their 
envying  hiui,  and  rising  up  in  opposition  against  him,  that  he  uum  wri/  meek, 
abov^  all  110:11  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  Num.  xii.  3.  Doubtless  because  he  re- 
markably showed  his  meekness  on  that  occasion,  being  wholly  silent  under  the 
abuse.  And  how  remarkable  is  the  account  that  follows  of  God's  being  as  it 
were  suddenlv  roused  to  appear  for  his  vindication  !  And  what  high  honor  did 
he  put  upon  iMoses !  And  how  severe  were  his  rebukes  of  his  opposers  !  The 
story  is  very  remarkable,  and  worth  every  one's  observing.  Nothing  is  so  ef- 
fectual to  bring  God  down  from  heaven  in  the  defence  of  his  people,  as  their 
patience  and  meekness  under  sutFerings.     When  Christ  girds  his  sword  upon 


360  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

his  thigh,  luith  Ms  glory  and  majesty,  and  in  his  majesty  rides  prosperovsly,  his 
right  hand  teaching  him  terrible  things,  it  is  because  of  truth  and  melkness 
and  righteousness,  Psal  xlv.  3,  4.  God  will  cause  judgment  to  be  heard  fro7n 
heaven;  the  earth  shafifear  and  he  still,  and  God  will  arise  to  jiidgmeoit,  io  S2i\e 
all  the  MEEK  of  the  earth,  Psal.  Ixxvi.  8,  9.  He  will  lift  vp  the  metk,  and 
cast  the  wicked  doini  to  the  ground,  Psal.  cxlvii.  6.  He  will  reprove  with  equity, 
for  the  meek  of  the  earth,and  will  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  his  mouth,  and 
withthebreatkof  his  lips  will  he  slay  the  wicked.  Isa.  xi.  4.  The  great  com- 
mendation that  Christ  gives  the  church  of  Philadelphia  is,  that  Thozi  hast  kept 
the  word  of  my  patience.  Rev.  iii.  10.  And  we  may  see  what  reward  he  pro- 
mises her  in  the  preceding  verse,  "  Behold  I  will  make  them  of  the  synagogue 
of  Satan,  which  say  they  are  Jews  and  are  not,  but  do  lie;  behold,  I  will  make 
them  to  come  and  worship  at  thy  feet,  and  to  know^  that  I  have  loved  thee." 
And  thus  it  is,  that  we  might  expect  to  have  Christ  a2:)pear  for  us,  if  under  all 
reproaches  we  are  loaded  with,  we  behave  ourselves  with  a  lamb-like  meekness 
and  gentleness,  but  if  our  spirits  are  raised,  and  we  are  vehement  and  noisy  with 
our  complaints  under  color  of  Christian  zeal,  this  will  be  to  take  upon  us  our 
own  defence,  and  God  will  leave  it  with  us  to  vindicate  our  cause  as  v.-ell  as 
we  can  :  yea,  if  we  go  on  in  a  way  of  bitterness,  and  high  censuring,  it  will  be 
the  way  to  have  him  rebuke  us,  and  put  us  to  shame  before  our  enemies. 

Here  some  may  be  ready  to  say,  "  It  is  not  in  our  own  cause,  that  we  are 
thus  vehement,  but  it  is  in  the  cause  of  God  ;  and  the  apostle  directed  the  pri- 
mitive Christians  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints." 
But  how  was  it  that  the  primitive  Christians  contended  earnestly  (or  the  faith  ? 
They  defended  the  truth  with  arguments,  and  a  holy  conversation ;  but  yet 
gave  their  reasons  with  meekness  and  fear  :  they  contended  earnestly  for  the 
faith  by  fighting  violently  against  their  own  unbelief,  and  the  corruptions  of 
their  hearts,  yea,  they  resisted  unto  blood  striving  against  sin  ;  but  the  blood 
that  was  shed  in  this  earnest  strife,  was  their  own  blood,  and  not  the  blood  of 
their  enemies.  It  was  in  the  cause  of  God,  that  Peter  w^as  so  fierce,  and  drew 
his  sword,  and  began  to  smite  with  it ;  but  Christ  bids  him  put  up  his  sword 
again,  telling  him  that  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the  sword  ;  and 
while  Peter  wounds,  Christ  heals.  They  contend  the  most  violently,  and  are 
the  greatest  conquerors  in  a  time  of  persecution,  who  bear  it  with  the  greatest 
meekness  and  patience. 

Great  humility  improves  even  the  reflections  and  reproaches  of  enemies, 
to  put  upon  serious  self-examination,  whether  or  no  there  be  not  some  just 
cause,  w^hether  they  have  not  in  some  respect  given  occasion  to  th?  enemy  to 
speak  reproachfully  :  whereas  spiritual  pride  improves  such  reflections  to  make 
them  the  more  bold  and  confident,  and  to  go  the  greater  lengths  in  that  for 
which  they  are  found  fault  w-ith.  I  desire  it  may  be  considered  whether  there 
has  been  nothing  amiss  of  late,  among  the  true  friends  of  vital  piety  in  this  res- 
pect; and  whether  the  words  of  David,  when  levilcd  by  Michal,  have  not  been 
misinterpreted  and  misapplied  to  justify  them  in  it,  when  he  said  I  will  be  yet 
more  vile,  and  will  be  base  in  mine  own  sight.  The  import  of  his  words  is 
that  he  would  humble  himself  yet  more  before  God,  being  sensible  that  he  was 
far  from  being  sufficiently  abased  ;  and  he  signifies  this  to  Michal,  and  that  he 
longed  to  be  yet  lower,  and  had  designed  already  to  abase  himself  more  in  his 
behavior;  not  that  he  would  go  the  greater  length,  to  show  his  regardlessness 
of  her  revilings  ;  that  would  be  to  exalt  himself,  and  not  more  to  abase  him- 
self, as  more  vile  in  his  own  sight. 

Another  effect  of  spiritual  pride  is  a  certain  unsuitable  and  self-confident 


IN   NEW   KNGLAND.  361 

boldness  before  God  and  men.  Tluis  some  in  their  great  rejoicings  before  God 
have  not  paid  a  sufnciciit  regard  to  that  rule,  in  Psal.  ii.  11.  'Iht-y  bavc  not 
rejoiced  with  a  reverential  trembling,  in  a  proper  sense  of  the  awfnl  iiiiijisty  of 
God,  and  (lie  awful  distance  between  (iod  and  them.  And  there  has  .iLso  been 
an  improper  boldness  before  men,  that  ha^i  been  encouraged  and  delcndcd,  by  a 
misapplication  of  that  Scripluie,  Prov.  xxix.  25, "  The  lear  of  man  biingeth  a 
snare."  As  though  it  became  all  persons,  high  and  low,  men,\vomen  and  chil- 
dren, in  all  religious  conversation,  wholly  to  divest  themselves  of  all  manner  of 
shamefaccdness,  modesty  or  reverence  towards  man  ;  which  is  a  great  eiror,  and 
quite  contrary  to  Scripture.  There  is  a  fear  of  reverence  that  'is  due  to  some 
men.  Rom.  xii.  7,  "  Fear,  to  whom  fear:  honor,  lo  whom  honor."  And  there 
is  a  lear  of  modesty  and  shamefacediRss,  in  infi'riors  towards  superiois,  that  is 
amiable,  and  required  by  Christian  rules.  I  Pet.  iii.  2,  "  While  they  beholil 
your  chaste  conversation,  coupled  with  fear."  And  ITim.  ii.  9,"  In  like  man- 
ner also,  that  women  adorn  themselves,  in  modest  apparel,  with  shanu  faced ness 
and  sobriety."  And  the  apostle  means  that  this  virtue  shall  have  place,  not 
only  in  civil  communication,  but  also  in  spiritual  communication,  and  in  our  re- 
ligious concerns  and  behavior,  as  is  evident  by  what  Ibllows.  Ver.  11,  12, 
"  Let  the  woman  learn  in  silence,  with  all  subjection.  But  I  suffer  not  a  woman 
to  teach,  nor  to  usurp  authority  over  the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence."  Not  that 
1  would  hence  infer  that  women's  mouths  should  be  shut  up  from  Christian  con- 
versation ;  but  all  that  I  mean  from  it  at  this  time  is,  that  modesty,  or  shame- 
faccdness, and  reverence  towards  men,  ought  to  have  some  place,  evin  in  our 
religious  communication,  one  with  another.  The  same  is  also  evident  l^y  1  Pet. 
iii.  15,  '•  Be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer,  to  every  man  that  asketh  you  a 
reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with  meekness  and  fear."  It  is  well  if  that 
very  fear  and  shamefaccdness,  which  the  apostle  recommends,  has  not  sometimes 
been  condemned,  under  the  name  of  a  cursed  fcor  of  man. 

h  is  beautiful  for  persons  when  they  are  at  prayer,  as  the  mouth  of  others, 
to  make  God  only  their  fear  and  their  tlread,  and  to  be  wholly  forgetful  of  men 
that  are  present,  who,  let  them  be  great  or  small,  arc  nothing  in  the  presence  of 
the  great  God.  And  it  is  beautilul  lor  a  minister,  when  he  speaks  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  to  be  bold,  and  put  off  all  fear  of  men.  And  it  is  beautiful 
in  private  Christians,  though  they  are  women  and  children,  to  be  bold  in  pro- 
fessing the  faith  of  Christ,  and  in  the  practice  of  all  religion,  and  in  owning 
God's  hand  in  the  work  of  his  power  and  grace,  without  any  fear  of  men, 
though  they  should  be  reproached  as  fools  and  madmen,  and  frowned  upon  by 
great  men,  and  cast  ofl  by  parents  and  all  the  world.  But  lor  private  Chris- 
tians, women  and  others,  to  instruct,  rebuke  and  exhort,  with  a  like  sort  of  bold- 
ness as  becomes  a  minister  when  jneaching,  is  not  beautiful. 

Some  liavc  been  bold  in  some  things  that  have  really  been  errors  ;  and  have 
gloried  in  their  btddness  in  practising  them,  though  condemned  as  odd  ami  irregu- 
lar. And  those  that  have  gone  the  greatest  lengths,  in  lluse  things,  have  'neen  by 
some  most  highly  esteemed,  as  those  that  come  out  and  appear  bold  lor  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  lully  on  his  side  ;  and  others  that  have  professed  to  be  godly, 
that  have  condemned  such  things,  have  been  spoken  of  as  enemies  of  the  cross 
of  Christ,  or  at  least  very  colil  and  dead ;  and  many  that  of  themselves,  were 
not  inclined  to  such  practices,  have  by  this  means  been  driven  on,  being  asham- 
ed to  be  behind,  and  accounted  poor  soldiers  for  Christ. 

Another  ellect  of  spiritual  pride  is  assmning :  it  oftentimes  makes  it  natural 
lo  persons  so  to  act  and  speak,  as  though  it  in  a  special  manner  belonged  to 
thcai  to  be  taken  notice  of  and  much  regarded.     It  is  very  natural  to  a  person 

Vol.  IlL  46 


362  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

that  is  much  under  the  influence  of  spiiitual  pride,  to  take  all  that  respect  thaJ 
is  paid  him  :  if  others  show  a  disposition  to  submit  to  him,  and  yield  him  the 
dclerence  of  a  preceptor,  he  is  open  to  it,  and  freely  admits  it ;  yea,  it  is  natural 
for  him  to  expect  such  treatment,  and  to  take  much  notice  of  it  if  he  fails  of  il, 
and  to  have  an  ill  opinion  of  others  that  do  not  pay  him  that  which  he  looks 
upon  as  his  prerogative :  he  is  apt  to  think  that  it  belongs  to  him  to  speak,  and 
to  clothe  himself  with  a  judicial  and  dogmatical  air  in  conversation,  and  to  take 
it  upon  him  as  what  belongs  to  him,  to  give  forth  his  sentence,  and  to  determine 
and  decide  :  whereas  pure  Christian  humility  vauntdh  Jiot  itself]  dothnoi behave 
iUdf  umee-ndy,  and  is  apt  to  prefer  others  in  honor.  .  One  under  the  influence 
of  sphilual  pride  is  more  apt  to  mstruct  others,  than  to  inquire  for  himself,  and 
naturally  puts  on  the  airs  of  a  master  :  whereas  one  that  is  full  of  pure  humility^ 
naturally  has  on  the  air  of  a  disciple;  his  voice  is,  "  What  shall  I  do  ?  What 
shall  I  tlo  that  1  may  live  more  to  God's  honor  7  What  shall  I  do  with  this 
wicked  heait  V  He  is  ready  to  receive  instruction  from  any  body,  agreeable  to 
Jam.  i.  19,  '"  Wherefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  let  every  man  be  swift  to  hear,. 
slow  to  speak."  The  eminently  humble  Christian  thinks  he  v/a'nts  help  from 
every  body,  whereas  he  that  is  spiritually  proud  thinks  that  every  body  wants 
his  help.  Christian  humility,  under  a  sense  of  others'  misery,  entreats  and  be- 
seeches ;  spiritual  pride  aflects  to  command  and  vv'arn  with  authority. 

There  ought  to  be  the  utmost  watchfulness  against  all  such  appearances  of 
spiritual  pride,  in  all  that  profess  to  have  been  the  subjects  of  this  work,  and 
especially  in  the  promoters  of  it,  but  above  all  in  itinerant  preachers :  the  most 
eminent  gifts,  and  highest  tokens  of  God's  favor  and  blessing,  will  not  excuse 
them  :  alas  !  What  is  man  at  his  best  estate  1  What  is  the  most  highly  favor- 
ed Christian,  or  the  most  eminent  and  successful  minister,  that  he  should  now 
think  he  is  sufficient  for  something,  and  somebody  to  be  regarded,  and  that  he 
should  go  forth,  and  act  among  his  fellow  creatures,  as  if  he  were  wise  and 
strong  and  good  ? 

Ministers  that  have  been  the  principal  instruments  of  carrying  on  this  glo- 
rious revival  of  religion,  and  that  God  has  made  use  of,  as  it  were  to  bring  up 
his  people  out  of  Egypt,  as  he  did  of  Moses,  should  take  heed  that  they  do  not 
provoke  God  as  Moses  did,  by  assuming  too  much  to  themselves,  and  by  their 
intemperate  zeal,  to  shut  them  out  from  seeing  the  good  things  that  God  is 
going  to  do  for  his  church  in  this  world.  The  fruits  of  Moses'  unbelief,  which 
provoked  God  to  shut  htm  out  of  Canaan,  and  not  to  sufler  him  to  partake  of 
those  great  things  God  was  about  to  do  for  Israel  on  earth,  were  chiefly  these 
two  things  : 

First,  his  mingling  bitterness  with  his  zeal :  he  had  a  great  zeal  for  God, 
and  he  could  not  bear  to  see  the  intolerable  stiff"-neckedness  of  the  people,  that 
they  did  not  acknowledge  the  work  of  God,  and  were  not  convinced  by  all  his 
wonders  that  they  had  seen  :  but  human  passion  was  mingled  with  his  zeal.  Psal. 
cvi.  32,  33,  "  They  angered  him  also  at  the  waters  of  strife;  so  that  it  went  ill 
with  Moses,  for  their  sakes  :  because  they  provoked  bis  spirit,  so  that  he  spake 
unadvisedly  with  his  lips.''  '•  Hear  now,  ye  rebels,"  says  he,  with  bitterness  of 
language. 

Secondly,  he  behaved  himself,  and  spake  Mnth  an  assuming  air :  he  assum- 
ed too  much  to  himself :  Hear  now,  ye  rebels,  must  v/e  fetch  water  out  of  this 
■rock  1  Spiritual  pride  wrought  in  Moses  at  that  time :  his  temptations  to  it 
were  very  great,  for  he  had  great  discoveries  of  God,  and  had  been  p)ivileged 
with  intimate  and  sweet  communion  with  him,  and  God  had  made  him  the  in- 
gtrument  of  great  good  to  his  church  ;  and  though  he  was  so  humble  a  person. 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  363 

and,  l)v  God's  own  testimony,  nu-ek  above  all  men  upon  tlic  Whv  d"  ijic  wju,],. 
earth,  yet  his  temptations  were  tuo  strong  for  him  :  w hieh  sinely  .slu-ulil  uiaki: 
our  young  ministers,  tiiat  have  of  late  l;een  highly  laVDred,  and  have  juid  giea! 
success,  exceeding  earelul,  and  distnistrul  of  theniselves.  Alas!  liow  liii  an- 
we  IVom  having  the  strength  of  holy,  meek,  aged  Moses  !  The  leinpt;.tion  ai 
this  day  is  exceeding  great  to  both  tliose  errors  that  i\loses  was  guilly  ol';  there 
is  great  temptation  to  bitterness  and  corrupt  passion  with  zeal;  lor  (here  is  so 
much  unreasonable  opposition  made  against  this  glorious  work  of  God,  and  so 
much  still-neckedness  manifested  in  multitudes  of  this  generation,  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  gieat  and  wonderful  works  in  which  (iod  has  passeci  bel'nre  tliem, 
that  it  greatly  tends  to  provoke  the  spirits  of  such  as  have  the  inteiesl  ol  this 
woik  at  heart,  so  as  to  move  them  to  speak  unadvisedly  with  their  li|/S.  i\nd 
there  is  also  great  temptation  to  an  assuming  Ijchavior  in  some  peisons:  wlien 
a  minister  is  greatly  succeeded,  iiom  time  to  time,  and  so  draws  the  eyes  of  the 
multitude  upon  bim,  and  he  sees  himself  I'.oclced  alter,  and  lesorted  to  as  an 
oracle,  and  people  are  ready  to  adore  bim.  and  to  offer  sacrifice  to  him,  as  it 
was  with  Paul  and  Barnabas,  at  Lystra,  it  is  almost  impossible  for  a  man  to 
avoid  taking  upon  hira  the  airs  of  a  master,  or  some  extraordinary  person  ;  a 
man  had  need  to  have  a  great  stock  of  humility,  and  much  divine  assistance,  to 
resist  the  temptation.  But  the  greater  our  dangers  are,  the  more  ought  to  be 
our  watchfulness  and  prayerlulness,  and  diffidence  of  ourselves,  lest  we  brin;, 
ourselves  into  mischief. — Fishermen  that  have  been  very  successful,  ami  have 
caught  a  great  many  fish,  had  need  to  be  careful  that  they  do  not  at  length  be- 
gin to  burn  incense  to  their  net.  And  we  should  take  warning  by  Ciideon, 
who,  after  God  had  highly  I'avored  and  exalted  him,  and  made  him  the  instru- 
ment of  working  a  wonderl'ul  deliverance  ibr  his  people,  at  length  made  a  god 
of  tbe  spoils  of  his  enemies,  whicb  became  a  snare  to  him  and  to  his  house,  so 
as  to  prove  the  ruin  of  his  family. 

All  young  ministers  in  this  day  of  the  bringing  up  the  ark  of  God,  .should 
take  warning  by  the  example  of  a  young  Levite  in  Israel,  viz.,  Uzza  the  son 
of  Abinadab.  He  seemed  to  have  a  real  concern  for  the  ark  of  God,  and  to  be 
zealous  and  engaged  in  his  mind,  on  that  joyful  occasion  of  bringing  up  the 
ark,  and  God  made  him  an  instrument  to  bring  the  ark  out  of  its  long  continued 
obscurity  in  Kirjathjearim,  and  he  was  succeeded  to  bring  it  a  considerable  way 
towards'raount  Zion ;  but  for  his  want  of  humility,  reverence  and  circiunspec- 
tion,  and  assuming  to  himself,  or  taking  too  much  upon  him,  God  broke  Ibrtli 
upon  him,  and  smote  him  for  his  error,  so  that  he  never  lived  to  see.  and  partaki 
of  the  great  joy  of  his  church,  on  occasion  of  the  carrying  up  the  ark  into  mount 
Zion,  and  the  great  blessings  of  heaven  upon  Israel,  that  were  consequent  upon 
it.  Ministers  that  have  been  improved  to  carry  on  this  work  have  been  chieliy 
of  the  younger  sort,  who  have  doubtless  (as  Uzza  had)  a  real  concern  tor  the 
ark  ;  and  it  is  evident  that  tliey  are  much  animated  and  engaged  in  their  miiuls 
(as  he  was)  in  this  joyful  day  of  bringing  up  the  ark  ;  and  they  are  alraid  what 
will  become  of  the  ark  under  the  conduct  of  its  ministers  (that  are  sometimes  in 
Scripture  compared  to  oxen) ;  they  see  the  ark  shakes,  and  they  are  aJiaid  these 
blundering  oxen  will  throw  it  ;  and  some  of  them,  it  is  to  be  feared.,  have  been 
over  oihcious  on  this  occasion,  and  have  assumed  too  much  to  tlieniselves,  and 
have  been  bold  to  put  lorth  their  hand  to  take  hold  of  the  ark,  as  though  thty 
were  the  Only  fit  and  worthy  persons  to  defend  it. 

K  young  ministers  had  "great  humility,  without  a  mixture,  it  would  dispose 
thern  especially  to  treat  aged  ministers  with  respect  and  reverence,  as  tlieir  fathers, 
notwithstanding  that  a  sovereign  God  may  h;ive  given  them  greater  assistance 


364  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

and  success,  than  Ihey  have  had.  1  Pet.  v.  5,  "  Likewise  ye  younger,  subrail 
yourselves  unto  the  elder  ;  yea,  all  of  you,  be  subject  one  to  another ;  and  be 
clothed  with  humility  ;  for  God  resisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  hum- 
ble." Lev.  xix.  32,  "  Thou  shalt  rise  up  before  the  hoary  head,  and  honor  the 
lace  of  the  old  man,  and  fear  ihy  God ;  1  am  the  Lord." 

As  si)iritual  pride  disposes  persons  to  assume  much  to  themselves,  so  it  also 
disposes  them  to  treat  others  with  neglect :  on  the  contrary,  pure  Chiislian 
humility  disposes  persons  to  honor  all  men,  agreeable  to  that  rule,  1  Pet.  li.  17. 

There  has  been  in  some,  that  I  believe  are  true  friends  of  religion,  too  much 
of  an  appearance  of  this  fruit  of  spiritual  pride,  in  their  treatment  of  those  that 
they  looked  upon  to  be  carnal  men ;  and  particularly  in  refusing  to  enter  into 
any  discourse  or  reasoning  with  them.  Lideed  to  spend  a  great  deal  of  time  in 
jangling  and  warm  debates  about  religion,  is  not  the  way  to  propagate  religion, 
but  to  hinder  it ;  and  some  are  so  dreadfully  set  against  the  work,  that  it  is  a 
dismal  task  to  dispute  with  them,  all  that  one  can  say  is  utterly  in  vain ;  I  have 
found  it  so  by  experience  ;  and  to  go  to  enter  into  disputes  about  religion,  at  some 
times,  is  quite  unseasonable,  as  particularly  in  meetings  for  religious  conference, 
or  exercises  of  worship.  But  yet  we  ought  to  be  very  careful  that  we  do  not 
refuse  to  discourse  with  men,  with  any  appearance  of  a  supercilious  neglect,  as 
though  we  counted  them  not  woi  thy  to  be  regarded  ;  on  the  contrary  we  should 
condescend  to  carnal  men,  as  Christ  has  condescended  to  us,  to  bear  with  ourun- 
teachableness  and  stupidity,  and  still  to  follow  us  with  instructions,  line  upon 
.line,  and  precept  upon  precept,  saying,  come  let  us  reason  together  ;  setting  light, 
before  us,  and  using  all  manner  of  arguments  with  us,  and  waiting  upon  such 
dull  scholars,  as  it  were  hoping  that  we  should  receive  light.  We  should  be 
ready  with  meekness  and  calmness,  without  hot' disputing,  to  give  our  reasons, 
why  we  think  this  work  is  the  work  of  God,  to  carnal  men  when  they  ask  us, 
and  not  tur^n  them  by  as  not  worthy  to  be  talked  with ;  as  the  apostle  directed 
the  primitive  Christians  to  be  ready  to  give  a  reason  of  the  Christian  faith  and 
hope  to  the  enemies  of  Christianity  :  1  Pet.  iii.  15,  "  Be  ready  always  to  give  an 
answer  to  every  man  that  asketh  you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with 
meekness  and  tear."  And  we  ought  not  to  condemn  all  reasoning  about  things 
of  religion  under  the  name  of  carnal  reason.  For  my  part,  I  desire  no  better 
than  that  those  that  oppose  this  work,  should  come  fairly  to  submit  to  have  the 
cause  betwixt  us  tried  by  strict  reasoning. 

One  qualification  that  the  Scripture  speaks  of  once  and  again,  as  requisite 
in  a  minister  is,  that  he  should  be  didaxTr/.a^-,  apt  to  teach,  1  Tim.  iii.  2.  And 
the  apostle  seems  to  explain  what  he  means  by  it,  in  2  Tim.  ii.  24,  25.  Or  at 
least  there  expresses  one  thing  he  intends  by  it,  viz.,  that  a  minister  should  be 
ready,  meekly  to  condescend  to,  and  instruct  opposers.  ^nd  the  servant  of  the 
Lord  must  not  strive,  hut  be  gentle  unto  oil  men,  apt  to  teach,  patient,  in  m.eek^ 
ness  instructing  those  that  oppose  themselves,  if  God  per  adventure  will  give  them 
repentance,  to  the  acknoidedging  of  the  truth. 

Secondly.  Another  thing  from  whence  errors  in  conduct,  that  attend  such  a 
revival  in  religion,  do  arise,  is  wrong  principles. 

Ant!  one  erroneous  principle,  than  which  scarce  any  has  proved  more  mis- 
chievous to  the  present  glorious  work  of  God,  is  a  notion  that  it  is  God's  man- 
ner, now  in  these  days,  to  guide  his  saints,  at  least  some  that  are  more  eminent, 
by  inspiration,  or  ijuraediate  revelation,  and  to  make  known  to  them  what  shall 
come  to  pass  herealter,  or  what  it  is  his  will  that  they  should  do,  by  impressions 
that  he  by  his  Spirit  makes  upon  their  minds,  either  with,  or  without  texts  of 
Scripture  ;  whereby  something  is  made  known  to  them,  that  is  not  taught  in 


IN  m:w  kxgland.  366 

the  Scripture  as  the  words  lie  in  the  Bihle.  By  such  a  notion  the  devil  has  & 
great  door  open  for  him  ;  and  if  once  this  opinion  should  come  to  be  fiillv 
yii.-ldcd  to,  and  established  in  the  church  of  Clod,  Salan  would  have  opportunity 
thereby  to  set  up  himself  as  the  ijuide  and  oracle  of  (Jod's  people,  and  to  have 
his  won)  reLi;arded  as  tiieir  infallil)Ie  rule,  and  so  to  U-ad  them  where  he  would, 
and  to  introduce  what  he  pleased,  and  soon  to  l)rin<4  the  Bible  into  ne<^lect  and 
contempt.  Late  experience  in  some  instances,  has  shown  that  the  tendency  of 
this  notion  is  to  cause  persons  to  esteem  the  Bible  as  a  book  that  is  in  a  great 
measure  useless. 

This  error  will  defend  and  sujipoi  t  all  errors.  As  long  as  a  person  has  a 
notion  that  he  is  guided  by  immediate  direction  from  heaven,  it  makes  him  in- 
corrigible and  im})regnable  in  all  his  misconduct:  for  what  signifies  it,  for  jioor, 
blintl  worms  of  the  dust,  to  go  to  argue  with  a  man,  and  endeavor  to  convince 
him  and  correct  him,  tliat  is  guided  by  the  immediate  counsels  and  commands  of 
the  gieat  Jehovah  ? 

This  great  work  of  God  has  been  exceedingly  hindered  by  this  error;  and 
until  we  have  quite  taken  this  handle  out  of  the  devil's  hands,  the  work 
of  God  will  never  go  on  without  great  clogs  and  hinderances.  But  Satan  will 
always  have  a  vast  advantage  in  l)is  hands  against  it,  and  as  he  has  improved 
it  hitherto,  so  he  will  do  still  :  and  it  is  evident  that  the  devil  knows  the  vast 
advantage  he  has  by  it,  that  makes  him  exceeding  lolii  to  let  go  his  hold. 

It  is  strange  what  a  disposition  there  is  in  many  well-disposed  and  religious 
persons,  to  fall  in  with  and  hold  fast  this  notion.  It  is  enough  to  astonish  one 
that  such  multiplied,  plain  instances  of  the  failing  of  such  supposed  revelatioas, 
in  the  event,  does  not  open  every  one's  eyes.  I  have  seen  so  many  instances  of 
the  failing  of  such  impressions,  that  would  almost  furnish  a  history  :  I  have  been 
acquainted  with  them  when  made  under  all  kinds  of  circumstances,  and  have 
seen  them  h\\  in  the  event,  when  made  with  such  circumstances  as  have  been 
fairest  and  brightest,  and  most  promising  ;  as  when  they  have  been  made  upon 
the  minds  of  such,  as  there  was  all  reason  to  think  were  true  saints,  yea  eminent 
saints,  and  at  the  very  time  when  they  have  had  great  divine  discoveries,  and 
have  been  in  the  high  exercise  of  true  communion  with  God,  and  made  with 
great  strength,  and  with  great  sweetness  accompanying,  and  1  have  had  reason 
to  thinic,  with  an  excellent  heavenly  frame  of  spnit,  yet  continued,  and  mide 
with  tL'Xls  of  Scripture,  that  seemed  to  be  exceeding  apposite,  yea  many  texts 
following  one  another,  extraordinarily  and  wonderfully  brought  to  the  mind,  and 
with  great  power  and  majesty,  and  the  impressions  repeated  over  and  over,  after 
prayers  to  be  directed  ;  and  yet  all  has  most  manifestly  come  to  nothin'4,  to  the 
full  conviction  of  the  pei-sons  themselves.  And  God  has  in  so  many  instances 
of  late  in  his  providence,  covered  such  things  with  darkness,  that  one  would 
think  it  should  be  enough  quite  to  blank  the  expectations  of  such  as  have  been 
ready  to  think  highly  of  such  things;  it  seems  to  be  a  testimony  of  (lod,  that 
he  has  no  design  of  reviving  revelations  in  his  church,  and  a  rebuke  from  him 
to  the  groundless  expectations  of  it. 

It  seems  to  me  that  Scripture,  Zech.  xiii.  5,  is  a  prophecy  concerning  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel,  in  the  latter,  anil  glorious  day  of  the  Christian  church,  which 
is  evidently  spoken  of  in  this  and  the  foregoing  chapters :  the  words  are,  /  am 
no  prophet ;  I  am  a  huibandman :  for  man  taught  me  fa  keep  cattle  from  my 
youth.  The  words,  I  apprehend,  are  to  be  interpreted  in  a  spiritual  sense ;  /  am 
a  husbjndfjian :  the  work  of  ministers  is  very  often  in  the  New  Testament,  com- 
pared to  the  busine<«  of  the  husbandmen,  that  take  care  of  God's  husbandry,  to 
whom  he  lets  out  his  vineyard,  and  sends  them  forth  to  labor  in  his  field,  where 


366  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

one  plants  and  another  .vateis,  one  sows  and  another  reaps;  so  ministers 
are  called  laborers  in  God's  haivest.  And  as  it  is  added,  Man  taught  me  to 
keep  cattle  from  my  youth  j  so  the  work  of  a  minister  is  very  often  in  Sciipture 
represented  by  the  business  of  a  shepherd  or  pastor.  And  whereas  it  is  said,  / 
am  no  prophet ;  but  man  taught  me  from  my  youth  ;  it  is  as  much  as  to  say,  I 
do  not  pretend  to  have  received  my  skill,  whei-eby  1  am  fitted  for  the  business 
of  a  pastor  or  shepherd  in  the  church  of  God,  by  immediate  inspiration,  but  by 
education,  by  being  trained  up  to  the  business  by  human  learning,  and  instruc- 
tions I  have  received  from  my  youth  or  childhood,  by  ordinary  means. 

And  why  cannot  we  be  contented  with  the  divine  oracles,  that  holy,  pure 
word  of  Go(l,  that  we  have  in  such  abundance,  and  such  clearness,  now  since 
the  canon  of  Scripture  is  completed  ?  Why  should  we  desire  to  have  any  thing 
?sdded  to  them  by  impulses  from  above  1  Why  should  not  we  rest  in  that 
standing  rule  that  God  has  given  to  his  church,  which  the  apostle  teaches  us  is 
surer  than  a  voice  from  heaven  '?  And  why  should  we  desire  to  make  the 
Scripture  speak  more  to  us  than  it  does  ?  Or  v/hy  should  any  desire  any  higher 
kind  of  intercourse  with  heaven,  than  that  v/hich  is  by  having  the  Holy  Spirit 
given  in  his  sanctifying  infiuences,  infusing  and  exciting  grace  and  holiness, 
love  and  joy,  which  is  the  highest  kind  of  intercourse  that  the  saints  and  angels 
in  heaven  have  with  God,  and  the  chief  excellency  of  the  glorified  man  Christ 
Jesus  1 

Some  that  follow  in^pulses  and  impressions  go  away  with  a  notion  that  they 
do  no  other  than  follow  the  guidance  of  God's  word,  and  make  the  Scripture 
their  rule,  because  the  impression  is  made  with  a  text  of  Scripture,  that  comes 
to  their  mind,  though  they  take  that  text  as  it  is  impressed  on  their  minds,  and 
improve  it  as  a  new  revelation,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  or  as  the  revelation 
of  a  particular  thing,  that  is  now  newly  made,  while  the  text  in  itself,  as  it  is  in 
the  Bible,  implies  no  such  thing,  and  they  themselves  do  not  suppose  that  any 
such  revelation  was  contained  in  it  before.  As  for  instance,  suppose  that  text 
should  come  into  a  person's  mind  with  strong  impression,  Acts  ix.  6  :  "  Arise 
and  go  into  the  city ;  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what  thou  must  do."  And  he 
should  interpret  it  as  an  iinmediate  signification  of  the  will  of  God,  that  he 
should  now%  forthwith  go  to  such  a  neighbor  town,  and  as  a  revelation  of  that 
future  event,  viz.,  that  there  he  should  meet  w'ith  a  further  discovery  of  his  duly- 
If  such  things  as  these  are  revealed  by  the  impression  of  these  words,  it  is  to  all 
intents,  a  new  revelation,  not  the  less  because  certain  words  of  Scripture  art 
made  use  of  in  the  case  :  here  are  propositions  or  truths  entirely  new,  that  arc 
supposed  now  to  be  revealed,  that  those  words  do  not  contain  in  themselves, 
and  that  till  now  there  was  no  revelation  of  anywhere  to  be  found  in  heaven  or 
earth.  These  propositions,  that  it  is  God's  mind  and  will  that  such  a  person  by 
name,  should  arise  at  such  a  time,  and  go  from  such  a  place  to  such  a  place 
and  that  there  he  should  meet  wnth  discoveries,  are  entirely  new  propositions, 
wholly  ditlerent  from  the  propositions  contained  in  that  text  of  Scripture,  no 
more  contained,  or  consequentially  implied  in  the  words  themselves,  without  a 
new  I'evelation,  than  it  is  implied  that  iie  should  arise  and  goto  any  other  place, 
or  that  any  other  person  should  arise  and  go  to  that  place.  The  propositions 
t;upposed  to  be  now  revealed,  are  as  really  different  from  those  contained  in  that 
Scj'ipture,  as  they  are  from  the  propositions  contained  in  that  text,  Gen.  v.  6  : 
"  And  Seth  lived  a  hundred  and  five  years,  and  begat  Enos." 

This  is  quite  a  different  thing  from  the  Spirit's  enlightening  the  mind  to  un- 
dei-sland  the  precepts  or  propositions  of  the  word  of  God,  and  know  what  is 
contained  and  revealed  in  them,  and   what  consequences  may  justly  be  drawn 


I\   NEW   KN'GL.WD.  367 

from  them,  and  to  see  how  they  are  r.ppHcable  to  our  case  and  circiimstanrcs ; 
which  is  (lone  without  any  new  revehilioii,  only  by  enabling  the  mind  lo  under- 
stand and  apply  a  revelation  alreaily  made. 

Tliosu  texls  of  Scripture  that  speak  of  the  children  of  God  as  led  by  (he  SpirU, 
have  been,  by  some,  brought  to  defend  a  being  guided  by  suclj  impul.ses ;  as 
particularly,  tliose  Rom.  viii.  M,  ''For  as  many  as  are  Kd  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
they  are  the  sons  of  CJod."  And  Gal.  v.  IS,  "  But  if  ye  are  led  by  the  Spirit,  yc 
are  not  under  the  law."  But  these  texls  themselves  confute  them  that  bring  them  ; 
for  it  is  evident  that  the  leading  of  the  Spirit  that  the  apostle  speaks ol  is  a  gra- 
cious leading,  or  what  is  peculiar  to  the  children  of  God,  and  thai  natural  men 
cannot  have ;  lor  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  sure  evidence  of  their  being  the  sons  of 
God,  and  not  under  the  law  :  but  a  leading  or  directing  a  person,  by  immediately 
revealing  to  him  where  he  shouhl  go,  or  what  shall  hereafter  come  lo  pass,  or 
what  shall  be  the  future  consequence  of  his  doing  thus  or  thus,  if  there  be  any 
such  thing  in  these  days,  is  not  of  the  nature  of  the  gracious  leading  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  that  is  peculiar  to  God's  children  ;  it  is  no  more  than  a  common 
gift ;  there  is  nothing  in  it  but  what  natural  men  are  capable  of,  and  many  of 
them  have  had  in  the  days  of  inspiration:  a  man  may  have  ten  thousand  such 
revelations  and  directions  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  yet  not  liave  a  jot  of 
grace  in  his  heart :  it  is  no  more  than  the  gift  of  prophecy,  which  immtdiatcl}' 
reveals  what  will  be,  or  should  be  hereafter;  but  this  is  but  a  comujon  gift,  as 
the  apostle  expressly  shows,  1  Cor.  xiii.  2,  S.  If  a  person  has  any  thing  re- 
vealed to  him  from  God,  or  is  directed  to  any  thirig,  by  a  voice  from  heaven,  or 
a  whisper,  or  words  immediately  suggested  and  put  inlo  his  mind,  there  is  no- 
thing of  the  nature  of  grace,  merely  in  this;  it  is  of  the  nature  of  a  commoi) 
induence  of  the  Spirit,  and  is  but  dross  and  dung,  in  comparison  of  the  excel- 
lency of  that  gracious  leading  of  the  Spirit  that  the  saints  have.  Such  a  way 
of  being  directed  where  one  shall  go,  and  what  he  shall  do,  is  no  more  than 
what  Balaam  had  from  God,  who  I'rom  lime  to  time  revealed  to  him  wliat  he 
should  do,  and  when  he  had  done  one  thing,  then  directed  him  what  he  should 
do  next ;  so  that  he  was  in  this  sense  led  by  the  Spirit,  for  a  considerable  time. 
There  is  a  more  excellent  way  that  the  Spirit  of  God  leads  the  sons  of  God, 
that  natural  men  cannot  have,  and  that  is  by  inclining  them  to  do  the  will  of 
God,  and  go  in  the  shining  path  of  truth  and  Christian  holiness,  fiom  a  holy, 
heavenly  disposition,  which  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  them,  and  enlivens  in  them, 
which  inclines  them,  and  leads  them  to  those  things  that  arc  excellent,  and 
agreeable  to  God's  mind,  wherchy  they  arn  transformed,  by  fhf.  rcnewlnir  of  their 
■minds,  and  prove  what  is  that  good,  end  uccrptable,  and  perfect  u~ill  of  (iod,  as 
in  Rom.  xii.  2.  And  so  the  Spirit  of  God  docs  in  a  gracious  manner  teach  tlic 
saints  their  duty  ;  and  teaches  tliem  in  a  higher  manner  than  ever  Inrhsam,  or 
Saul,  or  .Judas  were  taught,  or  any  natural  man  is  capable  of  while  .^ulIi.  The 
Spirit  of  God  enlightens  them  with  respect  lo  their  (luty,  by  making  tl;eir  rye 
&ingle  and  pure,  whereby  the  whole  body  is  full  of  light.  The  sanctiiyin;;  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit  of  God  rectifies  the  taste  of  the  soul,  whereby  it  s.ivors 
those  things  that  arc  of  God,  and  naturally  relishes  and  delights  in  those  things 
that  are  holy  and  agreeable  to  God's  mind,  and  like  one  of  a  distinguishing 
taste,  chooses  those  things  that  are  good  and  wholesome,  and  rejects  ihosc 
things  that  are  evil ;  for  the  sanctified  ear  tries  words,  and  the  sanctified  heart 
tries  actions,  as  the  mouth  tastes  meat.  And  thus  the  Spirit  of  Go<l  leads  and 
guides  the  meek  in  his  way,  agreeably  to  his  promises  ;  he  enables  them  to  un- 
derstand the  commands  and  counsels  of  his  t\  ord,  and  rightly  to  apply  them. 
Christ  blames  the  I-harisees  that  they  had  not  this  holy  distinguishing  taste,  to 


368  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

discern  and  distinguish  what  was  right  and  wrong.  Lulce  x;i.  57,  "  Yea,  arm 
why,  even  of  your  own  selves,  judge  ye  not  what  is  right  ?" 

The  leading  of  the  Spirit  which  God  gives  his  children,  which  is  peculiar 
to  them,  is  that  teaching  them  his  statutes,  and  causing  them  to  understand  the 
way  of  his  precepts,  which  the  Psalmist  so  very  often  prays  for,  especially  in 
the  119lh  Psalm  ;  and  not  in  giving  of  them  neio  statutes  and  new  precepts  :  he 
graciously  gives  them  eyes  to  see,  and  ears  to  hear,  and  hearts  to  understand  , 
he  causes  them  to  understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  so  brings  the  blind  by  a 
way  they  knew  not,  and  leads  them  in  paths  that  they  had  not  known,  and  makes 
darkness  light  before  them,  and  crooked  things  straight. 

So  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  in  praying  and  preaching  seems  by  some  to 
have  been  greatly  misunderstood,  and  they  have  sought  after  a  miraculous  as- 
sistance of  inspiration,  by  immediate  suggesting  of  words  to  them,  by  such  gifts 
and  infiuences  of  the  Spirit,  in  praying  and  teaching,  as  the  apostle  speaks  of, 
1  Cor.  xiv.  14,  26  (which  many  natural  men  had  in  those  days),  instead  of  a 
gracious  holy  assistance  of  the  Spuit  of  God,  which  is  the  far  more  excellent 
way  ;  as  1  Cor.  xii.  31,  and  xiii.  1,  The  gracious,  and  most  excellent  kind 
of  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  praying  and  preaching,  is  not  by  immediate 
suggesting  of  words  to  the  apprehension,  which  maybe  with  a  cold  dead  heart, 
but  by  warming  the  heart,  and  filling  it  with  a  great  sense  of  those  things  that 
are  to  be  spoken  of,  and  with  holy  affections,  that  that  sense  and  those  affec- 
tions may  suggest  words.  I'hus  indeed  the  Spirit  of  God  may  be  said,  indirect- 
ly and  n^iediately  to  suggest  words  to  us,  to  indite  our  petitions  for  us,  and  to 
teach  the  preacher  what  to  say  ;  he  fdls  the  heart,  and  that  fills  the  mouth ;  as 
we  know  that  when  men  are  greatly  affected  in  any  matter,  and  their  hearts 
are  very  full,  it  fills  them  with  matter  for  speech,  and  makes  them  eloquent 
upon  that  subject ;  and  much  more  have  spiritual  affections  this  tendency,  for 
many  reasons  that  might  be  given.  When  a  person  is  in  a  holy  and  lively 
frame  in  secret  prayer,  it  will  wonderfully  supply  him  with  matter,  and  with 
expressions,  as  every  true  Christian  knows  ;  and  so  it  will  fill  his  mouth  in 
Christian  conversation,  and  it  has  the  like  tendency  to  enable  a  person  in  pub- 
lic prayer  and  preaching.  And  if  he  has  these  holy  influences  of  the  Spirit  on 
his  heart  in  a  high  degree,  nothing  in  the  world  will  have  so  great  a  tendency 
to  make  both  the  matter  and  manner  of  his  public  performances  excellent  and 
profitable.  13ut  since  there  is  no  immediate  suggesting  of  words  from  the  Spirit 
of  God  to  be  expected  or  desired,  they  who  neglect  and  despise  study  and  pre- 
meditation, in  order  to  a  preparation  for  the  pulpit,  in  such  an  expectation,  are 
guilty  of  presumption  ;  though  doubtless  it  may  be  lawful  for  some  persons,  in 
some  cases  (and  they  may  be  called  to  it),  to  preach  with  very  little  study; 
and  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  the  heavenly  frame  of  heart  that  he  gives  them,  may 
enable  them  to  do  it  to  excellent  purpose. 

Besides  this  most  excellent  way  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  his  assisting  ministers 
in  public  performances,  which  (considered  as  the  preacher's  privilege)  far  ex- 
cels inspiration,  there  is  a  common  assistance  which  natural  men  may  have  in 
these  days,  and  which  the  godly  may  have  intermingled  with  a  gracious  assist- 
ance, wliich  is  also  very  diffc'rent  from  inspiration,  and  that  is  his  assisting 
natural  ])rinciples ;  as  his  assisting  the  natural  apprehension,  reason,  memory, 
conscience,  and  natural  affection. 

But  to  retuin  to  the  head  of  impressions  and  immediate  revelations ;  many 
lay  themselves  open  to  a  delusion  by  expecting  direction  /"rom  heaven  in  this 
way,  and  waiting  for  it:  in  such  a  case  it  is  easy  for  persons  to  imagine  that 
they  have  it.     They  are  perhaps  at  a  loss  concerning  sometuing,  undetermined 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  3^9 

what  they  shall  do,  or  what  course  they  should  take  in  some  afTair,  and  they 
pray  to  God  to  direct  them,  and  make  known  to  them  his  mind  and  will  ;  and 
then  instead  of  expcctin;,^  to  he  tiirecled,  hy  beinir  as,si.st.d  in  consideration  of 
the  rules  of  God's  word,  and  their  circumstances,  and  (iod's  providt-ncc,  and 
enabled  to  look  on  things  in  a  true  lio;ht,  and  justly  to  weicrh  them,  they  are 
waiting  for  some  secret  immediate  inlluence  on  their  minds,  unaccountably 
swayinir  their  minds,  and  turnin^c  tl»eir  thouirhts  or  inclinations  that  way  that 
God  wonl.l  have  them  o;(,,  and  are  observinir  their  own  minds,  (o  see  what 
•irises  there,  whether  some  texts  of  Scripture  do  not  come  into  the  mind,  or 
whether  some  ideas  or  inward  motions  and  dispositions  do  not  arise  in  some- 
thing of  an  unaccountable  manner,  that  they  may  call  a  divine  direction.  Hereby 
they  are  exposed  to  two  things. 

Fir.^t,  they  lay  themselves  open  to  the  devil,  and  give  hira  a  fair  opportu- 
nity to  lead  them  where  he  pleases  ;  for  they  stand  ready  to  follow  the  first 
extraordinary  impulse  that  they  shall  have,  groundlessly  concluding  it  is  from 
God. 

Am\,  secondly,  they  are  greatly  exposed  to  be  deceived  by  their  own 
imaginations  :  for  such  an  expectation  awakens  and  quickens  the  imagination  ; 
and  that  oftentimes  is  called  an  uncommon  impression,  that  is  no  such  thing ; 
and  they  ascribe  that  to  the  agency  of  some  invisible  being,  that  is  owing  only 
to  themselves. 

Again,  another  way,  that  many  have  been  deceived,  is,  by  drawing  false 
conclusions  from  true  i)icmises.     Many  true  and  eminent  saints  have  been  led 
into  mistakes  and  snares,  by  arguing  too  much  from  that,  that  they  have  prayed 
in  faith  ;  and  that  oftentimes  when  the  premises  are  true,  they  have  indeed 
been  greatly  assisted  in  prayer  for  such  a  particular  mercy,  and  have  had  the 
true  spirit  of  prayer  in  exercise  in  their  asking  it  of  God  ;  but  they  have  con- 
cluded more  from  these  premises  than  is  a  just  consequence  from  them :  that 
they  have  thus  prayed  is  a  sure  sign  that  their  prayer  is  accepted  and  heard, 
and  that  God  will  give  a  gracious  answer,  according  to  his  own  wisdom,  and  that 
the  particular  thing  that  was  asked  shall  be  given,  or  that  which  is  equivalent ; 
this  is  a  just  consequence  from  it ;  but  it  is  not  inferred  l)y  any  new  revelation 
now   made,  but  by  tl\e  revelation  that   is  made  in   God's  word,  the  piomises 
made  to  the  prayer  ot  faith,  in  the  holy  Scriptures  :  but  that  God  will  answer 
them  in  that  individual  thing  that  they  ask,  if  it  be  not   a   thint;  promised  in 
God's  word,  or  they  do  not  certainly  know  that  it  is  that  which  will  be  most  for 
the  good  of  God's  church,  and  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  glory, 
nor  whether  it  will  be  best  for  them,  is  more  than  can  be  justly  concluded  from 
it.     If  God  remarkaljly  meets  with  one  of  his  children  while  he  is  praying  for 
a  particular  mercy  of  great  importance,  for  himself,  or  some  other  person,  or 
any  society  of  men,  and  does  by  the  influences  of  his  Spirit  greatly  humble  him, 
and  empty  him  of  himself  in  his  prayer,  and  manifests  liimself  remarkably  in 
his  excellency,  sovereit!;nty,and  his  all-sulhcient  j)ower  and  grace  in  Jt^iis  C-'hrist, 
and  does  in  a  remarkable  manner  enable  the  person  to  come  to  him   for  that 
mercy,  poor  in  spirit,  and  with  huir.ble  resignation   to  God,  and  with  a  great 
degree  of  faith  in  tlie  divine  sulficiency,  and  the  sufficiency  of  Christ's  media- 
tion, that   person  has   indeed  a  great  deal  the  more  reason  to  hope  that  God 
will  grant  that  mercy,  than  otherwise  he  would  have  ;  the  greater  probability 
is  justly  inferred  Irom  that,  agreeably  to  the  promises  of  the  holy  Scripture,  that 
the  prayer  is  accepted  and  heard  ;  and  it  is  much  more  probable  that  a  prayer 
that  is  heard  will  be  returned  with  the  particular  mercy  that  is  asked,  than  one 
that  is  not  heard.     And  there  is  no  reason  at  all  to  doubt,  but  that  God  does 
Vol.    III.  47 


370  REVIVAL  OF  KELIGION 

sometiaies  especially  enable  to  the  exercises  of  faith,  when  the  minds  of  his 
saints  are  engaged  in  thoughts  of,  and  prayer  for  some  particular  blessing  they 
greatly  desire  ;  i.  e,,  God  is  pleased  especially  to  give  them  a  believing  frame, 
a  sense  of  his  fulness,  and  a  spirit  of  humble  dependence  on  him,  at  such  times 
as  when  they  are  thinking  of,  and  praying  for  that  mercy,  more  than  for  other 
mercies  ;  he  gives  them  a  particular  sense  of  his  ability  to  do  that  thing,  and 
of  the  sufficiency  of  his  power  to  overcome  such   and  such   obstacles,  and  the 
sufficiency  of  his  mercy,  and  of  the  blood  of  Christ  for  the  removal  of  the  guilt 
that  is  in  the  way  of  the  bestowment  of  such  a  mercy,  in  particular.     "When 
this  is  the  case,  it  makes  the  probability  still  much  greater,  that  God  intends  to 
bestow  the  particular  mercy  sought,  in  his  own  time,  and  his  own  way. — But 
here  is  nothing  of  the  nature  of  a  revelation  in  the  case,  but  only  a  drawing 
rational  conclusions  from  the  particular  manner  and  circumstances  of  the  or- 
dinary gracious  influences  of  God's  Spirit.     And  as  God  is  pleased  sometimes 
to  give  his  saints  particular  exercises  of  faith  in  his  sufficiency,  with  regard  to 
particular  mercies  they  seek,  so  he  is  sometimes  pleased  to  make  use  of  his 
word  in  order  to  it,  and  helps  the  actings  of  faith  with  respect  to  such  a  mercy, 
by  texts  of  Scripture  that  do  especially  exhibit  the  sufficiency  of  God's  power 
or  mercy,  in  such  a  like  case,  or  speak  of  such  a  manner  of  the  exercise  of 
God's  strength  and  grace.    The  strengthening  of  their  faith  in  God's  sufficiency 
in  this  case,  is  therefore  a  just  improvement  of  such  Scriptures;  it  is  no  more 
than  what  those  Scriptures,  as  they  stand  in  the  Bible,  do  hold  forth  just  cause 
for.     But  to  take  them  as  neAv  whispers  or  revelations  from  heaven,  is  not  mak- 
ing a  just  im.provement  of  them.  If  persons  have  thus  a  spirit  of  prayer  remark- 
ably given  them,  concerning  a  particular  mei'cy,  from  time  to  time,  so  as  evi- 
dently to  be  assisted  to  act  faith  in  God,  in  that  particular,  in  a  very  distinguish- 
ing manner,  the  argument,  in  some  cases,  may  be  very  strong  that  God  docs 
design  to  grant  that  mercy,  not  from  any  revelation  now  made  of  it,  but  from 
such  a  kind    and  manner  of  the  ordinary  influence  of  his  Spirit,  with  respect 
to  that  thing. 

But  here  a  great  deal  of  caution  and  circumspection  must  be  used  in  draw- 
ing inferences  of  this  nature :  there  are  many  ways  persons  may  be  misled  and 
deluded.  The  ground  on  which  some  expect  that  they  shall  receive  the  thing 
they  have  asked  for,  is  rather  a  strong  imagination,  than  any  true  humble  faith 
in  the  divine  sufficiency.  They  have  a  strong  persuasion  that  the  thing  asked  shall 
be  granted  (which  they  can  give  no  reason  for),  without  a^ny  remaikable  dis- 
covery of  that  glory  and  fulness  of  God  and  Christ,  that  is  the  ground  of  faith. 
And  sometimes  the  confidence  that  persons  have  that  their  prayeis  shall  be  an- 
swered, is  only  a  self-righteous  confidence,  and  no  true  faith  :  they  have  a  high 
conceit  of  themselves  as  eminent  saints,  and  special  favorites  of  God,  and  have 
also  a  high  conceit  of  the  prayers  they  have  made,  because  they  were  much  en- 
larged and  affected  in  them  ;  and  hence  they  are  positive  in  it  that  the  thing 
will  com.e  to  pass.  And  sometimes  when  once  they  have  conceived  such  a  notion, 
they  grow  stronger  and  stronger  in  it ;  and  this  they  think  is  from  an  immediate 
divine  hand  upon  their  minds  to  strengthen  their  confidence ;  whereas  it  is  only 
by  their  dwelling  in  their  minds  on  their  own  excellency,  and  high  experiences, 
aiid  great  assistances,  whereby  they  look  brighter  and  brighter  in  their  own  eyes. 
Hence  it  is  sound  observation  and  experience,  that  nothing  in  the  woild  ex- 
poses so  much  to  enthusiasm  as  spiritual  pride  and  selt-righteousness. 

In  order  to  drawing  a  just  inference  from  the  supposed  assistance  we  have 
had  in  prayer  for  a  particular  mercy,  and  judging  of  the  probability  of  the  be- 
stowment of  that  individual  mercy,  many  things  must  be  considered.     We  must 


IN   x\EW   ENGLAND.  371 

<or.sider  the  importance  of  the  mercy  souglit,  and  llio  principle  whence  we  so 
earnestly  desire  it;  how  lar  it  is  pood,  and  agreeable  to  the  mind  and  will  ot 
God  ;  tlie  degree  of  love  to  tlod  that  wc  exercise  in  our  prayer  ;  the  degrcf 
of  discovery  that  is  made  of  the  divine  sulFiciency,  and  the  dtigree  in  which  our 
assistance  is  manifestly  distinguishini^  with  respect  to  that  mercy.  And  there 
is  nothing  of  greater  importance  in  the  argument  than  the  degree  of  humility, 
poverty  of  spirit,  self-emptiness  and  resignation  to  the  lioly  will  of  Gotl,  which 
God  gives  us  the  exercise  of  in  our  seeking  that  mercy  :  praying  for  a  particu- 
lar mercy  with  much  of  these  things,  1  have  often  seen  blessed  with  a  remarka- 
ble beiilowment  of  the  particular  tiling  asked  for. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  see  which  way  God  may,  only  by  the 
ordinary  gracious  inllueMces  of  his  Spirit,  sometimes  give  his  saints  special  rea- 
son to  hope  for  the  bestowment  of  a  particular  mercy  they  desire  and  have 
prayed  for,  and  which  we  may  suppose  he  oftentimes  gives  eminent  saints,  that 
have  great  degrees  of  humility,  and  much  counnunion  with  (iod.  And  htre,  I 
humbly  conceive,  some  eminent  servants  of  Jesus  Christ  that  have  appeared  in 
the  church  of  God,  that  we  read  of  in  ecclesiastical  story,  have  been  led  into  a 
nistakc  ;  and  through  want  of  distinguishing  such  things  as  these  from  imme- 
liate  revelations,  have  thought  that  God  has  favored  them,  in  some  instances, 
with  the  same  kitid  of  tlivine  influences  that  ttie  apostles  and  prophets  had 
of  old. 

Another  erroneous  principle  that  some  have  embraced,  that  has  been  a  source 
of  many  errors  in  their  conduct,  is,  that  i)ersons  ought  always  to  do  whatsoever 
the  Spirit  of  God  (though  but  indirectly)  incliiu-s  them  to.  Indeed  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  itself  is  infinitely  perfect,  and  all  his  immediate  actings,  simply  con- 
sidered, are  perfect,  and  there  can  be  nothing  wron'4  in  them  ;  and  therefore  all 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  inclines  us  to  directly  and  immediately,  without  the  interven- 
tion of  any  other  cause  that  shall  jjcrvert  and  misimprove  what  is  from  the  Spirit 
of  God,  ought  to  be  done  ;  but  there  may  be  many  things  that  we  may  be  dis- 
posed to  do,  which  disposition  may  indirectly  be  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  we 
ought  not  to  do  :  the  disposition  in  general  may  be  good,  and  be  from  the  Spirit 
of  God,  but  the  particular  determination  of  that  disposition,  as  to  particuhir 
actions,  objects  and  circumstances,  may  he  ill,  and  not  from  the  Spirit  of  God, 
but  may  be  from  the  intervention  or  interposition  of  some  infirmity,  blindness, 
inadvertence,  deceit  or  corruption  of  ours  ;  so  that  although  the  disposition  in 
general  ought  to  be  allowed  and  promoted,  and  all  those  actings  of  it  that  are 
simply  from  God's  Spirit,  yet  the  particular  indirection  or  determination  of  that 
disposition,  which  is  from  some  other  cause,  ought  not  to  be  followed. 

As  for  instance,  the  Spirit  of  God  may  cause  a  person  to  have  a  dear  love 
to  another,  and  so  a  great  desire  of,  and  delight  in  his  comfort,  ease  and  plea- 
sure :  this  disposition  in  general  is  good,  ami  ought  to  be  followed ;  but  yet 
through  the  intervention  of  indiscretion,  or  some  other  bad  cause,  it  may  be  ill 
directed,  and  have  a  bad  determination,  as  to  particular  acts;  and  the  person 
indirectly,  through  that  real  love  that  he  has  to  his  neighbor,  may  kill  him  with 
kindness  ;  he  may  do  that  out  of  sincere  good  will  to  him,  that  may  tend  to 
ruin  him.  A  good  disposition  may,  through  some  inadvertence  or  delusion, 
strongly  incline  a  person  to  that,w!iich  if  he  saw  all  tilings  as  they  are,  w'ould  be 
most  contrary  to  that  disposition.  The  true  loyalty  of  a  general,  and  his  zeal  for 
the  honor  of  his  prince,  may  exceedingly  animate  him  in  war;  but  yet  this  that 
is  a  good  disposition,  through  indiscretion  and  mistake,  may  push  him  forward 
to  those  things  that  give  the  enemy  great  advantage,  and  may  expose  him  and 
his  army  to  ruin,  and  may  tend  to  the  ruin  of  his  master's  interest. 


372  EEVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

The  apostle  does  evidently  suppose  that  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  extraordi 
nary,  immediate  and  miraculous  influences  on  men's  minds,  may  in  some  respect 
excite  inclinations  in  men,  that  if  gratified,  would  tend  to  confusion,  and  there- 
fore must  sometimes  be  restrained,  and  in  their  exercise,  must  be  under  the 
government  of  discretion.  1  Cor.  xiv.  31, 32,  33,  "  For  ye  may  all  prophesy,  one 
by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may  be  comforted.  And  the  spirits  of  the  proph- 
ets are  subject  to  the  pi'ophets ;  for  God  is  not  the  author  of  confusion,  but  of  peace, 
as  in  all  the  churches  of  the  saints."  Here  by  the  spirits  of  the  prophets,  ac- 
cording to  the  known  phraseology  of  the  apostle,  is  meant  the  Spirit  of  God 
acting  in  the  prophets,  according  to  those  special  gifts,  with  which  each  one 
was  endowed.  And  here  it  is  plainly  implied  that  the  Spirit  of  God  thus  operat- 
ing in  them,  may  be  an  occasion  of  their  having,  sometimes,  an  inclination  to 
do  that,  in  the  exercise  of  those  gifts,  which  it  was  not  proper,  decent  or  profit- 
able that  they  should,  and  that  therefore  the  inclination,  though  indirectly  from 
the  Spirit  of  God,  should  be  restrained,  and  that  it  ought  to  be  subject  to  the 
discretion  of  the  prophets,  as  to  the  particular  time  and  circumstance  of  its 
exercise. 

I  can  make  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  possible  for  a  minister  to  have  given  him 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  such  a  sense  of  the  importance  of  eternal  things,  and  of 
the  misery  of  mankind,  that  are  so  many  of  them  exposed  to  eternal  destruc- 
tion, together  with  such  a  love  to  souls,  that  he  might  find  in  himself  a  disposi- 
tion to  spend  all  his  time,  day  and  night,  in  warning,  exhorting  and  calling 
upon  men,  and  so  that  he  must  be  obliged  as  it  were  to  do  violence  to  himself 
ever  to  refrain,  so  as  to  give  himself  any  opportunity  to  eat,  di-ink  or  sleep. 
And  so  I  believe  there  may  be  a  disposition  in  like  manner,  indirectly  excited 
in  lay  persons,  through  the  intervention  of  their  infirmity,  to  do  what  belongs  to 
ministers  only ;  yea,  to  do  those  things  that  would  not  become  either  ministers 
or  people.  Through  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  together  with  want  oi 
discretion,  and  some  remaining  corruption,  women  and  children  might  feel  them- 
selves inclined  to  break  forth  and  scream  aloud,  to  great  congregations,  warn- 
ing and  exhorting  the  whole  multitude,  and  to  go  forth  and  halloo  and  scream 
in  the  streets,  or  to  leave  the  families  they  belong  to,  and  go  from  house  to 
house,  earnestly  exhorting  others :  but  yet  it  would  by  no  means  follow  that  it 
was  their  duty  to  do  these  things,  or  that  they  would  not  have  a  tendency  to  do 
ten  tinres  as  much  hurt  as  good. 

Another  wrong  principle  from  whence  have  arisen  errors  in  conduct,  is,  that 
whatsoever  is  found  to  be  of  present  and  immediate  benefit,  may  and  ought  to  be 
practised,  without  looking  forward  to  future  consequences.  Some  persons  seem 
to  think  that  it  sufficiently  justifies  any  thing  that  they  say  or  do,  that  it  is  found 
to  be  for  their  present  edification,  and  the  edification  of  those  that  are  with 
them ;  it  assists  and  promotes  their  present  aff'ection,  and  therefore  they  think 
they  should  not  concern  themselves  about  future  consequences,  but  leave  them 
with  God.  Indeed  in  things  that  are  in  themselves  our  duty,  being  required  by 
moral  rules,  or  absolute  positive  commands  of  God,  they  must  be  done,  and 
future  consequences  must  be  left  with  God  ;  our  election  and  discretion  takes  no 
place  here:  but  in  other  things  we  are  to  be  governed  by  discretion,  and  must 
not  only  look  at  the  present  good,  but  our  view  must  be  extensive,  and 
we  must  look  at  the  consequences  of  things.  It  is  the  duty  of  ministers  espe- 
cially to  exercise  this  discretion :  in  things  wherein  they  are  not  determined  by 
an  absolute  rule,  and  that  are  not  enjoined  them  by  a  wisdom  superior  to  their 
own,  Christ  has  left  them  to  their  own  discretion,  with  that  general  rule,  that 
they  should  exercise  the  utmost  wisdom  they  can  obtain,  in  pursuing  that,  which 


L\   M:W  ENGLAND.  373 

upon  the  best  view  of  the  conscqucnras  of  thin<;s  they  can  get,  will  tend  most 
to  the  advancement  of  his  kitigdoni.  This  is  implied  ui  those  words  of  Christ  to 
his  disciples,  when  he  sent  them  forth  to  preach  the  gospel.  Matt.  x.  16  :  "  Be 
ye  ^ise  as  serpents."  Tlie  Scripture  always  represents  the  work  of  a  gospel 
minister  by  those  employmenls  that  do  especially  require  a  wiue  foresight  of, 
and  provision  for,  luture  events  and  consequences.  So  it  is  compared  to  the 
business  of  a  steward,  that  is  a  business  that  in  an  eminent  manner  requh-cs 
foiecast,  and  a  wise  laying  in  of  provision,  for  the  supply  of  the  needs  of  the  fami- 
ly, accorcfnig  to  its  iutiiic  necessities  ;  and  a  good  minister  is  called  a  wise 
steward  :  so  it  is  compared  to  the  business  of  a  husbanchnan,  that  almost  wholly 
consists  in  those  things  that  are  done  wiih  a  view  to  the  future  fruits  and  conse- 
quences of  liis  labor:  the  husbandman's  discretion  and  forecast  is  eloquently  set 
iorth  in  Isa.  xxviii.  24,  25,  26 :  "  Doth  the  ploughman  plough  all  day  to  sow  ? 
J)oth  he  open  and  break  the  clods  of  his  ground  1  When  he  hath  made  plain  the 
face  ;herci)f,  <lolh  he  not  cast  abroad  tiie  lltches,  and  scatter  the  cuminin,  and 
cast  in  the  principal  wheat,  and  the  appointed  barley,  and  the  rye,  in  their 
place  1  For  his  Uod  doth  instruct  him  to  discretion,  and  doth  teach  him."  So 
the  work  of  the  ministry  is  compared  to  that  of  a  wise  builder  or  architect,  wl»o 
has  a  long  reach,  and  comprehensive  view  ;  and  for  whom  it  is  necessary,  that 
when  he  begins  a  building,  he  should  have  at  once  a  view  of  the  whole  frame, 
and  all  the  future  parts  of  the  structure,  even  to  the  pinnacle,  that  all  may  fitly 
be  liamed  together.  So  also  it  is  compared  to  the  business  of  a  trader  or  mer- 
chant, who  is  to  gain  by  trading  with  the  money  that  he  begins  with  :  this  also 
is  a  business  that'  exceedingly  requires  forecast,  and  without  it,  is  never  like  to 
be  followed  with  any  success,  for  any  long  time  :  so  it  is  represented  by  the 
business  of  a  fisherman,  which  depends  on  craft  and  subtilty  :  it  is  also  coinpar- 
ed  to  the  business  of  a  soldier  that  goes  to  war,  which  is  a  business  that  per- 
haps, above  any  other  secular  business,  requires  great  foresight,  and  a  wise  pro- 
vision for  future  events  and  consequences. 

And  particularly  ministers  ought  not  to  be  careless  how  much  they  discom- 
pose and  nillle  the  minds  of  those  that  they  esteem  natural  men,  or  how  great 
an  uproar  they  raise  in  the  carnal  world,  and  so  lay  blocks  in  the  way  of  the 
propagation  of  religion.  This  certainly  is  not  to  follow  the  example  of  that 
zealous  Apostle  Paul,  who,  though  he  would  not  depart  from  his  enjoined  duty 
to  please  carnal  men,  yet  wherein  he  might  with  a  good  conscience,  did  exceed- 
ingly lay  out  himself  to  please  them,  and  if  possible  to  avoid  raising  in  the  mul- 
titude, prejudices,  oppositions  and  tumults  against  the  gospel ;  antl  looked  upon 
it  that  it  was  of  great  conseqAience  that  it  should  be,  if  possible,  avoided. 
1  Cor.  x.  32,  33,  "  Give  none  otf'ence,  neither  to  the  Jews,  nor  to  the  Gentiles, 
nor  to  the  church  of  God  :  even  as  I  please  all  men,  in  all  things,  not  seeking 
mine  own  profit,  but  the  profit  of  many,  that  they  may  be  saved."  Yea,  hc 
declares  that  he  laid  himself  out  so  much  for  this,  that  he  made  himself  a  kind 
of  a  servant  to  all  sorts  of  men,  contbrming  to  their  customs  and  various  humors, 
in  every  thing  wherein  he  might,  even  in  things  that  were  very  burdensome  to 
him,  that  he  might  not  frighten  men  away  from  Christianity,  and  cause  them  to 
stand  as  it  were  braced  and  armed  against  it,  but  on  the  contrary,  if  possible, 
might  with  condescension  ami  friendship  win  and  draw  them  to  it;  as  you  may 
see,  1  Cor.  ix.  19,  20,  21,  22,  23.  And  agreeably  hereto,  are  the  directions  he 
gives  to  others,  both  ministers  and  people  :  so  he  directs  the  Christian  Romans^ 
not  to  please  themselves,  but  every  one  please  hi<;  jnig/ibor.for  his  good,  to  edifi- 
cation, Rom.  XV.  1 ,  2.  Jlnd  to  follow  after  the  things  that  make  for  peace,  chap, 
xiv.  19.     And  he  presses  it  in  terms  exceeding  strong,  Rom.  xii.  18  :  "  If  it 


374  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

be  possible,  as  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live  peaceably  with  all  men."  And  he 
directs  ministers  to  endeavor  if  possible  to  gain  opposers  by  a  meek  con- 
descending treatment,  avoiding  all  appearance  of  strife  or  fierceness,  2  Tim. 
ii.  24,  25,  26.  To  the  like  purpose  the  same  apostle  directs  Christians  to  walk  in 
wisdom,  towards  them  that  are  withmit,  Eph.  iv.  5.  And  to  avoid  giving  offence 
to  others,  if  we  can,  tJuit  our  good- may  not  he  evil  sfoken  of,  Rom.  xiv.  16. 
So  that  it  is  evident  that  the  great  and  most  zealous  and  most  successful  propa- 
gator of  vital  religion  that  ever  was,  looked  upon  it  to  be  of  great  consequence 
to  endeavor,  as  much  as  possible,  by  all  the  methods  of  lawful  meekness  and  gen- 
tleness, to  avoid  raising  the  prejudice  and  opposition  of  the  world  against  religio^i. 
When  we  have  done  our  utmost  there  will  be  opposition  enough  against  vital 
rehgion,  against  which  the  carnal  mind  of  man  has  such  an  enmity  j  we  should 
not,  therefore,  needlessly  increase  and  raise  that  enmity,  as  in  the  apostle's  days, 
though  he  took  so  much  pains  to  please  men,  yet  because  he  was  faithful  and 
thorough  in  his  work,  persecution  almost  everywhere  was  raised  against  him. 

A  fisherman  is  careful  not  needlessly  to  ruffle  and  disturb  the  water,  lest  he 
should  drive  the  fish  away  from  his  net ;  but  he  will  rather  endeavor  if  possible 
to  draw  them  into  it.  Such  a  fisherman  was  the  apostle.  2.  Cor.  xii.  15,  16, 
"  And  I  will  very  gladly  spend  and  be  spent  for  you;  though  the  more  abun- 
dantly I  love  you,  the  less  I  be  loved.  But  be  it  so,  1  did  not  burden  you,  never- 
theless, being  crafty,  I  caught  you  with  guile." 

The  necessity  of  suffering  persecution,  in  order  to  being  a  true  Christian,  has 
undoubtedly  by  some  been  carried  to  an  extreme,  and  the  doctrine  has  been  abus- 
ed. It  has  been  looked  upon  necessary  to  uphold  a  man's  credit  amongst  others  as 
a  Christian,  that  he  should  be  persecuted.  I  have  heard  it  made  an  objection 
against  the  sincerity  of  particular  persons,  that  they  were  no  more  hated  and 
reproached.  And  the  manner  of  glorying  in  persecution,  or  the  cross  of 
Christ,  has  in  some  been  very  wrong,  so  as  has  had  too  much  of  an  appearance 
of  lifting  up  themselves  In  it,  that  they  were  very  much  hated  and  reviled,  more 
than  most,  as  an  evidence  of  their  excelling  others,  in  being  good  soldiers  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Such  an  improvement  of  the  doctrine  of  the  enmity  between  the 
seed  of  the  woman  and  the  seed  of  the  serpent,  and  of  the  necessity  of  perse- 
cution, becoming  credible  and  customary,  has  a  direct  tendency  to  cause  those 
that  would  be  accounted  true  Christians,  to  behave  themselves  so  towards  those 
that  are  not  well  affected  to  religion,  as  to  provoke  their  hatred,  or  at  least  to 
be  but  little  careful  to  avoid  it,  and  not  very  studiously  and  earnestly  to  strive 
(after  the  apostle's  example  and  precepts),  to  please  them  to  their  edification, 
and  by  meekness  and  gentleness  to  win  them,  and  by  all  possible  means  to  live 
peaceably  \vith  them. 

I  believe  that  saying  of  our  Saviour,  /  came  not  to  send  peace  on  earth,  hit 
division,  has  been  abused  ;  as  though  W'hen  we  see  great  strife  and  division 
arise  about  religion,  and  violent  heats  of  spirit  against  the  truly  pious,  and  a  loud 
clamor  and  uproar  against  the  work  of  God,  it  was  to  be  rejoiced  in,  because  it 
is  that  which  Christ  came  to  send.  It  has  almost  been  laid  down  as  a  maxim 
by  some,  that  the  more  division  and  strife,  the  better  sign ;  which  naturally 
leads  persons  to  seek  it  and  provoke  it,  or  leads  them  to,  and  encourages  them 
in,  such  a  manner  of  behavior,  such  a  roughness  and  sharpness,  or  such  an  af- 
fected neglect,  as  has  a  natural  tendency  to  raise  prejudice  and  opposition ;  in- 
stead of  striving,  as  the  apostle  did  to  his  utmost,  by  all  meekness,  gentleness, 
and  benevolence  of  behavior,  to  prevent  or  assuage  it.  Christ  came  to  send  a 
sword  on  earth,  and  to  cause  division,  no  otherwise  than  he  came  to  send  dam- 
nation ;  for  Christ  that  is  set  for  the  glorious  restoration  of  some,  is  set  for  the 


L\   NEW   ENGLAND.  375 

(i\]\  of  Others,  and  to  be  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  rock  of  ofTeuce  to  them,  and  an 
ocLUsion  of  tliclr  vastly  more  aggravated  and  terrible  damnation;  and  this  is 
always  the  consequence  of  a  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  and  revival  of  vital 
ieligion,  it  is  the  means  of  the  salvation  of  some,  and  the  more  aggravated  dam- 
nation of  others.  But  certainly  this  is  no  just  argument  that  men's  exposed- 
ness  to  damnation  is  not  to  be  lamented,  or  that  we  should  not  exert  ourselves 
to  our  utmost,  in  all  the  methods  that  we  can  devise,  that  others  might  be 
saved,  ami  to  avoid  all  such  behavior  towards  them  as  tends  to  lead  them  down 
to  hell. 

I  know  there  is  naturally  a  <;reat  enmity  in  the  heart  of  man  against  vital 
religion ;  and  I  believe  there  would  have  been  a  great  deal  of  opposition  against 
this  glorious  work  of  God  in  New  England  if  the  subjects  and  piomoters  of  it 
had  behaved  themselves  never  so  agreeably  to  Christian  rules  ;  and  I  believe  if 
this  work  goe.s  on  and  spreads  much  in  the  world,  so  as  to  begin  to  shake  kinn-- 
doms  and  nations,  it  will  (IreadfuUy  stir  up  the  rage  of  earth  and  hell,  and  wVu 
put  the  world  Into  the  greatest  uproar  that  ever  it  was  in  since  it  stood  ;  I  be- 
lieve Satan's  dying  struggles  will  be  the  most  violent :  but  yet  I  believe  a  great 
deal  might  be  done  to  restrain  this  opposition,  by  a  good  conformity  to  that  of 
the  Apostle  James,  Jam.  ill.  13  :  "  Who  is  a  wise  man,  and  endued  with  know- 
ledge ?  Let  him  show  out  of  a  good  conversation,  his  works,  with  meekness 
of  wisdom."  And  I  also  believe  that  if  the  rules  of  Christian  charity,  meekness, 
gentleness,  and  prudence  had  been  duly  observed  by  the  generality  of  the  zeal- 
ous promoters  of  this  work,  it  woukl  have  made  three  times  the  progress  that  It 
has ;  i.  e.,  if  it  had  pleased  God  in  such  a  case  to  give  a  blessing  to  means  in 
proportion  as  he  has  dcme. 

Under  this  head  of  carelessness  of  the  future  consequences  of  things,  it  may 
be  proper  to  say  something  of  introducing  things  new  and  strange,  and  that 
have  a  tendency  by  their  novelty  to  shock  and  surprise  people.  Isothing  can 
be  more  evident  from  the  New  Testament,  than  that  such  things  ought  to  be 
done  v.'ilh  great  caution  and  moderation,  to  avoid  the  offence  that  may  be 
theieby  given,  and  the  prejudices  that  might  be  raised,  to  clog  and  hinder  the 
progress  of  religion  :  yea,  that  it  ought  to  be  thus  in  things  that  are  in  them- 
selves good  and  excellent,  and  of  great  weight,  provided  they  are  not  things 
that  are  of  the  nature  of  absolute  duty,  which,  though  they  may  appear  to  be 
innovations,  yet  cannot  be  neglected  without  in)morality  or  disobedience  to  the 
commands  of  God.  What  great  caution  and  moderation  did  the  apostles  use  in 
introducing  things  that  were  new,  and  abolishing  things  that  were  old  in 
their  d.iy  I  How  gradually  were  the  ceremonial  performances  of  the  law  of 
Moses  removed  and  abolished  among  the  Christian  Jews  !  And  how  long  did 
even  the  xVpostle  Paul  himself  conform  to  those  ceremonies  which  he  calls  weak 
and  beggarly  elements!  Yea,  even  to  the  rite  of  circumcision  (Acts  xvi.  3), 
that  he  speaks  so  much  in  his  epistles  of  the  worthlessness  of,  that  he  might  not 
prejudice  the  Jews  against  Christianity  !  So  it  seems  to  have  been  very  gra- 
dually that  the  Jewish  Sabbath  was  abolished,  and  the  Christian  Sabbath  intro- 
duced, for  the  same  reason.  And  the  apostles  avoided  teaching  the  Christians  in 
Ikose  early  days,  at  least  for  a  great  while,  some  high  and  excellent  divine 
(ruths,  because  they  could  not  bear  them  yet,  1  Cor.  ill.  11,  2,  Heb.  v.  11, 
to  the  end.  Thus  strictly  did  the  apostles  observe  the  rule  that  their  blessed 
master  gave  them,  of  not  putting  new  wine  into  old  bottles,  lest  they  should 
burst  the.  bottles,  ami  lose  the  wine. 

And  how  di<l  Christ  himself,  while  on  earth,  forbear  so  plainly  to  teach  his 
disciples  the  great  dcctrmes  of  Christianity,  concerning  his  satisfaction,  and  the 


376  REVIVAL  OF   RELIGION 

nature  and  manner  of  a  sinner's  justification  and  reconciliation  with  God,  and 
the  particular  benefits  of  his  death,  resurrection  and  ascension,  because  in  that 
infant  state  the  disciples  Avere  then  in,  their  minds  were  not  prepared  for  such 
instructions  ;  and  therefore  the  more  clear  and  full  revelation  of  these  things  was 
reserved  for  the  time  when  their  minds  should  be  further  enlightened  and 
streno-thcned  by  the  outpouiing  of  the  Spirit  after  his  ascension.  John  xvi.  12, 
13,  "  I  have  yet  many  things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now : 
howbeit,  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth." 
And  Mark  iv.  33,  "  And  with  many  such  parables  spake  he  the  word  unto  them, 
as  they  were  able  to  bear  it."  These  things  might  be  enough  to  convince  any 
one,  that  does  not  think  himself  wiser  than  Christ  and  his  apostles,  that  great 
prudence  and  caution  should  be  used  in  introducing  things  into  the  church  of 
God,  that  are  very  uncommon,  though  in  themselves  they  may  be  very  excel- 
lent, lest  by  our  rashness  and  imprudent  haste  we  hinder  religion  much  more 
than  we  help  it. 

Persons  that  are  influenced  by  an  indiscreet  zeal  are  always  in  too  much 
haste ;  they  are  impatient  of  delays,  and  therefore  are  for  jumping  to  the  upper- 
most step  first,  before  they  have  taken  the  preceding  steps ;  whereby  they  expose 
themselves  to  fall  and  break  their  bones :  it  is  a  thing  very  taking  with  them 
to  see  the  building  rise  very  high,  and  all  their  endeavor  and  strength  is  employ- 
ed in  advancing  the  building  in  height,  without  taking  care  withal  proportiona- 
bly  to  enlarge  the  bottom ;  whereby  the  whole  is  in  danger  of  coming  to  th€ 
ground ;  or  they  are  for  putting  on  the  cupola  and  pinnacle  before  they  are 
come  to  it,  or  b'etbre  the  lower  parts  of  the  building  are  done ;  which  tends  at 
once  to  put  a  stop  to  the  building,  and  hinder  its  ever  being  a  complete  struc- 
ture. Many  that  are  thus  imprudent  and  hasty  with  their  zeal,  have  a  real 
eager  appetite  for  that  which  is  good  ;  but  are  like  children,  that  are  impatient 
to  wait  for  the  fruit  until  the  proper  season  of  it,  and  therefore  snatch  it  before 
it  is  ripe  :  oftentimes  in  their  haste  they  overshoot  their  mark,  and  frustrate  their 
own  end ;  they  put  that  which  they  would  obtain  further  out  of  reach  than  it 
was  before,  and  establish  and  confirm  that  which  they  would  remove.  Things 
must  have  time  to  ripen :  the  prudent  husbandman  waits  until  he  has  received  the 
former  and  the  latter  rain,  and  till  the  harvest  is  ripe,  before  he  reaps.  We  are 
now  just  as  it  were  beginning  to  recover  out  of  a  dreadful  disease  that  we  have 
been  long  under ;  and  to  feed  a  man  recovering  from  a  fever  with  strong  meat 
at  once,  is  the  ready  way  to  kill  him.  The  reformation  from  Popery  was  much 
hindered  by  this  hasty  zeal :  many  were  for  immediately  rectifying  all  disorders 
by  force,  which  were  condemned  by  Luther,  and  were  a  great  trouljle  to  him. 
See  Sleiden's  History  of  the  Reformation,  page  52,  &c.,  and  Book  V.  throughout. 
It  is  a  vain  prejudice  that  some  have  lately  imbibed  against  such  rules  of  pru- 
dence and  moderation  :  they  will  be  forced  to  come  to  them  at  last ;  they  will 
find  themselves  that  they  are  not  able  to  maintain  their  cause  without  them ; 
and  if  they  will  not  hearken  before,  experience  will  convince  them  at  last, 
when  it  will  be  too  late  for  them  to  rectify  their  mistake. 

Another  error,  that  is  of  the  nature  of  an  erroneous  principle,  that  some  have 
gone  upon,  is  a  wrong  notion  that  {hey  have  of  an  attestation  of  divine  Provi- 
dence to  persons  or  things.  We  go  too  far  when  we  look  upon  the  success  that 
God  gives  to  some  persons,  in  making  them  the  instruments  of  doing  much  good, 
as  a  testimony  of  God's  approbation  of  those  persons  and  all  the  courses  they 
take.  It  is  a  main  argument  that  has  been  made  use  of  to  defend  the  conduct 
of  some  of  those  ministers,  that  have  been  blamed  as  imprudent  aud  irregular, 
that  God  has  smiled  upon  them  and  blessed  them,  and  given  them  great  succe&s, 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  377 

arul  that  however  men  charge  them  as  guilty  of  many  wrong  things,  yet  it  xa 
evident  that  God  is  witli  tliein,  and  thi-n  who  can  be  against  them  '.  And  pro- 
bably some  of  those  ministeis  themselves,  by  this  very  means,  havt;  l.-.id  their 
ears  stopped  against  all  that  has  been  saiil  to  convince  them  of  their  mist  i>nduct. 
But  tlu-FC  are  innumerable  ways  that  persons  may  be  misled,  in  forming  a  judg- 
ment of  the  mind  ami  will  of  CJod,  from  the  events  of  Providence.  If  a  person's 
success  be  a  reward  of  something  that  Uoil  sees  in  him,  that  heapj)roves  of,  yot 
It  is  no  argument  that  lie  approves  of  every  thing  in  iiini.  Who  can  tell  how 
far  the  divine  grace  may  go  in  greatly  rewarding  some  small  good  that  he  sees 
in  a  person,  a  good  meaning,  something  good  in  his  disposition,  while  he  at  the 
same  time,  in  sovereign  mercy,  hides  his  eyes  from  a  great  deal  tliat  is  bud,  that 
it  is  his  pleasure  to  forgive,  and  not  to  mark  against  the  person,  though  in  itself 
it  be  very  ill  ?  (jod  has  not  told  us  after  what  manner  he  will  proceed  in  this 
matter,  ami  we  go  upon  most  uncertain  grounds  when  we  undeitake  to  determine, 
it  is  an  exceeding  diflicull  thing  to  know  how  far  love  or  hatred  is  exercised 
towards  persons  or  actions,  by  all  that  is  before  us.  God  was  pleased  in  his 
sovereignty  to  give  such  success  to  Jacob  in  that,  whicli  from  beginning  to  end 
was  a  deceitful,  lying  contrivance  and  proceeding  of  his,  that  in  tliat  way  he 
obtained  that  blessing  that  was  worth  infinitely  more  than  the  fatness  of  the  earth, 
and  the  dew  of  heaven,  that  was  given  to  Esau,  in  his  blessing,  yea,  worth  more 
than  all  that  the  world  can  atford.  God  was  for  a  while  with  Judas,  so  that 
he,  by  God's  power  accompvmying  him,  wrought  miracles  and  cast  out  devils; 
but  this  could  not  justly  be  interpreted  as  God's  approbation  of  his  person,  or  his 
thievery,  that  he  lived  in  at  the  same  time. 

Tiie  dispensations  and  events  of  Proviilence,  with  their  reasons,  are  too  little 
understood  by  us,  to  be  improved  by  us  as  our  rule,  instead  of  God's  word  ;  God 
has  hh  xoay  in  the  sea,  and  his  path  in  the  mighty  waters,  and  his  footsteps  are 
not  knou'n,  and  he  gives  lis  no  account  of  any  oj  his  matters  ;  and  therefore  we 
cannot  safely  take  the  events  of  his  providence  as  a  revelation  of  his  mind  con- 
cerning a  person's  conduct  and  behavior ;  we  have  no  warrant  so  to  do ;  God 
has  never  appointed  those  things,  but  something  else  to  be  our  rule  ;  we  have  but 
one  rule  to  go  by,  and  that  is  his  holy  word,  and  when  we  join  any  thing  else 
with,it  as  having  the  force  of  a  rule,  we  are  guilty  of  that  which  is  strictly  lorbid- 
den,  Deut.  iv.  2,  Prov.  xxx.  6,  and  Rev.  xxii.  IS.  They  who  make  what  they 
imagine  is  pointed  forth  to  them  in  Providence,  their  rule  of  behavior,  do 
err,  as  well  as  those  that  follow  impulses  and  impressions :  we  should  put 
nothing  in  the  room  of  the  word  of  (Jod.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  some  have 
been  greatly  confirmed  and  emboldeneil  by  the  great  success  that  God  has  given 
them,  in  some  things  that  have  leally  been  contrary  to  the  rules  of  God's  holy 
■word.  If  it  has  been  so,  they  have  been  guilty  ot"  presumption,  and  abusing 
God's  kindness  to  them,  and  the  great  honor  he  has  put  upon  them  ;  they  have 
seen  that  God  was  with  them,  and  made  them  victorious  in  their  preaching;  and 
this  it  is  to  be  feared  has  been  abused  by  some  to  a  degree  of  self-confidence  ;  it 
has  much  taken  off  all  jealousy  of  themselves;  they  have  been  bold  therefore 
to  go  great  lengths,  in  a  presumption  that  God  was  with  them,  and  would  de- 
fend them,  and  finally  batlle  all  that  found  fault  with  them. 

Indeed  there  is  a  voice  of  God  in  his  pro\idence,  that  may  be  interi)reted 
and  well  understood  by  the  rule  of  his  word  ;  and  Providence  may,  to  our  dark 
minds  and  weak  faith,  confirm  the  word  of  God,  as  it  fulfils  it.  But  to  improve 
divine  Providence  thus,  is  quite  a  dilTerent  thing  from  making  a  rule  of  Provi- 
dence. There  is  a  good  use  may  be  made  of  the  events  of  Providence,  of  our 
own  observation  and  experience,  and  human  histories,  and  the  opinion  of  the 

Vol.  III.  48 


378  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

fathers  and  other  eminent  men  ;  but  finally  all  must  be  brought  to  07?e  rule,  viz., 
the  word  of  God,  and  that  must  be  regarded  as  our  only  rule. 

Nor  do  I  think  that  they  go  upon  sure  ground,  that  conclude  that  they  have 
not  been  in  an  error  in  their  conduct,  because  that  at  the  time  of  their  doing  a 
thing,  for  which  they  have  been  blamed  and  reproached  by  others,  they  were 
favored  with  special  comforts  of  God's  Spirit.  God's  bestowing  special  spiritual 
mercies  on  a  person  at  such  a  time,  is  no  sign  that  he  approves  of  every  thing 
that  he  sees  in  him  at  that  time.  David  had  very  much  of  the  presence  of  God 
while  he  lived  in  polygamy :  and  Solomon  had  some  very  high  favors,  and 
peculiar  smiles  of  heaven,  and  particularly  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple,  while 
he  greatly  multiplied  wives  to  himself,  and  horses,  and  silver  and  gold  ;  all  con- 
^^rary  to  the  most  express  command  of  God  to  the  king,  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
Oeut.  xvii.  16,  17.  We  cannot  tell  how  far  God  may  hide  his  eyes  from  be- 
holding iniquity  in  .Jacob,  and  seeing  perverseness  in  Israel.  We  cannot  tell 
what  are  the  reasons  of  God's  actions  any  further  than  he  interprets  for  himself. 
God  sometimes  gave  some  of  the  primitive  Christians  the  extraordinary  influ- 
ence of  his  Spirit,  when  they  were  out  of  the  way  of  their  duty  ;  and  continued 
it,  while  they  were  abusing  it;  as  is  phiinly  implied,  1  Cor.  xiv.  31,  32,  33. 

Yea,  if  a  person  has  done  a  thing  for  which  he  is  reproached,  and  that  re- 
proach be  an  occasion  of  his  I'eeling  sweet  exercises  of  grace  in  his  soul,  and 
that  from  time  to  time,  I  do  not  think  that  is  a  certain  evidence  that  God  ap- 
proves of  the  thing  he  is  blamed  for.  For  undoubtedly  a  mistake  may  be  the 
occasion  of  stirring  up  the  exercise  of  grace,  in  a  man  that  has  grace.  If  a 
person,  through  mistake,  thinks  he  has  received  some  particular  great  mercy, 
that  mistake  may  be  the  occasion  of  stirring  up  the  sweet  exercises  of  love  to 
God,  and  true  thankfulness  and  joy  in  God.  As  for  instance,  if  one  that  is  full 
of  love  to  God  should  hear  credible  things,  concerning  a  remarkable  deliverance 
of  a  child,  or  other  dear  friend,  or  some  glorious  thing  done  for  the  cily  of  God, 
no  vi^onder  if,  on  such  an  occasion,  the  sweet  actings  of  love  to  God,  and  delight 
in  God,  should  be  excited,  though  indeed  afterwards  it  should  prove  a  false  re- 
port that  he  heard.  So  if  one  that  loves  God,  is  much  maligned  and  reproach- 
ed for  doing  that  which  he  thinks  God  required  and  approves,  no  wonder 
that  it  is  sweet  to  such  a  one  to  think  that  God  is  his  friend  though  men  are  his 
enemies ;  no  wonder  at  all,  that  this  is  an  occasion  of  his,  as  it  were,  leaving 
the  world,  and  sweetly  betaking  himself  to  God,  as  his  sure  friend,  and  finding 
sweet  complacence  in  God  ;  though  he  be  indeed  in  a  mistake,  concerning  that 
which  he  thought  was  agreeable  to  God's  will. 

As  I  have  before  shown  that  the  exercise  of -a  truly  good  affection  may  be 
the  occasion  of  error,  and  may  indirectly  incline  a  person  to  do  that  which  is 
wrong;  so,  on  the  other  hand,  error,  or  a  doing  that  which  is  wrong,  may  be 
an  occasion  of  the  exercise  of  a  truly  good  affection.  The  reason  of  it  is  this, 
that  however  all  exercises  of  grace  be  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  yet  the  Spirit 
of  God  dwells  and  acts  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  in  some  measure  after  the 
manner  of  a  vital,  natural  principle,  a  principle  of  new  nature  in  them  ;  whose 
exercises  are  excited  by  means,  in  some  measure  as  other  natural  principles 
are.  Though  grace  be  not  in  the  saints,  as  a  mfre  natural  principle,  but  as  a 
sovereign  agent,  and  so  its  exercises  are  not  tied  to  mear^s,  by  an  immutable 
law  of  nature,  as  in  mere  natural  principles  ;  yet  God  has  so  constituted  that 
grace  should  dwell  so  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  that  its  exercises  should  have 
some  degree  of  connection  with  means,  after  the  manner  of  a  principle  of  nature. 

Another  erroneous  principle  that  there  has  been  something  of,  and  that  has 
been  an  occasion  of  some  mischief  and  confusion,  is  that  external  order  in  mat- 


IX   NKW   EiNGLAND.  379 

ters  of  rellprion,  and  use  of  the  means  of  p^ace,  is  but  Xtt/e  to  be  regarded  ;  it  u? 
spoken  lightly  of,  under  the  names  of  ceremonies  and  dead  forms,  &.c. ;  and  Ls 
probably  the  more  drspised  by  sdine  Ix-caiist;  tla-ir  opposcrs  insist  so  touch  upon 
it,  ami  because  they  are  so  continually  lieaiinj;  from  them  the  cry  oi  disordir  mid 
co7}/usio)u — It  is  objected  af^ainst  the  importance  of  external  order,  tliat  God  does 
not  look  at  the  outward  form,  he  looks  at  the  heart :  but  that  is  a  weak  argu- 
ment against  its  importance,  tliat  true  godliness  does  not  consist  in  it ;  lor  it 
may  be  equally  made  use  of  against  all  the  outward  means  of  grace  whatso- 
ever.—True  godliness  does  not  consist  in  ink  and  i)aper,  but  yet  that  would  be 
a  foolish  objection  against  the  importance  of  ink  and  paper  'in  reli<«;ion,  when 
without  it  we  could  not  have  the  word  of  (Jod.  If  any  external  means  are  at 
all  needful,  any  outward  actions  of  a  jjublic  nature,  or  wiiercin  (Jod's  people 
are  jointly  concerned  in  public  society,  without  doubt  external  order  is  needful : 
the  management  of  an  external  affair  that  is  public,  or  wherein  a  multitude  is 
concerned  without  order,  is  in  every  thing  found  impossible.  Without  order 
there  can  be  no  general  direction  of  a  multitude  to  any  particular  designed  end, 
their  purposes  will  cross  one  another,  and  they  \\  ill  not  help  but  hmder  one 
another.  A  multitude  cannot  avt  in  union  one  with  another  without  order; 
confusion  separates  and  divides  them,  so  that  there  can  be  no  concert  or  agree- 
ment. If  a  multitude  woulil  iielp  one  another  in  an  affair,  they  nmst  unite 
themselves  one  to  another  in  a  regular  subordination  of  members,  in  some  mea- 
sure as  it  is  in  the  natural  body  ;  by  this  means  they  will  be  in  some  capacity  to 
act  wiih  united  strength :  and  thus  Christ  has  appointed  that  it  should  he  in  the 
visible  church,  as  1  Cor.  xii.  14,  to  the  end,  and  Rom.  xii.  4,  5,  6,  7,  8.  Zeal 
without  order  will  do  but  little,  or  at  least  it  will  be  effectual  but  a  little  while. 
Let  a  company  that  are  very  zealoas  against  the  enemy,  go  forth  to  war,  with- 
out any  manner  of  order,  every  one  rushing  forward  as  his  zeal  shall  drive  hira, 
all  in  confusion,  if  they  gain  something  at  first  onset,  by  surprising  the  enemy, 
yet  how  soon  do  they  come  to  nothing,  and  fall  an  easy,  l>elpless  prey  to  their 
adversaries  !  Order  is  one  of  the  most  necessary  of  all  external  means  of  the 
soiritual  good  of  God's  church  ;  and  therel'ore  it  is  requisite,  even  in  heaven  it- 
self, where  there  is  the  least  need  of  any  external  means  of  grace  ;  order  is 
maintained  among  tlie  glorious  angels  there.  And  the  necessity  of  it  in  order 
to  the  carrying  on  any  design,  wherein  a  multitude  are  concerned,  is  so  great, 
that  even  the  devils  in  hell  are  driven  to  somethincr  of  it,  that  they  n)ay  carry 
on  the  designs  of  their  kingdom.  And  it  is  very  observable,  that  those  kinds  of 
irrational  creatures,  for  wliora  it  is  needful  that  they  should  act  in  union  and 
join  a  multitude  together,  to  carry  on  any  work  for  their  preservation,  they  do 
by  a  wonderful  instinct  that  God  has  put  into  them,  observe  and  maintain  a 
most  regular  and  exact  order  among  themselves :  such  as  bees  and  some 
others.  And  order  in  the  visible  church  is  not  only  necessary  to  the  carrying 
on  the  designs  of  Christ's  glory  and  the  church's  prosperity,  but  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  its  defence;  without  it,  it  is  like  a  city  without  walls,  and  can  be 
in  no  capacity  to  defend  itself  from  any  kind  of  mischief:  and  so,  however  it 
be  an  external  thing,  yet  it  is  not  to  be  despised  on  tliat  account;  for  though  it 
be  not  the  food  of  souls,  yet  it  is  in  some  respect  their  defence.  The  people 
of  Holland  would  be  very  foolish  to  despise  the  dikes  that  keep  out  the  sea  from 
overwhelming  them,  under  the  names  of  dead  stones  and  vile  earth,  because  the 
matter  of  which  they  are  built  is  not  good  to  eat. 

It  seems  to  be  partly  on  the  foundation  of  this  notion  of  the  worthlessness  of 
external  order,  that  some  have  seemed  to  act  on  that  principle,  that  the  power 
of  judging  and  openly  censuring  others  should  not  be  reserved  in  the  hands  of 


380  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

particular  persons,  or  consistories  appointed  thereto,  but  ougb-t  to  be  left  at  large, 
for  any  body  that  pleases  to  take  it  upon  them,  or  that  tltink  themselves  fit  for 
it :  but  more  of  this  afterwards. 

On  this  foundation  also,  an  orderly  attending  on  the  stated  worship  of  God 
in  families,  has  been  made  too  light  of;  and  it  has  been  in  some  places  too 
much  of  a  common  and  customary  thing  to  be  absent  from  family  worship, 
and  to  be  abroad  late  in  the  night  at  religious  meetings,  or  to  attend  religious 
conversation.  Not  but  that  this  may  be,  on  certain  extraordinary  occasions ; 
I  have  seen  the  case  to  be  such  in  many  instances,  that  I  have  thought  did  af- 
ford sufficient  warrant  for  persons  to  be  absent  from  family  prayer,  and  to  be 
from  home  until  very  late  in  the  night :  but  we  should  take  heed  that  this  does 
not  become  a  custom  or  common  practice ;  if  it  should  be  so,  we  shall  soon  find 
the  consequences  to  be  very  ill. 

It  seems  to  be  on  the  same  foundation,  of  the  supposed  unprofitableness  of 
external  order,  that  it  has  been  thought  by  some,  that  there  is  no  need  that 
such  and  such  religious  services  and  performances  should  be  limited  to  any  cer- 
tain office  in  the  church  (of  which  more  afterwards).  And  also  that  those 
offices  themselves,  as  particularly  that  of  the  gospel  ministry,  need  not  be  limit- 
ed, as  it  used  to  be,  to  persons  of  a  liberal  education ;  but  some  of  late  have 
been  for  having  others  that  they  have  supposed  to  be  persons  of  eminent  experi- 
ence, publicly  licensed  to  preach,  yea,  and  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  j 
and  some  ministers  have  seemed  to  favor  such  a  thing :  but  how  little  do  they 
seem  to  look  forward,  and  consider  the  unavoidable  consequences  of  opening 
such  a  door!  If  once  it  should  become  a  custom,  or  a  thing  generally  approv- 
ed and  allowed  of,  to  admit  persons  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  that  have  had 
no  education  for  it,  because  of  their  remarkable  experiences,  and  being  persons 
of  good  understanding,  how  many  lay  persons  would  soon  appear  as  candidates 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry !  I  doubt  not  but  that  I  have  been  acquainted  with 
scores  that  would  have  desired  it.  And  how  shall  we  know  where  to  stop?  If 
one  is  admitted  because  his  experiences  are  remarkable,  another  will  think  his 
experiences  also  remarkable ;  and  we,  perhaps,  shall  not  be  able  to  deny  but 
that  they  are  near  as  great :  if  one  is  admitted  because,  besides  experiences, 
he  has  good  natural  abilities,  another  by  himself,  and  many  of  his  neighbors, 
may  be  thought  equal  to  him.  It  \vill  be  found  of  absolute  necessity  that  there 
should  be  some  certain,  visible  limits  fixed,  to  avoid  bringing  odium  upon  our- 
selves, and  breeding  uneasiness  and  strife  amongst  others;  and  I  know  of  none 
better,  and  indeed  no  other  that  can  w^ell  be  fixed,  than  those  that  the  prophet 
Zechariah  fixes,  viz.,  that  those  only  should  be  appointed  to  be  pastors  or 
shepherds  in  God's  church,  that  have  been  taught  to  keejp  cattle  from  their  youth^ 
or  that  have  had  an  education  for  that  purpose.  Those  ministers  that  have  a 
disposition  to  break  over  these  limits,  if  they  should  do  so,  and  make  a  practice 
of  it,  would  break  down  that  fence,  which  they  themselves  after  a  while,  after 
they  had  been  wearied  with  the  ill  consequences,  would  be  glad  to  have  some- 
body else  build  up  for  them.  Not  but  that  there  may  probably  be  some  persons 
in  the  land,  that  have  had  no  education  at  college,  that  are  in  themselves  better 
qualified  for  the  work  of  the  ministry  than  some  others  that  have  taken  their 
degrees,  and  are  now  ordaijied.  But  yet  I  believe  the  breaking  over  those 
bounds  that  have  hitherto  been  set,  in  ordaining  such  persons,  would  in  its  con- 
sequences be  a  greater  calamity,  than  the  missing  such  persons  in  the  work  of 
the  ministry.  The  opening  a  door  for  the  admission  of  unlearned  men  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  though  they  should  be  persons  of  extraordinary  experi- 
ence, would  on  some  accounts  be  especially  prejudicial  at  such  a  day  as  this ; 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  381 

>fcecause  such  persons,  for  want  of  an  extensive  knowlcdri^o,  arc  oftonliinos  for- 
"W'ard  to  lead  others  into  those  tliinirs,  which  a  people  are  in  danger  of  at  siuh 
n  time,  above  all  other  times,  viz.,  impulses,  vain  imas^inations,  superstition,  in- 
discreet zeal,  and  such  like  extremes  ;  instead  of  defending  them  from  tliem,  for 
which  a  people  especially  need  a  shepherd,  at  such  an  (-xUaordinary  season. 

Another  erroneous  principle  (hat  it  seems  to  me  .some  have  be'en,  at  least, 
in  danger  of,  is,  that  ministers,  because  they  speak  as  Christ's  ambas-sadors, 
may  assume  the  same  style,  and  speak  as  with  the  same  authority  that  th<;  pro- 
phets of  old  did,  yea,  that  Jesus  Christ  himself  did  in  the  xxiiid  of  Matthew,  Ye 
serpents',  yc  gmeraHon  of  vipers,  &c.,  and  other  places;  and  that  not  only  when 
they  are  speakinr^  to  the  people,  but  also  to  their  brethren  in  the  ministry. 
Which  principle  is  absurd,  because  it  makes  no  dilference  in  the  (hiierent  de- 
grees and  orders  of  messengers  that  God  has  sent  into  the  world,  though  (Jod 
has  made  a  very  great  difference :  for  though  they  all  come  in  some  respect  in 
the  name  of  God,  and  with  something  of  his  authority,  yet  ceitf.inly  there  is  a 
vast  dilference  in  the  degree  of  authority  with  which  (iod  has  invested  them. 
Jesus  Christ  was  one  that  was  sent  into  the  Avorld,  as  God's  messenger,  and  so 
was  one  of  his  apostles,  and  so  also  is  an  ordinary  pastor  of  a  church  :  but  yet 
it  does  not  follow,  that  because  Jesus  Christ  and  an  ordinary  minister  are  both 
messengers  of  God,  that  therefore  an  ordinary  minister  in  hisotHce,is  vested  with  an 
equal  degree  of  authority,  that  Christ  was,  in  his.  As  there  is  a  great  differ- 
ence in  their  authority,  and  as  Christ  came  as  God's  messenger,  in  a  vastly 
higher  manner,  so  another  style  became  him,  more  authoritative  than  is  proper 
for  us  worms  of  the  dust,  though  we  also  are  messengers  of  inferior  (legree 
It  would  be  strange  if  God,  when  he  has  made  so  great  a  difference  in  I'he  de- 
gree in  which  he  has  invested  different  messengers  with  his  authority,  should 
make  no  difference  as  to  the  outward  appearance  and  shew  of  authority,  in  style 
and  beiiavior,  which  is  proper  and  fit  to  be  seen  in  them.  'Jhougii  God  has 
put  great  honor  upon  ministers,  and  they  may  speak  as  his  ambassadors,  yet 
he  never  intended  that  they  should  have  the  same  outward  ajipearance  of  au- 
thority and  majesty,  either  in  their  behavior  or  speech,  that  his  Son  shall 
have,  when  he  comes  to  judgment  at  the  last  day ;  though  both  come,  in  differ- 
ent respects  and  degrees,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord:  alas!  Can  any  thing  ever 
make  it  enter  into  the  hearts  of  worms  of  the  dust,  that  it  is  fit  and  suitable  that 
it  should  be  so  ? 

Thus  I  have  considered  the  two  first  of  those  three  causes  of  error  in  conduct 
that  were  mentioned  :  I  come  now  to  the 

Third  and  last  cause  of  the  errors  of  those  that  have  appeared  to  be  the 
subjects  or  zealous  promoters  of  this  work,  viz.,  a  being  ignorant  or  unobservant 
of  s  nne  particular  things,  by  which  the  devil  has  special  advantage. 

And  here  I  would  particularly  take  notice  : 

1.  Of  some  things  with  respect  to  the  inward  experiences  of  Christians 
themselves.     And, 

2.  Something  with  regard  to  the  external  effects  of  experiences. 

There  are  three  things  I  would  take  notice  of  with  regard  to  the  experiences 
rS  Christians,  by  which  the  devil  has  many  advantages  against  us. 

1.  The  first  thing  is  the  mixture  there  oftentimes  is  in  the  experiences  of 
true  Christians;  whereby  when  the-y  have  truly  gracious  experiences, and  divine 
and  spiritual  discoveries  and  exercises,  they  have  something  else  mixed  with 
them,  besides  what  is  spiritual:  there  is  a  mixture  of  that  wliich  is  natural,  and 
that  which  is  corrupt,  with  that  which  is  divine.  This  is  what  Christians  are 
liable  to  in  the  present  exceeding  imperfect  state :  the  great  imperfection  of 


382  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

grace,  and  feeblenejs  and  infancy  of  the  new  nature,  and  the  great  remains  ol 
corruption,  together  with  the  circumstances  we  are  in,  in  this  world,  where  we 
are  encompassed  all  around  with  what  tends  to  pollute  us,  exposes  to  this.  And 
indeed  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  Christians  ever  have  any  experiences  in  this 
world  that  are  wholly  pure,  entirely  spiritual,  without  any  mixture  of  what  is 
natural  and  carnal :  the  beam  of  light,  as  it  comes  from  the  fountain  of  light 
upon  our  hearts,  is  pure,  but  as  it  is  reflected  thence,  it  is  mixed  :  the  seed,  as 
sent  from  heaven  and  planted  in  the  heart,  is  pure,  but  as  it  springs  up  out  of 
the  heart,  is  impure;  yea,  there  is  commonly  a  much  greater  mixture,  than  per- 
sons for  the  most  part  seem  to  have  any  imagination  of;  I  have  often  thought 
that  the  experiences  of  true  Christians  are  very  frequently  as  it  is  with  some 
sorts  of  fruits,  that  are  enveloped  in  several  coverings  of  thick  shells  or  pods, 
that  are  thrown  away  by  him  that  gathers  the  fruit,  and  but  a  very  small  part 
of  the  whole  bulk  is  the  pure  kernel,  that  is  good  to  eat. 

The  things,  of  all  which  thei'e  is  frequently  some  mixture  with  gracious  ex- 
periences, yea,  with  very  great  and  high  experiences,  are  these  three,  human, 
or  natural  affection  and  passion  ;  impressions  on  the  imagination  ;  and  a  degree 
of  self-righteousness  or  spiritual  pride.  There  is  very  often  with  that  which  is 
spiritual  a  great  mixture  of  that  affection  or  passion  which  arises  from  natural 
principles;  so  that  nature  has  a  very  great  hand  in  those  vehement  motions 
and  flights  of  the  passions  that  appear.  Hence  the  same  degiees  of  divine 
communications  from  heaven,  shall  have  vastly  different  effects,  in  what  out- 
wardly appears,  in  peisons  of  different  natural  tempers.  The  great  mixture 
of  that  which  is  natural  with  that  which  is  spiritual,  is  very  manifest  in 
the  peculiar  effects  that  divine  influences  have  in  some  certain  families,  or  per- 
sons of  such  a  blood,  in  a  distinguishing  luanner  of  the  operating  of  the  pas- 
sions and  affections,  and  the  manner  of  the  outward  expressions  of  them.  I 
know  some  remarkable  instances  of  this.  The  same  is  also  evident  by  the  dif- 
ferent effects  of  divine  communications  on  the  same  person  at  different  times,  and 
in  different  circumstances  :  the  novelty  of  things,  or  the  sudden  transition  from 
an  opposite  extreme,  and  many  other  things  that  might  be  mentioned,  greatly 
contribute  to  the  raising  of  the  passions.  And  sometimes  there  is  not  only  a 
mixture  of  that  which  is  common  and  natural  with  gracious  experience,  but 
even  that  which  is  animal,  that  which  is  in  a  great  measure  from  the  body,  and  is 
properly  the  result  of  the  animal  frame.  In  what  true  Christians  feel  of  affec- 
tions towards  God,  all  is  not  always  purely  holy  and  divine  ;  every  thing  that 
is  felt  in  the  affections  does  not  arise  fiom  spiritual  principles,  but  common  and 
natural  principles  have  a  very  great  hand ;  an  improper  self-love  may  have  a 
great  share  in  the  effect :  God  is  not  loved  for  his  own  sake,  or  for  the  excellen- 
cy and  beauty  of  his  own  perfections,  as  he  ought  to  be ;  nor  have  these  things 
in  any  wise  that  proportion  in  the  effect  that  they  ought  to  have.  So  in  that 
love  that  true  Christians  have  one  to  another,  very  often  there  is  a  great  mix- 
ture of  what  arises  from  common  and  natural  principles,  with  grace  ;  and  self 
love  has  a  great  hand  :  the  children  of  God  are  not  loved  purely  for  Christ' 
sake,  but  there  may  be  a  great  mixture  of  that  natural  love  that  itfany  sects  oi 
heretics  have  boasted  of,  who  have  been  greatly  united  one  to  another,  because 
they  were  of  their  company,  on  their  side,  against  the  rest  of  the  world ;  yea, 
there  may  be  a  mixture  of  natural  love  to  the  opposite  sex,  with  Christian  and 
divine  love.  So  there  may  be  a  great  mixture  in  that  sorrow  for  sin  that  the 
godly  have  ;  and  also  in  their  joys  ;  natural  principles  may  greatly  contribute 
to  what  is  felt,  a  great  many  ways,  as  might  easily  be  shown,  would  it  not  make 
my  discourse  too  lengthy.     There  is  nothing  that  belongs  to  Christian  experi- 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  383 

ence  that  is  more  liable  to  -.  corrupt  mixture  than  zeal ;  though  it  be  an  excellent 
virtue,  a  heavenly  flame,  wlii'ii  it  is  innc :  but  as  it  is  exercised  in  thosf  who 
are  so  IXtle  sanctified,  and  so  little  humbN'd,  as  wr  are  in  the  j)rcsciit  stale,  it  is 
very  apt  to  be  mixed  with  human  passion,  yea,  with  corrupt  hatei'ul  alluction-s, 
pride  and  uncharitable  bitterness,  and  other  things  that  are  not  from  heaven  but 
from  hell. 

Another  thing  that  is  often  mixed  with  what  is  spiritual  in  the  experiences  of 
Christians,  is,  impressions  on  the  imagination  ;  whereby  godly  persons,  together 
with  a  spiritual  understanding  of  divine  things,  and  conviction  of  their  r»'a!ity 
and  certainty,  and  a  strong  and  deep  sense  of  their  excellency  or  great  impor- 
tance upon  their  hearts,  have  strongly  impressed  on  their  minds  external 
ideas  or  images  of  things.  A  degree  of  imagination  in  such  a  c;tse,  as  I  have 
observed  elsewhere,  is  unavoidable,  and  necessarily  arises  from  human  nature, 
as  constituted  in  the  present  state ;  and  a  (leo;ree  of  imagination  is  really  uscfid, 
and  often  is  of  great  benelil ;  but  wb.en  it  is  in  too  great  a  dt  gree,  it  bcconits  an 
impure  mixture  that  is  prejudicial.  This  mixture  very  often  arises  from  the 
constitution  of  the  botly.  it  commonly  greatly  contributes  to  the  other  kind  of 
mixture  mentioned  before,  viz.,  of  natural  allections  and  passions;  ii  helps  to 
raise  them  to  a  great  height. 

Another  thing  that  is  often  mixed  with  the  experiences  of  true  Christians, 
which  is  the  worst  mixture  of  all,  is  a  degree  of  self-righteousness  or  spiritual 
pride.  This  is  often  mixed  with  the  joys  of  Christians ;  the  joy  that  they  have 
is  not  purely  the  joy  of  laitli,  or  a  rejoicing  in  Christ  Jesus,  but  is  partly  a  re- 
joicing in  themselves;  there  is  oftentiines  in  their  elevations  a  looking  upon 
themselves,  and  a  viewing  their  own  high  attainments ;  they  rejoice  jiai  tly 
because  they  are  taken  with  their  own  expc-riences  and  great  discoveries,  wliich 
makes  them  in  their  own  apprehensions  so  to  excel ;  and  this  heightens  all  their 
passions,  and  especially  those  elTects  that  are  more  external. 

There  is  a  much  greater  mixture  of  these  things  in  the  experiences  of  some 
Christians  than  others  ;  in  some  the  mixture  is  so  great,  as  very  much  to  oliscure 
and  hide  the  beauty  of  grace  in  them,  like  a  thick  smoke  that  hinders  all  the 
shining  of  the  fire. 

Tiiese  things  we  ought  to  be  well  aware  of,  that  we  may  not  take  all  for 
gold  that  glistens,  and  that  we  may  know  what  to  countenance  and  encourage, 
and  what  to  discourage  ;  otherwise  Satan  will  have  a  vast  advantage  against 
us,  for  he  works  in  the  corrupt  mixture.  Sometimes  for  want  of  persons  dis- 
tinguishing the  ore  from  the  pure  metal,  those  experiences  are  most  admired  by 
the  persons  themselves  that  are  the  subjects  of  them,  and  by  others  that  are  not 
the  most  excellent.  The  great  external  elFects,  and  vehemence  of  the  passions, 
and  violent  agitations  of  the  animal  spirits,  is  sometimes  much  owing  to  the 
corrupt  mixture  (as  is  very  apparent  in  some  instances) ;  though  it  be  not  al- 
Avays  so. 

I  have  observed  a  great  dilTerence  among  tliose  that  are  under  high  aflTcc- 
tions,  and  seem  disposed  to  be  earnestly  talking  to  those  that  are  about  them  ; 
some  insist  much  more,  in  their  talk,  on  what  they  behold  in  God  and  Christ, 
the  glory  of  the  divine  perfections,  Christ's  beauty  and  excellency  and  wonder- 
ful condescension  and  grace,  and  their  own  unworthiness,  and  the  great  and 
infinite  oblifjations  that  they  themselves  and  others  are  under  to  love  and  sen-'e 
God;  some  insist  almost  wholly  on  their  own  high  privilegc-s,  their  assurance, 
and  of  God's  love  and  favor,  and  the  weakness  and  wickedness  of  opposers,  and 
how  much  they  are  above  their  reach.  The  latter  may  have  much  of  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  but  their  experiences  do  not  appear  to  be  so  solid  and  unmixed  as 


384  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

the  former.  And  there  is  a  great  deal  of  difference  in  persons'  earnestness  in 
their  talk  and  behavior ;  in  some  it  seems  to  come  indeed  from  the  fulness  of 
their  hearts,  and  from  the  great  sense  they  have  of  truth,  a  deep  sense  of  the 
certainty  and  infinite  greatness,  excellency,  and  importance  of  divine  and  eternal 
things,  attended  with  all  appearances  of  great  humility  ;  in  others  their  earnest- 
ness seems  to  arise  from  a  great  mixture  of  human  passion,  and  an  undue  and 
intemperate  agitation  of  the  spirits,  which  appears  by  their  earnestness  and 
vehemence  not  being  proportioned  to  the  nature  of  the  subject  they  insist  on,  but 
they  are  violent  in  every  thing  they  say,  as  much  when  they  are  talking  of 
things  of  smaller  importance,  as  when  speaking  of  things  of  greater  weight.  I 
have  seen  it  thus  in  an  instance  or  two,  in  which  this  vehemence  at  length  issued 
in  distraction.  And  there  have  been  some  few  instances  of  a  more  extraordinary 
nature  still,  even  of  persons  finding  themselves  disposed  earnestly  to  talk  and  cry 
out,  from  an  unaccountable  kind  of  bodily  pressure,  without  any  extraordinary 
view  of  any  thing  in  their  minds,  or  sense  of  any  thing  upon  their  hearts,  wherein 
probably  there  was  the  immediate  hand  of  the  devil. 

II.  Another  thing  by  which  the  devil  has  great  advantage,  is,  the  unheeded 
defects  there  sometimes  are  in  the  experiences  of  true  Christians,  and  those 
high  affections  wherein  there  is  much  that  is  truly  good. 

What  I  now  have  respect  to,  is  something  diverse  from  that  defect,  or  im- 
perfection of  degree,  which  is  in  every  holy  disposition  and  exercise  in  this  life, 
in  the  best  of  the  saints.  What  I  aim  at  is  experiences  being  especially  defective 
in  some  particular  thing,  that  ought  to  be  in  them  ;  which,  though  it  is  not  an 
essential  defect,  or  such  a  defect  as  is  in  the  experiences  of  hypocrites,  which 
renders  them  utterly  vain,  monstrous,  and  altogether  abominable  to  God,  yet  is 
such  a  defect  as  maims  and  deforms  the  experience  ;  the  essence  of  truly  Chris- 
tian experiences  is  not  wanting,  but  yet  that  is  wanting  that  is  very  needful  in 
order  to  the  proper  beauty  of  the  image  of  Christ  in  such  a  person's  experien- 
ces ;  but  things  are  very  much  out  of  a  due  proportion  :  there  is  indeed  much  of 
some  things,  but  at  the  same  time  there  is  so  little  of  some  other  things  that 
should  bear  a  proportion,  that  the  defect  very  much  deforms  the  Christian,  and 
is  truly  odious  in  the  sight  of  God. 

What  I  observed  before  was  something  that  deformed  the  Christian,  as  it 
was  too  much,  something  mixed,  that  is,  not  belonging  to  the  Christian  as  such ; 
what  I  speak  of  now  is  something  that  deforms  the  Christian  the  other  way,  viz., 
by  there  not  being  enough,  something  wanting,  that  does  belong  to  the  Christian 
as  such  :  the  one  deforms  the  Christian  as  a  monstrous  excrescence,  the  other 
as  thereby  the  new  creature  is  maimed,  and  some  member  in  a  great  measure 
wanting,  or  so  small  and  withering  as  to  be  very  much  out  of  due  proportion. 
This  is  another  spiritual  calamity  tbat  the  saints  are  liable  to,  through  the  great 
imperfection  of  grace  in  this  life  ;  like  the  chicken  in  the  egg,  in  the  beginning 
of  its  Ibrnration,  in  which,  though  there  are  indeed  the  rudiments  or  lineajnents 
of  all  the  parts,  yet  some  few  parts  are  plain  to  be  seen,  when  others  are  hid, 
so  that  without  a  microscope  it  appears  very  monstrous. 

W'^hen  this  deficiency  and  disproportion  is  great,  as  sometimes  it  is  in  real 
saints,  it  is  not  only  a  great  deformity  in  itself,  but  has  many  ill  consequences ; 
it  gives  the  devil  great  advantage,  and  leaves  a  door  open  for  corruption,  and 

exposes  to  very  deformed  and  unlovely  actions,  and  issues  oftentimes  in  the 

great  wounding  of  the  soul. 

For  the  better  understanding  of  this  matter,  we  may  observe  that  God,  in 

the  revelation  that  he  has  made  of  himself  to  the  world  by  Jesus  Christ,  has 

taken  care  to  give  a  proportionable  manifestation  of  two  kinds  of  excellencies 


I\   NKW   ENGLAND.  3g5 

or  perfections  of  his  nature,  viz.,  those  that  especially  tend  to  posess  iis  with 
awe  ami  reverence,  and  to  search  and  huntbie  us,  and  those  that  tend  to  win, 
and  draw,  and  encourage  us  :  by  the  one,  he  appears  as  an  inlinitely  trn-at,  pure', 
holy,  and  heart-searchinir  judge  ;  by  the  other,  as  a  gentle  and  gracious  lather 
and  a  loving  Iriend:  by  the  one  he  is  a  pure,  searching,  and  burning  (lauje ;  by 
the  other,  a  sweet  refreshing  light  These  two  kinds  ot"  attributes  are  as  it  were 
admirably  tempered  together  in  the  revelation  of  the  gospel  :  there  is  a  pro- 
portionable manifestation  of  justice  and  mercy,  holiness  an<l  grace,  majesty  and 
gentleness,  authority  and  condescension.  Goij  hath  thus  ordered  that  his  diverse 
excellencies,  as  he  reveals  himself  in  the  fare  of  Jesus  Christ,  should  have  a 
proportionable  manifestation,  herein  providing  for  our  necessities ;  he  knew  it 
to  be  of  great  consequence  that  our  apprehensions  of  these  diverse  perfections 
of  his  nature  should  be  duly  proportioned  one  to  anutlur  ;  a  defect  on  the  one 
hand,  viz.,  having  much  of  a  discovery  of  his  love  and  grace,  without  a  propoi- 
tionable  discovery  of  his  awful  majesty,  and  his  holy  and  searching  purity, 
would  tend  to  spiritual  pride,  carnal  confidence,  and  presumption  ;  and  a  defect 
on  the  other  hand,  viz.,  having  much  of  a  discovery  of  his  holy  majesty,  with- 
out a  proportionable  discovery  of  his  grace,  tends  "to  unbelief,  a  sinful  tearful- 
ness, and  spirit  of  bondage  :  and  therefore  herein  chiefly  consists  that  dellciency  of 
experiences  that  I  am  now  speaking  of.  The  revelation  God  has  made  of 
himself  in  his  word,  and  the  provision  made  for  our  spiritual  welfare  in  the 
gospel,  is  perfect,  but  yet  the  actual  light  and  communications  wc  have  are 
not  perfect,  but  many  ways  exceeding  imperfect  and  maimed.  And  experience 
plainly  shows  that  Christians  may  have  high  experiences  in  some  respects,  and 
yet  their  circumstances  may  be  unhappy  in  this  regard,  that  their  experiences 
and  discoveries  arc  no  more  general.  There  is  a  great  difference  among  Chris- 
tians in  this  respect ;  some  have  much  more  general  discoveries  than  others,  who 
are  upon  many  accounts  the  most  amiable  Christians.  Christians  may  have 
experiences  that  are  very  high,  and  yet  there  may  be  very  much  of  this  defi- 
ciency and  disproportion  :  their  high  experiences  are  truly  from  the  Spirit  of 
God,  but  sin  comes  in  by  the  defect  (as  indeed  all  sin  is  originally  from  a  de- 
fective privative  cause)  ;  and  in  such  a  case  high  discoveries,  at  the  same  time 
that  they  are  enjoyed,  may  be,  and  sometimes  are  the  occasion,  or  aiusa  sine 
qua  nan  of  sin  ;  sin  may  come  in  at  that  back  door,  the  gap  that  is  left  open  ; 
as  spiritual  pride  often  does  :  ami  many  times  the  Spirit  of  God  is  quencliwl  by 
this  means,  and  God  punishes  the  pride  and  presumption  that  rises,  by  bring- 
ing such  darkness,  and  suffering  such  awful  consetiuenccs  and  horrid  tempta- 
tions, as  are  enough  to  make  one's  hair  stand  on  end  to  hear  them.  Christians 
therefore  should  diligently  observe  their  own  hearts  as  to  this  matter,  and  should 
pray  to  God  that  he  woidd  give  us  experiences  in  which  one  thing  may  bear  a 
proportion  to  another,  that  God  may  be  honored  and  their  souls  edified  there- 
by ;  and  ministers  should  have  an  eye  to  this,  in  their  private  dealings  with  the 
souls  of  their  people. 

It  is  chiefly  from  such  a  defect  of  experiences  that  some  things  have  arisen 
that  have  been  pretty  common  among  true  Christians  of  late,  that  have  been 
supposed  by  many  to  have  risen  from  a  good  cause ;  as  particularly  talking  of 
divine  and  heavenly  things,  and  expressing  divine  joys  with  laughter  or  a  hght 
behavior.  I  believe,  in  many  instances,  such  things  have  arisen  from  a  good 
caase,  as  their  causa  siue  qua  non,  that  high  discoveries  and  gracious  joyftj 
affections  have  been  the  occasion  of  them  ;  but  the  proper  cause  has  been  sin, 
even  that  odious  defect  in  their  experience,  whereby  there  has  been  wanting  a 
sense  of  the  awful  and  holy  majesty  of  God  as  present  with  them,  and  their  no- 

Vol    III.  49 


386  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

thingness  and  vileness  bsfore  him,  proportionable  to  the  sense  they  have  had 
of  God's  grace  and  the  love  of  Christ.  And  the  same  is  true  in  many  cases  of 
persons'  unsuitable  boldness,  their  disposition  to  speak  with  authority,  intem- 
perate zeal,  and  many  other  things  that  sometimes  appear  in  true  Christians, 
under  great  religious  affections. 

And  sometimes  the  vehemence  of  the  motion  of  the  animal  spirits,  under 
great  affections,  is  owing,  in  considerable  measure,  to  experiences  being  thus 
partial.  I  have  known  it  in  several  instances,  that  persons  have  been  greatly 
affected  with  the  dying  love  of  Christ,  and  the  consideration  of  the  happiness  of 
the  enjoyment  of  him  in  heaven,  and  other  things  of  that  nature,  and  iheir  ani- 
mal spirits  at  the  same  time  have  been  in  a  great  emotion,  but  in  the  midst  of 
it  have  had  given  them  a  deep  sense  of  the  awful,  holy  majesty  of  God,  and  it 
has  at  once  composed  them,  and  quieted  animal  nature,  without  diminishing 
their  comfort,  but  only  has  made  it  of  a  better  and  more  sohd  nature ;  when 
they  have  had  a  sense  both  of  the  majesty  and  grace  of  God,  one  thing  has  as 
it  were  balanced  another,  and  caused  a  more  happy  sedateness  and  composure 
of  body  and  mind. 

From  these  things  we  may  learn  how  to  judge  of  experiences,  and  to  estimate 
their  goodness.  Those  are  not  always  the  best  experiences,  that  are  attended 
with  the  most  violent  affections,  and  most  vehement  motions  of  the  animal  spirits, 
or  that  have  the  greatest  effects  on  the  body ;  nor  are  they  always  the  best,  that 
do  most  dispose  persons  to  abound  in  talk  to  others,  and  to  speak  in  the  most 
vehement  manner  (though  these  things  often  arise  from  the  greatness  of  spiritual 
experiences) ;  but  those  are  the  most  excellent  experiences  that  are  qualified  as 
follows : 

1.  That  have  the  least  mixture,  or  are  the  most  purely  spiritual. 

2.  That  are  the  least  deficient  and  partial,  in  which  the  diverse  things  that 
appertain  to  Christian  experience  are  proportionable  one  to  another.     And, 

3.  That  are  raised  to  the  highest  degree  :  it  is  no  matter  how  high  they 
are  raised  if  they  are  qualified  as  before  mentioned,  the  higher  the  better.  Ex- 
periences thus  qualified,  will  be  attended  with  the  most  amiable  behavior,  and 
will  bring  forth  the  most  solid  and  sweet  fruits,  and  will  be  the  most  durable, 
and  will  have  the  greatest  effect  on  the  abiding  temper  of  the  soul. 

If  God  is  pleased  to  carry  on  this  work,  and  it  should  prove  to  be  the  dawn- 
ing of  a  general  revival  of  the  Christian  church,  it  may  be  expected  that  the 
time  will  come  before  long,  when  the  experiences  of  Christians  shall  be  much 
more  generally  thus  qualified.  We  must  expect  green  fruits  before  we  have 
ripe  ones.  It  is  probable  that  hereafter  the  discoveries  which  the  saints  shall 
have  of  divine  things,  will  be  in  a  much  higher  degree  than  yet  have  been ;  but 
yet  shall  be  so  ordered  of  an  infinitely  wke  and  all-sufiRcient  God,  that  they  shall 
not  have  so  great  an  effect,  in  proportion,  on  the  body,  and  will  be  less  oppres- 
sive to  nature ;  and  that  the  outward  manifestations  Avill  rather  be  like  those 
that  were  in  Stephen,  when  he  was  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  all  that  sat  in 
the  council,  looking  steadfastly  on  him,  saiu  his  face,  as  it  had  been  the  face  of 
an  angel.  Their  inward  fulness  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  divine,  amiable, 
and  sweet  influences,  shall  as  it  were  shine  forth  in  a  heavenly  aspect,  and 
manner  of  speech  and  behavior.     But, 

III.  There  is  another  thing  concerning  experiences  of  Christians,  of  which 
it  is  of  yet  greater  importance  that  we  should  be  aware,  than  either  of  the  pre- 
ceding, and  that  is  the  degenerating  of  ex'periences.  What  I  mean  is  something 
diverse  from  the  mere  decay  of  experiences,  or  their  gradually  vanishing,  by 
persons  losing  their  sense  of  things ;   it  is  persons'  experiences  growing  by  de- 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  387 

grecs  woi-se  and  worse  in  their  kind,  more  and  more  partial  and  deficient,  in 
whicli  thing^  are  more  out  of  due  proportion;  and  also  have  more  and  more' of 
a  corrupt  mixture,  the  spiritual  part  decreases,  and  the  other  useless  and  hurtful 
parts  greatly  increase.  Tlierc  is  such  a  tiling,  and  it  is  very  fretiuent,  as  expe- 
rience abundantly  evidences  :  I  have  seen  it  in  veiy  many  instances  j  and  great 
are  the  mischiefs  that  have  arisen  through  want  of  being  more  aware  of  it. 

There  is  commonly,  as  I  observed  before,  in  high  experiences,  besides  that 
which  is  spiritual,  a  mixture  of  three  things,  viz.,  natural  or  common  affections 
and  workings  of  the  imagination,  and  a  degree  of  self-righteousness  or  spiritual 
pride.  Now  it  often  comes  to  pass,  that  through  persons  not  distinguishuig  th(^ 
wheat  from  the  chaff,  and  for  want  of  watchJulncss  and  huml»le  jealousy  of 
themselves,  and  laying  great  weight  on  the  natural  and  imaginary  part,  and 
yielding  to  it,  and  indulging  of  it,  that  part  grows  and  increases,  and  the  spiritual 
part  decreases  ;  the  devil  sets  in,  and  works  in  the  corrupt  part,  and  cherishes 
It  to  his  utmost  ;  until  at  Icngtli  the  experiences  of  some  persons,  w!io  began 
well,  come  to  but  little  else,  but  violent  motions  of  carnal  affections,  with  great 
heats  of  the  imagination,  and  a  great  degree  of  enthusiasm,  and  swelling  of 
spiritual  pride  ;  very  much  like  some  fruits  which  bud,  blossom,  and  kernel  well, 
but  afterwards  are  blasted  with  an  excess  of  moisture ;  so  that  thouirh  the  bulk 
is  monstrously  great,  yet  there  is  little  else  in  it  but  what  is  useless  and  unwhole- 
some. It  appears  to  me  very  probable,  that  many  of  the  heresies  that  have 
arisen,  and  sects  that  have  appeared  in  the  Christian  world,  in  one  age  and 
another,  with  wi!d  enthusiastical  notions  and  practices,  began  at  first  by  this 
means,  that  it  Avas  such  a  degenerating  of  experiences  that  first  gave  rise  to 
them,  or  at  least  led  the  M-ay  to  them. 

There  is  notliing  in  the  world  that  does  so  much  expose  to  this  degenerating 
of  experiences,  as  an  unheeded  spiritual  pride  and  self-confidence,  and  persons 
being  conceited  of  their  own  stock,  without  a  humble,  daily,  and  continued  de- 
pendence on  God.  And  this  very  thing  seems  to  be  typified  of  old,  by  the  cor- 
rupting of  the  manna.  Some  of  the  children  of  Israel,  because  they  had 
gathered  a  store  of  manna,  trusted  in  it,  there  being,  as  they  ajiprehended,  suffi- 
cient in  the  store  they  had  gathered  and  laid  up,  without  humbly  looking  to 
heaven,  and  stooping  to  the  earth  for  daily  supplies ;  and  the  consequence  was, 
that  their  manna  bred  worms  and  stank,  Exod.  xvi.  20.  Pride,  above  all  things, 
promotes  this  degeneracy  of  experiences,  because  it  grieves  and  quenches  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  so  kills  the  spiritual  part ;  and  it  cherishes  the 
natural  part,  it  inflames  the  carnal  affections,  and  heats  the  imagination. 

The  unhappy  person  that  is  the  subject  of  such  a  degeneracy  of  experiences, 
for  the  most  part,  is  not  sensible  of  his  own  calamity  ;  but  because  he  finds 
himself  still  violently  moved,  and  greater  heats  of  zeal,  and  more  vehement 
motions  of  his  animal  spirits,  thinks  himself  fuller  of  the  Spirit  of  God  than 
ever.  But  indeed  it  is  with  him,  as  the  apostle  says  of  the  Galatians,  Gal.  iii.  3, 
"  Having  begun  in  the  Spirit,  they  are  made  perfect  by  the  flesh." 

By  the  mixture  there  is  of  common  affection  with  love  to  God,  the  love  of 
true  Christians  is  liable  to  degenerate,  and  to  be  more  and  more  built  on  the 
foundation  of  a  supposition  of  being  his  high  and  peculiar  favorites,  and  less 
and  less  on  an  apprehension  of  the  excellency  of  God's  nature,  as  he  Is  in  him- 
self. So  the  joy  of  Christians,  by  reason  of  the  mixture  there  is  with  spiritual 
joy,  is  liable  to  degenerate,  and  to  come  to  that  at  last,  as  to  be  but  little  else 
but  joy  in  self,  joy  in  a  pereon's  own  supposed  eminency,  and  distinction  from 
others  in  the  favor  of  God.  So  zeal,  that  at  first  might  be  in  great  part  spiritual, 
yet  through  the  mixture  there  is,  in  a  long  continuance  of  opposition  and  con- 


388  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

troversy,  may  degenerate  more  and  more  into  human  and  proud  passion,  and 
may  come  to  bitterness,  and  even  a  degree  of  hatred.  And  so  love  to  the 
brethren  may  by  degrees  come  to  but  little  else  but  fondness,  and  zeal  for  a 
party  ;  yea,  through  a  mixture  of  a  natural  love  to  the  opposite  sex,  may  degen- 
erate more  and  more,  until  it  issues  in  that  which  is  criminal  and  gross.  And 
I  leave  it  with  those  who  are  better  acquainted  with  ecclesiastical  history,  to  in- 
quire whether  such  a  degeneracy  of  aliections  as  this,  might  not  be  the  first 
thing  that  led  the  way,  and  gave  occasion  to  the  rise  of  the  abominable  notions 
of  some  sects  that  have  arisen,  concerning  the  community  of  women.  However 
that  is,  yet  certainly  the  mutual  embraces  and  kisses  of  persons  of  different  sexes, 
under  the  notion  of  Christian  love  and  holy  kisses,  arc  v.tterly  to  be  disallowed  and 
abominated,  RS  having  the  most  direct  tendency  quickly  to  turn  Christian  love 
into  unclean  and  brutish  lust,  which  will  not  be  the  better,  but  ten  times  the 
worse,  for  being  christened  by  the  name  of  Christian  love. 

I  should  also  think  it  advisable,  that  meetings  of  young  people,  of  both  sexes, 
in  the  evening,  by  themselves,  without  a  minister,  or  any  elder  people  amongst 
them,  for  religious  exercises,  should  be  avoided :  for  though  for  the  present, 
while  their  minds  are  greatly  solemnized  with  lively  impressions,  and  a  deep 
sense  of  divine  things,  there  may  appear  no  ill  consequence  ;  yet  we  must  look 
to  the  further  end  of  things,  and  guard  against  future  dangers  and  advantages 
that  Satan  might  gain  against  us.  As  a  lively,  solemn  sense  of  divine  things 
on  the  minds  of  young  persons  may  gradually  decay,  so  there  will  be  danger 
that  an  ill  improvement  of  these  meetings  may  gradually  prevail;  if  not  in  any 
imsuitable  behavior  while  together  in  the  meeting,  yet  wdien  they  break  up  lo 
go  home,  they  may  naturally  consort  together  in  couples,  for  other  than  religious 
purposes;  and  it  may  at  last  come  to  that,  that  young  persons  may  go  to  such 
meetings,  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  such  an  opportunity  for  company  keeping. 

The  d.pfect  there  sometimes  is  in  the  experiences  of  Christians  exposes  them 
to  degenerate,  as  well  as  the  mixture  that  they  have.  Deficient  maimed  expe- 
riences do  sometimes  become  more  and  more  so  :  the  mind,  being  wholly  intent 
upon  those  things  that  are  in  view,  and  those  that  are  most  wanting  being  neg- 
lected, there  is  Fess  and  less  of  them,  and  so  the  gap  for  corruption  to  come  in 
grows  wider  and  wider.  And  commonly  both  these  causes  of  the  degenerating 
of  experiences  operate  together. 

We  had  need  to  be  jealous  over  ourselves  with  a  godly  jealousy,  as  the 
apostle  was  over  the  Christian  Corinthians,  lest  by  any  means,  as  the  ser- 
pent beguiled  Eve  through  his  subtlety,  so  our  minds  should  be  corrupted  from 
the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ.  God  indeed  will  never  suffer  his  true  saints  to- 
tally and  finally  to  fall  away,  but  yet  may  punish  their  pride  and  self-confidence, 
by  suffering  them  to  be  long  led  into  a  dreadful  wilderness,  by  the  subtle  ser- 
pent, to  the  great  wounding  of  their  own  souls,  and  the  interest  of  religion. 

And  before  I  dismiss  this  head  of  the  degenerating  of  experiences,  1  would 
mention  one  thing  more  that  tends  to  it ;  and  that  is,  persons'  aiming  in  their 
experience  to  go  beyond  the  lule  of  God's  word,  i.  e.,  aiming  at  that,  which  is 
indeed,  in  some  respect,  beyond  the  rule.  Thus  some  persons  have  endeavored 
utterly  to  root  out  and  abolish  all  natural  affection,  or  any  special  affection  or 
respect  to  their  near  relations,  under  a  notion  that  no  other  love  ought  to  be 
allowed  but  spiritual  love,  and  that  all  other  love  is  to  be  abolished  as  carnal, 
and  that  it  becomes  Christians  to  love  none  upon  the  account  of  any  thing  else, 
but  the  image  of  God  ;  and  that  therefore  love  should  go  out  to  one  and  another 
only  in  that  proportion  in  which  the  image  of  God  is  seen  in  them.  They  mi^ht 
as  well  argue  that  a  man  ought  utterly  to  disallow  of,  and  endeavor  to  abolish 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  399 

all  lovo  or  appetite  to  his  daily  food,  under  a  notion  that  it  is  a  carnal  appetite 
and  that  no  other  appetite  should  be  tolerated  but  sjiiritual  appetites.  Why 
should  the  saints  strive  atter  that,  as  a  hi<ch  attainment  in  holiness,  whirh  the 
apostle  in  Rom.  i.  31,  mentions  as  one  instance  wherein  the  heathen  h.id  got 
to  the  most  horrid  ])ass  in  Nviekcdness,  viz.,  a  being  without  natural  ajec- 
Hon  ? 

Some  have  doubted  whether  they  mi^ht  pray  for  the  conversion  and  salva- 
tion of  the  souls  of  th.ir  children,  any  more  than  for  the  souls  of  others  ;  because 
the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  others  would  be  as  mueh  to  God's  glory,  as  the  sal- 
vation of  their  children  ;  and  they  have  supposed  that  to  pray  most  for  their 
own,  would  show  a  selfish  disposition.  So  they  have  been  afraid  to  tolerate  a 
compassionate  grief  ar.d  concern  lor  their  nearest  friends,  for  fear  it  would  be  an 
argument  of  want  of  resignation  to  God. 

And  it  is  t:-Uf>,  tin  ic  is  great  danger  of  persons  setting  their  hearts  too  much 
upon  their  earthly  friends  ;  our  love  to  earthly  fi  iends  ought  to  be  under  the 
government  of  the  love  of  God,  and  should  be  attended  with  a  spirit  of  submis- 
sion and  resignation  to  his  will,  and  every  thing  should  be  subordinated  to  his 
g\(^ry  :  but  that  is  no  argument  that  these  afTeclions  should  be  entirely  abolished, 
M'hich  the  Creator  of  the  world  has  put  within  mankind,  for  the  good  of  man- 
kind, and  because  he  saw  they  would  be  needful  for  them,  as  they  must  be 
united  in  society,  in  the  present  state,  and  are  of  great  use,  when  kept  in  their 
proper  place ;  and  to  endeavor  totally  to  root  them  out,  would  be  to  reproach 
and  oppose  the  wisdom  of  the  Creator.  Nor  is  the  being  of  these  natural  incli- 
nations, if  well  regulated,  inconsistent  with  any  part  of  our  duty  to  God,  or  any 
argument  of  a  sinful  selfishness,  any  more  than  the  natural  abhorrence  that  there 
is  in  the  human  nature  of  pain,  and  natural  inclination  to  ease  that  was  in  the 
man  Christ  Jesus  himself. 

It  is  the  duty  of  parents  to  be  more  concerned,  and  to  pray  more  for  the 
salvation  of  their  children,  than  for  the  children  of  their  neighbors ;  as  much  as 
it  is  the  duty  of  a  minister  to  be  more  concerned  for  the  salvation  of  the  souls 
of  his  flock,  and  to  pray  more  for  them,  than  those  of  other  congregations,  be- 
cause they  are  committed  to  his  care  ;  so  our  near  friends  are  more  committed 
to  our  care  than  others,  and  our  near  neighbors,  than  those  that  live  at  a  great 
distance;  and  the  people  of  our  land  and  nation  are  more  in  some  sense  com- 
mitted to  our  care  than  the  people  of  China,  and  we  ought  to  pray  more  for 
them,  and  to  be  more  concerned  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  should  flourish 
among  them,  than  in  another  country,  where  it  would  be  as  much,  and  no  more 
for  the  glory  of  God.  Compassion  ought  to  be  especially  exercised  towards 
friends.  Job,  vi.  14.  Christ  did  not  frown  upon  a  special  affection  and  compas- 
sion for  near  friends,  but  countenanced  and  encouraged  it,  from  time  to  time,  in 
those  that  in  the  exercise  of  such  an  afTection  and  compassion,  applied  to  him 
for  relief  tor  their  friends ;  as  in  the  instance  of  the  woman  of  Canaan,  Jairus, 
Maiy  and  Martha,  the  centurion,  the  widow  of  Nain,  and  many  others.  The 
Apostle  Paul,  though  a  man  as  much  resigned  and  devoted  to  God,  and  under 
the  power  of  his  love,  perhaps  as  any  mere  man  that  ever  lived,  yet  /lad  a  pe- 
culiar concern  for  his  countiymen  the  Jews,  the  rather  on  that  account  that  they 
were  his  brethren  and  kinsmen  according  to  the Jlcsh  ;  he  had  a  very  high  de- 
gree of  compassionate  grief  for  them,  insomuch,  that  he  tells  us  he  had  great 
heaviness  and  continual  sorrow  of  heart  for  them,  and  could  wish  himself 
accursed  from  Christ  for  theitj. 

Theve  are  many  thinirs  that  are  proper  for  the  saints  in  heaven,  that  are  not 
suitable  to  the  state  God  has  set  us  in,  in  this  world  :  and  for  Christians,  in  these 


390  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

and  other  instances,  to  affect  to  go  beyond  the  present  state  of  mankind,  and 
what  God  has  appointed  as  fit  for  it,  is  an  instance  of  that  which  the  wise  man 
calls  a  being  righteous  overmuch,  and  has  a  tendency  to  open  a  door  for  Satan, 
and  to  cause  religious  affections  to  degenerate  into  something  very  unbecoming 
of  Christians. 

Thus  I  have,  as  I  proposed,  taken  notice  of  some  things  with  regard  to  the 
inward  experiences  of  Christians,  by  which  Satan  has  an  advantage. 

I  now  proceed  in  the 

2d  Place,  to  take  notice  of  something  with  regard  to  the  external  effects 
of  experiences,  which  also  gives  Satan  an  advantage.  What  I  have  respect  to, 
is  the  secret  and  unaccountable  influence  that  custom  has  upon  persons,  with 
respect  to  the  external  effects  and  manifestations  of  the  inv.'ard  affections  of  the 
mind.  By  custom  I  mean  both  a  person's  being  accustom.ed  to  a  thing  in  him- 
self, in  his  own  common,  allowed,  and  indulged  practice,  and  also  the  counte- 
nance and  approbation  of  others  amongst  whom  he  dwells,  by  their  general  voice 
and  practice.  It  is  well  known,  and  appears  sufhciently  by  what  I  have  said 
already  in  this  treatise  and  elsewhere,  that  I  am  far  from  ascribing  all  the  late 
uncommon  effects  and  outward  manifestations  of  inward  experiences  to  custom 
and  fashion,  as  some  do  ;  I  know  it  to  be  otherwise,  if  it  be  possible  for  me  to 
know  any  thing  of  this  nature  by  the  most  critical  observation,  under  all  manner 
of  opportunities  of  observing.  But  yet  this  also  is  exceeding  evident  by  expe- 
rience, that  custom  has  a  strange  intluence  in  these  things :  I  know  it  by  the 
different  manners  and  degrees  of  external  effects  and  manifestations  of  great  af- 
fections and  high  discoveries,  in  diflerent  towns,  according  to  what  persons  are 
gradually  led  into,  and  insensibly  habituated  to,  by  example  and  custom ;  and 
also  in  the  same  place,  at  different  times,  according  to  the  conduct  that  they 
have  :  if  some  person  is  among  them  to  conduct  them,  that  much  countenances 
and  encourages  such  kind  of  outward  manifestations  of  great  affections,  they 
naturally  and  insensibly  prevail,  and  grow  by  degrees  unavoidable  ;  but  when 
afterwards  they  come  under  another  kind  of  conduct,  the  manner  of  external 
appearances  will  strangely  alter :  and  yet  it  seems  to  be  without  any  proper 
design  or  contrivance  of  those  in  whom  there  is  this  alteration ;  it  is  not  pro- 
perly affected  by  them,  but  the  influence  of  example  and  custom  is  secret  and 
insensible  to  the  persons  themselves.  These  things  have  a  vast  influence  in  the 
manner  of  persons  manifesting  their  joys,  whether  with  smiles  or  an  air  of  light- 
ness, or  whether  with  more  solemnity  and  reverence ;  and  so  they  have  a  great 
influence  as  to  the  disposition  persons  have,  under  high  affections,  to  abound  in 
talk  ;  and  also  as  to  the  manner  of  their  speaking,  the  loudness  and  vehemence  of 
their  speech ;  (though  it  v/ould  be  exceeding  unjust,  and  against  all  the  evi- 
dence of  fact  and  experience,  and  the  reason  of  things,  to  lay  all  dispositions 
persons  have  to  be  much  in  speaking  to  others,  and  to  speak  in  a  veiy  earnest 
manner,  to  custom.)  It  is  manifest  that  example  and  custom  have  some  way  or 
other,  a  secret  and  misearchable  influence  on  those  actions  that  are  involun- 
tary, by  the  difference  that  there  is  in  different  places,  and  in  the  same  places 
at  different  times,  according  to  the  diverse  examples  and  conduct  that  they 
have. 

Therefore,  though  it  would  be  very  unreasonable,  and  prejudicial  to  the  in- 
terest of  religion,  to  frown  upon  all  these  extraordinary  external  effects  and 
manifestations  of  great  religious  affections  (for  a  measure  of  them  is  natural, 
necessary,  and  beautiful,  and  the  effect  in  no  wise  disproportioned  to  the  spiritual 
cause,  and  is  of  great  benefit  to  promote  religion),  yet  I  think  they  greatly  err 
who  think  that  these  thines  should  be  whollv  unlimited,  and  that  all  should  he 


L\  NEW  ENGLAND.  39| 

encouiaged  in  going  in  these  things  to  the  utmost  Icngtli  that  they  feel  them- 
selves inclined  to;  the  consequence  of  this  will  be  very  bad:  there  oui^hl  to  be 
a  gentle  restraint  hold  upon  these  things,  and  there  should  l)e  a  prudent  care 
taken  of  persons  in  such  extraordinary  circumstances,  and  they  sliould  be  mode- 
rately advised,  at  proper  seasons,  not  to  make  more  ado  than  tliere  is  need  of, 
but  rather  to  hold  a  restraint  upon  their  inclinations ;  otherwise  extraordinary 
outward  ellects  will  grow  upon  them,  they  will  be  more  and  more  natural  and 
unavoidable,  and  the  extraordinary  outward  show  will  increase,  without  any  in- 
crease of  the  internal  cause;  persons  will  find  themselves  under  a  kind  of  neces- 
sity of  making  a  great  ado,  with  less  and  less  aliection  of  soul,  until  at  length 
alinost  any  slight  emotion  will  set  them  going,  and  they  will  be  more  and  more 
violent  anil  boisterous,  and  will  grow  louder  and  louder,  until  their  actions  and 
behavior  become  indeed  very  absurd.     These  things  experience  proves. 

Thus  I  have  taken  notice  of  the  more  general  causes  whence  the  errors  that 
have  attended  this  great  revival  of  religion  have  risen,  and  under  each  head 
have  observed  some  particular  errors  that  have  llowed  from  these  fountairiS.  I 
now  proceed  as  I  proposed  in  the 

Second  place,  to  take  notice  of  some  particular  crrore  that  have  risen  from 
several  of  these  causes;  in  some  perhaps  they  have  been  chiefly  owing  to  one, 
and  in  others  to  another,  and  in  others  to  the  influence  of  several,  or  all  con- 
junctly.    And  here  the 

Isi  Thing  I  would  take  notice  of,  is,  censuring  others  that  are  professing 
Christians,  in  gooil  standing  in  the  visible  church,  as  unconverted.  I  need  not  re- 
peat what  1  have  elsewhere  said  to  show  this  to  be  against  the  plain,  and  fre- 
quent, and  strict  prohibitions  of  the  Avord  of  God:  it  is  the  woret  disease  that 
has  attended  this  Avork,  most  contrary  to  the  spirit  and  rules  of  Christianity,  and 
of  worse  consequences.  There  is  a  most  unhappy  tincture  that  the  minds  of 
many,  both  ministers  and  people,  have  received  that  way.  The  manner  of  many 
has  been,  when  they  first  enter  into  conversation  with  any  person,  that  seems 
to  have  any  shew  or  make  any  pretences  to  religion,  to  discern  him,  or  to  fix  a 
judgment  of  him,  from  his  manner  of  talking  of  things  of  religion,  whether  he 
be  converted,  or  experimentally  acquainted  with  vital  piety  or  not,  and  then  to 
treat  him  accordingly,  and  freely  to  express  their  thoughts  of  him  to  others,  es- 
pecially those  that  they  have  a  good  opinion  of  as  true  Christians,  and  accepted 
as  brethren  and  companions  in  Christ;  or  if  they  do  not  declare  their  minds  ex- 
pressly, yet  by  their  manner  of  speaking  of  them,  at  least  to  their  friends,  they 
will  show  plainly  what  their  thoughts  are.  So  when  they  have  heard  any  min- 
ister pray  or  preach,  their  first  work  has  been  to  observe  him  on  a  design  of  dis- 
cerning him,  whether  he  be  a  converted  man  or  no  ;  whether  he  prays  like  one 
that  feels  the  saving  power  of  God's  Spirit  in  his  heart,  and  whether  he  preaches 
like  one  that  knows  what  he  says.  It  has  been  so  much  the  way  in  some 
places,  that  many  new  converts  do  not  know  but  it  is  their  duty  to  do  so,  they 
know  no  other  way.  And  when  once  persons  yield  to  such  a  notion,  and  give 
in  to  such  a  humor,  they  will  quickly  grow  very  discerning  in  their  own  appre- 
hension, they  think  they  can  easily  tell  a  hypocrite:  and  when  once  they  have 
passed  their  censure  every  thing  seems  to  confirm  it,  tliey  see  more  and  more  in 
the  person  that  they  have  censured,  that  seems  to  them  to  shew  plainly  that  he 
is  an  unconverted  man.  And  then,  if  the  person  censured  be  a  minister,  every 
thing  in  his  public  performances  seems  dead  and  sapless,  and  to  do  them  no  good 
at  all,  but  on  the  contrary  to  be  of  deadening  inliuence,  and  poisonous  to  the 
soul ;  yea,  it  seems  worse  and  worse  to  them,  his  preaching  grows  more  and 
more  intolerable :  which  is  owing  to  a  secret,  strong  prejudice,  that  steals  m 


392  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

more  and  more  upon  the  mind,  as  experience  plainly  and  certainly  shows. 
When  the  Spirit  of  God  was  wonderfully  poured  out  in  this  place,  more  than 
seven  years  ago,  and  near  thirty  souls  in  a  week,  take  one  with  another,  for  five 
or  six  weeks  too-etlier,  were  to  appearance  brought  home  to  Christ,  and  all  the 
town  seemed  to  be  alive  and  full  of  God,  there  was  no  such  notion  or  luLi.or 
prevailing  here  ;  when  ministers  preached  here,  as  veiy  many  did  at  that  time, 
young  and  old,  our  people  did  not  go  about  to  discern  whether  they  were  men 
of  experience  or  not ;  they  did  not  know  that  they  must :  Mr.  Stoddard  never 
brouohl  them  up  in  that  way ;  it  did  not  seem  natural  to  them  to  go  about  any 
thing  of  that  nature,  nor  did  any  such  thing  enter  in  their  hearts ;  but  when  any 
minister  preached,  the  business  of  every  one  was  to  listen  and  attend  to  w-hat  he 
said,  and  apply  it  to  his  own  heart,  and  make  the  utmost  improvement  of  it. 
And  it  is  remarkable,  that  never  did  there  appear  such  a  disposition  in  the  peo- 
ple, to  relish,  approve  of,  and  admire  ministers'  preaching  as  at  that  time  :  such 
expressions  as  these  were  frequent  in  the  mouths  of  one  and  another,  on  occasion 
of  the  preaching  of  strangers  here,  viz..  That  they  i-ejoiced  that  there  were  so 
many  such  eminent  ministers  in  the  country  ;  and  they  wondered  they  had  never 
heard  the  fame  of  them  before :  they  were  thanJcfid  that  other  towns  had  so 
good  means  j  and  the  like. — And  scarcely  ever  did  any  minister  preach  here, 
but  his  preaching  did  some  remarkable  service  J  as  1  had  good  opportimity  to 
know,  because,  at  that  time,  I  had  particular  acquaintance  with  most  of  the  per- 
sons in  the  town,  in  their  soul  concerns.  That  it  has  been  so  much  otherwise 
of  late  in  many  places  in  the  land,  is  another  instance  of  the  secret  and  power- 
ful influence  of  custom  and  example. 

There  has  been  an  unhappy  disposition  in  some  ministers  toward  their  breth- 
ren in  the  mjnistiy  in  this  respect,  which  has  encouraged  and  greatly  promoted 
such  a  spirit  among  some  of  their  people.  A  wrong  improvement  has  been  made 
of  Chiist's  scourging  the  buyers  and  sellers  out  of  the  temple  j  it  has  been  expected 
by  some,  that  Christ  was  now  about  thus  to  purge  his  house  of  unconverted  min- 
isters, and  this  has  made  it  more  natural  to  them  to  think  that  they  should  do 
Christ  service,  and  act  as  co-workers  with  him,  to  put  to  their  hand,  and  en- 
deavor by  all  means  to  cashier  those  ministers  that  they  thought  to  be  uncon- 
verted. Indeed,  it  appears  to  me  probable  that  the  time  is  coming,  when  awful 
judgments  will  be  executed  on  unfaithful  ministers,  and  that  no  sort  of  men  in 
the  world  will  be  so  much  exposed  to  divine  judgments ;  but  then  w^e  should 
leave  that  work  to  Christ,  who  is  the  searcher  of  hearts,  and  to  whom  ven- 
geance belongs ;  and  not  without  warrant,  take  the  scourge  out  of  his  hand  into 
our  own.  There  has  been  too  much  of  a  disposition  in  some,  as  it  were  to  give 
ministers  over  as  reprobates,  that  have  been  looked  upon  as  wolves  in  sheep's 
clothing  ;  which  has  tended  to  promote  and  encourage  a  spirit  of  bitterness  to- 
wards them,  and  to  make  it  natural  to  treat  them  too  much  as  if  they  knew 
God  hated  them.  If  God's  children  knew  that  others  were  leprobates,  it  would 
not  be  required  of  them  to  love  them ;  we  may  hate  those  that  w^e  know  God 
hates  ;  as  it  is  lawful  to  hate  the  devil,  anil  as  the  saints  at  the  day  of  judgment 
will  hate  the  wicked.  Some  have  been  too  apt  to  look  for  fire  from  heaven 
upon  particular  ministers  ;  and  this  has  naturally  excited  that  disposition  to  call 
for  it,  that  Christ  rebuked  in  his  disciples  at  Samaria.  For  my  part,  though  I 
believe  no  sort  of  men  on  earth  are  so  exposed  to  spiritual  judgments  as  wicked 
ministers,  yet  I  feel  no  disposition  to  treat  any  minister  as  if  I  supposed  that  he 
was  finally  rejected  of  God ;  for  I  cannot  but  hope  that  there  is  coming  a  day 
of  such  great  grace,  a  time  so  appointed  for  the  magnifying  the  riches  and 
sovereignty  of  divine  mercy,  beyond  what  ever  w^as,  that  a  great  number  of  un- 


IN   NKW   ENGLAND.  393 

converted  rainlsters  will  olitalii  mcrcv.  There  was  nosorl  of  persons  in  Christ's 
lime  that  were  so  i^uilty,  aiul  so  Ijardetied,  atul  towards  whom  Christ  manifoted 
such  great  indignation,  as  the  Priests  and  Scribes,  and  there  were  no  such  per- 
secutors of  Christ  anil  his  diseiples  as  the)  ;  and  yet  in  that  great  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  that  began  on  the  day  of  pentecost,  though  it  began  with  tiie  com- 
mon people,  yet  in  the  progress  of  the  work,  after  a  while,  a  i;real  c.nmi,anij  of 
priests  in  .hrusalem  icere  obedient  to  the  faith,  Acts  vi.  7.  And  Saul,  one  of 
the  niost  violent  of  all  the  persecuting  Pharisees,  became  afterwards  the  greatest 
promoter  of  the  work  of  God  that  ever  was.  I  hope  we  shall  yet  see  in  many 
instances  a  fulfilment  of  that  in  Isa.  xxix.  24,  "  They  also  that  erred  in  spirit 
shall  come  to  understanding,  and  they  that  murmured'shall  learn  doctrine." 

Nothing  has  been  gained  by  this  practice.  The  end  that  some  have  aimed 
at  in  it  has  not  been  obtained,  nor  is  ever  like  to  be.  Possibly  some  have 
openly  censured  ministers,  and  encouraged  their  people's  uneasiness  under  tliem, 
in  hojies  that  it  would  soon  come  to  that,  that  the  unerusiness  would  be  so  gen- 
eral, and  so  great,  that  unconverted  ministers  in  general  would  be  cast  ol}',  and 
that  then  thiri^s  would  go  on  happily  :  but  there  is  no  likelihood  of  it.  The 
devil  indeed  has  obtained  his  end  ;  this  practice  has  bred  a  great  deal  of  unhap- 
piness  among  ministers  and  people,  has  spoiled  Christians'  enjoyment  of 
sabbaths,  and  made  them  their  most  uneasy,  micomfortable  and  improfitable 
days,  and  has  stirred  up  great  contention,  and  set  all  in  a  llame ;  and  in  one  place 
and  another  where  there  was  a  glorious  work  of  God's  Spirit  beijfun,  it  has 
in  a  great  measure  knocked  all  in  the  head,  and  their  ministers  hold  their 
places.  Some  have  aimed  at  abetter  end  in  censuring  ministers  ;  they  have 
supposed  it  to  be  a  likely  means  to  awaken  them  :  wherejis  indeed,  there  is  no 
one  thing  has  had  so  great  a  tendency  to  prevent  the  awakening  of  disaffected 
ministers  in  general  :  anil  no  one  thing  has  actually  had  such  influence  to  lock 
np  the  minds  of  ministers  against  any  good  elfect  of  this  great  work  of  God  in 
tlie  land  upon  their  minds  in  this  respect :  1  have  known  instances  of  some  that 
seemed  to  be  much  moved  by  the  first  appearance  of  this  work,  but  since  have 
seemed  to  be  greatly  deadened  by  what  has  appeared  of  this  nature.  And  if 
there  be  one  or  two  instances  of  ministers  that  have  been  awakened  by  it,  tliere 
are  ten  to  one  on  whom  it  has  had  a  contrary  influence.  The  worst  enemies  of  this 
work  have  been  inwardly  eased  oy  this  practice  ;  ihry  have  made  a  shield  of  it 
to  defend  their  consciences,  and  have  been  glad  that  it  has  been  carried  to  so  great 
a  length  ;  at  the  same  time  that  they  have  looked  upon  it,  and  improved  it,  as  a 
door  opened  for  them  to  be  more  bold  in  opposing  the  work  in  general. 

Tliere  is  no  such  dreadful  danger  of  natural  men's  being  undone  by  our  for- 
bearing thus  to  censure  them,  and  can-ying  it  towards  them  as  visible  Chris- 
tians ;  it  will  be  no  bloody,  hell- peopling  charity,  as  some  seem  to  suppose, 
when  it  is  known  that  we  do  not  treat  them  iis  Christians,  because  we  have 
taken  it  upon  us  to  pass  a  judgment  on  their  state,  on  any  trial,  or  exercise  of 
our  skill  in  examining  and  discerning  them,  but  only  as  allowing  them  to  be 
worthy  of  a  public  charity,  on  their  profession  and  ijnod  external  behavior ; 
any  more  than  Judas  was  in  danger  of  being  deceived,  by  Christ's  trealinsr  him 
a  longtime  as  a  disciple,  and  sending  him  forth  as  an  apostle,  (because  he  did  not 
then  take  it  upon  him  to  act  as  the  .Judge  and  Searcher  of  hearts,  but  only  as  the 
Head  of  the  visible  church).  Indeed,  such  a  charity  as  this  may  be  abu.se<l  by 
some,  as  every  thing  is,  and  will  be,  that  is  in  its  own  nature  proper,  and  of  never  so 
good  tendency.  I  say  nothing  against  dealing  thoroughly  with  conscience,  by  the 
most  convincing  and  searching  dispensation  of  the  word  of  God :  I  do  not  desire 
that  that  sword^should  be  sheathed,  or  gently  haniUed  by  ministers  j  but  let  it  be 

Vol.  III.  50 


394  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

used  as  a  two  edged  sword,  to  pierce,  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  soul  and  spirit, 
joints  and  marrow ;  let  conscience  be  dealt  with,  without  any  compliments ;  let 
ministers  handle  it  in  flaming  fire,  without  having  any  more  mercy  on  it,  ihan  the 
furnace  has  on  those  metals  that  are  tried  in  it.  But  let  us  let  men's  persons 
alone  :  let  the  word  of  God  judge  them,  but  do  not  let  us  take  it  upon  us  until 
we  have  warrant  for  it. 

Some  have  been  ready  to  censure  ministers  because  they  seem,  in  com- 
parison of  some  other  ministers,  to  be  very  cold  and  lifeless  in  their  ministerial  per- 
formances. But  then  it  should  be  considered  that  for  aught  we  know,  God  may 
hereafter  raise  up  ministers  of  so  much  more  excellent  and  heavenly  qualifica- 
tions, and  so  much  more  spiritual  and  divine  in  their  performances,  that  there 
may  appear  as  great  a  difference  between  them,  and  those  that  now  seem  the  most 
lively,  as  there  is  now  between  them,  and  others  that  are  called  dead  and  sap- 
less ;  and  those  that  are  now  called  lively  ministers  may  appear  to  then-  hear- 
ers, when  they  compare  them  with  others  that  shall  excel  them,  as  wretchedly 
mean,  and  their  performances  poor,  dead,  dry  things ;  and  many  may  be  ready 
to  be  prejudiced  against  them,  as  accounting  them  good  for  nothing,  and  it 
may  be  calling  them  soul  murderers.  What  a  poor  figure  may  we  suppose, 
the  most  lively  of  us,  and  those  that  are  most  admired  by  the  people,  do  make 
in  the  eyes  of  one  of  the  saints  of  heaven,  any  otherwise  than  as  their  deadness, 
deformity,  and  rottenness  is  hid  by  the  vail  of  Christ's  righteousness  ? 

Another  thing  that  has  been  supposed  to  be  sufficient  warrant  for  openly 
censuring  ministers  as  unconverted,  is  their  opposing  this  work  of  God,  that  has 
lately  been  carried  on  in  the  land.  And  there  can  be  no  doubt  with  me  but 
that  opposition  against  this  work  may  be  such,  as  to  render  either  ministers  or 
people  truly  scandalous,  and  to  expose  them  to  public  ecclesiastical  censure ; 
and  that  ministers  hereby  may  utterly  defeat  the  design  of  the  ministry,  as  I  ob- 
served before  ;  and  so  give  their  people  just  cause  of  uneasiness  ;  I  should  not 
think  that  any  person  had  power  to  oblige  me  constantly  to  attend  the  ministry 
of  one,  who  "did  from  time  to  time,  plainly  pray  and  preach  against  this  work, 
or  speak  reproachfully  of  it  frequently  in  his  public  performances,  after  all 
Christian  methods  had  been  used  for  a  remedy,  and  to  no  purpose. 

But  as  to  determining  how  far  opposing  this  work  is  consistent  with  a  state 
of  grace,  or  how  far,  and  for  how  long  time,  some  persons  of  good  experience 
in  their  own  souls,  through  prejudices  they  have  received  from  the  errors  that 
have  been  mixed  with  this  work,  or  through  some  peculiar  disadvantages  they 
are  under  to  behold  things  in  a  right  view  of  them,  by  reason  of  the  persons 
they  converse  with,  or  their  own  cold  and  dead  frames,  is,  as  experience  shows,  a 
very  difficult  thing ;  I  have  seen  that  which  abundantly  convinces  me  that  the 
business  is  too  high  for  me ;  I  am  glad  that  God  has  not  committed  such  a  difficult 
aflfair  to  me ;  I  can  joyfully  leave  it  wholly  in  his  hands  who  is  infinitely  fit  for 
it,  without  meddling  at  all  with  it  myself.  We  may  represent  it  as  exceeding 
dangerous  to  oppose  this  work,  for  this  we  have  good  warrant  in  the  word  of 
God  ;  but  I  know  of  no  necessity  we  are  under  to  determine  whether  it  be  pos- 
sible for  those  that  are  guilty  of  it  to  be  in  a  state  of  grace  or  no. 

God  seems  so  strictly  to  have  forbidden  this  practice,  of  our  judging  our 
brethren  in  the  visible  church,  not  only  because  he  knew  that  we  were  too 
much  of  babes,  infinitely  too  weak,  fallible,  and  blind,  to  be  well  capacitated 
for  it,  but  also  because  he  knew  that  it  was  not  a  work  suited  to  our  proud 
hearts  ;  that  it  v.'ould  be  setting  us  vastly  too  high,  and  making  us  too  much 
lords  over  our  fellow  creatures.  Judging  our  brethren  and  passing  a  condem- 
natory sentence  upon  them,  seems  to  carry  in  it  an  act  of  authority,  especially 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  395 

m  so  c:rcat  a  case,  to  sentence  them  \vith  respect  to  that  slate  of  their  hearts, 
ou  which  depends  tlicir  Hal)ieness  to  eternal  ilainnation  ;  as  is  evident  hv  such 
interroi^^atioiis  as  these  (to  hear  which  from  (iod's  mouth,  is  enoii^rh  to'  make 
us  shrink  into  nothimjj  with  shame  and  cont'ui^ion,  and  a  sense  of  our  own  hhnd- 
ness  ami  worthlessness),Rom.  xiv.4,"  Who  art  thou  that  judf^est  another  man's 
servant  ?  To  his  own  master  he  standetli  or  falleth/'  And  Jam.  iv.  1-2,  "  There 
is  one  lawgiver  that  is  able  to  save  and  to  de-stroy ;  who  art  thou  that  judgest 
another '?"  Our  wise  and  merciful  Shepherd  has  i,m  aciously  taken  rare  not  to 
lay  in  our  way  such  a  temptation  to  pride ;  he  has  cut  up  all  such  poison  out  of 
our  pasture  ;  and  therefore  we  shouKl  not  desire  to  have  it  restored.  Blessed 
be  his  name,  that  he  has  not  laid  such  a  temptation  in  the  way  of  my  pride !  1 
know  that  in  order  to  be  fit  for  this  business  I  must  not  only  be  vastly  more 
knowing,  but  more  humble  than  I  am. 

Thou<rh  1  believe  some  of  God's  own  children  have  of  late  been  very 
guilty  in  this  matter,  yet  by  what  is  said  of  it  in  the  Scripture,  it  appears  to  me 
very  likely,  that  before  thwe  thin<^s  which  God  has  lately  begun,  liave  an  end, 
God  will  awfully  rebuke  that  practice;  may  it  in  sovereign  and  infinite  mercy 
be  prevented,  by  the  deep  and  open  humiliation  of  those  that  have  openly 
practised  it. 

As  this  practice  ought  to  be  avoided,  so  should  all  such  open,  visible,  marks 
i>f  distinction  and  separation  that  imply  it  ;  as  particularly,  distinguishinir  such 
'IS  we  have  judged  to  be  in  a  converted  state  with  the  compellations  of  brother 
or  sister  ;  any  further  than  there  is  a  visible  ecclesiastical  distinction.  In  those 
places  where  it  is  the  manner  to  receive  such,  and  such  only  to  the  coimnunion 
of  the  visible  church,  as  recommend  theuiselve.s  by  giving  a  satisfying  account 
of  their  inwaid  experiences,  there  Christians  may  openly  distinguish  such  per- 
sons, in  their  speech  and  ordinaiy  behavior,  with  a  visible  separation,  without 
being  inconsistent  with  themselves  :  and  I  do  not  now  jiretend  to  meddle  with 
that  controversy,  whether  such  an  account  of  experience  be  requisite  to  church 
fellowship  :  but  certainly,  to  admit  persons  to  commiuiion  with  us  as  brethren 
in  the  visible  church,  and  then  visibly  to  reject  them,  and  to  make  an  open 
distinction  between  thein  and  others,  by  different  names  or  appellations,  is  to  be 
inconsistent  with  ourselves  ;  it  is  to  make  a  visible  church  within  a  visible 
church,  and  visibly  to  divide  between  sheep  and  goats,  setting  one  on  the  right 
hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left. 

This  bitter  root  of  censoriousness  must  be  totally  rooted  out,  as  we  would 
prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord.  It  has  nourished  and  upheld  many  other  things 
contrary  to  the  humility,  meekness,  and  love  of  the  gospel.  The  minds  of  many 
have  received  an  unhappy  turn,  in  some  respects,  with  their  religion  :  there  is 
a  certain  point  or  sharpness,  a  disposition  to  a  kind  of  warmth,  that  doc-s  not 
savor  of  that  meek,  lamblike,  sweet  disposition  that  becomes  Christians :  many 
have  now  been  so  long  habituated  to  it,  that  they  do  not  know  how  to  i^et  out 
of  it ;  but  we  must  get  out  of  it ;  the  point  atid  sharpness  must  be  blunted,  and 
we  must  learn  another  way  of  manift>sting  our  zeal  tor  God. 

There  is  a  way  of  reflecting  on  others,  and  censuring  them  in  open  prayer, 
that  some  have  I  which  though  it  has  a  fair  show  of  love,  yet  is  in(lee(l  the 
boldest  way  of  reproaching  others  imaginable,  because  there  is  implied  in  it  an 
appeal  to  the  most  high  God,  concerning  the  truth  of  their  censures  and  re- 
llections. 

And  here  I  would  also  observe  by  the  way,  that  some  have  a  way  of  join- 
ing a  sort  of  imprecations  with  their  petitions 'for  othei-s,  though  but  conditional 
on^,  that  appear  to  me  wholly  nefeUess  and  improper :  they  pray  that  otheni 


396  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

may  either  be  converted  or  removed.  I  never  heard  nor  read  of  any  such 
thing  practised  in  the  church  of  God  until  nov^-,  unless  it  be  with  respect  tc 
some  of  the  most  visibly  and  notoriously  abandoned  enemies  of  the  church  oi 
God.  This  is  a  sort  of  cursing  men  in  our  prayers,  adding  a  curse  with  our 
blessing  ;  whejeas  the  rule  is,  bless  and  curse  not.  To  pray  that  God  would 
kill  another,  is  to  curse  him  with  the  like  curse  wherewith  Elisha  cursed  the 
children  that  came  out  of  Bethel.  And  the  case  must  be  very  great  and  extra- 
ordinary indeed  to  warrant  it,  unless  we  were  pi'ophets,  and  did  not  speak  our 
own  worils,  but  words  indited  by  the  immediate  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
It  is  pleaded  that  if  God  has  no  design  of  converting  others,  it  is  best  for  them, 
as  well  as  best  for  others,  that  they  should  be  immediately  taken  away  and 
sent  to  hell  before  they  have  contracted  more  guilt.  To  which  I  would  say, 
that  so  it  was  best  that  those  children  that  met  Elisha,  seeing  God  had  no  de- 
sign of  converting  them,  should  die  immediately  as  they  did  ;  but  yet  Elisha's 
imprecating  that  sudden  death  upon  ihera,  was  cursing  them  ;  and  therefore, 
would  not  have  been  lawful  for  one  that  did  not  speak  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  as  a  prophet. 

And  then  if  we  give  way  to  such  things  as  these,  where  shall  we  stop  1  A 
child  that  suspects  he  has  an  unconverted  father  and  mother,  may  pray  openly 
that  his  father  and  mother  may  either  be  converted,  or  taken  away  and  sent  to 
hell  now  quickly,  before  their  guilt  is  greater.  (For  unconvei'ted  parents  are 
as  likely  to  poison  the  souls  of  their  family  in  their  manner  of  training  them 
up,  as  unconverted  ministers  are  to  poison  their  people.)  And  so  it  might  come 
to  that,  that  it  might  be  a  common  thing  all  over  the  country,  for  children  to 
pray  after  this  manner  concerning  their  parents,  and  brethren  and  sisters  concern- 
ing one  another,  and  husbands  concerning  their  wives,  and  wives  concerning 
husbands ;  and  so  for  persons  to  pray  concerning  all  their  unconverted  friends  and 
neighbors :  and  not  only  so,  but  we  may  also  pray  concerning  all  those  saints 
that  are  not  lively  Christians,  that  they  may  either  be  enlivened  or  taken  away ; 
if  that  be  true  that  is  often  said  by  some  at  this  day,  that  these  cold  dead  saints 
do  more  hurt  than  natural  men,  and  lead  more  souls  to  hell,  and  that  it  would 
be  well  for  mankind  if  they  were  all  dead. 

How  needless  are  such  petitions  or  imprecations  as  these  ?  What  benefit  is 
there  of  them  ?  Why  is  it  not  sufficient  ibr  us  to  pray  that  God  would  provide 
for  his  church,  and  the  good  of  souls,  and  take  care  of  his  own  flock,  and  give 
it  needtul  means  and  advantages  for  its  s})iritual  prosperity  ?  Does  God  need 
to  be  directed  by  us  in  what  way  he  shall  do  it  1  What  need  we  ask  of  God 
to  do  it  by  killing  such  and  such  persons,  if  he  does  not  convert  them  ?  Unless 
we  delight  in  the  thoughts  of  God's  answering  us  in  such  terrible  ways,  and 
with  such  awful  manifestations  of  his  wrath  to  our  fellow  creatures. 

And  why  do  not  ministers  direct  sinners  to  pray  for  themselves,  that  God 
would  either  convert  them  or  kill  tliem,  and  send  them  to  hell  now,  before  their 
guilt  is  greater  ?  In  this  way  we  should  lead  persons  in  the  next  place  to  self- 
murder  :  for  many  probably  would  soon  begin  to  think  that  that  which  they  may 
pray  for,  they  may  seek,  and  use  the  means  of 

Some  with  whom  I  have  discoursed  about  this  way  of  praying,  have  said, 
that  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  it  were,  forces  them  to  utter  themselves  thus,  as  it 
were  foi-ces  out  such  words  from  their  mouths,  when  otherwise  they  should  not 
dare  to  utter  them.  But  such  a  kind  of  impulse  does  not  look  like  the  influence 
of  the  Soirit  of  God.  The  Spirit  of  God  sometimes  strongly  inclines  men  to 
utter  words  :  but  not  by  putting  expressions  into  the  mouth,  and  uiging  to  utter 
them  5  but  by  filling  the  heart  with  a  sense  of  divine  things,  and  holy  affections ; 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  397 

anil  those  affections  and  that  sense  induie  the  mouth  to  speak.  That  other 
way  of  ineti's  being  uij^od  to  use  certain  expressions,  by  an  unaccountdble  force, 
is  very  probably  iroin  the  iiilhience  of  the  spirit  of  the  devil. 

'2.  Another  thini^  I  would  take  notice  of,  in  the  niana<;;einent  of  whicli  there 
has  been  uuich  error  and  iniseondiict,  is,  lay  exhorting  ;  about  whieh  there  has 
been  abundance  of  disputing,  jangling,  ami  contention. 

In  the  midst  of  all  the  disputes  that  have  been,  I  suppose  that  all  arc  agreed 
as  to  these  two  things,  viz. 

1.  That  all  exhorting  one  another  of  laymen  is  not  uidawful  or  improper, 
but  on  the  contrary,  that  some  exhorting  is  a  Christian  <luty.     And, 

2.  I  suppose  also,  all  will  allow  that  there  is  something  that  is  proj)i'r  only 
for  ministers ;  that  Iht-re  is  some  kinil  or  way  of  exhorting  and  teaching  or  other, 
that  helongs  only  to  fkc  o//lce  nj  tmcheys.  All  will  allow,  that  (iod  lias  ap- 
pointed such  an  office  as  that  of  teachers  in  tiie  Christian  church,  and  therefore, 
doubtless  will  allow  that  something  or  other  is  proper  and  peculiar  to  thai  office, 
or  some  business  of  teaching  that  belongs  to  it,  that  does  not  belong  as  much  to 
others  as  to  them. 

If  there  be  any  way  of  teaching  that  is  peculiar  to  that  office,  then,  for 
others  to  take  that  upon  them,  is  to  invade  the  office  of  a  minister ;  which 
doubtless  is  very  sinful,  and  is  often  so  represented  in  Scripture.  But  tlie  great 
difficulty  is  to  settle  the  bounds,  and  to  tell  exactly,  how  far  laymen  may  go, 
and  when  they  exceed  their  limits;  which  is  a  matter  of  so  much  diliicully, 
that  I  do  not  wonder  if  many  in  tlieir  zeal  have  transgressed.  The  two  ways 
of  teaching  and  exhorting,  the  one  of  which  ought  ordmarily  to  be  left  to  min- 
isters, and  the  other  of  which  may  and  ought  to  be  practised  by  the  people,  may 
be  expressed  by  those  two  names  of  preaching,  and  exhortin^^  in  a  way  of 
Christian  conversation. — But  then  a  great  ileal  of  ditficulty  and  controversy 
arises  to  determine  what  is  preaching,  and  what  is  Christian  conversiiiion. 
However,  I  will  humbly  ofler  my  thoughts  concern'mg  this  subject  of  lay  ex- 
horting, as  follows. 

I.  The  common  people  in  exhorting  one  another  ought  not  to  clothe  them- 
selves with  the  like  aulhorit}-  with  that  which  is  proper  for  ministers.  There  is 
a  certain  authority  that  ministers  have,  and  should  exercise  in  teaching,  as  well 
as  governing  the  llock.  Teaching  is  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  an  act  of  authority, 
1  Tim.  ii.  12.  In  order  to  a  man's  preaching,  special  authority  must  be  com- 
mitted to  him.  Rom.  x.  15,  "  How  shall  they  preach  except  they  be  sent  ?" 
Ministers  in  this  work  of  teaching  and  exhorting  are  clothed  with  authority,  as 
Christ's  messengers  (Mai.  ii.  7),  and  as  representing  him,  and  so  speaking  in  his 
name,  and  in  his  stead,  2  Cor.  v.  18,  19,  20.  And  it  seerns  to  be  the  most 
honorable  thing  that  belongs  to  the  office  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  that  to 
him  is  committed  the  word  of  reconciliation,  and  that  he  has  power  to  preach 
the  gospel,  as  Christ's  messenger,  and  speaking  in  his  name.  The  apostle  seems 
to  speak  of  it  as  such,  1  Cor.  i.  16,  17.  Ministers  therefore,  in  the  exercise  of 
this  power,  may  clothe  themselves  with  authority  in  speaking,  or  may  teach 
others  in  an  authoritative  manner.  Tit.  ii.  15,  "  These  things  speak  and  exhort, 
and  rebuke  with  all  authority :  let  no  man  despise  thee."  But  the  common 
people  in  exhorting  one  another,  ought  not  thus  to  exhort  in  an  authoritative 
manner.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  difference  between  teaching  as  a  father 
amongst  a  company  of  children,  and  counselling  in  a  brotherly  way,  as  the 
children  may  kindly  counsel  and  admonish  one  another.  Those  that  are  mere 
brethren,  ought  not  to  assume  authority  in  exhorting,  though  one  may  be  better, 
and  have  more  experience  than  another.     Laymen  ought  not  to  exhori  as 


398  REVIVyVL  OF  RELIGION 

though  they  were  the  ambassadors  or  messengers  of  Christ,  as  ministers  do ;  nor 
should  they  exhort  antl  warn  and  charge  in  his  name,  according  to  the  ordinary- 
import  of  such  an  expression,  when  applied  to  teaching:  indeed  in  one  sense,  a 
Christian  ought  to  do  every  tiling  he  does  in  religion  in  the  name  of  Christ,  i.  e., 
he  ouo-bt  to  act  in  a  dependence  on  him  as  his  head  and  mediator,  and  do  all  for 
his  glory :  but  the  expression  as  it  is  usually  understood  when  applied  to  teaching 
or  exhorting,  is  speaking  in  Christ's  stead,  and  as  having  a  message  from  him. 
Persons  may  clothe  tliemselves  with  authority  in  speaking,  either  by  the  au- 
thoritative words  they  make  use  of,  or  in  the  manner,  and  authoritative  air  of 
their  speaking  :  though  some  may  think  that  this  latter  is  a  matter  of  indiffer- 
ency,  or  at  least  of  small  importance,  yet  there  is  indeed  a  great  deal  in  it:  a 
person  may  go  much  out  of  his  place,  and  be  guilty  of  a  great  degree  of  assum- 
ing, in  the  manner  of  his  speaking  those  w^ords,  which  as  they  might  be  spoken, 
might  be  proper  for  him :  the  same  words  spoken  in  a  different  manner,  may 
express  what  is  very  diverse  :  doubtless  there  may  be  as  much  hurt  in  the  man- 
ner of  a  person's  speaking,  as  there  may  be  in  his  looks  ;  but  the  wise  man  tells 
us,  that  a  high  look  is  an  ahomination  to  the  Lord,  Prov.  xxi.  4.  Again,  a  man 
may  clothe  himself  with  authority,  in  the  circumstances  under  which  he  speaks, 
as  for  instance,  if  he  sets  himself  up  as  a  jmhlic  teacher.  Here  I  would  have  it 
observed,  that  I  do  not  suppose  that  a  peison  is  guilty  of  this,  merely  because  he 
speaks  in  the  hearing  of  many  :  persons  may  speak,  and  speak  only  in  away  of 
conveisation,  and  yet  speak  in  the  hearing  of  a  great  number,  as  they  often  do 
in  their  common  conversation  about  temporal  things,  at  feasts  and  entertain- 
ments, where  women  as  well  as  others,  do  converse  freely  together  aboul 
worldly  things,  in  the  hearing  of  a  considerable  number,  and  it  may  happen  to  be 
in  the  hearing  of  a  great  number,  and  yet  w'ithout  offence  :  and  if  their  conver- 
sation on  such  occasions  should  turn  on  spiritual  things,  and  they  should  speak 
as  freely  and  openly,  I  do  not  see  why  it  would  not  be  as  harmless.  Nor  do  I 
think  that  if  besides  a  gi'eat  number  being  present,  persons  speak  w^ith  a  very 
earnest  and  loud  voice,  this  is  for  them  to  set  up  themselves  as  public  teachers, 
if  they  do  it  from  no  contrivance  or  premeditated  design,  or  as  purposely  direct- 
ing themselves  to  a  congregation  or  multitude,  and  not  speaking  to  any  that  are 
composed  to  the  solemnity  of  any  public  service ;  but  speaking  in  the  time  of 
conversation,  or  a  time  when  all  do  freely  converse  one  with  another,  they  ex- 
press what  they  then  feel,  directing  themselves  to  none  but  those  that  are  near 
them,  and  fall  in  their  way,  speaking  in  that  earnest  and  pathetical  manner,  to 
which  the  subject  they  are  speaking  of,  and  the  affecting  sense  of  their  souls 
naturally  leads  them,  and  as  it  were  constrains  them  :  I  say  that  for  persons  to 
do  thus,  though  many  happen  to  hear  them,  yet  it  does  not  appear  to  me  to  be 
a  setting  themselves  up  as  public  teachers  :  yea,  if  this  be  added  to  these  other 
circumstances,  that  all  this  happens  to  be  in  a  meeting  house :  I  do  not  think 
that  merely  its  being  in  such  a  place,  much  alters  the  case,  provided  the  so- 
lemnity of  public  service  and  divine  ordinances  be  over,  and  the  solemn  assembly 
broke  up,  and  some  stay  in  thp  house  for  mutual  religious  conversation ;  provided 
also  that  they  speak  in  no  authoritative  way,  but  in  a  humble  manner,  becoming 
their  degree  and  station,  though  they  speak  very  earnestly  and  pathetically. 

Indeed  modesty  might,  in  ordinary  cases,  restrain  some  persons,  as  women, 
and  those  that  are  young,  from  so  much  as  speaking,  when  a  great  number  are 
present ;  at  least  when  some  of  those  present  are  much  their  superiors,  unleijs 
they  are  spoken  to ;  and  yet  the  case  may  be  so  extraordinary,  as  fully  to  war- 
rant it.  If  soirething  very  extraordinary  happens  to  persons,  or  if  they  are  in 
extraordinary  circumstances  ;  as  if  a  person  be  struck  with  lightning,  in  the  midst . 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  399 

of  a  great  company,  or  if  he  lies  a  dying,  it  appears  to  none  any  violation  of 
modesty,  for  him  to  sjieak  fiedy,  before  those  that  are  much  his  superiors.  I 
have  seen  some  women  and  cliihiren  in  such  circumstances,  nti  relii;ious  accounts, 
that  it  has  appeared  to  me  no  more  a  transgressing  the  laws  of  humility  and 
moilesty,  for  them  to  speak  freely,  let  who  will  be  present,  than  if  they  were 
dying. 

But  then  may  a  man  be  said  to  set  up  himself  as  a  public  teacher,  when  he 
in  a  set  speech,  of  design,  directs  himself  to  a  multitude,  tither  in  the  meeting- 
house or  elsewhere,  as  looking  that  they  should  compose  themselves  to  attend  to 
what  he  has  to  say  ;  and  much  more  when  this  is  a  contrived  and  premeditated 
thing,  without  any  thing  like  a  constraint,  by  any  e.vtraordinary  sense  or  affec- 
tion that  he  is  then  under;  and  more  still,  when  meetings  are  appointed  on  pur- 
pose to  hear  lay  persons  exhort,  and  they  take  it  as  their  business  to  be  speakers 
while  they  expect  that  others  should  come,  and  compose  themselves,  anil  attend 
as  hearers ;  when  private  Christians  take  it  upon  them  in  priv;rte  meetings,  to 
act  as  the  mastei-s  or  presidents  of  the  assembly,  and  accordingly  irom  lime  to 
time  to  teach  and  exhort  the  rest,  this  has  the  appearance  of  authoritative 
teaching. 

When  private  Christians,  that  are  no  more  than  mere  brethren,  exhort  and 
admonish  one  another,  it  ought  to  be  in  a  humble  manner,  rather  by  way  of 
entreaty  than  with  authority ;  and  the  more  according  as  the  station  of  person.s 
is  lower.  Thus  it  becomes  women,  and  those  that  are  young,  ordinarily  to  be 
at  a  greater  distance  from  any  appearance  ot'  authority  in  speaking  than  others : 
thus  much  at  least  is  evident  by  that  in  1  Tim.  ii.  9,  11,  12. 

That  lay  persons  ought  not  to  exhort  one  another  as  clothed  with  authority, 
is  a  general  rule ;  but  it  cannot  justly  be  supposed  to  extend  to  heads  of  famihes 
in  their  own  families.  Every  Christian  famiJy  is  a  little  church,  and  the  heads 
of  it  are  its  authoritative  teachers  and  governors.  Nor  can  it  extend  to  school- 
masters among  their  scholars ;  and  some  other  cases  might  perhaps  be  raen- 
lioned,  that  ordinary  discretion  will  distinguish,  where  a  man's  circmnstances  do 
properly  clothe  him  with  authority,  and  render  it  fit  and  suitable  for  him  to 
counsel  and  admonish  othere  in  an  authoritative  manner. 

2.  No  man  but  only  a  minister  that  is  duly  appointed  to  that  sacred  calling, 
ought  to  follow  teaching  and  exhorting  as  a  ccJIing,  or  so  as  to  neglect  that 
which  is  his  prop'^r  calling. — An  having  the  office  of  a  teacher  in  the  church  of 
God  im])lies  two  things: 

1.  A  being  invested  with  the  authority  of  a  teacher  ;  and, 

2.  A  being  called  to  the  bicsiness  of  a  teacher,  to  make  it  the  business  ot 
his  life. 

Therefore  that  man  that  is  not  a  minister,  that  takes  either  of  these  upon 
him,  invades  the  office  of  a  minister.  Concerning  assuming  the  authorit)-  of  a 
minister  I  have  spoken  already.  But  if  a  layman  does  not  assume  authority  in 
his  teaching,  yet  if  he  forsakes  his  proper  calling,  or  doth  so  at  least  in  a  great 
measure,  and  spends  his  time  in  G:oing  about  from  house  to  house,  to  counsel 
and  exhort,  he  goes  beyond  his  line,  and  violates  Christian  rules.  Those  that 
have  the  office  of  teachers  or  exhorters,  have  it  for  their  calling,  and  should  make  it 
their  business,  as  a  business  proper  to  tlieir  office  ;  and  none  should  make  it  their 
business  but  such.— Rom.  xii.  3,  4,  5,  7,  8,  "  For  I  say,  through  the  grace  ^iven 
unto  me,  to  every  man  that  is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  himself  more  highly 
than  he  ought  to"^  think  ;  but  to  think  soberly,  according  as  (iod  hath  dealt  to 
every  man  the  proportion  of  faith.  For  as  we  have  many  members,  in  one 
body,  and  all  members  have  not  the  same  office ;  so  we  being  many,  are  one 


400  REVIVAL   OF  RELIGION 

body  in  Christ.  He  tliat  teacheth,  let  him  wait  on  teaching,  or  he  that  exhort- 
eth,  on  exhortation."  1  Cor.  xii.  29,  "  Are  all  apostles  1  Are  all  prophets  ? 
Are  all  teachers  V  1  Cor.  vii.  20,  "  Let  every  man  abide  in  the  same  calling 
wherein  he  was  called."  1  Thes.  iv.  11.  "  And  that  ye  study  to  be  quiet,  and 
to  do  your  own  business,  and  to  work  with  your  own  hands,  as  we  commanded 
you." 

It  will  be  a  very  dangerous  thing  for  laymen,  in  either  of  these  respects,  to 
invade  the  office  of  a  minister ;  if  this  be  common  among  us  we  shall  be  in 
danger  of  having  a  stop  put  to  the  word  of  God,  and  the  ark's  turning  aside 
from  us,  before  it  comes  to  mount  Zion,  and  of  God's  making  a  breach  upon 
us ;  as  of  old  there  was  an  unhappy  stop  put  to  the  joy  of  the  congregation  of 
Israel,  in  bringing  up  the  ark  of  God,  because  others  carried  it  besides  the  Le- 
vites  :  and  therefore,  David,  when  the  error  was  found  out,  says,  1  Chron.  xv. 
2,  "  None  ought  to  carry  the  ark  of  God  but  the  Levites  only  ;  for  them  hath 
the  Lord  chosen  to  carry  the  ark  of  God,  and  to  minister  unto  him  forever." 
And  because  one  presumed  to  touch  the  ark  that  was  not  of  the  sons  of  Aaron, 
therei'ore,  the  Lord  made  a  breach  upon  them,  and  covered  their  day  of  rejoic- 
ing with  a  cloud  in  his  anger. 

Before  I  dismiss  this  head  of  lay  exhorting,  I  would  take  notice  of  three 
things  relating  to  it,  upon  which  there  ought  to  be  a  restraint. 

1.  Speaking  in  the  time  of  the  solemn  worship  of  God,  as  public  prayer, 
singing,  or  preaching,  or  administration  of  the  sacrament  of  the  holy  supper  ;  or 
any  duty  of  social  worship  :  this  should  not  be  allowed.  I  know  it  will  be  said, 
that  in  some  cases,  when  persons  are  exceedingly  affected,  they  cannot  help  it; 
and  I  believe  so  too :  but  then  I  also  believe,  and  know  by  experience,  that 
there  are  several  things  that  contribute  to  that  inability,  besides  merely  and  ab- 
solutely the  sense  of  divine  things  they  have  upon  their  hearts.  Custom  and 
example,  or  the  thing's  being  allowed,  have  such  an  influence,  that  they  actu- 
ally help  to  make  it  impossible  for  persons  under  strong  affections  to  avoid 
speaking.  If  it  v/as  disallowed,  and  persons  at  the  time  that  they  v.'ere  thus 
disposed  to  break  out,  had  this  apprehension,  that  it  would  be  a  very  unbecom- 
ing, shocking  thing  for  them  so  to  do,  it  would  be  a  help  to  them,  as  to  their 
ability  to  avoid  it :  their  inability  arises  from  their  strong  and  vehement  dispo- 
sition;  and  so  far  as  that  disposition  is  from  a  good  principle,  it  would  be  weak- 
ened by  the  coming  in  of  this  thought  to  their  minds,  viz.,  "  What  I  am  going 
to  do,  will  be  for  the  dishonor  of  Christ  and  religion :"  and  so  that  inward  vehe- 
mence, that  pushed  them  forward  to  speak,  would  fall,  and  they  would  be  ena- 
bled to  avoid  it.     This  experience  confirms. 

2.  There  ought  to  be  a  moderate  restraint  on  the  loudness  of  persons  talking 
under  high  affections ;  for  if  there  be  not,  it  will  grow  natural  and  unavoidable 
for  persons  to  be  louder  and  louder,  without  any  increase  of  their  inward  sense ; 
until  it  becomes  natural  to  them,  at  last,  to  scream  and  halloo  to  almost  every 
one  they  see  in  the  streets,  when  they  are  much  affected  :  but  this  is  certainly  a 
thing  very  improper,  and  what  has  no  tendency  to  promote  religion.  The  man 
Christ  Jesus,  when  he  was  upon  earth,  had  doubtless  as  great  a  sense  of  the  in- 
finite greatness  and  importance  of  eternal  things,  and  the  worth  of  souls,  as  any 
have  now-a-days  ;  but  there  is  not  the  least  appearance  in  his  history,  of  his 
taking  any  such  course,  or  manner  of  exhorting  others. 

3.  There  should  also  be  some  restraint  on  the  abundance  of  person's  talk, 
under  strong  affections ;  for  if  persons  give  themselves  an  unbounded  liberty,  to 
talk  just  so  much  as  they  feel  an  inclination  to,  they  will  increase  and  abound 
more  and  more  in  talk,  beyond  the  proportion  of  their  sense  or  affection  j  until 


I.V   NEW   ENGLAND. 


401 


at  length  it  will  become  inofnTtual  on  those  that  near  them,  and   ny  the  com- 
monness of  their  abundant  talk,  they  will  defeat  their  own  end. 

One  thing  more,  I  would  take  notice  of  b.-fore  I  conclude  this  part,  is  the 
mismanagement  that  has  been  in  S(»me  places  of  the  duty  of  singing  j)raises  to 
God.  I  !)elieve  it  to  have  been  one  fruit  of  the  cxIraordinarvMlrgrtes  of  the 
sweet  and  joyful  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  that  have  been  lately  given,  that 
there  has  appeared  such  a  disposition  to  abound  in  that  duty,  and  frequently  to 
fall  into  this  divine  exercise;  not  only  in  appointed  solemn  meetings,  but  when 
Christians  occasionally  meet  together  at  each  other's  houses.  Hut  the  mLsman- 
agement  I  have  respect  to,  is  tlie  getting  into  a  way  of  performing  it,  without 
almost  any  appearance  of  that  reverence  and  snlenjiiify  with  which  all  visible, 
open  acts  of  divine  worship  ought  to  be  attended;  it  may  be  two  or  three  in  a 
room  singing  hymns  of  praise  to  God,  others  that  are  present  talking  nt  the  same 
time,  others  about  their  work,  with  little  more  appearance  of  rciraTd  to  what  is 
doing,  than  if  some  were  only  singing  a  common  song,  for  ibeir  amusement  and 
diversion.  There  is  danger,  if  such  things  are  continued,  of  its  coming  to  that 
by  degrees,  that  a  mere  nothing  be  made  of  this  duty,  to  the  great  viofation  of 
the  third  commandment. — Let  Christians  abound  as  much  as  they  will  in  this 
holy,  heavenly  exercise,  in  God's  house  and  in  their  own  houses ;  but  when  it 
is  performed,  let  it  be  performed  as  a  holy  act,  wherein  they  have  immediately 
and  visibly  to  do  with  God. — When  any  social  open  act  of  devotion,  or  solemn 
worship  of  God  is  performed,  GotI  should  be  reverenced  as  visibly  present,  by 
those  that  are  present.  As  we  would  not  have  the  ark  of  God  depart  from'  us, 
nor  provoke  God  to  make  a  breach  upon  us,  we  should  take  heed  that  we  han- 
dle the  ark  WMth  reverence. 

With  respect  to  companies  singing  in  the  streets,  going  to,  or  coming  from, 
the  place  of  public  worship,  I  would  humbly  offer  niy  thoughts  in  the  follow- 
ing particulars. 

1.  The  rule  of  Christ  conccvn'm^  putting  new  unne  into  old  bottles,  does  un- 
doubtedly take  place  in  things  of  this  nature,  supposing  it  to  be  a  thing  that  in 
itself  is  good,  but  not  essential,  and  not  particularly  enjoined  or  forbidden.     For 
things,  so  very  new  and  uncommon,  and  of  so  open  and  public  a  nature,  to  be 
suddenly  intioducefl  and  set  up  and  practised,  in  many  parts  of  the  country, 
without  the  matter's  being  so  much  as  first  proposed  to  any  public  consideration, 
or  giving  any  opportunity  for  the  people  of  God  to  weigh  the  matter,  or  to 
consider  any  reasons  that  might  be  ofl'ered  to  support  it,  is  putting  new  wine 
into  old  bottles  with  a  witness  ;  as  if  it  were  with  no  other  design  than  to  burst 
them  directly.     Nothing  else  can   be  expected  to  be  the  consequence  of  this, 
than  uproar  and  confusion,  and  great  offence,  and  unhappy  mischievous  disputes 
even  among  the  children  of  God  themselves :  not  that  that  which  is  good  in  it- 
self, and  is  new,  ouirht  to  be  forborne,  imtil  there  is  nobody  that  will  dislike  it; 
but  it  ought  to  be  forborne  imfil  the  visible  church  of  God" is  no  prepared  for  it, 
at  least,  that  there  is  a  probability  that  it  will  not  do  more  hurt  than  good,  or  hin- 
der the  work  of  God  more  than  promote  it ;  as  is  most  evident  from  Christ's  rule, 
and  the  apostles'  practice.     If  it  be  brought  in,  when  the  country  is  so  unpre- 
pared, that  the  shock  and  surprise  on  persons'  minds,  and  the  contention  and 
prejudice  against  religion,  that  it  is  like  to   be  an  occasion  of,  will  do  more  to 
hinder  religion,  than  the  practice  of  it  is  like  to  do  to  promote  it,  then  the  fruit  is 
picked  before  it  is  ripe.     And  indeed,  such  a  hasty  endeavor  to  introduce  such 
an  innovation,  supposing?  it  to  be  G^ood  in  itself,  is  the  likeliest  way  to  retard  the 
effectual  introduction  of  it ;  it  will  hind'T  its  being  extensively  introduced,  much 
more  than  it  will  promote  it,  and  so  will  defeat  its  own  end.     But, 
Vol   III  51 


402  REVIVAL  OF  RELlGIUw 

2.  As  to  the  thing  itse.f,  if  a  consideiable  part  of  a  congregation  have  oc- 
casion to  go  in  company  together  to  a  place  of  pubhc  worship,  asd  they  should 
ioin  together  in  singing  praises  to  God,  as  they  go,  I  confess,  that  after  long 
consideration,  and  endeavoring  to  view  the  thing  every  way,  with  the  utmost 
diligence  and  impartiality  I  am  capable  of,  I  cannot  find  any  valid  objection 
against  it.  As  to  the  common  objection  from  Matt.  vi.  5,  "  And  when  thou 
prayest,  thou  shalt  not  be  as  the  hypocrites  are :  for  they  love  to  pray  standing 
in  the  synagogues,  and  in  the  corners  of  the  streets,  that  they  may  be  seen  of 
men ;"  it  is  strong  against  a  single  person's  singing  in  the  streets,  or  in  the 
meeting-house,  by  himself,  as  oflering  to  God  personal  worship,  but  as  it  is 
brought  against  a  considerable  company,  their  thus  publicly  worshipping  God, 
it  appears  to  me  to  have  no  weight  at  all ;  to  be  sure,  it  is  of  no  more  force 
against  a  company's  thus  praising  God  in  the  streets,  than  against  their  praising 
him  in  the  synagogue  or  meeting-house,  for  the  streets  and  the  synagogues  are 
both  put  together  in  these  words  of  our  Saviour,  as  parallel  in  the  case  that  he 
had  respect  to.  It  is  evident  that  Christ  speaks  of  personal,  and  not  public 
\vorship.  If  to  sing  in  the  streets  be  ostentatious,  then  it  must  be  because  it  is 
a  public  place,  and  it  cannot  be  done  there  without  being  very  open  ;  but  it  is 
no  more  public  than  the  synagogue  or  meeting-house  is  when  full  of  people. 
Some  worship  is  in  its  nature  private,  as  that  which  is  proper  to  particular  per- 
sons, or  families,  or  private  societies,  and  has  respect  to  their  particular  concerns : 
but  that  which  I  now  speak  of,  is  performed  under  no  other  notion  than  a  part 
of  God's  public  worship,  without  any  relation  to  any  private,  separate  society,  or 
any  chosen  or  picked  number,  and  in  which  every  visible  Christian  has  equal 
liberty  to  join,  if  it  be  convenient  for  him,  and  he  has  a  disposition,  as  in  the 
"worship  that  is  performed  in  the  meeting-house. 

When  persons  are  going  to  the  house  of  public  worship,  to  serve  God  there 
with  the  assembly  of  his  people,  they  are  upon  no  other  design  than  that  of 
putting  public  honor  upon  God,  that  is  the  business  they  go  from  home  upon, 
and  even  in  their  walking  the  streets  on  this  errand,  they  appear  in  a  public  act 
of  respect  to  God ;  and  therefore  if  they  go  in  company  with  public  praise,  it  is 
not  a  being  public  when  they  ought  to  be  private.  It  is  one  part  of  the  beauty 
of  public  worship,  that  it  be  very  public  ;  the  more  public  it  is,  the  more  open 
honor  it  puts  upon  God;  and  especially  is  it  beautiful  in  that  part  of  public 
worship,  viz.,  public  praise  :  for  the  very  notion  of  public  praising  of  God,  is  to 
declare  abroad  his  glory,  to  publish  his  praise,  to  make  it  known,  and  proclaim 
it  aloud,  as  is  evident  by  innumerable  expressions  of  Scripture.  It  is  fit  that 
God's  honor  should  not  be  concealed,  but  made  known  in  the  great  congregation, 
and  proclaimed  before  the  sun,  and  upon  the  house-tops,  before  kings,  and  all 
nations,  and  that  his  praises  should  be  heard  to  the  utmost  ends  of  the  eaith. 

I  suppose  none  will  condemn  singmg  God's  praises,  merely  because  it  is 
performed  in  the  open  air,  and  not  in  a  close  place  :  and  if  it  may  be  performed 
by  a  company  in  the  open  air,  doubtless  they  may  do  it  moving,  as  well  as 
standing  still.  So  the  children  of  Israel  praised  God,  when  they  went  to  mount 
Zion,  with  the  ark  of  God ;  and  so  the  multitude  praised  Christ,  when  they 
entered  with  him  into  Jerusalem,  a  little  before  his  passion  ;  and  so  the  children 
of  Israel  were  wont,  from  year  to  year,  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  when  they  went 
in  companies,  from  all  parts  of  the  land,  three  times  in  the  year,  when  they 
often  used  to  manifest  the  engagedness  of  their  minds,  by  travelling  all  night,  and 
manifested  their  joy  and  gladness,  by  singing  praises,  with  great  decency  and  beau- 
ty, as  they  went  towards  God's  holy  mountain  ;  as  is  evident  by  Isa.  xxx.  29  : 
"  Ye  shall  have  a  song,  as  in  the  night  when  a  holy  solemnity  is  kept,  and  glad 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  403 

ness  of  heart ;  as  when  one  goelli  with  a  pipe,  to  come  into  the  mountain  of 
the  Lord,  to  the  mighty  one  of  Israel."  And  Psal.  xhi.  4,  "  Wli'-n  I  remember 
these  things,  I  pour  out  my  soul  in  me;  for  I  had  gone  with  thcnuiltituik',  1  went 
witli  them  to  tlie  house  ot  Goil,  with  the  voice  of  joy  and  praise,  witli  a  muUi- 
tude  that  kept  holy  chny."  Psal.  c.  4,  "  Knter  into  his  gates  with  thanksgiving, 
and  into  his  comts  witli  praise.''  Wlien  God's  people  are  going  to  his  house, 
the  occasion  is  so  joyful  to  a  Christian  in  a  lively  frame  (the  language  of  whose 
heart  is,  Come,  let  iis  go  i/p  to  th'^  house  of  the  Lord,  and  who  is  glad  when  it 
is  so  said  to  him),  that  the  duty  of  singing  praises  seems  to  be  peculiarly  beau- 
tiful on  such  an  occasion.  So  that  if  tlie  state  of  the  country  was  ripe  for  it, 
and  it  should  be  so  that  there  should  be  frequent  occ<u>ion  ior  a  considerable 
part  of  the  congregation  to  go  together  to  the  })laces  of  public  worship,  and 
there  was  in  other  respects  a  proportionable  appearance  of  fervency  of  devotion, 
it  appears  to  me  that  it  would  be  ravishiiigly  beautiful,  if  such  things  were  prac- 
tised all  over  the  land,  and  would  have  a  great  tendency  to  enliven,  animate, 
and  njoice  the  souls  of  God's  saints,  and  greatly  to  propagate  vital  religion. 
[  believe  the  time  is  coming  when  the  world  will  be  full  of  such  things. 

3.  It  seems  to  me  to  be  requisite  that  there  should  be  the  consent  of  the  gov- 
erning part  of  the  worshipping  societies,  to  which  persons  have  joined  them- 
selves, and  of  which  they  own  themselves  a  part,  in  order  to  the  introducing  of 
things  in  public  worship,  so  new  and  uncommon,  and  not  essential,  nor  particu- 
larly commanded,  into  the  places  where  those  worshipping  societies  belong: 
the  peace  and  union  of  such  societies  seem  to  require  itj  seeing  they  have  vol- 
tmtarily  united  themselves  to  these  worshipping  societies,  to  that  end,  that  they 
might  be  one  in  the  affairs  of  God's  public  worship,  and  oblige  themselves  in 
covenant  to  act  as  brethren  and  mutual  assistants,  and  members  of  one  body,  in 
those  alfairs,  and  all  are  hereby  naturally  and  necessarily  led  to  be  concerned 
wnth  one  another,  in  matters  of  religion  and  God's  worehip  ;  and  seeing  that 
this  is  a  part  of  the  public  worship,  and  worship  that  must  be  perfornied  from 
time  to  time  in  the  view  of  the  whole,  being  performed  at  a  time  when  they  are 
meeting  together  for  mutual  assistance  in  worship,  and  therefore  that  which  all 
must  unavoidably  be  in  some  measure  concerneil  in,  so  at  least  as  to  show  their 
approbation  and  consent,  or  open  dislike  and  separation  from  them  in  it ;  I  say, 
it  being  thus,  charity  and  a  regard  to  the  union  and  peace  of  such  societies, 
seems  to  require  a  consent  of  the  governing  part,  in  order  to  the  introducing  of  any- 
thing of  this  nature ;  (unless  they  think  those  societies  unworthy  that  they  should 
be  joined  to  them  any  longer,  and  so  first  renounce  them,  as  the  worshipping 
societies  of  which  they  are  members).  Certainly  if  we  are  of  the  spirit  of  the 
Apostle  Paul,  and  have  his  discretion,  we  shall  not  set  up  any  such  practice 
without  it :  he,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  conformed,  in  things  wherein  he  was  not 
particularly  forbidden,  to  the  Jews,  when  among  them  ;  and  so  when  among 
those  that  were  without  the  law,  conformed  to  lliem,  wherein  he  might.  To  l)e 
sure,  those  go  beyond  proper  limits,  who,  coming  from  abroad,  do  immediately 
of  their  own  heads,  in  a  strange  place,  set  up  such  a  new  and  uncommon  prac- 
(ice,  among  a  people. 

In  introducing  any  thing  of  this  nature  among  a  people,  their  minister  espe- 
cially ought  to  be  consulted,  and  his  voice  taken,  as  lon^  as  he  is  owned  for 
their  minister.  Ministers  are  pastore  of  worshipping  societies,  and  their  heads 
and  guides  in  the  affairs  of  public  worship.  They  are  called  in  Scripture  those 
that  rule  over  them,  and  their  people  are  commanded  to  obey  them,  because  they 
xmtch  for  their  souls  as  those  that  must  ^ive  account.     If  it  belongs  to  these 


404  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

shepherds  and  rulers  to  du-ect  and  guide  the  fiock  in  any  thing  at  all,  it  belongs 
to  them  so  to  do  in  the  circumstantials  of  their  public  worship. 

Thus  I  have  taken  particular  notice  of  many  of  those  things  that  have  ap- 
peared to  me  to  be  auiiss,  in  the  management  of  our  religious  concerns,  relating 
to  the  present  revival  of  religion,  and  have  taken  liberty  freely  to  express  my 
thoughts  upon  them.  Upon  the  whole  it  appears  manifest  to  me,  that  things 
have  as  yet  never  been  set  a  going  in  their  right  channel ;  if  they  had,  and 
means  had  been  blessed  in  proportion  as  they  have  been  now,  this  work  would 
have  so  prevailed,  as  before  this  time  to  have  carried  all  before  it,  and  have  tri- 
umphed over  New  England  as  its  conquest. 

The  devil,  in  driving  things  to  thesf^  extremes,  besides  the  present  hinderance 
of  the  work  of  God,  has,  I  believe,  had  ia  view  a  twofold  mischief  hereafter,  in 
the  issue  of  things  ;  one  with  respect  to  those  that  are  more  cold  in  religion  ;  to 
carry  things  to  such  an  extreme,  that  people  in  general,  at  length,  having  their 
eyes  opened,  by  the  great  excess,  and  seeing  that  things  must  needs  be  wrong, 
he  might  take  the  advantage  to  tempt  them  entirely  to  reject  the  whole  work, 
as  being  all  nothing  but  delusion  and  distraction.  And  another  is  with  respect 
to  those  that  have  been  very  warm  and  zealous,  of  God's  own  children,  that 
have  been  out  of  the  way,  to  sink  them  down  in  unbelief  and  darkness.  The 
time  is  coming,  I  doubt  not,  when  the  bigger  part  of  them  will  be  convinced  of 
their  errors  ;  and  then  probably  the  devil  will  take  advantage  to  lead  ihem  into 
a  dreadful  wilderness,  and  to  puzzle  and  confound  them  about  their  own  expe- 
riences, and  the  experiences  of  others  ;  and  to  make  them  to  doubt  of  many 
things  that  they  ought  not  to  doubt  of,  and  even  to  tempt  them  with  atheistical 
thoughts.  I  believe  if  all  true  Christians  all  over  the  land,  should  now  at  once 
have  their  eyes  opened,  fully  to  see  all  their  errors,  it  would  seem  for  the  present 
to  damp  religion :  the  dark  thoughts,  that  it  W'ould  at  first  be  an  occasion  of, 
and  the  inward  doubts,  difficulties,  and  conflicts  that  would  rise  in  their  souls, 
would  deaden  their  lively  affections  and  joys,  and  would  cause  an  appearance  of 
a  present  decay  of  religion.  But  yet  it  would  do  God's  saints  great  good  ii;i 
their  latter  end ;  it  would  fit  them  for  more  spiritual  and  excellent  experiences, 
more  humble  and  heavenly  love,  and  unm.ixed  joys,  and  would  greatly  tend  to 
a  more  powerful,  extensive,  and  durable  prevalence  of  vital  piety. 

I  do  not  know  but  we  shall  be  in  danger  by  and  by,  after  our  eyes  are  fully 
opened  to  see  our  errors,  to  go  to  contrary  extremes.  The  devil  has  ihiven  the 
pendulum  far  beyond  its  proper  point  of  rest ;  and  when  he  has  carried  it  to  the 
utmost  length  that  he  can^  and  it  begins  by  its  own  weight  to  swing  back,  he 
probably  will  set  in,  and  drive  it  with  the  utmost  fury  the  other  way;  and  so 
give  us  no  rest :  and  if  possible  prevent  our  settling  in  a  proper  medium. 
What  a  poor,  blind,  weak,  and  miserable  creature  is  man,  at  his  best  estate! 
We  are  like  poor  helpless  sheep ;  the  devil  is  too  subtle  for  us  :  what  is  our 
strength !  What  is  our  wisdom !  How  ready  are  we  to  go  astray !  How 
easily  are  we  drawn  aside,  into  innumerable  snares,  while  we  in  the  mean  time 
are  bold  and  confident,  and  doubt  not  but  that  we  are  right  and  safe !  We  are 
foolish  sheep,  in  the  midst  of  subtle  serpents  and  cruel  wolves,  and  do  not  know 
it.  Oh !  how  unfit  are  we  to  be  left  to  ourselves  !  and  how  much  do  we  stand 
in  need  of  the  wisdom,  the  power,  the  condescension,  patience,  forgiveness,  and 
gentleness  of  our  good  Shepherd 


\ 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND. 


406 


PART   V. 

Showing  positively,  what  ouglit  to  be  done  Ij  j.uriioic  iiiis  Work. 

In  considering  of  means  and  methods  for  proraotint;  this  glorious  work  6f 
God,  I  have  already  observed,  in  some  instances  wherein  there^lias  been  need- 
less objecting  and  complaining,  and  have  also  taken  notice  of  many  things  amiss, 
that  ought  to  be  amentled  :  I  now  proceed  in  the 

Third  and  last  place,  to  show  positively,  what  ought  to  be  done,  or  what 
courses  (according  to  my  humble  opinion)  ought  to  be  taken  to  promote  this 
work.  The  obligations  that  all  are  under,  with  one  consent,  to  do  their  utmost, 
and  the  great  danger  of  neglecting  it,  were  observed  before.  I  hope  that  some, 
upon  reading  what  was  said  under  that  head,  will  be  ready  to  say.  What  shall 
we  do  ?  To  such  readei-s  I  woidd  now  olFer  my  thoughts,  in  answer  to  such  an 
inquiry. 

And  that  which  I  think  we  ought  to  set  ourselves  about  in  the  first  place,  is 
to  remove  stumbling  blocks.  When  God  is  revealed  as  about  to  come,  glorious- 
ly to  set  up  his  kingdom  in  the  world,  this  is  proclaimed.  Prepare  yc  theicay  of 

tke  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  an  highway  Jor  our  God,  Isa.  xl.  3. And 

again,  Isa.  Ivii.  14,  "  Cast  ye  up,  cast  ye  up ;  prepare  the  way ;  take  up  the 
stumbling-block  out  of  the  way  of  my  people."  And  chap.  Ixii.  10,  "  Go 
through,  [!;o  through  the  gates ;  prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  people ;  cast  up, 
cast  up  the  highway  ;  gather  out  the  stones." 

And  in  order  to  this,  there  must  be  a  great  deal  done  at  confessing  of  faults, 
on  both  sides:  for  undoubtedly  many  and  great  are  the  faults  that  have  been 
committed,  in  the  janglinp;  and  confusions,  and  mixtures  of  light  and  darkness, 
that  have  been  of  late.  There  is  hardly  any  duty  more  contrary  to  our  corrupt 
dispositions,  and  mortifying  to  the  pride  of  man  ;  but  it  must  be  done.  Re- 
pentance of  faults  is,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  a  proper  duty,  when  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand,  or  when  we  especially  expect  or  desire  that  it  should 
come ;  as  appears  by  John  the  P.aptist's  preaching.  And  if  God  does  now 
loudly  call  upon  us  to  repent,  then  he  also  calls  upon  us  to  make  proper  mani- 
festations of  our  repentance.  I  am  persuaded  that  those  that  have  openly  oppos- 
ed this  work,  or  have  from  time  to  time  spoken  lightly  of  it,  cannot  be  excused 
in  the  sight  of  God,  without  openly  confessing  their  fault  therein  ;  especially  if 
they  be  ministers.  If  they  have  any  way,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  opposed 
the  work,  or  have  so  behaved,  in  their  public  performances  or  private  conver- 
sation, as  has  prejudiced  the  minds  of  their  people  against  the  work,  if  hereaf- 
ter they  shall  be  convinced  of  the  goodness  and  divinity  of  what  they  have  op- 
posed, they  ought  by  no  means  to  palliate  the  matter,  and  excuse  themselves, 
and  pretend  that  they  always  thought  so,  and  that  it  was  only  such  and  such 
imprudences  that  they  objected  against ;  but  they  ought  openly  to  declare  their 
conviction,  and  condemn  themselves  for  what  thcv  have  done;  for  it  is  Christ 
that  they  have  spoken  against,  in  speaking  lightly  of,  and  prejudiring  others  against 
this  work  ;  yea,  worse  than  that,  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  though  they  have 
done  it  ignorantly,  and  in  unbelief,  yet  when  they  tlnd  out  who  it  is  that  they 
have  opposed,  undoubtedly  God  will  hold  them  bound  publicly  to  confess  it. 

And  on  the  other  side,  if  those  that  have  been  zealous  to  promote  the  work, 
have  in  any  of  the  foreracntioned  instances,  openly  gone  much  out  of  the  way 


406  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

and  done  that  which  is  contrary  to  Christian  rules,  whereby  they  have  openly 
injured  others,  or  greatly  violated  good  order,  and  so  done  that  which  has  wouikI- 
ed  religion,  they  must  publicly  confess  it,  and  humble  themselves,  as  tliey  would 
gather  out  the  stones,  and  prepare  the  way  of  God's  people.  They  who  have 
laid  great  stumbling-blocks  in  others'  way,  by  their  open  transgression,  are  bound 
to  remove  them,  by  their  ojyen  repentance. 

Some  probably  will  be  ready  to  object  against  this,  that  the  opposere  will 
take  advantage  by  this  to  behave  themselves  insolently,  and  to  insult  both  them 
and  rehgion.  And  indeed,  to  the  shame  of  some,  they  have  taken  advantage 
by  such  things ;  as  of  the  good  spirit  that  Mr.  Whitefield  showed  in  his  retrac- 
tations, and  some  others.  But  if  there  are  some  imbittered  enemies  of  religion, 
that  stand  ready  to  improve  every  thing  to  its  disadvantage,  yet  that  ought  not 
to  hinder  doing  an  enjoined  Christian  duty ;  though  it  be  in  the  manifestation 
of  humility  and  repentance,  after  a  fault  openly  committed.  To  stand  it  out  in 
a  visible  impenitence  of  a  real  fault,  to  avoid  such  an  inconvenience,  is  to  do 
evil,  to  prevent  evil.  And  besides,  the  danger  of  an  evil  consequence  is  much 
greater  on  the  other  side  :  to  commit  sin,  and  then  stand  in  it,  is  v/hat  will  give 
the  enemy  the  greatest  advantage.  For  Christians  to  act  like  Christians,  in 
openly  humbling  themselves,  when  they  have  openly  offended,  in  the  end  brings 
the  greatest  honor  to  Christ  and  religion  ;  and  in  this  way  are  persons  most 
likely  to  have  God  appear  for  them. 

Again,  at  such  a  day  as  this,  God  does  especially  call  his  people  to  the  ex- 
ercise of  extraordinary  meekness  and  mutual  forbearance:  for  at  such  a  time, 
Christ  appears  as  it  were  coming  in  his  kingdom,  which  calls  for  gieat  modera- 
tion in  our  behavior  towards  all  men ;  as  is  evident,  Phil.  iv.  5,  "  Let  your  mo- 
deration be  known  unto  all  men  :  the  Lord  is  at  hand."  The  awe  of  the  divine 
majesty  that  appears  present  or  approaching,  should  dispose  us  to  it,  and  deter 
us  from  the  contrary.  For  us  to  be  judging  one  another,  and  behaving  with 
fierceness  and  bitterness,  one  towards  another,  when  He  who  is  the  searcher  of 
all  hearts,  to  whom  we  must  all  give  an  account,  appears  so  remarkably  present, 
is  exceeding  unsuitable.  Our  business,  at  such  a  time,  should  be  at  home, 
searching  ourselves,  and  condemning  ourselves,  and  taking  heed  to  our  own 
behavior.  If  there  be  glorious  prosperity  to  the  church  of  God  approaching, 
those  that  are  the  most  meek,  will  have  the  largest  share  in  it ;  for  when  Christ 
''■ides  forth,  in  his  glory  and  his  majesty,  it  is  because  of  truth,  meekness,  and 
righteousness,  Psal.  xlv.  3,  4.  And  when  God  remarkably  arises,  to  execute 
judgment,  it  is  to  save  all  the  meek  of  the  earth,  Psal.  Ixxvi.  9.  And  it  is  the 
meek,  ihzt  shall  increase  their  joy  in  the  Lord,  ]s-d.  xxix.  19.  And  when  the 
time  comes,  that  God  will  give  this  lower  world  into  the  hands  of  his  saints, 
it  is  the  meek  that  shall  inherit  the  earth,  Psal.  xxxvii.  11,  and  Matt.  v.  9, 
"  But  with  the  froward,  God  Vt'ill  show  himself  unsavory." 

Those,  therefore,  that  have  been  zealous  for  this  work,  and  have  greatly 
erred  and  been  injurious  with  their  zeal,  ought  not  to  be  treated  with  bitter- 
ness. There  is  abundant  reason  to  think,  that  most  of  them  are  the  dear  child- 
ren of  God,  for  whom  Christ  died  ;  and  therefore,  that  they  will  see  their  error. 
As  to  those  things,  wherein  w^e  see  them  to  be  in  an  error,  w^e  have  reason  to 
say  of  them  as  the  apostle,  Philip,  iii.  15,  "  If  any  are  otherwise  minded,  God 
shall  reveal  this  unto  them."  Their  errors  should  not  be  made  use  of  by  us,  so 
much  to  excite  indignation  towards  them,  but  should  influence  all  of  us,  that 
hope  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  to  humble  ourselves,  and  become  more 
entirely  dependent  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  v.d:ien  we  see  those,  that  are  God's 
own  people,  so  ready  to  go  astray.     And  those  ministers  that  hav  e  been  judg- 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND  407 

ed,  and  injuiiously  dealt  with,  will  do  the  part  of  Christ's  disciples,  not  to  judge 
an.l  revile  again,  but  to  receive  such  injuries  witli  meekness  and  forbearance, 
and  making  a  good  improveineni  of  them,  more  strictly  examining  their  heart:! 
and  ways,  and  committing  themselves  to  God.  This  will  be  the  way  to  have 
God  vindicate  them  in  his  providence,  if  they  belong  to  him.  We  have  not 
yet  seen  the  end  of  things  ;  nor  do  we  know  who  wUl  be  most  vindicated,  and 
honored  of  God,  in  the  issue.  Eccles.  vii.  8,  "  Better  is  the  end  of  a  thing, 
than  the  beginning  theieof ;  and  the  patient  in  spirit  is  better  tlian  the  proud 
in  spirit." 

Contrary  to  this  mutual  meekness,  is  each  party's  stigmatizing  one  another 
with  odious  names ;  as  is  done  in  many  parts  of  New  England  :  which  tends 
greatly  to  widen  and  perpetuate  the  breach.  Such  distinguishing  names  of  re- 
proach, do  as  it  were  divide  us  into  two  armies,  separated,  and  iL-awn  uj)  in 
battle  array,  ready  to  fight  one  with  another ;  which  greatly  hinders  the  work 
of  God. 

And  as  such  an  extraordinary  time  as  this,  does  especially  require  of  us  the 
exercise  of  a  jrreat  deal  of  ibrbearance,  o?tc  towards  (mother ;  so  there  is  pe- 
culiarly requisite  in  God's  people,  the  exercise  of  great  patience,  in  waiting  on 
God,  under  any  special  dillicullies  and  disadvantages  they  may  be  under,  as  to 
the  means  of  grace.  The  begirming  of  a  revival  of  religion  will  naturally  and 
necessarily  be  attended  with  a  great  many  difficulties  of  this  nature  j  many 
parts  of  the  reviving  church  will,  tor  a  while,  be  under  great  ilisadvantages,  by- 
reason  of  what  remains  of  the  old  disease,  of  a  general  corruption  of  the  visible 
church.  We  cannot  expect  that,  after  a  long  time  of  degeneracy  and  deprav- 
ity, in  the  state  of  things  in  the  church,  things  should  all  come  to  rights  at 
once ;  it  must  be  a  work  of  time :  and  for  God's  people  to  be  over  husty  and 
violent  in  such  a  case,  being  resolved  to  have  every  thing  rectified  at  once,  or 
else  forcibly  to  deliver  themselves,  by  breaches  and  separations,  is  the  way  to 
hinder  tilings  coming  to  rights,  as  they  otherwise  would,  ami  to  keep  them 
back,  and  the  way  to  break  all  in  pieces.  Not  but  (hat  the  case  may  be  such,  the 
difficulty  may  be  so  intolerable,  as  to  allow  of  no  delay,  and  God's  people  can- 
not continue  in  the  state  wherein  they  were,  without  violations  of  absolute 
commands  of  God.  But  otherwise,  though  the  difficulty  may  be  veiy  great, 
another  course  should  be  taken.  God's  people  should  have  their  recourse 
directly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  represent  their  difficulties  before  the  great 
Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  that  has  the  care  of  all  the  alfaii-s  of  his  church  ;  and 
when  they  have  done,  they  should  wait  patiently  upon  him  :  if  they  do  so,  they 
may  expect  that  in  his  time  he  will  appear  for  their  deliverance  :  but  if,  in- 
stead of  that,  they  are  impatient,  and  take  the  work  into  their  own  hands,  they 
will  bewray  their  want  of  faith,  and  will  dishonor  God,  and  cannot  have  such 
reason  to  hope  that  Christ  will  appear  for  them,  as  they  have  desired,  but  have 
reason  to  fear,  that  he  will  leave  them  to  manage  their  affairs  for  themselves, 
as  well  as  they  can  :  when  otherwise,  if  fhey  had  waited  on  Christ  patiently, 
continuing  still  instant  in  prayer,  they  might  have  had  him  appearing  lor  them, 
much  more  effectually  to  deliver  them.  He  th<d  hdicvdh  shall  not  mak'  haste  ; 
and  it  is  for  those  that  are  found  patiently  waiting  on  the  Lord,  under  difficulties, 
that  he  will  especially  appear,  when  he  comes  to  do  great  things  for  his  chun^h, 
as  is  evident  by  Isa.  xxx.  18,  and  chap.  xl.  at  the  latter  end,  and  xlix.  23,  and 
Psal.  xxxvii.  9,  and  many  other  places. 

1  have  somewhere,  not  long  since,  met  with  an  exposition  of  those  words 
of  the  spouse,  that  we  have  several  times  repeated  in  the  book  of  Canticles,  1 
charge  you,  0  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  that  ye  stir  not  vp  nor  awake  my  love 


408  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

until  he  please,  ■which  is  the  only  satisfying^  exposition  that  I  ever  met  with  ; 
which  was  to  this  purpose,  viz.,  that  when  the  church  of  God  is  under  great 
difficuhies,  and  in  distress,  and  Christ  does  not  appear  for  her  help,  but 
seems  to  neglect  her,  as  though  he  were  asleep,  God's  people,  or  the  daughters 
of  Jerusalem,  in  such  a  case,  should  not  show  a  hasty  spirit ;  and  not  having 
patience  to  wait  for  Christ  to  awake  for  their  help,  until  his  time  comes,  take 
indirect  courses  for  their  own  deliverance,  and  use  violent  means  for  their  es- 
cape, before  Christ  appears  to  open  the  door  for  them  ;  and  so,  as  it  were,  stir 
up,  and  awake  Christ,  before  his  time.  When  the  church  is  in  distress,  and 
God  seems  not  to  appear  for  her  in  his  providence,  he  is  very  often  represented 
in  Scripture,  as  being  asleep ;  as  Christ  was  asleep  in  the  ship,  when  the  disci- 
ples were  tossed  by  the  storm,  and  the  ship  covered  with  waves  :  and  God's 
appearing  afterwards  for  his  people's  help,  is  represented  as  his  awaking  out  of 
sleep.  Psal.  vii.  6,  and  xxxv.  23,  and  xliv.  23,  and  lix.  4,  and  Ixxiii.  20.  Christ 
has  an  appointed  time  for  his  thus  awaking  out  of  sleep  :  and  his  people  ought 
to  wait  upon  him  ;  and  not,  in  an  impatient  fit,  stir  him  up  before  his  time. 
It  is  worthy  to  be  observed  how  strict  this  charge  is,  given  to  the  daughters  of 
Jerusalem,  which  is  repeated  three  times  over  in  the  book  of  Canticles,  chap.  ii. 
7,  and  iii.  5,  and  viii.  4.  in  the  2d  chapter  and  six  first  verses,  is  represented 
the  support  Christ  gives  his  church,  while  she  is  in  a  suffering  state,  as  the  lily 
among  thorns :  in  the  7th  verse  is  represented  her  patience  in  waiting  for  Chrisi, 
to  appear  for  her  deliverance,  when  she  charges  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
not  to  stir  up,  nor  awake  her  love  until  he  please,  by  the  rocs,  a.nd  the  hinds  of  the 
■field  ;  which  are  creatures  of  a  gentle,  harmless  nature,  are  not  beasts  of  prey, 
do  not  devour  one  another,  do  not  fight  with  their  enemies,  but  fly  from  them ; 
and  are  of  a  pleasant,  loving  nature,  Prov.  v.  19.  In  the  next  verse,  we  sec 
the  church's  success,  in  this  way  of  waiting  under  sufferings,  with  meekness- 
and  patience ;  Christ  soon  awakes,  speedily  appears,  and  swiftly  comes :  the 
voice  of  my  beloved!  Behold,  he  cometh,  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skipping 
upon  the  hills  ! 

Vv'hat  has  been  mentioned  hitherto,  has  relation  to  the  behavior  we  are 
obliged  to,  as  we  would  prevent  the  hinderances  of  the  work ;  but  besides  these,  there 
are  things  that  must  be  done,  more  directly  to  advance  it.  And  here,  it  concerns  every 
one,  in  the  first  place,  to  look  into  his  own  heart,  and  see  to  it  that  he  be  a  par- 
taker of  the  benefits  of  the  work  himself,  and  that  it  be  promoted  in  his  own 
soul.  Now  is  a  most  glorious  opportunity  for  the  good  of  souls.  It  is  mani- 
festly with  respect  to  a  time  of  great  revival  of  religion  in  the  world,  that  we 
have  that  gracious,  earnest,  and  moving  invitation  proclaimed,  in  the  55th  of 
Isaiah.  Ho,  every  one  thai  thirsteth  !  &c.,  as  is  evident  by  what  precedes  in 
the  foregoing  chapter,  and  what  follows  in  the  close  of  this.  Here,  in  the  6th 
verse,  it  is  said,  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord,  while  he  may  be  found  ;  call  upon  him, 
while  he  is  near.  And  it  Is  with  special  reference  to  such  a  time,  that  Christ 
proclaims  as  he  does.  Rev.  xxi.  6,  "  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst,  of  the 
fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely."  And  chap.  xxii.  17,  "  And  the  Spirit  and 
the  bride  say,  Come  ;  and  let  him  that  heareth  say.  Come;  and  let  him  that  is 
athirst  come  ;  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  And 
it  seems  to  be  with  reference  to  such  a  time,  which  is  typified  by  Xhe  feast  of 
tabernacles,  that  Jesus,  at  that  feast,  stood  and  cried,  as  we  have  an  account, 
John  vii.  37,  38,  "  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and 
cried,  saying,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink.  He  that 
believeth  on  me,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."  And  it  is 
with  special  reference  to  God's  freeness  and  readiness  to  bestow  grace  at  such 


IN   NEW  EN3LAND.  409 

a  two,  (hat  it  is  said  in  Isa.  Ix.  11,  of  tlie  spiritual  Jerusulcni,  Thy  gates  shall  be 
open  contiuiialli/,  thej/  shall  not  be  shut  day  nor  night. 

And  thoui^h  1  jud^e  not  those  that  have  opposed  this  work,  and  woiiKl  not 
have  others  jiidt^^'  them,  yet,  if  any  such  shall  happen  to  read  this  treatise,  1 
woidd  take  the  liberty  to  entreat  them  to  leave  oil"  eoncernini;  tlieniselvcs  so 
much  about  others,  and  look  into  their  own  souls,  and  .si-e  to  it  that  they  are  the 
subjects  of  a  true,  saving  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  If  liiey  have  reason  to 
think  they  never  have  been,  or  it  be  but  a  very  doubtful  hope  that  they  iiave, 
then  how  can  they  have  any  heart  to  be  busily  and  fiercely  en|j;a«;ed  about  the 
mistakes  and  the  supposed  false  hopes  of  others?  And  1  would  now  beseech 
those  that  have  hitherto  been  something  inclining  to  Arminian  princijdes,  se- 
riously to  weigh  the  matter  with  respect  to  this  work,  and  coasider,  whether,  if 
the  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God,  the  work  that  lias  been  described  in  the 
first  part  of  this  treatise,  must  not  needs  be,  as  to  the  substance  of  it,  the  work 
of  God,  and  the  flourishing  of  that  religion,  that  is  taught  by  Christ  and  his 
apostles;  and  whether  any  good  medium  can  be  lound  where  a  man  can  rest, 
with  any  stability,  between  owning  this  work,  and  being  a  Deist;  and  also  to 
consider  whether  or  no,  if  it  be  indeed  so,  that  this  he  the  work  of  God,  it  does 
not  entirely  overthrow  their  scheme  of  religion ;  and  therefore,  whether  it  does 
not  infinitely  concern  them,  as  they  would  be  partakers  of  eternal  salvation, 
to  relinquish  their  scheme.  Now  is  a  good  time  for  Arminians  to  change  their 
principles.  I  would  now,  as  one  of  the  friends  of  this  work,  humbly  invite  them 
to  come  and  join  with  us,  and  be  on  our  side  ;  and  if  I  had  the  autiiority(»f  Mo- 
ses, I  would  say  to  them  as  he  did  to  Hobab,  Numb.  x.  29,"  We  are  journeying 
unto  the  place,  of  whicii  the  Lord  said,  I  will  give  it  you;  come  thou  with  us  ; 
and  we  will  do  thee  good  :  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good  concerning  IsraeL" 
As  the  benefit  and  advantage  of  the  good  improvement  of  such  a  seas.)n,  is 
extraordinary  great ;  so  the  danger  of  neglecting,  and  niisimproving  it,  is  pro- 
portionaijly  great.  It  is  abundantly  evident  by  the  Scripture,  that  as  a  time  of 
great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  is  a  time  of  great  favor  to  those  that  are  partak- 
ers of  the  blessing ;  so  it  is  always  a  time  of  remarkable  vengeance  to  others. 
So  in  Isa.  Ixi.  2,  the  same  that  is  called,  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  is  call- 
ed also,  the  day  of  vengeance  of  onr  God.  So  it  was  amongst  the  Jews  in  the 
apostles'  days:  the  apostle  in  2  Cor.  vi.  2,  says  of  that  time,  that  it  was  the  ac- 
cepted time,aj}d  day  of  salvation  ;  and  Christ  says  of  the  same  time,  Luke  xxi. 
22,  "  These  are  the  days  of  vengeance."  At  the  same  time  that  the  bit  ssings 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  were  given  to  some,  there  was  an  axe  hid  at  the 
root  of  the  trees,  that  those  that  did  not  bear  fruit,  miolit  be  hewn  down  and  oud 
into  the f  re,  xMatt.  iii.  9,  10,  IL  Then  was  glorified,  both  the  goodness  and 
severity  of  God,  in  a  remarkable  manner.  Rom.  xi.  22.  The  harvest  and  the 
vintage  go  together  :  at  the  same  time  that  the  earth  is  reaped,  and  God's  elect 
are  gathered  into  the  garner  of  God,  the  angel  that  has  power  over  fire,  thrusts 
in  his  sickle,  and  gathers  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  casts  it  into 
the  great  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God,  Rev.  xiv.  at  the  latter  end.  So  it  is 
foretold,  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  glorious  limes  of  the  Christian  church,  at 
the  saine  time  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  known  toivards  his  servants,  io  sliaU 
his  indignation,  towards  his  tncmies,  Isa.  Ixvi.  14.  So  when  that  glorious  morn- 
ing shall  appear,  wherein  the  sun  of  righteoiusncss  shall  arise,  to  the  elect,  uilh 
healing  in  his  v:ings,  the  day  shall  burn  as  an  oven  to  the  wicked,  Mai.  iv.  1,  2,3. 
There  is  no  time  like  such  a  time,  for  the  increase  of  guilt,  and  treasuring  up  wrath, 
and  desperate  hardening  of  the  heart,  if  men  stand  it  out ;  which  is  the  most  awful 
jud«Tment,  and  fruit  of  divine  wrath,  that  can  be  inflicted  on  any  mortal.  So  that  a 
Vol.  IlL  52 


41G  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

time  of  great  grace,  and  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  fruits  of  divine  mer- 
cy, IS  evermore  also  a  time  of  great  outpouring  of  something  else,  viz.,  divine 
Vengeance,  on  those  that  neglect  and  misimprove  such  a  season. 

The  state  of  the  present  revival  of  leligion,  has  an  awful  aspect  upon  those 
that  are  advanced  in  years.  The  work  has  been  chiefly  amongst  those  that  are 
young  ;  and  comparatively  hut  a  few  others  have  been  made  partakers  of  it. 
And  indeed,  it  has  commonly  been  so,  when  God  has  begun  any  great  work,  for 
the  revival  of  his  church  ;  he  has  taken  the  young  people,  and  has  cast  off  the 
old  and  stiff-necked  generation.  There  was  a  remarkable  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  on  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  on  the  younger  gen- 
eration, their  little  ones,  that  they  said  should  be  a  prey,  the  generiition  that 
entered  into  Canaan,  with  Joshua;  which  is  evident  by  many  things  in  Scripture. 
That  generation  seems  to  have  been  the  most  excellent  generation  that  ever 
was  in  the  church  of  Israel.  There  is  no  generation  of  which  there  is  so  much 
good,  and  so  little  hurt  spoken  in  Scripture  ;  as  might  be  shown,  if  it  would  not 
be  too  long.  In  that  generation,  that  were  under  twenty  years  when  they  M'ent 
out  of  Egypt,  was  that  kindness  of  youth,  and  love  of  espousals,  spoken  of,  Jer 
ii,  2,  3.  But  the  old  generation  were  passed  by,  and  remained  obstinate  and 
stiff-necked,  were  always  murmuring,  and  would  not  be  convinced  by  all  God's 
wondrous  works  that  they  beheld.  God,  by  his  awful  judgments  that  he  execu- 
ted in  the  wilderness,  and  the  affliction  that  the  people  suffered  there,  convinced 
and  humbled  the  younger  generation,  and  fitted  them  for  great  mercy ;  as  is 
evident  by  Deut.  ii.  16;  but  he  destroyed  the  old  generation  ;  he  sicore  in  hif 
wrath,  that  they  should  not  enter  into  his  rest,  and  their  carcasses  fell  in  the  wil- 
derness :  when  it  was  a  time  of  great  mercy,  and  pouring  out  of  God's  Spirit 
on  their  children,  it  was  remarkably  a  day  of  vengeance  unto  them  ;  as  appears 
by  the  90th  Psalm. — Let  the  old  generation  in  this  land  take  warning  from 
hence,  and  take  heed  that  they  do  not  refuse  to  be  convinced,  by  all  God's 
wonders  that  he  works  before  their  eyes,  and  that  they  do  not  continue  forever 
objecting,  and  murmuring,  and  cavilling  against  the  work  of  God,  lest,  while 
God  is  bringing  their  children  into  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  he 
should  swear  in  his  wrath  concerning  them,  that  their  carcasses  shall  fall  in  the 
wilderness. 

So  when  God  has  a  design  of  great  mercy  to  the  Jews,  in  bringing  them 
out  of  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and  returning  them  to  their  own  land,  there 
was  a  blessed  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  them  in  Babylon,  to  bring  them  to 
deep  conviction  and  repentance,  and  to  a  spirit  of  prayer  to  ciy  earnestly  to  God 
for  mercy  ;  which  is  often  spoken  of  by  the  prophets :  but  it  was  not  upon  the 
old  generation  that  were  carried  captive.  The  captivity  continued  just  long 
enouo-h,  for  that  perverse  generation  to  waste  away  and  die  in  their  captivity  ; 
at  least  those  of  them  that  were  adult  persons,  when  carried  captive.  The  old 
generation,  and  heads  of  families  were  exceeding  obstinate,  and  would  not 
hearken  to  the  earnest,  repeated  warnings  of  the  prophet  Jeremiah ;  but  he 
had  greater  success  among  the  young  people;  as  appears  by  Jer.  vi.  10,  11^ 
"  To  whom  shall  I  speak  and  give  warning,  that  they  may  hear  ?  Behold,  their 
ear  is  uncircumcised,  and  they  cannot  heai'ken  :  behold,  the  word  of  the  Lord 
is  unto  them  a  reproach  ;  they  have  no  delight  in  it.  Therefore,  I  am  full  of 
the  fury  of  the  Lord ;  I  am  weary  with  holding  in ;  I  will  pour  it  out  upon 
the  children  abroad,  and  upon  the  assembly  of  the  young  men  together;  for 
even  the  husband  with  the  wife  (i.  e.  the  heads  of  families,  and  parents  of  these 
children)  shall  be  taken,  the  aged  with  him  that  is  full  of  days." — Blessed  be 
God !     There  are  some  of  the  elder  people,  that  have  been  made  partakers  of 


IN  KLW   ENGLAND  411 

this  work  :  and  those  tliat  are  most  awakened,  by  tljese  warnings  of  (lo<l's  word, 
and  the  awful  frown  of  his  providence,  will  be  UKJSt  likely  to  be  niadr  partakers 
hereafter.  It  infinitely  concerns  them  to  take  hu-ed  to  tlieinselves,  that  they  uiay 
be  partakers  of  it ;  tor  how  dreadlul  will  it  be  to  go  to  hell,  after  hav»g  spent 
so  many  years  in  doing  nolliing,  but  treasure  up  wrath. 

But  above  all  others  wha^oever,  does  it  concern  us  that  are  ministers,  to  see 
to  it  that  we  are  partakers  of  ihis  work,  or  that  we  have  experience  of  the  saving 
operations  of  the  saine  Spirit,  th;!t  is  now  poured  out  on  the  land.  How  sorrow 
ful  and  melancholy  is  the  case,  when  it  is  otherwise !  For  one  to  stand  at  the 
head  of  a  congregation  of  God's  people,  as  representing  Christ,  and  speaking  in 
his  stead,  and  to  act  the  part  of  a  shepherd  and  guide  to  a  people,  in  such  a 
state  of  things,  when  many  are  under  great  awakenings,  and  many  are  con- 
verted, and  many  of  God's  saints  are  filled  with  divine  light,  love,  and  joy,  and 
to  undertake  to  instruct  and  lead  tli  in  all,  under  all  these  various  circumstances, 
and  to  be  put  to  it,  continually  to  play  the  hypocrite,  and  force  the  airs  of  a  saint 
in  preaching,  and  from  time  to  time  in  private  conversation,  and  particular  deal- 
ing with  souls,  to  undertake  to  judge  of  their  circumstances,  to  try  to  talk  with 
those  that  come  to  him,  as  if  he  knew  what  they  said ;  to  try  to  talk  with  per- 
sons of  experience,  as  if  he  knew  how  to  converee  with  them,  and  had  expe- 
rience as  well  as  they  ;  to  make  others  believe  that  he  rejoices  when  others  are 
converted,  and  to  force  a  pleased  and  joyful  countenance  and  manner  of  speech, 
when  there  is  nothing  in  the  heart,  what  sorrowful  work  is  here  !  Oh  !  how 
miserably  must  such  a  person  feel  !  What  a  wretched  bondage  and  slavery  is 
this  !  What  pains  and  how  much  art  must  such  a  minister  use  to  conceal  him- 
self!  And  how  weak  are  his  hands  !  Besides  the  infinite  provocation  of  the 
most  high  God,  and  displeasure  of  his  Lord  and  master,  that  he  incurs,  by  con- 
tinuing a  secret  enemy  to  him  in  his  heart,  in  such  circumstances.  I  think  there 
is  a  great  deal  of  reason,  from  the  Scripture,  to  conclude  that  no  sort  of  men  in 
the  world  will  be  so  low  in  hell,  as  ungodly  ministers:  every  thing  that  is 
spoken  of  in  Scripture,  as  that  which  aggravates  guilt,  and  heightens  divine 
wrath,  meets  in  them  ;  however  some  particular  persons,  of  other  sorts,  may  be 
more  guilty  than  some  of  these. 

And  what  great  disadvantages  are  unconverted  ministers  under,  to  oppose 
any  irregularities,  or  imprudences,  or  intemperate  zeal,  that  they  may  see  in 
those  that  are  the  children  of  God,  when  they  are  conscious  to  themselves  that 
they  have  no  zeal  at  all  !  If  enthusiasm  and  wildness  comes  in  like  a  flood, 
what  poor,  weak  instruments  are  such  ministers  to  withstand  it !  With  what 
courage  can  they  open  their  mouths,  when  they  look  inward,  and  consider  how 
it  is  with  them  ! 

We  that  are  ministers  not  only  have  need  of  some  true  experience  of  the 
saving  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  our  heart,  but  we  need  a  double  por- 
tion of  the  Spirit  of  God  at  such  a  time  as  this:  we  had  need  to  be  as  full  of 
light,  as  a  glass  is  that  is  held  out  in  the  sun  ;  and  with  respect  to  love  and 
zeal,  we  had  need  at  this  day,  to  be  like  the  angels  that  are  a  flame  of  fire. 
The  state  of  the  times  extremely  requires  a  fulness  of  the  divine  Spirit  in  minis- 
ters, and  we  ought  to  give  ourselves  no  rest  until  we  have  obtained  it.  And  in 
order  to  this,  I  should  think  ministers,  above  all  persons,  ought  to  be  much  in  se- 
cret prayer  and  fasting,  and  also  much  in  praying  and  fasting  one  with  another. 
It  seems  to  me  it  would  be  becoming  the  circumstances  of  the  present  day,  if 
ministers  in  a  neighborhood  would  often  meet  together,  and  spend  days  in  fast- 
ing, and  fervent  prayer,  among  themselves,  earnestly  seeking  for  those  extraor- 
dinary supplies  of  (Uvine  grace  from  heaven,  that  we  need  at  this  day :  and  also, 


412  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

if  on  their  occasional  visits  one  to  another,  instead  of  spending  pway  their  time 
in  sitting  and  smoking,  and  in  diverting,  or  worldly,  unprofitable  conversation, 
telling  news,  and  making  their  remarks  on  this  and  the  other  trifling  subject, 
they  would  spend  their  time  in  praying  together,  and  singing  praises,  and  reli- 
gious conference.  How  much  do  many  of  the  common  people  shame  many  of 
us  that  are  in  the  work  of  ihe  ministry,  in  these  respects'?  Surely  we  do  not 
behave  ourselves  so  much  Hke  Christian  ministers,  and  the  disciples  and  ambas- 
sadors of  Christ,  as  we  ought  to  do.  And  while  we  condemn  zealous  persons  for 
their  doing  so  much  at  censuring  ministers  at  this  day,  it  ought  not  to  be  with- 
out deep  reflections  upon,  and  gi'eat  condemnation  of  ourselves :  for  indeed,  we 
do  very  much  to  provoke  censoiiousness,  and  lay  a  great  temptation  before 
others,  to  the  sin  of  judging:  and  if  we  can  prove  that  those  that  are  guilty  of 
it,  do  transgress  the  Scripture  rule,  yet  our  indignation  should  be  chiefly  against 
ourselves. 

Ministers,  at  this  day  in  a  special  manner,  should  act  as  fellow-helpers,  in 
their  great  work.  It  should  be  seen  that  they  are  animated  and  engaged,  and 
exert  themselves  with  one  heart  and  soul,  and  with  united  strength,  to  promote 
the  present  glorious  revival  of  religion  :  and  to  that  end  should  often  meet  toge- 
ther, and  act;  in  concert.  And  if  it  were  a  common  thing  in  the  country,  for 
ministers  to  join  in  public  exercises,  and  second  one  another  in  their  preaching. 
I  believe  it  would  be  of  great  service.  I  mean  that  ministers  having  consulted 
one  another,  as  to  the  subjects  of  their  discourses,  before  they  go  to  the  house  of 
God,  should  there  speak  two  or  three  of  them  going,  in  short  discourses,  as 
seconding  each  other,  and  earnestly  enforcing  each  other's  warnings  and  coun- 
sels. Only  such  an  appearance  of  united  zeal  in  ministers,  would  have  a  great 
tendency  to  awaken  attention,  and  much  to  impress  and  animate  the  hearers ; 
as  has  been  found  by  experience,  in  some  parts  of  the  country. 

Ministers  should  carefully  avoid  M'eakening  one  another's  hands.  And 
therefore  every  thing  should  be  avoided,  by  which  their  inteiest  with  their  peo- 
ple might  be  diminished,  or  their  union  with  them  broken.  On  the  contrary,  if 
ministers  have  not  forfeited  their  acceptance  in  that  character,  in  the  visible 
church,  by  their  doctrine  or  behavior,  their  brethren  in  the  ministry  ought  stu- 
diously to  endeavor  to  heighten  the  esteem  and  affection  of  their  people  towards 
them,  that  they  may  have  no  temptation  to  repent  their  admitting  other  ministers 
to  come  and  preach  in  their  pulpits. 

Two  things  that  are  exceeding  needful  in  ministers,  as  they  would  do  any 
great  matters,  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  are  zeal  and  resolution.  The 
influence  and  power  of  these  things  to  bring  to  pass  great  effects,  is  greater  than 
can  well  be  imagined :  a  man  of  but  an  ordinary  capacity,  will  do  more  with 
them,  than  one  of  ten  times  the  parts  and  learning  without  them  :  more  may 
be  done  with  them  in  a  few  days,  or  at  least  weeks,  than  can  be  done  without  them, 
in  many  years.  Those  that  are  possessed  of  these  qualities,  commonly  carry  the 
day,  in  almost  all  affaii-s.  Most  of  the  great  things  that  have  been  done  in  the 
world  of  mankind,  the  great  revolutions  that  have  been  accomplished  in  the 
kingdoms  and  empires  of  the  earth,  have  been  chiefly  owing  to  these  things. 
The  very  sight  or  appearance  of  a  thoroughly  engaged  spirit,  together  with 
fearless  courage  and  unyielding  resolution,  m  any  person  that  has  undertaken 
tlie  managing  any  affair  amongst  mankind,  goes  a  great  way  towards  accom- 
plishing the  effect  aimed  at.  It  is  evident  that  the  appearance  of  these  things 
in  Alexander,  did  three  times  as  much  towards  his  conquering  the  world,  as  all 
the  blows  that  he  struck.  And  ho\\'  much  were  the  great  things  that  Oliver. 
Cromwell  did,  owing  to  these  things !     And  the  great  things  that  Mr  White- 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  413 

field  has  done,  every  where,  as  he  ran  through  Iho  British  dominions  (so  far  as 
they  are  owing  to  means),  are  very  much  owiiig  to  the  appearance  o!"  these  things, 
Nvhich  he  is  eminently  possessed  oi'.  When  the  people  see  these  things  apparently 
m  a  pei-son,  and  to  a  great  degree,  it  awes  them,  and  has  a  commanding  inthi- 
ence  upon  their  minds  ;  it  seems  to  them  that  Ihey  must  yield  ;  they  naturally 
fall  hefore  them,  without  standing  to  contest  or  dispute  the  matter  ;  they  are 
conquered  as  it  were  by  surprise.  IJut  while  we  are  cold  and  heartless,  and 
only  go  on  in  a  dull  manner,  in  an  old  formal  round,  we  shall  never  d(^  any 
great  matters.  Our  attempts,  the  appearance  of  such  coldness  and  irresolution, 
will  not  so  much  as  make  persons  think  of  yielding:  they  will  hardly  be  suffi- 
cient to  put  it  into  their  minds ;  and  if  it  be  put  in  their  mmds,  the  apjJL-arance  of 
such  indillerence  antl  cowardice,  does  as  it  wire  call  for,  and  provoke  opposition. 
Our  misery  is  want  of  zeal  and  courage  ;  for  not  only  through  want  of  them  docs 
all  fail  that  we  seem  to  attempt,  but  it  prevents  our  attempting  any  tiling  very 
remarkable,  for  the  kingdun  of  Christ.  Hence,  oftentimes  it  has  been,  that 
when  any  thing  very  considerable,  that  is  new,  is  jiroposed  to  be  done,  for  the 
advancement  of  religion,  or  the  public  good,  many  difficulties  are  found  out,  that 
are  in  the  way,  and  a  great  many  objections  arc  started,  and  it  may  be,  it  is  put 
off  from  one  to  another ;  but  nobody  docs  any  thing.  And  after  this  manner 
good  designs  or  proposals  have  oftentimes  failed,  and  have  sunk  as  soon  as  pro- 
posed. Whereas  if  we  had  but  Mr.  Whitefidd's  zeal  and  courage,  what 
could  not  we  lio,  with  such  a  blessing  as  we  might  expect  ? 

Zeal  and  courage  will  do  much  in  persons  of  but  an  onlinary  capacity  j  but 
especially  would  they  do  great  things,  if  joined  with  great  abilities.  If  some 
great  men,  that  have  appeared  in  our  nation,  had  been  as  eminent  in  divinity, 
as  they  were  in  philosophy,  and  hail  engaged  in  the  Christian  cause,  with  as 
much  zeal  and  fervor,  as  some  others  have  done,  and  with  a  proportionable 
blessing  of  heaven,  they  would  have  conquered  all  Christendom,  and  turned  the 
world  upside  down.  We  have  many  ministers  in  the  land  th.it  do  not  want 
for  abilities,  they  are  persons  of  brijiht  parts  and  learning ;  they  should  con- 
sider how  much  is  expected,  and  will  be  required  of  them,  by  their  Lord  and 
master,  and  how  much  they  might  do  for  Christ,  and  what  great  honor,  and 
how  glorious  a  reward  they  might  receive,  if  they  had  in  their  hearts  a  he^iven- 
ly  warmth,  and  divine  heat,  proportionable  to  their  light. 

With  respect  to  candidates  for  the  minisfrv,  I  will  not  undertake  particularly 
to  determine,  what  kind  of  examination  or  trial  tluy  should  pass  under,  in  order 
to  their  admission  to  that  sacred  work  :  but  I  think  this  is  evident  from  the 
Scripture,  that  another  sort  of  trial,  with  regard  to  their  virtue  and  piety,  is 
requisite,  than  is  required  in  order  to  persons  being  admitted  into  the  visib]'» 
church.  The  apostle  directs,  that  hands  he  laid  suddenly  on  /lO  innn  ;  but  that 
they  should  first  he  tried,  before  they  are  admitted  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  : 
but  it  is  evident  that  persons  were  suddenly  admitted,  by  baptism,  into  the  visi- 
ble church,  from  time  to  time,  on  their  profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ,  with- 
out such  caution  and  strictness  in  their  probation.  And  it  seems  to  me,  those 
would  act  very  unadvisedly,  that  should  enter  on  that  gi-eat  and  sacred  wock, 
before  they  had  comfortable  satisfaction  concerning  themselves,  that  they  have 
had  a  saving  work  o'.'  God  on  their  souls. 

And  though  it  may  be  thought  that  I  go  out  of  my  proper  sphere,  to  inter- 
meddle in  the'adiurs  oi"  the  colleges,  yet  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  an  English- 
man (that  speaks  his  mind  freely  concerning  public  a/fairs)  and  the  liberty  of  a 
minister  of  Christ  (who  doubtless  may  speak  his  mind  as  tVeely  about  things 
tiiat  concern  the  kmgdora  of  his  Lord 'and  master)  to  give  my  opinion,  in  some 


414  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

things,  with  respect  to  those  societies  ;  the  original  and  main  design  of  which 
IS  to  train  up  persons,  and  fit  them  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  And  I  w^ould 
say  in  general,  tnat  it  appears  to  me  that  care  should  be  taken,  some  way  o: 
other,  that  those  societies  should  be  so  regulated,  that  they  should,  in  fact,  be 
nurseries  of  piety.  Otherwise,  they  are  fundamentally  ruined  and  undone,  as  to 
their  main  design,  and  most  essential  end.  They  ought  to  be  so  constituted, 
that  vice  and  idleness  should  have  no  living  there  :  they  are  intolerable  in  so- 
cieties, whose  main  design  is,  to  train  up  youth  in  Christian  knowledge  and 
eminent  piety,  to  fit  them  to  be  pastors  of  the  flock  of  the  blessed  Jesus.  1  have 
heretofore  had  some  acquaintance  with  the  affairs  of  a  college,  and  experience 
of  what  belonged  to  its  tuition  and  government ;  and  I  cannot  but  think  that  it 
is  practicable  enough,  so  to  conslitute  such  societies,  that  there  shoulii  be  no 
being  there  without  being  virtuous,  serious,  and  diligent.  It  seems  to  me  to  be 
a  reproach  to  the  land,  that  ever  it  should  be  so  with  our  colleges,  that  instead 
of  being  places  of  the  greatest  advantages  for  true  piety,  one  cannot  send  a 
child  thither,  without  great  danger  of  his  being  infected,  as  to  his  morals  ;  as 
it  has  certainly  sometimes  been  with  these  societies  :  it  is  perfectly  intolerable ; 
and  any  thing  should  be  done,  rather  than  it  should  be  so.  If  we  pretend  to 
have  any  colleges  at  all,  under  any  notion  of  training  up  youth  for  the  ministry, 
there  should  be  some  way  found  out,  that  should  certainly  prevent  its  being 
thus.  To  have  societies  for  bringing  persons  up  to  be  ambassadors  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  to  lead  souls  to  heaven,  and  to  have  them  places  of  so  much  infec- 
tion, is  the  greatest  nonsense  and  absurdity  imaginable. 

And,  as  thorough  and  effectual  care  should  be  taken  that  vice  and  idleness 
are  not  tolerated  in  these  societies,  so  certainly  the  design  of  them  requires,  that 
extraordinary  means  should  be  used  in  them,  for  training  up  the  students  in 
vital  religion,  and  experimental  and  practical  godliness  ;  so  that  they  should  be 
holy  societies,  the  very  place  should  be  as  it  were  sacred  :  they  should  be,  in 
the  midst  of  the  land,  fountains  of  piety  and  holiness.  There  is  a  great  deal  of 
pains  taken  to  teach  the  scholars  human  learning  ;  there  ought  to  be  as  much, 
and  more  care,  thoroughly  to  educate  them  in  religion,  and  lead  them  to  true 
and  eminent  holiness.  If  the  main  design  of  these  nurseries,  is  to  bring  up  per- 
sons to  teach  Christ,  then  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  there  should  be 
care  and  pains  taken,  to  bring  those  that  are  there  educated,  to  the  knowledge 
of  Christ.  It  has  been  common  in  our  public  prayers,  to  call  these  societies, 
the  schools  of  the  prophets  ;  and  if  they  are  schools,  to  train  up  young  men  to 
be  prophets,  certainly  there  ought  to  be  extraordinary  care  taken,  to  train  them 
up  to  be  Christians. 

And  I  cannot  see  why  it  is  not  on  all  accounts  fit  and  convenient,  for  the 
governors  and  instructors  of  the  colleges,  particularly,  singly  and  frequently  to 
converse  with  the  students,  about  the  state  of  their  souls.  As  is  the  practice  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Doddridge,  one  of  the  most  noted  of  the  present  dissenting  minis- 
ters in  England,  who  keeps  an  academy  at  Northampton,  as  he  himself  informs 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Wadsworth  of  Hartford,  in  Connecticut,  in  a  letter  dated  at  North- 
am  ;:ton,  March  6,  1740 — 41.  The  original  of  which  letter  I  have  seen,  and 
have  by  me  an  extract  of  it,  sent  to  me  by  Mr.  Wadsworth  ;  which  is  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Through  the  divine  goodness,  I  have  every  year  the  pleasure  to  see  some 
plants  taken  out  of  my  nursery,  and  set  in  neighboring  congregations  ;  where 
they  generally  settle  with  a  unanimous  consent,  and  that  to  a  very  remarkable 
degree,  in  some  very  large,  and  once  divided  congregations.  A  circumstance, 
in  which  I  own  and  adore  the  hand  of  a  wise  and  gracious  God ;  and  cannot 


LV   NEW   ENGLAND.  415 

but  look  upon  it  as  a  token  for  good.  I  have  at  present,  n  jyreatcr  proportion  of 
pious  and  ingenious  youth  under  my  care,  than  I  ever  helore  had.  So  ihal  I 
hope  the  church  may  reasonahly  expect  some  consiik'rahle  rehef  from  hi-nce,  if 
God  spare  their  lives  a  few  years,  and  continue  to  them  those  pracioiis  assist- 
ances, which  he  has  hitherto  mercifully  imparled.  1  will  not.  Sir,  trouhlL*  you 
at  present,  with  a  large  account  of  my  method  of  academical  educati'jn:  only 
•vvouUI  ohserve,  that  1  think  it  of  vast  importance,  to  instruct  them  carelully  in 
the  Scriptures  ;  and  not  only  endeavor  to  establish  them  in  the  gnat  truths  of 
Christianity,  but  to  labor  to  promote  their  practical  itinucnce  on  their  hearts. 
For  which  purpose  I  frequently  converse  with  each  of  them  alone,  ami  conclude 
the  conversation  with  prayer.  This  does  indeed  take  up  a  great  deal  of  time  ; 
but  1  bless  (iod  it  is  amply  repaired,  in  the  pleasure  I  have,  in  seeing  my  labor 
is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 

Tfiere  are  some  that  are  not  ministers,  nor  are  concerned  immediately  in 
those  things  that  appertain  to  their  office,  or  in  the  education  of  persons  for  it, 
that  are  under  great  advantages  to  promote  such  a  glorious  work  as  this.  Some 
laymen,  though  it  be  not  their  business  publicly  to  exhort  and  teach,  ytt  are,  in 
some  respects,  under  greater  advantage  to  encourage  and  forward  this  work, 
than  ministers.  As  particularly  great  men,  or  men  that  are  high  in  honor  and 
inlluonce.  How  much  might  such  do,  to  encourage  religion,  and  open  the  way 
for  it  to  have  free  course,  and  bear  down  opjiosition,  if  they  were  hut  inclined ! 
There  is  commonly  a  certain  unhappy  shyness,  in  great  men,  with  respect  to 
religion,  as  though  they  were  ashamed  of  it,  or  at  least  ashamed  to  do  very  much 
at  it ;  whereby  they  dislionor  and  doubtless  greatly  provoke  the  King  of  kings, 
and  very  much  wound  religion  among  the  common  people.  They  are  careful  of 
their  honor,  and  seem  to  be  afraid  of  appearing  ojieidy  forward  and  zealous  in 
religion,  as  though  it  were  what  would  debase  their  character,  and  expose  them 
to  contempt.  But  in  this  day  of  bringing  up  the  ark,  they  ought  to  be  like 
David,  that  great  king  of  Israel,  who  made  himself  vile  before  the  ark ;  and  as 
he  was  the  highest  in  honor  and  dignity,  among  God's  people,  so  thought  it  be- 
came him  to  appear  foremost,  in  the  zeal  and  activity  he  manifested  on  that 
occasion  ;  thereby  animating  and  encouraging  the  whole  congregation  to  praise 
the  Lord,  and  rejoice  before  him,  with  all  their  might :  and  though  it  diminished 
him  in  the  eyes  of  scoffing  Michal,  yet  it  did  not  at  all  abate  the  honor  and  es- 
teem of  the  congregation  of  Israel,  but  advanced  it ;  as  appears  by  2  Sam.  vi.  22. 

Rich  men  have  a  talent  in  their  hands,  in  the  disposal  and  improvement  of 
which,  they  might  very  much  promote  such  a  work  as  this,  if  they  were  so  dis- 
posed. They  are  far  beyond  others  under  advantage  to  do  good,  and  lay  up  for 
themselves  treasures  in  heaven.  What  a  thousand  pities  is  it,  that  for  want  of 
a  heart,  they  commonly  have  no  share  at  all  there,  but  heaven  is  peopled  moslly 
with  the  poor  of  this  world  ?  One  would  think  that  our  rich  men,  that  call 
themselves  Christians,  might  devise  some  notable  things  to  do  with  their  money, 
to  advance  the  kingdom  of  their  professed  Redeemer,  and  the  prosperity  of  the 
souls  of  men,  at  this  time  of  such  extraordinary  advantage  for  it.  It  seems  to 
me,  that  in  this  age,  most  of  us  have  but  very  narrow,  penurious  notions  of 
Christianity,  as  it  respects  our  use  and  disposal  of  our  temporal  goods. 

The  primitive  Christians  had  not  such  notions  :  they  were  trained  up  by  the 
apostles  in  another  way.  God  has  greatly  distinguished  some  of  the  inhabitants 
of  New  England  from  others,  in  the  abundance  that  he  has  given  them  of  the 
good  things  of  this  life.  If  they  could  now  be  persuaded  to  lay  out  some  con- 
siderable part  of  that  which  God  has  given  them  for  the  honor  of  God,  and  lay 
it  up  in  heaven,  instead  of  spending  it  for  their  own  honor,  or  laying  it  up  for 


416  REVIVAL   OF   RELIGION 

their  posterity,  they  would  not  repent  of  it  afterwards.  How  liberally  did  the 
heads  of  the  tribes  contribute  to  their  wealth,  at  the  setting  up  the  tabernacle, 
though  it  was  in  a  barren  wilderness!  These  are  the  days  of  the  erecting  the 
tabernacle  of  God  amongst  us.  We  have  a  particular  account  how  the  gold- 
smiths and  the  merchants  helped  to  rebuild  the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  Neh.  iii.  3.2. 
The  days  are  coming  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  and  I  believe  not  very  far  off,  when 
the  sons  of  Zion  shall  come  from  far,  hringing  their  silver  and  their  gold  uith 
them,  unto  the  nam.e  of  the  Lord  their  God,  and  to  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  j 
and  when  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall  trade  for  Christ,  more  than  for  them- 
selves, and  their  inerchandise  and  hire  shall  be  holiness  to  the  Lordj,  and  shall 
not  be  treasured,  or  laid  up  for  posterity,  but  shall  be  for  them  that  dwell  before 
the  Lord,  to  eat  si/ficiently,  and  for  durable  clothing  ;  and  Avhen  the  ships  of 
Tarshish  shall  bring  the  wealth  of  the  distant  parts  of  the  earth,  to  the  place  of 
God''s  sanctuary,  and  to  make  the  place  of  his  feet  glorious  ;  and  the  abundance 
of  the  sea  shall  be  converted  to  the  use  of  God's  church,  and  she  shall  suck  the 
milk  of  the  Gentiles,  and  suck  the  breasts  of  kings.  The  days  are  coming, 
when  the  great  and  rich  men  of  the  world  shall  bring  their  honor  and  glory  into 
the  church,  and  shall,  as  it  were,  strip  themselves,  to  spread  their  garments 
under  Christ's  feet,  as  he  enters  triumphantly  into  Jerusalem  ;  and  when  those 
that  will  not  do  so  shall  have  no  glory,  and  their  silver  and  gold  shall  be  can- 
kered, and  their  garments  moth  eaten  ;  for  the  saints  shall  then  inherit  the  earth, 
and  they  shall  reign  on  earth,  and  those  that  honor  God  he  will  honor,  and 
those  that  despise  him  shall  be  lightly  esteemed. 

If  some  of  our  rich  men  would  give  one  quarter  of  their  estates  to  promote 
this  work,  they  would  act  a  little  as  if  they  were  designed  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  a  little  as  rich  men  will  act  by  and  by,  that  shall  be  partakers  of 
the  spiritual  wealth  and  glories  of  that  kingdom. 

Great  things  might  be  done  for  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
at  this  day,  by  those  that  have  ability,  by  establishing  funds,  for  the  support  and 
propagation  of  religion ;  by  supporting  some  that  are  eminently  qualified  with 
gifts  and  grace,  in  preaching  the  gospel  in  certain  parts  of  the  country,  that  are 
more  destitute  of  the  means  of  grace ;  in  searching  out  children,  of  promising 
abilities,  and  their  hearts  full  of  love  to  Christ,  but  of  poor  families  (as  doubtless 
there  are  such  now  in  the  land),  and  bringing  them  up  for  the  ministry  ;  and  in 
distributing  books,  that  are  remarkably  fitted  to  promote  vital  religion,  and 
have  a  great  tendency  to  advance  this  work ;  or  if  they  would  only  bear  the 
trouble,  expense,  and  loss  of  sending  such  books  into  various  parts  of  the  land, 
to  be  sold,  it  might  be  an  occasion  that  tep.  times  somany  of  those  books  should 
he  bought,  or  otherwise  would  be ;  and  in  establishing  and  supporting  schools, 
in  poor  towns  and  villages ;  which  might  be  done  on  such  a  foundation,  as  not 
only  to  bring  up  children  in  common  learning,  but  also  might  very  much  tend 
to  their  conviction  and  conversion,  and  being  trained  up  in  vital  piety ;  and 
doubtless  something  might  be  done  this  way,  in  old  towns,  and  more  populous 
places,  that  might  have  a  great  tendency  to  the  flourishing  of  rehgion  in  the 
rising  generation. 

But  I  would  now  proceed  to  mention  some  things,  that  ought  to  be  done,  at 
such  a  day  as  this,  that  concern  all  in  general. 

And  here,  the  first  thing  I  shall  mention,  is,  fasting  and  prayer.  It  seems 
to  me,  that  the  circumstances  of  the  present  work  do  loudly  call  God's  people 
to  abound  in  this ;  whether  they  consider  the  experience  God  has  lately  given 
them,  of  the  worth  of  his  presence,  and  of  the  blessed  fruits  of  the  effusions  of 
his  Spirit,  to  excite  them  to  pray  for  the  continuance  and  increase,  and  greater 


IN  NEW  ENGLAND.  4 17 

extent  of  such  blessingjs ;  or  wliether  they  consider  the  great  encourafretnent 
God  has  lately  given  ihein.  to  pray  lor  the  outpourings  of  his  Spirit,  and  the 
carrying  on  this  work,  by  the  great  rnanitestations  he  has  lately  made,  of  the 
freeness  and  riches  of  his  grace  ;  and  how  much  there  is,  in  what  we  have  seen 
of  the  glorious  works  of  God's  power  and  grare,  to  put  us  in  mind  of  the  yet 
greater  things  of  this  nyture,  that  he  has  spoken  of  in  his  word,  and  to  excite 
our  longings  for  those  things,  and  hopes  of  their  approach;  or  whether  we  con- 
sider the  great  opposition  that  Satan  makes  against  this  work,  and  the  many 
dilficulties  with  which  it  is  clogL^-d,  and  the  distressnig  circumslano»s  ihatsome 
parts  of  God's  church  in  this  land  are  under  at  this  "day,  on  one  account  and 
another. 

So  is  God's  will,  through  this  wonderful  grace,  that  the  prayers  of  his  saints 
should  be  one  great  and  jirincipal  means  of  carrying  on  the  drsimis  of  Christ's 
kingdom  in  the  world. —  When  (iod  has  something  very  great  to  accomplish  for 
his  church,  it'is  his  will,  that  th(Me  should  precede  it,  the  extraordmary  prayers 
of  his  people;  as  is  manifest  by  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37,  "  I  will  yet,  for  this,  be  in- 
quired of,  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them  ;"  tf)gether  with  the  context. 
And  it  is  revealed  that,  when  God  is  about  to  accomplish  great  things  for  his 
church,  he  will  begin  by  remarkably  pouring  out  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  suj)pli- 
cation.  Zecli.  xii.  10.  If  we  are  not  to  expect  that  the  devil  should  go  out  of 
a  particular  person,  that  is  under  a  bodily  possession,  without  extraordinary 
prayer,  or  prayer  and  fasting  ;  how  much  less  should  we  expect  to  have  hira 
cast  out  of  the  land  and  the  world  without  it. 

I  am  sensible  that  considerable  has  been  done  in  duties  of  this  nature,  in 
some  places  ;  but  I  do  not  think  so  much  as  God,  in  the  present  dispensations  of 
his  providence,  calls  for.  I  shouUl  think  the  people  of  God  in  this  land,  at  such 
a  time  as  this  is,  would  be  in  the  way  of  their  duty,  to  do  three  times  so  much 
at  fasting  and  prayer  as  they  do ;  not  only,  nor  principally,  for  tlie  pouring  out 
of  the  Spirit  on  those  towns  or  places  where  they  belong  ;  but  that  God  would 
appear  for  his  church,  and  in  mercy  to  miserable  men,  to  carry  on  his  work  in 
the  land,  and  in  the  world  of  mankind,  and  to  fulfil  the  t}iin<j,s  that  he  lias  spoken 
of  in  his  word,  that  his  church  has  been  so  Igng  wishing  and  hoping  and  waiting 
for.  They  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord,  at  this  day,  ought  not  to  keep  silencCj 
and  should  give  God  no  rest,untii  he  establish ,  and  unfit  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise 
in  the  earth,  agreeably  to  Isa.  Ixii.  6,  7.  Before  the  first  great  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  on  the  Christian  church,  which  began  at  Jerusalem,  the  church 
of  God  gave  themselves  to  incessant  prayer,  Acts  i.  13,  14.  There  is  a  time 
spoken  of,  wherein  Gml  will  remarkably  and  wonderJully  appear,  for  the  deliv- 
erance of  his  church  from  all  her  enemies,  and  when  he  will  avenge  his  own 
elect:  and  Christ  reveals  that  this  will  be  in  answer  to  their  incessant  prayers, 
or  crying  day  and  night,  Luke  xviii.  7.  In  Israel,  the  day  of  atommcut ,  which 
was  their  great  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  preceded  and  made  way  lor  the  glo- 
rious and  joyful  feast  of  tabernacles.  When  Christ  is  mystically  born  into  the 
world,  to  rule  over  all  nations,  it  is  represented  in  the  12tli  chapter  of  Revela- 
tion, as  being  in  consequence  of  the  church's  crying,  and  travailing  in  birthj 
and  being  pained  to  be  delivered.  One  thing  here  intended,  doubtless  is,  her 
crying  and  agonizing  in  prayer. 

God  seems  now,  at  this  very  time,  to  be  waiting  for  this  from  as.  When 
God  is  about  to  bestow  some  great  blessing  on  his  church,  it  is  often  his  manner, 
in  the  first  place,  so  to  order  things  in  his  providence  as  to  show  his  church 
their  great  need  of  it,  and  to  bring  them  into  distress  for  want  of  it,  and  so  put 
them  upon  crving  earnestly  to  hira  for  it.     And  let  us  consider  God's  present 

Vol.  UI.  53 


418  REVIVAL   OF  RELIGION 

dispensations  towards  his  church  in  this  land  :  a  glorious  work  of  his  grace 
has  been  begun  and  carried  on ;  and  God  has,  of  late,  suffered  innumerable  diffi- 
culties to  arise,  that  do  in  a  great  measure  clog  and  hinder  it,  and  bring  many 
of  God's  dear  children  into  great  distress  ;  and  yet  does  not  wholly  forsake  the 
work  of  his  hand  ;  there  are  remarkable  tokens  of  his  presence  still  to  be  seen, 
here  and  there ;  as  though  he  was  not  forward  to  forsake  us,  and  (if  I  may  so 
say)  as  though  he  had  a  mind  to  carry  on  his  work ;  but  only  was  waiting  for 
something  that  he  expected  in  us,  as  requisite  in  order  to  it.  And  we  have  a 
great  deal  of  reason  to  think,  that  one  thing  at  least  is,  that  we  should  further 
acknowledge  the  greatness  and  necessity  of  such  a  mercy,  and  our  dependence 
on  God  for  it,  in  earnest  and  importunate  prayers  to  him.  And  by  the  many 
errors  that  have  been  run  into,  and  the  wounds  we  have  thereby  given  ourselves 
and  the  cause  that  we  v;ould  promote,  and  the  mischief  and  confusion  we  have 
thereby  made,  God  has  hitherto  been  remarkably  showing  us  our  great  and  uni- 
versal dependence  on  him,  and  exceeding  need  of  his  help  and  grace :  which 
should  engage  our  cries  to  him  lor  it. 

There  is  no  way  that  Christians  in  a  private  capacity  can  do  so  much  to 
promote  the  work  of  God,  and  advance  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  as  by  prayer. 
13y  this  even  w^omen,  children,  and  servants  may  have  a  public  influence.  Let 
persons  be  never  so  weak,  and  never  so  mean,  and  under  never  so  poor  advan- 
tages to  do  much  for  Christ,  and  the  souls  of  men  otherwise  ;  yet,  if  they  have 
much  of  the  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,  in  this  way,  they  may  have  power 
with  Him  that  is  infinite  in  power,  and  has  the  government  of  the  whole  world : 
and  so  a  poor  man  in  his  cottage  may  have  a  blessed  influence  all  over  the  world. 
God  is,  if  I  may  so  say,  at  the  command  of  the  prayer  of  faith ;  and  in  this 
respect  is,  as  it  were,  under  the  power  of  his  people ;  as  princes,  they  have 
power  with  God,  and  prevail :  though  they  may  be  private  persons,  their  pray- 
ers are  put  in  the  name  of  a  Mediator,  that  is  a  public  person,  being  the  head 
of  the  whole  church,  and  the  Lord  of  the  universe :  and  if  they  have  a  great 
sense  of  the  importance  of  eternal  things,  and  concern  for  the  precious  souls  of 
men,  yet  they  need  not  regret  it,  that  they  are  not  preachers ;  they  may  go 
in  their  earnestness  and  agonies  of  soul,  and  pour  out  their  souls  before  One 
that  is  able  to  do  all  things ;  before  him  they  may  speak  as  freely  as  ministers  : 
they  have  a  great  High  Priest,  through  M'hom  they  may  come  boldly  at  all  times, 
and  may  vent  themselves  before  a  prayer  hearing  Father,  M'ithout  any  restraint. 
If  the  people  of  God,  at  this  day,  Instead  of  spending  time  in  fruitless  dis- 
puting, and  talking  about  opposers.  and  judging  of  them,  and  animadverting 
upon  the  unreasonableness  of  their  talk  and  behavior,  and  its  inconsistence 
with  true  experience,  would  be  more  silent  in  this  way,  and  open  their 
mouths  much  more  before  God,  and  spend  more  time  in  fasting  and  prayer,  they 
would  be  more  in  the  way  of  a  blessing.  And  if  some  Christians  in  the  land, 
that  have  been  complaining  of  their  ministers,  and  struggling  in  vain  to  deliver 
themselves  from  the  difficulties  they  have  complained  of,  under  their  ministry, 
had  said  and  acted  less  before  men,  and  had  applied  themselves  with  all  their 
mio-ht  to  cry  to  God  for  their  ministers,  had  as  it  were  risen,  and  stormed  heaven 
with  their  humble,  fervent,  and  incessant  prayers  for  them,  they  would  have  been 
much  more  in  the  way  of  success, 

God  in  his  providence,  appearing  in  the  present  state  of  things,  does  espe- 
cially call  on  his  people  in  New  England  to  be  very  much  in  praying  to  him  for 
the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  upon  ministers  in  the  land.  For  though  it  is  not 
for  us  to  determine,  concerning  particular  ministers,  how  much  they  have  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  ;  yet  in  the  general,  it  Is  apparent,  that  there  is,  at  this  day,  need 


IN  NEW   ENGLAND.  4^9 

ol  very  great  dep;rce.s  of  the  presence  of  Clod  with  the  ministr)-  n  !\ew  Kn" 
land,  much  greater  degrees  of  it  than  has  hitherto  been  granted  ;  they  nrt-d'^t 
for  themselves,  and  the  church  of  God  stands  in  extreme  need  of  it. 

In  days  of  fasting  and  prayer,  wherein  the  whole  church  or  congregation  is 
concerned,  if  the  whole  day,  besides  what  is  spent  in  our  families,  was  not  spent 
in  the  meeting-house,  but  part  of  it  in  particular  praying  companies  or  societies, 
it  would  have  a  tendency  to  animate  and  eiiganre  devotion,  more  than  if  the 
whole  day  were  spent  in  public,  where  the  people  are  no  way  active  themselves 
m  the  worship,  any  otherwise  than  as  they  join  with  the  minister.  The  inha- 
bitants of  many  of  our  towns  are  now  divitled  into  particular  praying  societies, 
most  of  the  people,  young  and  ohi,  have  voluntarily  associated  themselves,  in 
distinct  companies,  for  mutual  assistance,  in  social  worship,  in  private  houses: 
what  I  intend,  therefore,  is,  that  days  of  j)rayer  should  be  spent  partly  in  these 
distinct  praying  companies.  Such  a  method  of  keeping  a  fast  as  l/iis,  has  scv- 
eral  times  been  proved,  viz.,  in  the  forenoon,  after  the  duties  of  the  family  and 
closet,  as  early  as  might  be,  all  the  people  of  the  congregation  have  gathered 
in  their  particular  religious  societies ;  companies  of  men  bv  themselves,  and 
companies  of  women  by  themselves ;  young  men  ijy  themselves,  and  young 
women  by  themselves  ;  and  companies  of  children,  in  all  parts  of  the  town, 
by  themselves,  as  many  as  were  capable  of  social  religious  exercises  ;  the 
boys  by  themselves,  and  girls  by  themselves  :  and  about  tlic  middle  of  the  dav, 
at  an  appointed  hour,  all  have  met  together  in  the  house  of  God,  to  offer  up 
public  prayers,  and  to  hear  a  sermon  suitable  to  the  occa.  ion  :  and  then,  thev 
have  retired  from  the  house  of  God  again,  into  their  private  societies,  and  spent 
the  remaining  part  of  the  day  in  praying  together  there,  excepting  so  much  as 
was  requisite  for  the  duties  of  the  family  and  closet  in  their  own  houses.  And 
it  has  been  found  to  be  of  great  benefit,  to  assist  and  engage  the  minds  of  the 
people  in  the  duties  of  the  day. 

I  have  often  thought  it  would  be  a  thing  very  desirable,  and  very  likely  to 
6e  followed  with  a  great  blessing,  if  there  could  be  some  contrivance,  that 
there  shouUl  be  an  agreement  of  all  (rod's  people  in  America,  that  are  well 
affected  to  this  work,  to  keep  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  to  God ;  wherein  we 
should  all  unite  on  the  same  day,  in  humbling  ourselves  before  God  for  our  past 
long-continued  lukewavmness  and  improfitableness ;  not  omitting  humiliation 
lor  the  errors  that  so  many  of  God's  people  that  have  been  zealously  afTectetl 
towards  this  work,  through  their  infirmity  and  remaining  blindness  and  corrup- 
tion, have  run  into ;  and  together  with  thanksgivings  to  God,  for  so  glorious 
and  wonderful  a  display  of  his  power  and  grace,  in  the  late  outpourings  of  his 
Spirit ;  to  address  the  Father  of  mercies,  with  prayers  and  supplications,  and 
earnest  cries,  that  he  would  guide  and  direct  his  own  people,  and  that  he  would 
continue,  and  still  carry  on  this  work,  and  more  abundantly  and  extensively 
pour  out  his  Spirit ;  and  particularly  that  he  would  pour  out  his  Spirit  upon 
ministers;  and  that  he  would  bow  the  heavens  and  come  down,  an(l  erect  his 
glorious  kingdom  through  the  earth.  Some  perhaps  may  think  that  iti;  being 
all  on  the  same  day,  is  a  circumstance  of  no  great  consequence ;  but  I  cannot 
be  of  that  mind  :  such  a  circumstance  makes  the  union  and  agreement  of  (iwl's 
people  in  his  worship  the  more  visible,  and  puts  the  greater  honor  upon  God. 
and  would  have  a  great  tendency  to  assist  and  enliven  the  devotions  of  Chris- 
tians :  it  seems  to  me  it  would  mi«rhtily  encoura<;e  and  animate  (lod's  saints,  in 
humbly  and  earnestly  seeking  to  God,  for  such  blessings  which  concern  them 
all ;  and  that  it  would  be  much  for  tlie  rejoicing  of  all,  to  think,  that  at  the 
same  time,  such  multitudes  of  God's  dear  children,  far  and  near,  were  sending 


420  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

up  their  cries  to  the  same  common  Father,  for  the  same  mercies.  Christ  speaks 
of  agreement  in  asking,  as  what  contributes  to  the  prevalence  of  the  prayers  of 
his  people.  Matt.  xvni.  19,  "Again  I  say  unto  you,  that  if  any  two  of  you 
shall  agree  on  earth,  as  touching  any  thing  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  clone 
for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  If  the  agreement  or  united  purpose 
and  appointment  of  but  two  of  God's  chilch-eii,  would  contribute  much  to  the 
prevalence  of  their  prayers,  how  much  more  the  agreement  of  so  many  thou- 
sands! Christ  delights  greatly  in  the  union  of  his  people,  as  appears  by  his 
prayer  in  the  17th  of  John  :  and  especially  is  the  appearance  of  their  union  in 
woiship,  Icr/ely  and  attractive  unto  him. 

I  doubt  not  but  such  a  thing  as  I  have  now  mentioned  is  practicable,  with- 
out a  great  deal  of  trouble.  Some  considerable  number  of  ministers  might 
meet  together  and  draw  up  the  proposal,  wherein  a  certain  day  should  be  pitch- 
ed upon,  at  a  j;ufFicient  (hstance,  endeavoring  therein  to  avoid  any  other  public 
day,  that  might  interfere  with  the  design,  in  any  of  the  provinces,  and  the  busi- 
ness of  the  day  should  be  particularly  mentioned  ;  and  these  proposals  should 
be  published,  and  sent  abroad,  into  all  parts,  with  a  desire  that  as  many  minis- 
ters as  are  disposed  to  fall  in  with  them,  wouUl  propose  the  matter  to  their 
congregations,  and  having  taken  their  consent,  would  subscribe  their  names, 
together  with  the  places  of  which  they  are  ministers,  and  send  back  the  pro- 
posals thus  subscribed  to  the  printer  (the  hands  of  many  ministers  might  be  to 
one  paper)  ;  and  the  printer  having  received  the  paper  thus  subscribed,  from 
all  the  provinces,  might  print  the  proposals  again,  with  all  the  names  ;  thus 
they  might  be  sent  abroad  again,  with  the  names,  iliat  God's  people  might 
know  who  are  united  with  them  in  the  affair :  one  of  the  ministei's  of  Boston 
might  be  desired  to  have  the  oversight  of  the  printing  and  dispeising  the  pro- 
posals. In  such  a  way,  perhaps,  might  be  fulfilled  in  some  measure,  sucii  a 
general  mourning  and  supplication  of  God's  people,  as  is  spoken  of,  Zech.  xii. 
at  the  latter  end,  with  which  the  church's  glorious  day  is  to  be  introduced. 
And  ^uch  a  day  might  be  something  like  the  day  of  atonemerd  in  Israel,  before 
the  joyful y<^as^  of  tabernacles. 

One  thing  more  I  would  mention  concerning  fasting  and  prayer,  wherein  I 
think  there  has  been  a  neglect  in  ministers  ;  and  that  is,  that  ahhough  they 
recommend,  and  much  insist  on  the  duty  of  secret  prayer,  in  their  preaching, 
so  little  is  said  about  secret  fasting.  It  is  a  duty  recommended  by  our  Saviour 
to  his  followers,  just  in  like  manner  as  secret  prayer  is  ;  as  may  be  seen  by 
comparing  the  5th  and  6th  verses  of  the  6th  chapter  of  Matthew  with  verses 
16,  17,  18.  Though  1  do  not  suppose  that  secret  fasting  is  to  be  practised  in 
a  stated  manner,  and  steady  course  as  secret  prayer,  yet  it  seems  to  me  it  is  a 
duty  that  all  professing  Christians  should  practise,  and  frequently  practise. 
There  are  many  occasions,  of  both  a  spiritual  and  temporal  nature,  that  do  pro- 
perly require  it ;  and  there  are  many  particular  mercies,  that  we  desire  for  our- 
selves or  fiiends,  that  it  w^ould  be  proper,  in  this  manner,  to  seek  of  God. 

Another  thing  I  would  also  mention,  wherein  it  appears  to  me  that  there 
has  been  an  omission,  with  respect  to  the  external  worship  of  God.  There  has 
been  of  late,  a  great  increase  of  preaching  the  word,  and  a  great  increase  of 
social  prayer,  and  a  great  increase  of  singing  praises  :  these  external  duties  of 
rehgion  are  attendedLmuch  more  frequently  than  they  used  to  be  ;  yet  I  can- 
not understand  that  there  is  any  increase  of  the  administration  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  or  that  God's  people  do  any  more  frequently  commemorate  the  dying- 
love  of  their  Redeemer,  in  this  sacred  memorial  of  it,  than  they  used  to  do  : 
though  I  do  not  see  why  an  increase  of  love  to  Christ,  should  not  diispose 


IX   NEW   ENGLAND.  421 

Christians  as  much  to  increase  in  this,  as  in  those  other  duties  ;  or  why  it  is 
not  as  proper,  that  Christ's  {liscipK\s  shouKl  abound  in  this  <hily,  in  this  joytnl 
season,  which  is  spiritually  supp«-r-tiine,  a  feast-day  with  Ciod's' saints,  wherein 
Christ  is  so  abundantly  nianileslinjx  liis  dyinf^  hjve  to  souls,  und  is  dealinL;-  forth 
so  liberally  of  the  precious  fruits  of  his  deatli.  It  seenis  plain  by  the  Scripture, 
that  the  primitive  Christians  were  wont  to  celebrate  their  nieujorial  of  tlie  suf- 
ferings of  their  dear  Redeemer  every  Lord's  day :  and  so  I  believe  it  will  be 
a^ain  in  tlie  church  of  Clirist,  in  days  that  are  approacliing.  And  wliether 
we  attt.'iid  this  holy  and  sweet  ordinance  so  often  now,  or  no,  yet  I  cannot  but 
think  it  would  become  us,  at  such  a  time  as  tliis^  to  attend  it  much  oltener  than 
is  commonly  done  in  the  land. 

But  another  thin[^  I  would  mention,  which  is  of  much  p;reater  importance, 
that  we  shouhl  attend  to  ;  and  that  is  the  duty,  that  is  incumbent  upon  God's 
})eopie  at  this  day,  to  take  lieed,  that  while  they  nbound  in  external  duties  of 
devotion,  such  as  praying,  hearino;,  singing,  and  attending  religious  meetings, 
there  be  a  proportionable  care  to  abound  in  nwral  duties,  such  as  acts  of  liglii- 
eousness,  truth,  meekness,  forgiveness,  and  k>ve  towards  our  neighbor ;  wliich 
are  of  much  greater  importance  in  the  sight  ol'  God,  than  all  the  externals  of 
his  worship  :  which  our  Saviour  was  particularly  careiul  that  men  should  be 
well  aware  of.  Matt.  ix.  13,  "  But  go  ye,  and  learn  what  that  mcaneth,  1  will 
have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice."  And  chap.  xii.  7,  '•  But  if  ye  had  known  what 
this  raeaneth,  I  will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice,  ye  would  not  have  condemn- 
ed the  guiltless." 

The  internal  acts  and  principles  of  the  worship  of  God,  or  the  worship  of 
the  heart,  in  the  love  arul  fear  of  God,  trust  in  (Jod,  and  resignation  to  God,&.c., 
are  the  most  essential  and  important  of  all  duties  of  religion  whatsoever ;  for 
therein  consists  the  essence  of  all  religion.  But  of  this  inward  religion,  there 
are  two  sorts  of  external  manifestations  or  expressions.  The  one  sort  are  out- 
ward acts  of  worship,  such  as  meeting  in  religious  assemblies,  attending  sacra- 
ments, and  other  outward  institutions,  and  honoring  God  with  gesturts,  such  as 
bowing,  or  kneeling  before  him,  or  with  words,  in  speaking  honorably  of  him, 
in  prayer,  praise,  or  religious  conference.  And  the  other  sort,  are  the  expres- 
sions of  our  love  to  God,  by  obeying  his  moral  commands,  of  self-denial,  right- 
eousness, meekness,  and  Clnistian  love,  in  our  behavior  among  men.  And  the 
latter  are  of  vastly  the  greatest  importance  in  the  Christian  life.  God  makes 
little  account  of  the  former,  in  cnuiparison  of  them.  They  are  abimdantly  more 
insisted  on,  by  the  prophets,  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  Christ  and  his  apostl<\s, 
in  the  New.  When  these  two  kinds  of  duties  are  spoken  of  together,  the  latter 
are  evermore  greatly  preferred.  As  in  Isa.  i.  12,  to  18,  and  Amos  v.  21,  &r., 
andMicah.vi.  7,  8,  and  Isa.  Iviii.  5,  6,  7,  and  Zech.  vii.  ten  first  verses,  and  Jer. 
ii.  seven  first  verses,  and  Matt.  xv.  3,  &c.  Ot'len,  when  the  times  were  very 
corrupt  in  Israel,  the  people  abounded  in  the  former  kind  of  duties,  but  were,  at 
such  times,  always  notoriously  deficient  in  the  latter  ;  as  the  prophets  complain, 
Isa.  Iviii.,  four  first  verses,  Jer.  vi.  13,  compared  with  verse  20.  Hypocrites  and 
self-righteous  persfms,  do  nmch  more  commonly  abound  in  tiie  Ibrmer  kind  of 
duties^  than  the  latter ;  as  Christ  reinarlcs  of  the  Pharisees,  Matt,  xxiii.  14,  25, 
and  34.  Wlien  the  Scripture  directs  us  to  show  our  faith  by  our  u-or/cs,  it  is 
principally  the  latter  sort  arc  intended  ;  as  appears  by  James  ii.  from  8th  verse 
to  the  end,  and  1  John  ii.  3,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11.  And  we  are  to  be  judged  at  the 
last  day,  especially  bv  these  latter  sort  of  works  ;  as  is  evident  by  the  account 
we  have  of  the  day  of  judgment  in  the  25th  of  Matthew.  External  acts  of  wor- 
ship in  words  and  gestures,  and  outward  forms,  are  of  little  use,  but  as  signs  of 


422  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

something  else,  or  as  they  are  a  profession  of  inward  worship :  they  are  not  so 
properly  showing  our  religion  by  our  deeds ;  for  they  are  only  a  showing  our  re- 
ligion by  words,  or  an  outward  profession.  But  he  that  shows  religion  in  the  other 
sort  of  duties,  shows  it  is  something  more  than  a  profession  of  words,  he  shows 
it  in  deeds.  And  though  deeds  may  be  hypocritical,  as  well  as  words  ;  yet  in 
themselves  they  are  of  greater  importance,  for  they  ai  e  iiiach  more  profitable  to 
ourselves  and  our  neighbor.  We  cannot  express  our  love  to  God,  by  doing  any 
thing  that  is  profitable  to  God  ;  God  would  therefore  have  us  do  it  in  those  things 
that  are  profitable  to  our  neighbors,  whom  he  has  constituted  his  receivers ;  our 
goodness  extends  not  to  God,  but  to  our  fellow  Christians.  The  latter  sort  of 
duties  put  greater  honor  upon  God,  because  there  is  greater  self-denial  in  them. 
The  external  acts  of  worship,  consisting  in  bodily  gestures,  words,  and  sounds, 
are  the  cheapest  part  of  religion,  and  least  contrary  to  our  lusts.  The  difficulty 
of  thorough,  external  religion,  does  not  lie  in  them.  Let  wicked  men  enjoy 
their  covetousness,  and  their  pride,  their  malice,  envy  and  revenge,  and  their 
sensuality  and  voluptuousness,  in  their  behavior  amongst  men,  and  they  will  be 
willing  to  compound  the  matter  with  God,  and  submit  to  what  forms  of  worship 
you  please,  and  as  many  as  you  please ;  as  is  manifest  in  the  Jews  of  old,  in 
the  days  of  the  prophets,  and  the  Pharisees  in  Christ's  time,  and  the  Papists 
and  Mahometans  at  this  day. 

At  a  time  when  there  is  an  appearance  of  the  approach  of  any  glorious  re- 
vival of  God's  church,  God  does  especially  call  his  professing  people  to  the 
practice  of  moral  duties.  Isa.  Ivi.  1,"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  Keep  ye  judgment 
and  do  justice ;  for  my  salvation  is  near  to  come,  and  my  righteousness  to  be 
revealed."  So  when  John  preached  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  at  handy 
and  cried  to  the  people.  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight, 
as  we  have  an  account,  Luke  iii.  4,  the  people  asked  him.  What  they  should  do  1 
He  answers,  He  that  hath  two  coats,  let  him  impart  to  him  that  hath  none,  and 
he  that  hath  meat,  let  him  do  likevise.  The  publicans  said,  What  shall  we  do  ? 
He  answers.  Exact  no  more  than  that  ivhich  is  appointed  you.  And  the  soldiers 
asked  him;  What  shall  we  do  ?  He  replies,  Do  violence  to  no  man  ;  neither 
accuse  any  falsely  ;  and  be  content  with  your  loages.     Verses  10,  11, 12, 13, 14. 

God's  people,  at  such  a  time  as  this,  ought  especially  to  abound  in  deeds  of 
charity,  or  alms-giving.  We  generally,  in  these  days,  seem  to  fall  far  below 
the  true  spirit  and  practice  of  Christianity,  with  regard  to  this  duty,  and  seem 
to  have  but  little  notion  of  it,  so  far  as  I  can  understand  the  New  Testament. 
At  a  time  when  God  is  so  liberal  of  spiritual  things,  we  ought  not  to  be  strait- 
handed  towards  him,  and  sparing  of  our  temporal  things.  So  far  as  I  can  judge 
by  the  Scripture,  there  is  no  external  duty  whatsoever,  by  which  persons  wnll 
be  so  much  in  the  way,  not  only  of  receiving  temporal  benefits,  but  also  spirit- 
ual blessings,  the  influences  of  God's  holy  Spirit  in  the  heart,  in  divine  discov- 
eries, and  spii'itual  consolations.  I  think  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  under- 
stand those  promises,  made  to  this  duty,  in  the  58th  chapter  of  Isaiah,  in  a  sense 
exclusive  of  spiritual  discoveries  and  comforts.  Isa.  Iviii.  7,  &c.  "  Is  it  not  to 
deal  thy  bread  to  the  hungry,  and  that  thou  bring  the  poor  that  are  cast  out,  to 
thy  house  1  When  thou  seest  the  naked  that  thou  cover  him,  and  that  thou 
hide  not  thyself  from  thine  own  flesh  1  Then  shall  thy  light  break  forth  as  the 
morning,  and  thy  health  shall  spring  forth  speedily,  and  thy  righteousness  shall 
go  before  thee,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  thy  rear- ward  ;  then  shalt  thou 
call,  and  the  Lord  shall  answer ;  thou  shalt  ciy,  and  he  shall  say.  Here  I  am. 
If  thou  take  away  from  the  midst  of  the;  the  yoke,  the  pointing  forth  of 
the  finger,  and  speaking  vanity ;  and  if  thou  iraw  out  thy  soul  to  the  hungry, 


IN   NEW   ENGLAND.  423 

and  satisfy  the  afllicted  soul ;  tlu-ri  shall  thy  lifjht  rise  in  oKscurily,  and  thv 
darkness  be  as  the  noonday  ;  and  the  Lord  shall  guide  thee  continually,  and 
satisfy  thy  soul  in  ilrou>_:;iit,  and  make  fat  thy  bones  j  and  thou  shall  be  like  a 
watered  garden,  and  like  a  spring  of  water,  wliose  waters  fail  not."  So,  that 
giving  to  the  poor  is  the  way  to  receive  spiritual  blessings,  is  manifest  by  Psal. 
cxii.  4,  &c. :  "  Unto  the  upright,  there  ariseth  light  in  the  darkness  ;  he  is  gra- 
cious, and  full  of  roMipassion,  and  righteous  :  a  good  man  showeth  favor,  and  lend 
elh,  he  will  guide  his  aliaiis  with  tliseretion  ;  surely  he  shall  not  be  moved  forever  ; 
the  righteous  shall  be  in  everlasting  remembrance  ;  he  shall  not  be  afraid,  of  evil 
lidings,his  heart  isfixedjtrusling  in  the  Lord;  his  heart  is  established,  he  shall  not  be 
afraiil,  until  he  see  his  desire  upon  his  cnemie-s  :  he  hath  dispersed,  he  hath  given  to 
the  poor  ;  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honor."  That  this  is  one  likely  means  to 
obtain  assurance,  is  evident  by  1  John  iii.  18, 19"  My  little  children,  let  us  not  love 
in  word,  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed,  and  in  truth;  and  hereby  we  know  that  we 
are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him." 

We  have  a  remarkable  instance  in  Abraham,  of  God's  rewanUng  deeds  of 
charity  with  sweet  discoveries  of  himself,  when  he  had  been  remarkably  chari- 
table to  his  brother  Lot,  and  the  people  that  he  had  redeemed  out  of  captivity 
with  him,  by  exposing  his  life  to  rescue  them,  and  had  retaken  not  only  the 
persons,  but  all  the  goods,  the  spoil  that  had  been  taken  by  Chctlorlaomer,  and 
the  kings  that  were  with  him,  anil  the  king  of  Sodom  otlered  him,  (hat  if  he 
would  give  him  the  persons,  he  might  take  tlie  goods  to  himself;  Abraham  rc- 
lused  to  take  any  thing,  even  so  much  as  a  thread  or  shoe  latchet,  but  returned 
all.  He  might  have  greatly  enriched  himself,  if  he  had  taken  the  spoils  to 
himself,  for  it  was  the  spoils  of  five  wealthy  kings,  and  their  kingdoms,  yet  lie 
coveted  it  not;  the  king  and  people  of  Sodom  were  now  become  objects  of 
charity,  having  been  stripped  of  all  by  their  enemies,  therefore  Abraham  gener- 
ously bestowed  all  upon  them;  as  we  have  an  account  in  Gen.  xiv.  and  four 
last  versc;s.  And  he  was  soon  rewarded  for  it,  by  a  blessed  discovery  that  God 
made  of  himself  to  hini ;  as  we  have  an  account  in  the  next  wonls  :  "  After 
these  things  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  Abraham,  in  avbion,  saying,  Kear 
not,  Abraliam,  I  am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceeding  great  reward."  "  I  am  thy 
shiekl,  to  defend  thee  in  battle,  as  I  have  now  done;  and  though  thou  hast 
charitably  refused  to  take  any  reward,  for  exposing  thy  life  to  rescue  this  peo- 
ple, yet  fear  not,  thou  shalt  not  lose,  thou  shalt  have  a  reward,  I  am  thy  ex- 
ceeding great  reward." 

When  Christ  was  upon  earth  he  was  poor,  and  an  object  of  charity; 
and  during  the  time  of  his  public  ministry,  he  was  supported  by  the  charity  of 
some  of  his  followers,  and  particularly  certain  women,  of  whom  we  read  Ltike 
viii.  2,  3.  And  these  women  were  rewarded,  by  being  peculiarly  favored  with 
gracious  manilestations,  which  Christ  made  of  himself  to  them.  He  discovered 
himself  lirst  to  them  after  ids  resurrection,  before  the  twelve  disciples:  they  first 
saw  a  vision  of  glorious  angeLs,  who  spake  comfortably  to  them  ;  and  then 
Christ  appeared  to  them,  and  spake  peace  to  them,  snyinij,  .111  hail,  be  not 
afraid  and  they  were  admitted  to  come  and  hold  him  by  the  feet,  and  tcorship 
lum,  Matt,  xxviii.  And  though  we  cannot  now  be  charitable  in  this  way,  to 
Christ  in  })e!-son,  who  in  his  exalted  state  is  infinitely  above  the  need  of  our 
chai  ity ;  yet  we  may  be  charitable  to  Christ  now,  as  well  as  they  then ;  for 
though  Christ  is  not  here,  yet  he  has  left  others  in  his  room,  to  be  his  receivers,  and 
they  are  the  poor.  Christ  is  yet  poor  in  his  members;  and  he  that  gives  to 
them  lends  to  the  Lord :  and  Christ  tells  us  that  he  shall  look  on  what  is  done 
to  them,  as  done  to  him. 


424  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 

Rebekah,  in  her  marriage  with  Isaac,  was  undoubtedly  a  remarkable  type 
of  the  church,  in  her  espousals  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  But  she  found  her  husband, 
in  doing  deeds  of  charity,  agreeable  to  the  prayer  of  Abraham's  seiTant,  who 
prayed  that  this  might  be  the  thing  that  might  distinguish  and  mark  out  the 
virgin,  that  was  to  be  Isaac's  wife.  So  Cornelius  Avas  brought  to  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  in  this  way.  He  was  a  devout  man,  and  one  that  feared' God, 
vntli  all  his  house  ;  which  gave  much  alms  to  the  people,  and  prayed  to  God 
alway.  And  an  angel  appeared  to  him,  and  said  to  him,  thy  prayers  and  thine 
alms  are  come  up  for  a  m.emorial  before  God  ;  and  now  send  men  to  Joppa,  and 
call  for  one  Simon,  whose  stirname  is  Peter,  &c.,  Acts  x.  at  the  beginning. 
And  we  have  an  account  in  the  following  parts  of  the  chapter,  how  God  by 
Peter's  preaching  revealed  Christ  to  Cornelius  and  his  family,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost's  descending  upon  them,  and  filling  their  hearts  with  joy  and  their  mouths 
with  praises. 

Some  may  possibly  object  that  for  persons  to  do  deeds  of  charity,  in  hope 
of  obtaining  spiritual  blessings  and  comforts  in  this  way,  would  seem  to  show  a 
self-righteous  spirit,  as  though  they  would  offer  sometliing  to  God  to  purchase 
these  favors.  But  if  this  be  a  good  objection,  it  may  be  made  against  every 
duty  whatsoever.  'All  external  duties  of  the  first  table  will  be  excluded  by  it, 
as  well  as  those  of  the  second.  First  table  duties  have  as  direct  a  tendency  to 
raise  self-righteous  persons'  expectations  of  receiving  something  from  God,  on 
accountof  them,as  second  table  duties;  and  on  some  accounts  more,  for  those  duties 
are  more  immediately  offered  to  God,  and  therefore  persons  are  more  ready  to  ex- 
pect somethingyroTO  God  for  them.  But  no  duty  is  to  be  neglected,  for  fear  of 
making  a  righteousness  of  it.  And  I  have  always  observed,  that  those  professors 
that  are  most  partial  in  their  duty,  exact  and  abundant  in  external  duties  of  the 
first  table,  and  slack  as  to  those  of  the  second,  are  the  most  self-righteous. 

If  God's  people  in  this  land,  were  once  brought  to  abound  in  such  deeds  of 
love,  as  much  as  in  praying,  hearing,  singing,  and  religious  meetings  and  con- 
ference, it  would  be  a  most  blessed  omen :  there  is  nothing  would  have  a 
greater  tendency  to  bring  the  God  of  love  down  from,  heaven  to  the  earth  :  so 
amiable  would  be  the  sight,  in  the  eyes  of  our  loving  and  exalted  Redeemer, 
that  it  would  soon  as  it  were  fetch  Him  down  from  his  throne  in  heaven,  to 
set  up  His  tabernacle  v/ith  men  on  the  earth,  and  dwell  with  them.  I  do  not 
remember  ever  to  have  read  of  any  remarkable  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  that 
continued  any  long  time,  but  what  was  attended  with  an  abounding  in  this 
duty.  So  we  know  it  was  with  that  great  effusion  of  the  Spirit  that  began  at 
Jeiusalem  in  the  apostles'  days :  and  so  in  the  late  remarkable  revival  of  reli- 
gion in  Saxony,  which  began  by  the  labors  of  the  famous  Professor  Franck,  and 
has  now  been  carried  on  for  above  thirty  years,  and  has  spread  its  happy  influ- 
ences into  many  parts  of  the  world ;  it  was  begun,  and  has  been  carried  on,  by 
a  wonderful  practice  of  this  duty.  And  the  remarkable  blessing  that  God  has 
given  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  the  great  success  with  which  he  has  crowned  him, 
may  w^ell  be  thought  to  be  very  much  owing  to  his  laying  out  himself  so  abun- 
dantly in  charitable  designs.  And  it  is  foretold,  that  God's  people  shall  abound 
in  this  duty,  in  the  time  of  the  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  that  shall  be  in 
the  latter  days.  Isa.  xxxii.  5  and  8,  "  The  vile  person  shall  no  more  be  called 
liberal,  nor  the  churl  said  to  be  bountiful.  But  the  liberal  deviseth  libera- 
things,  and  by  liberal  things  shall  he  stand." 

To  promote  a  reformation,  with  respect  to  all  sorts  of  duties,  among  a  pro- 
fessing people,  one  proper  means,  and  that  which  is  recommended  by  frequent 
Scripture  examples,  is  their  solemn,  public  renewing  their  covenant  with  God. 


IN   NEW    ENGLAND.  425 

And  doubtless  it  would  preatly  tend  to  promote  this  work  in  the  land,  if  the 
congregations  of  God's  people  could  generally  be  brought  to  this,  if  a  draught 
of  a  covenant  should  be  made  by  their  ministers,  wherein  there  should  he  an 
express  mention  of  those  particular  duties,  thai  the  people  of  the  respective 
oongregation.s  have  been  observed  to  be  most  prone  to  neglect,  and  those  par- 
ticular sins  that  they  have  heretofore  especially  fallen  into,  or  that  it  may  be 
appreiiended  they  are  especially  in  danger  of,  whereby  they  may  prevent  or 
resist  the  motions  of  God's  Spirit,  and  the  matter  should  be  tully  proposed  and 
explained  to  the  people,  and  they  have  suHicient  opportunity  given  them  for 
consideration,  and  then  they  should  be  Icil,  all  that  are  capable  of  understanding, 
pailicidarly  to  subscribe  the  covenant,  and  also  should  all  appear  together,  on 
a  day  of  prayer  and  fasting,  publicly  to  own  it  before  God  in  his  hoase,  as 
their  vow  to  the  Lord  ;  hereby  congregations  of  Christians  would  do  that  which 
would  be  beautiful,  and  would  put  honor  upon  God,  and  be  very  profitable  to 
tliemselves. 

Such  a  thing  as  this,  was  attended  with  a  very  wonderful  blessing  in  Scot- 
land, and  followed  with  a  great  increase  of  the  blessed  tokens  of  the  presence 
of  God,  and  remarkable  outpourings  of  his  Spirit ;  as  the  author  of  The  Ful- 
fdling  of  the  Scripture  informs,  p.  1S6,  5th  edition. 

A  people  must  be  taken,  w^hen  they  are  in  a  good  mood,  when  considerable 
religious  impressions  are  prevailing  among  them  ;  otherwise  tliey  will  hardly  be 
induced  to  this;  but  innumerable  will  be  their  objections  and  cavils  against  it. 

One  thing  more  I  would  mention,  which,  if  God  should  .still  carrv  on  this 
work,  would  tend  much  to  promote  it,  and  that  is,  that  a  history  shouiil  be  pub- 
lished once  a  month,  or  once  a  fortnight,  of  the  progress  of  it,  by  one  of  the 
liiinisters  ot'  Boston,  who  are  near  the  press,  and  are  most  conveniently  situated, 
to  receive  accounts  from  all  parts.  It  has  been  tbund  by  experience,  that  the 
tidings  of  remarkable  elTectii  of  the  power  and  grace  of  God  in  any  place,  tend 
greatly  to  awaken  and  engage  the  minds  of  persons,  in  other  places.  It  is  a 
great  pity,  therefore,  but  that  some  means  should  be  usecl,  for  the  most  speedy, 
most  extensive  and  certain  giving  informationof  such  things,  and  that  the  coun- 
tiy  be  not  left,  only  to  the  slow,  partial  and  doubtful  information,  and  false  rep- 
resentations of  common  report. 

Thus  I  have  (I  hope,  by  the  help  of  God)  finished  what  I  proposed.  I 
have  taken  the  more  pains  m  it,  because  it  appears  to  me,  that  now  God  is 
giving  us  the  most  happy  season  to  attempt  a  universal  reformation,  that  ever 
was  given  in  New  England.  And  it  is  a  thousand  pities,  that  we  should  fail 
of  that  which  would  be  so  glorious,  for  want  of  being  sensible  of  our  oppor- 
tunity, or  being  aware  of  those  things  that  tend  to  hinder  it,  or  our  taking  im- 
proper courses  to  obtain  it,  or  not  being  sensible  in  what  way  God  expects  we 
should  seek  it.  If  it  should  please  God  to  bless  any  means  lor  the  convincing 
the  country  of  His  hand  in  this  work,  and  bringing  them  fully  and  freely  to  ac- 
knowledge His  glorious  power  and  grace  in  it,  and  engage  with  one  heart  and 
soul,  and  by  due  methods,  to  endeavor  to  promote  it,  it  would  be  a  dispensation 
of  divine  Providence,  that  would  have  a  most  glorious  aspect,  happdy  signifying 
the  approach  of  great  and  glorious  things  to  the  church  of  God,  and  justly 
causing  us  to  hope  that  Christ  would  speedily  come,  to  set  up  his  kingdom  of 
light,  holiness,  peace  and  joy  on  earth,  as  is  foretold  in  his  word. — ^\jnen  :  even 
so  come  Lord  Jesus  ! 

Vol.  III.  54 


HUMBLE  ATTEMPT  TO  Pl^OMUTE 

EXPLICIT  AGREEMENT  AND  VISIBLE  UNION 

OF 

GOD'S   PEOPLE 

IN 

EXTRAORDINARY  PRAYER, 

FOR    THK    REVIVAL    OF    RKLIGION    AND   THE    ADVANTEMKNT    OF    CHKlSX's   KJNODOM    O.N 

EARTH,    PLTlsUANT    TO    SCRIPTURE    PROMISKS    AM)    rROPHECU:S 

CONCMRMNG    THE    LAST    TIME. 


UNION    I  N    P  R  A  Y  E  R 


PART    I. 

The  Tc'xl  opened,  and  an  Account  given  of  the  AlTair  proposed  in  the  Memorinl 
from  Scotland. 

'>,i!ch.  viii.  20,  21,  22. — Thus  sailh  the  Lord  of  hosts,  It  !?hall  yet  come  to  pas.s,  that  there  shull  comr 
people,  and  the  inhabitants  of  many  cities  ;  and  the  inhabitants  of  ow.  city  oliall  go  to  another,  sa>  inp. 
Let  us  CO  spetdily  to  pr«y  before  the  Lord,  and  to  seek  the  Loi-d  of  Hosts  :  1  will  co  also.  Yen,  manj 
people  and  strong  nations  shall  c<}ine  to  seek  the  Lord  of  Hosts  in  Jerusalem,  and  to  pray  before  the 
Lord. 

In  this  chapter  we  have  a  prophecy  of  a  future  glorious  advancement  of  the 
church  of  God  ;  wherein  it  is  evident,  something  further  is  intended  than  ever 
was  fuHilled  to  thu  nation  of  the  Jews  under  thu  OKI  T<\>tament.  For  iiere  are 
plain  prophecies  of  such  things  as  never  were  fulfilled  hefore  the  coming  of  the 
iMcssiah  :  particuLirly  what  is  said  in  the  two  Lxst  verses  in  the  chapter,  of  many 
people  and  stroiig  luitions  u'orshipping  and  seeking  the  true  God,  and  of  .so  great 
an  accession  of  Gentile  nations  to  the  church  of  God,  that  by  far  the  greater 
part  of  the  visible  wor.shippers  of  God  should  consist  of  this  new  accession,  so 
that  they  should  be  to  the  other  as  ten  to  one ;  a  certain  number  fur  an  uncer- 
tain. There  never  happened  any  thing,  from  the  time  of  the  prophet  Ztchariah 
to  the  comino'  of  Christ,  to  answer  this  prophecy :  and  it  can  have  no  fidfilmenl 
but  either  in  the  calling  of  the  Gcntilrs,  in  and  after  tht;  days  of  the  apostles,  oi 
in  the  future  glorious  enlargement  of  the  chmch  of  God  in  the  /«//cr  age^  of  the 
world,  so  often  foretold  by  "the  prophets  of  the  Old  Te.stament,  and  by  the  pro- 
phet Zechariah  in  particular,  in  the  latter  part  of  this  prophecy.  It  is  most 
probable,  that  what  the  Spirit  of  God  has  chief  respect  to,  is  that  last  and 
o-reatest  enlar"cment  and  most  glorious  advancement  of  the  church  of  God  on 
earth ;  in  the  benefits  of  which  especially,  the  Jewish  nation  were  to  have  a 
share,  and  a  very  eminent  and  distinguishing  share.  There  is  a  great  ai^'ree- 
raent  between  what  is  here  said,  and  other  prophecies,  that  miist  manilV.stly 
have  respect  to  the  church's  latter  day  glory  :  as  that  in  Isa.  Ix.  2,  3,  -1,  "  The 
Lord  shall  arise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee :  and  the 
Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  light,  anil  kings  to  the  brigliliiessof  thy  rising.  Lift 
up  thine  eyes  round  about,  and  see  ;  all  they  gather  themselvc;,  together,  they 
come  to  thee."  That  whole  chapter,  beyond'all  dispute,  has  respect  to  the  most 
o;lorious  state  of  the  church  of  God  on  earth.  So  chap.  Ixvi.  8,  *'  Shall  the 
earth  be  made  to  bring  forth  in  one  day  ?  Shall  a  nation  be  born  at  once  V* 
Ver.  10,  "Rejoice  ye  with  Jerusalem,  and  be  glad  with  her,  all  ye  that  love 
her."  Ver.  12,  "1  will  extend  peace  to  her  like  a  river,  and  the  glory  of  the 
Gentiles  like  a  flowing  stream."  Micah  iv.  at  the  beginning,  "  I3ut  in  the  last 
days  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  the  mountain  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
established  in  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  it  shall  be  exalted  above  the  liilis. 


430  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

and  people  shall  flow  unto  it ;  and  many  nations  shall  come  and  say,  Come,  and 
►et  us  go  up  unto  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  and  to  the  house  of  the  God  of 
Jacob.  And  he  shall  judge  among  many  people,  and  rebuke  strong  nations 
afar  off;  and  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their  spears 
mto  pruning-hooks ;  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall 
they  learn  war  any  more."  See  also,  Isa.  ii.  at  the  beginning.  There  has  been 
nothing  yet  brought  to  pass,  in  any  measure  to  answer  these  prophecies.  And 
as  the  prophecy  in  my  text  and  the  following  verse  does  agree  with  them,  so 
there  is  reason  to  think  it  has  a  respect  to  the  same  times.  And  indeed  there  is 
a  remarkable  agreement  in  the  description  given  throughout  the  chapter,  with 
the  representations  made  of  those  times  elsewhere  in  the  prophets  ;  as  may  be 
seen  by  comparing  ver.  3,  with  Isa.  Ix.  14  ;  ver.  4,  with  Isa.  Ixv.  20,  22,  and 
xxxiii.  24;  ver.  6,  7,  8,  with  Ezek.  xxxvii.  2,  11,  12,  21 ;  ver.  7,  with  Isa. 
xliii.  5,  6,  and  xlix.  12,  and  lix.  19;  ver.  12,  13,  with  Hos.  ii.  21,  22,  and 
Ezek.  xxxiv.  22—29 ;  ver.  8,  12,  13,  with  Ezek.  xxxvi.  28—30 ;  ver.  13,  with 
Zeph.  iii.  20,  and  Isa.  xix.  24 ;  ver.  19,  with  Isa.  Ixi.  3,  and  Jer.  xxxi.  12, 13,  14. 

So  that  however  the  prophet,  in  some  things  that  are  said  in  this  chapter, 
may  have  respect  to  future  smiles  of  heaven  on  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  lately 
returned  from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and  re-settled  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  in 
a  great  increase  of  their  numbers  and  wealth,  and  the  return  of  more  captives 
from  Chaldea  and  other  countiies,  &c.,  yet  the  Spirit  of  God  has  doubtless  res- 
pect to  things  far  greater  than  these,  and  of  which  these  were  but  faint  resem- 
blances. We  find  it  common  in  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  that 
when  the  prophets  are  speaking  of  the  favors  and  blessings  of  God  on  the  Jews, 
attending  or  following  their  return  from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  the  Spirit  of 
God  takes  occasion  from  thence  to  speak  of  the  incomparably  greater  blessing.s 
on  the  church,  that  shall  attend  and  follow  her  deliverance  from  the  spiritual  or 
mystical  Babylon,  of  which  those  were  a  type  ;  and  is,  as  it  were,  led  away  to 
speak  almost"  wholly  of  these  latter,  and  vastly  greater  things,  so  as  to  seem  to 
forget  the  former, 

An<l  whereas  the  prophet  in  this  chapter,  speaks  of  God's  bringing  his  peo- 
ple again  from  the  east  and  west  to  Jerusalem  (ver.  7,  8),  and  multitudes  of 
all  nations  taking  hold  of  the  skirts  of  the  Jews;  so  far  as  we  may  suppose  that 
this  means  literally  that  nation  of  the  posterity  of  Jacob,  it  cannot  have  chief 
respect  to  any  return  of  the  Jews  from  Babylon  and  other  countries,  in  those 
ancient  times  before  Christ ;  for  no  such  things  as  are  here  spoken  of,  attended 
any  such  return :  but  it  must  have  respect  to  the  great  calling  and  gathering  of 
the  Jews  into  the  fold  of  Christ,  and  their  being  received  to  the  blessings  of  his 
kingdom,  after  the  fall  of  Antichrist,  or  the  destruction  of  mystical  Babylon. 

In  the  text  we  have  an  account  how  this  future  glorious  advancement  of  the 
church  of  God  should  be  brought  on,  or  introduced ;  viz.,  by  great  multitudes  in 
different  towns  and  countries  taking  up  a  joint  resohition,  and  coming  into  an 
express  and  visible  agreement,  that  they  will,  by  united  and  extraordinary 
grayer,  seek  to  God  that  he  would  come  and  manifest  himself,  and  grant  the 
tokens  and  fruits  of  his  gracious  presence. 

Particularly  we  may  observe, 

1.  The  duty,  with  the  attendance  on  which  the  glorious  event  foretold  shall 
le  brought  on  ;  viz.,  the  duty  of  prayer.  Prayer,  some  suppose,  is  here  to  be 
.-oken  synechdochically,  for  the  whole  of  the  worship  of  God ;  prayer  being  a 
principal  part  of  the  worship  of  the  church  of  God,  in  the  days  of  the  gospel, 
when  sacrifices  are  abolished  :  and  so  that  this  is  to  be  understood  only  as  a 
prophecy  of  a  great  revival  of  religion,  and  of  the  true  worship  of  God  among 


UNION   IN  PRAYER.  431 

his  visible  people,  the  accession  of  others  to  the  church,  and  turning  of  multitudes 
from  idolatry  to  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  But  it  appears  to  me  reasonable 
to  suppose,  that  something  more  special  is  intended,  witli  regard  to  the  duty  of 
prayer;  considering  that  prayer  is  here  expressly  and  repeatedly  mentioned; 
and  also  considering  how  parallel  this  place  is  with  many  other  prophecies,  that 
speak  of  an  extraordinary  spirit  of  prayer,  as  preceding  and  introducing  that 
glorious  day  of  revival  of  religion,  and  advancement  of  the  church's  peace  ;ind 
prosperity,  so  often  foretold  (which  I  shall  have  occasion  to  mention  hereafter), 
and  particularly  the  agreeablene&s  of  what  is  here  said,  with  what  Is  said  after- 
wards by  the  same  prophet,  of  the  pouring  out  of  a  spirit  of  grace  and  suppli- 
cations, as  that  with  which  this  great  revival  of  religion  shall  becjin,  ch.  xu.  10. 

2.  The  good,  that  shall  be  sought  by  prayer;  which  is  God  himself.  It  is 
said  once  and  again,  They  shall  go  to  pray  before  the.  Lord,  and  to  seek  the  Lm-d  of 
Hosts.  This  is  the  good  they  ask  for  and  seek  by  prayer,  the  Lord  of  hosts 
himself.  To  seek  God,  as  the  expression  may  perhaps  be  sometimes  used  in 
Scripture,  may  signify  no  more  than  seeking  the  favor  or  mercy  of  God.  And 
if  it  be  taken  so  here,  prayiiig  hefo^re  the  Lord,  and  seeking  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 
must  be  looked  upon  as  synonymous  expressions.  And  it  must  be  confessed  to 
be  a  common  thing  in  Scripture,  to  signify  the  same  thing  repeatedly,  by  various 
expressions  of  the  same  import,  for  the  greater  emphasis.  But  certainly  that 
expression  o( seeking  the  Lord,  is  very  commonly  used  to  signify  something 
more  than  merely  in  general,  to  seek  some  mercy  of  God  :  it  implies,  that  God 
himself  is  the  great  good  desired  and  sought  after  ;  that  the  blessings  pursued 
are  God's  gracious  presence,  the  blessed  manifestations  of  him,  union  and  inter- 
course with  him  ;  or,  in  short,  God's  manifestations  and  communications  of  him- 
self by  his  holy  Spirit.  Thus  the  Psalmist  desired  God,  thirsted  after  him,  and 
sought  him.  Psal.  Ixiii.  1,  2,  8,  "  0  God,  thou  art  my  Lord ;  early  will  I  seek 
thee.  My  flesh  longeth  for  thee,  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is, 
to  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory,  so  as  I  have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary.  My  soul 
followeth  hard  after  thee."  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but 
thee  ?  And  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee."  The  Psalmist 
earnestly  pursued  after  God,  his  soul  thirsted  after  him,  he  stretched  forth  his 
hands  unto  him,  Sec,  Psal.  cxliii.  6.  And  therefore  it  is  in  Scripture  the  pecu- 
liar character  of  the  saints,  that  they  are  those  that  seek  God.  Psal.  xxiv.  6, 
'•This  is  the  generation  of  them  that  seek  Him."  Psal.  Ixix.  32,  "  Your  heart 
shall  live  that  seek  God;"  and  in  many  other  places.  If  the  expression  in  the 
text  be  understood  agreeably  to  this  sense,  then  by  seeking  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 
we  must  understan(i  a  seeking,  that  God,  who  had  withdrawn,  as  it  were  hid 
himself,  for  a  long  time,  would  return  to  his  church,  and  grant  the  tokens  and 
fruits  of  his  gracious  presence,  and  those  blessed  communications  of  his  Spirit  to 
his  people,  and  to  mankind  on  the  earth,  which  he  had  often  promised,  and  which 
his  church  had  long  waited  for. 

And  it  seems  reasonable,  to  understand  the  phrase,  seeking  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 
in  this  sense  here ;  and  not  as  merely  signifying  the  same  thing  with  praying  to  God  : 
not  only  because  the  expression  is  repeatedly  added  to  praying  before  the  Lord,  in 
the  text  as  signifying  something  more ;  but  also  because  the  phrase,  taken  in 
this  sense,  is  exactly  agreeable  to  other  parallel  prophetic  representations.  Thus 
God's  people's  seeking  by  earnest  prayer,  the  promised  restoration  of  the  church 
of  God,  after  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and  the  great  apostasy  that  occasioned  it, 
<s  called  their  seeking  God,  and  searching  for  him  j  and  God's  granting  this 
promised  revival  and  restoration  is  called  his  being  found  of  them.  Jer.  xxix. 
10 — 14,  *'  For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  that  after  seventy  years  be  accomplished  at 


432  UNION   IN   PRAYER. 

Babylon,  I  will  visit  you  and  perform  my  good  word  towards  you,  in  causing 
you  to  return  to  this  place.  For  I  knoAv  the  thoughts  that  I  think  towards  you, 
saith  the  Lord,  thoughts  of  peace  and  not  of  evil,  to  give  you  an  expected  end. 
Then  shall  ye  go  and  call  upon  me,  and  ye  shall  go  and  pray  unto  me,  and  I 
■will  hearken  unto  you  ;  and  ye  shall  seek  me  and  find  me,  when  ye  shall  seaich 
for  me  with  all  your  heart ;  and  I  will  be  found  of  you,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I 
will  turn  away  your  captivity."  And  the  prophets  from  time  to  time,  represent 
God,  in  a  low  and  afflicted  state  of  his  church,  as  being  M'ithdrav/n  and  hiding 
himself.  Isa.  xlv.  15,  "  Verily  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest  thyself,  0  God  of 
Israel,  the  Saviour."  Chap.  Ivii.  17,  "  I  hid  me,  and  was  wroth."  And  they 
represent  God's  people,  while  his  church  is  in  such  a  state,  before  God  delivers 
and  restores  the  same,  as  seekiiig  Him,  lookivgfcr  Him,  searching  and  u-ait- 
ingfor  Him,,  and  calling  after  Him.  Hos  v.  15,  "  1  will  go  and  return  unto 
my  place,  until  they  acknowledge  their  offence,  and  seek  my  face :  in  their  af- 
fliction they  will  seek  me  early."  Isa.  viii.  17,  "  1  will  wait  upon  the  Lord 
that  hideth  his  face  from  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  I  will  look  for  Him."  And 
when  God,  in  answer  to  their  prayers  and  succeeding  their  endeavors,  dehvers, 
restores  and  advances  his  church,  according  to  his  promise,  then  he  is  said  to 
answer,  and  come,  and  say,  Here  am  I,  and  to  show  himself;  and  they  are  said 
to  find  Him,  and  see  Him  plainly.  Isa.  Iviii.  9,  "  Then  shalt  thou  call,  and  tbe 
Lord  shall  answer ;  and  thou  shalt  ciy,  and  he  shall  say.  Here  I  am."  Isa.  xlv. 
17,  "But  Israel  shall  be  saved  in  the  Lord,  with  an  everlasting  salvation." 
And  ver.  19,  "  I  said  not  unto  tlie  seed  of  Jacob,  Seek  ye  me  in  vain."  Chap. 
XXV.  8,  9,  "  The  Lord  God  will  wipe  away  tears  from  ofl"  all  faces,  and  the 
rebuke  of  his  people  shall  he  take  away  from  off  the  earth.  And  it  shall  be 
said  in  that  day,  Lo,  this  is  our  God,  we  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save 
us  ;  this  is  the  Lord,  we  have  waited  for  him  ;  we  will  be  glad,  and  rejoice  in 
his  salvation."  Together  Avith  the  next  chapter,  ver.  8,  9,  "  Yea,  in  the  way 
of  thy  judgments,  0  Lord,  w^e  have  waited  for  thee  :  the  desire  of  our  soul  is  to 
thy  name,  and  to  the  remembrance  of  thee.  With  my  soul  have  I  desired  thee 
in  the  night ;  yea  with  my  spiiit  within  me  will  I  seek  thee  early.  For  when 
thy  judgments  are  in  the  earth,  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  will  learn  right- 
eousness." Isa.  lii.  6,  7,  8,  "  Therefore  my  people  shall  know  my  name : 
therefore  they  shall  know  in  that  day,  that  I  am  He  that  doth  speak  :  behold,  it 
is  I.  How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  Him  that  bringeth 
good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace,  that  bringeth  good  tidings  of  good,  that 
publisheth  salvation,  that  saith  unto  Zion,  Thy  God  reigneth!  Thy  watchmen 
shall  lift  up  the  voice  ;  with  the  voice  together  shall  they  sing  ;  for  they  shaJ' 
see  eye  to  eye,  when  the  Loid  shall  bring  again  Zion." 

3.  We  may  observe  who  they  are,  that  shall  be  united  in  thus  seeking  the 
Lord  of  Hosts :  the  inhahitants  of  many  cities,  and  of  many  countries,  yea,  many 
'people,  and  strong  nations  ;  great  multitudes  in  different  parts  of  the  v/orld,  shall 
conspire  in  this  business.  From  the  representation  made  in  the  prophecy,  \i  ap- 
pears rational  to  suppose,  that  it  will  be  fulfilled  something  after  this  manner  ; 
first,  that  there  shall  be  given  much  of  a  spirit  of  prayer  to  God's  people  in 
many  places,  disposing  them  to  come  into  an  express  agreement,  unitedly  to 
pray  to  God  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  that  he  would  appear  for  the  help  of 
his  church,  and  in  mercy  to  mankind,  and  pour  out  his  Spirit,  revive  his  work, 
and  advance  his  spiritual  kingdom  in  the  world  as  he  has  promised  ;  and  that 
this  disposition  to  such  prayer,  and  union  in  it,  will  gradually  spread  more  and 
more,  and  increase  to  greater  degrees  ;  with  which  at  length  will  gradually  be 
introduced  a  revival  of  religion,  and  a  disposition  to  greater  engagedness  in  the 


UMOiN   IX   PRAYER.  433 

M'orship  and  service  of  God,  amongst  his  professing  people  j  that  this  being  ob- 
served, will  be  the  means  of  awakening  others,  making  tliem  sensible  of  the  wants 
of  their  souls,  and  excitin;4  in  tiiem  a  great  concern  for  their  s])iritual  and  ever- 
lasting good,  and  putting  iheni  upon  earnestly  crying  to  Gotl  lor  spiritual  mercies, 
and  dis])osing  them  to  join  with  God's  people  in  that  extraordinary  seeking  and 
serving  of  God,  which  they  shall  see  them  engaged  in;  aiul  that  in  this  manner 
religion  shall  be  propagated,  until  the  awakening  reaches  those  that  are  in  the 
higliest  stations,  and  until  irkolc  nntwus  be  awakened,  anil  there  be  at  lejigth  an 
accession  of  many  of  the  chief  nations  of  the  world  to  the  church  of  God.  Thus 
after  the  inhabitants  of  many  cities  of  Israel,  or  of  Ciod's  professing  people, 
have  taken  up  and  pursued  a  joint  resolution,  to  go  and  pray  before  the  Lord  ancl 
seek  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  others  shall  bcdrawn  to  worship  and  serve  Hiin  with  them  ; 
until  at  length  many  people  and  strong  nations  shall  join  themselves  to  them  ;  and 
there  shall,  in  process  of  time,  be  a  vast  accession  to  the  church,  so  that  it  shall  be 
ten  times  as  large  as  it  was  before;  yea,  at  length,  all  nations  shall  be  convert- 
ed unto  God.  Thus  teii  men  shall  take  hold,  out  of  all  languages  of  the  nations, 
of  the  skirt  of  him  that  is-  a  Jew  (in  the  sense  of  the  apostle,  ilmo.  ii.  28,  29), 
saying,  We  ivill  go  ifilh  you  ;  for  we  have  heard  that  (Jod  is  with  you.  And 
thus  that  shall  be  fulfdled,  Psal,  Ixv.  2,  "  O  thou  tliat  hearesi;  prayer,  unto 
thee  shall  all  flesh  come." 

4.  We  may  observe  the  mode  of  their  union  in  this  duty.  It  is  a  visible 
union,  a  union  by  explicit  agreement,  a  joint  resolution  declared  by  one  to 
another,  come  into  by  being  first  proposed  by  some,  and  readily  and  expressly 
fallen  in  with  by  others.  The  inhabitants  of  one  city  shall  apply  themselves 
to  the  inhabitants  of  another,  saying,  Let  us  go,  &c.  Those  to  whom  the  mo- 
tion is  made,  shall  comply  with  it ;  the  proposal  shall  take  with  many,  it  shall 
be  a  prevailing,  spreading  thing  ;  one  shall  iollow  another's  example,  one  and 
another  shall  say,  /  loill  go  also.  Some  suppose  that  those  words,  I  will  go 
also,  are  to  be  taken  as  the  words  of  him  that  make-s  the  proposal ;  as  much  as 
to  say,  1  do  not  propose  that  to  you,  which  I  am  not  willing  to  do  myself,  1 
desire  you  to  go,  and  I  am  ready  to  go  zcith  yov.  But  this  is  to  suppose  no 
more  to  be  expressed  in  these  latter  words,  than  was  expressed  before  in  the 
proposal  itself;  for  these  words,  Id  us  go,  signify  as  much,  as  that  I  am  willing 
to  go,  and  desire  you  to  go  with  me.  It  seems  to  me  much  more  natural,  to 
understand  these  latter  words  as  importing  the  consent  of  those  to  whom  the 
proposal  is  made,  or  the  reply  of  one  and  another  that  falls  in  with  it.  This  Ls 
much  more  agreeable  to  the  plain  design  of  the  text,  which  is  to  represent  the 
concurrence  of  great  numbers  in  this  affair  ;  and  moie  agreeable  to  the  repre- 
sentation made  in  the  next  vei-sc,  of  one  following  another,  many  taking  hold 
of  the  skirt,  of  him  that  is  a  Jew.  And  though,  if  the  words  are  thas  under- 
stood, we  must  suppose  an  ellipsis  in  the  text,  something  understood  that  Is  not 
expressed,  as  if  it  had  been  said,  Those  of  other  cities  shall  say  I  will  go  also ; 
yet  this  is  not  difficult  to  be  supposed  ;  such  ellipses  are  very  common  in  Scrip- 
lure.  We  have  one  exactly  parallel  with  it  in  Jer,  iii.  22,  "  Return,  ye  back- 
sliding children,  and  I  will  heal  your  backslidings  :  behold,  we  come  unto  thee; 
for  ihou  art  the  Lord  our  God,"  i.  e.,  the  backsliding  children  shall  say,  "  Be- 
hold, we  are  come  unto  thee,"  &c.  And  in  Cant.  iv.  last,  and  v.  1,  "  Let  ray 
beloved  come  into  his  garden,  and  eat  his  pleasant  fruits.  I  am  come  into 
my  garden,  my  sister,  my  spouse,"  i.  e.,  her  beloved  shall  say,  "  I  am  come  into 
my  garden."  We  have  the  like  throughout  that  song.  So  Psal.  1.  G,  7,  "  The 
heaven  shall  declare  his  ricjhteousness  ;  for  God  is  Judi^c  himself.  Hear,  0  my 
people,  and  I  will  speak,"  i.  e.,  the  judge  shall  say, ''  Hear  0  my  people,"  &c. 

Vol.  III.  55 


434  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

So  Psal.  Ixxxii.  1,  2.    The  Psalms  and  prophets  abound  with  such  figures  of 
speech. 

5.  We  may  observe  the  manner  of  prayer  agreed  on,  or  the  manner  in 
which  they  agree  to  engage  in  and  perform  the  duty.  Let  us  go  speedily  to 
pray  ;  or  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  Let  us  go  continually.  The  words  literally 
translated  are.  Let  us  go  in  going.  Such  an  ingemination  or  doubling  of  words 
is  very  common  in  the  Hebrew  language,  when  it  is  intended  that  a  thing  shall 
be  very  strongly  expressed ;  it  generally  implies  the  superlative  degree  of  a 
thing  ;  as  the  Holy  of  Holies  signifies  the  most  holy  :  but  it  commonly  denotes, 
not  only  the  utmost  degree  of  a  thing,  but  also  the  utmost  certainty  ;  as  when 
God  said  to  Abraham,  In  multiplying,  I  luill  midtiply  thy  seed.  Gen.  xxii.  17, 
it  implies  both  that  God  would  certainly  multiply  his  seed,  and  also  multiply  it 
exceedingly.  So  when  God  said  to  Adam,  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof,  in 
dying  thou  shall  die  (as  the  words  are  in  the  original),  it  implies  both  that  he 
should  surely  die,  and  also  that  he  should  die  most  terribly,  should  utterly  per- 
ish, and  be  destroyed  to  the  utmost  degree.  Yea,  sometimes  it  seems  to  imply 
something  else  still :  and  in  short,  as  this  ingemination  of  words  in  the  Hebrew, 
in  general  denotes  the  strength  of  expression,  so  it  is  used  to  signify  almost  all 
those  things  that  are  wont  to  be  signified  by  the  various  forms  of  strong  speech 
in  other  languages  :  sometimes  it  signifies  the  utmost  degree  of  a  thing ;  some- 
times certainty  ;  sometimes  the  peremptoriness  and  terribleness  of  a  threatening, 
or  the  greatness  and  positiveness  of  a  promise,  the  strictness  of  a  command,  and 
the  earnestness  of  a  request.  When  God  says  to  Adam,  Dying  thou  shalt  die, 
it  is  equivalent  to  such  strong  expressions  in  English  as,  thou  shalt  die  indeed^ 
or,  thou  shalt  die  with  a  witness.  So  when  it  is  said  in  the  text,  let  us  go  in 
going,  and  pray  before  the  Lord,  the  strength  of  the  expression  represents  the 
earnestness  of  those  that  make  the  proposal,  their  great  engagedness  in  the 
affair  ;  and  with  respect  to  the  duty  proposed,  it  may  be  understood  to  signify, 
that  they  should  be  speedy,  fervent,  and  constant  in  it  j  or,  in  one  word,  that  it 
should  be  thoroughly  performed. 

6.  We  may  learn  from  the  tenor  of  this  prophecy,  together  with  the 
context,  that  this  union  in  such  prayer  is  foretold  as  a  becoming  and  happy 
thing,  and  that  which  would  be  acceptable  to  God,  and  attended  with  glorious 
success. 

From  the  whole  Ave  may  infer,  that  it  is  a  very  suitable  thing,  and  well 
pleasing  to  God,  for  many  people,  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  by  express 
agreement,  to  come  into  a  visible  union,  in  extraordinary,  speedy,  fervent  and 
constant  prayer,  for  those  great  effusiotis  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  shall  bring 
on  that  advancement  of  Christ's  church  and  kingdom,  that  God  has  so  often 
promised  shall  be  in  the  latter  ages  of  the  world. 

And  so  from  hence  I  would  infer  the  duty  of  God's  people,  Math  regard  to 
the  memwial  lately  sent  over  into  America,  from  Scotland,  by  a  number  of 
ministers  there,  proposing  a  method  for  such  a  unioji  as  has  been  spoken  of, 
in  extraordinary  prayer  lor  this  great  mercy. 

And  it  being  the  special  design  of  this  discourse,  to  persuade  such  as  are 
friends  to  the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom,  to  a  compliance  with  the  proposal 
and  request  made  in  that  memorial,  I  shall  first  give  a  short  historical  account 
of  the  affair  it  relates  to,  from  letters,  papers  and  pamphlets,  that  have  come 
over  from  Scotland ;  to  which  I  shall  annex  the  memorial  itself:  and  then  1 
shall  offer  some  arguments  and  motives,  tending  to  mduce  the  friends  of  religion 
to  fall  in  with  what  is  proposed  :  and  lastly,  make  ansAver  to  some  objections 
that  may  possibly  be  made  against  it. 


ONION  IN  PRATER.  ^g 

...h'\\t°  ""■^"'."f  !'"-«-■  I1""SS  viz.,  an  hUloricoI  account  of  (he  concert 
:w''of '<l.arXi';:'  "'"'^^  '--  "-^  '""""'"S  o'»-vatio,.a.ay  give  I's^Zl 

..^;i"f,t::,l'':/;=i^'^r."'"f  "^"■i-*- '".S-''->J.'akinS  into  con 


as  were  concerned 


*.a,i„,,  t„e  .ca.e  or  Go...  ..z^,  :;i:r'rv:Ha  o  r^.j^craj 

Ihe  provulonco  ol  (in,l.  at  .s-uci,  a  ,lay,  ,l,cl   l,„„||v  call  sucll  '     '^ 

lor  the  m.lfare  o    /.on,  to  vmM,  extraordinary  annhcatio 

grace  suitably  acknowlclsu.g  Hi„,  as  the  Ibunlau.  of  all  tde  sn.r.tual  tenefil. 


ill  k 


kin.  Y » abundant  em.si..  „,^  iuf^;;^;  ■"^;[i'^  ^  ^X '  ^ s:; 

whole  habitable  earth,  to  revve  true  reH.nomn   all  ni.tvc  nf  p^"^,  ^' ^"''   "^^ 
to  ddiver  aV/../o..tVo.n  their  great  .u^d'^^nl^lllH^^u  f"S  ^^ 
iQisenes,  and  bless  them  with  the  unspeakable  benefits  of  the  k-imrrn  ?r 
glorious  Redeemer,  and///  tke  u^kolelartk  MH^^^^^  AnS  c  nsuC 
one  another  on  the  subject,  they  looked  on  fhcmselves,  foe  th4  o^^^  part  ob3 

tZ^-T.U  l'"'^''  Tr'  r  '"■"?  ^"  ^'-n  lay  to  persuade  SLtX 
saine  and  to  endeavor  to  fmd  out  and  fix  on  some  meAor/,  that  should  most 
tn'TP'  '  "^  '"  r-'f\--^^  upl-l<i  such  extraordinary  application  to  eaven 
amon;r  God  s  people  And  after  seekin,^.  to  God  by  praye  for  direction  ?hev 
^e  ennined  on  the  following  method,  as  what  they  would  conform  to  b  tS  Iwn 
p  act  ce,  and  propose  to  be  practised  by  others,  for  the  two  years  nexrtolo  W 

wp;k  f ''  .'^'"  '°'"'  'r'  "■;  ^''""'-^'y  ^^-^"'"^^  ^"^'   sabbath  mom  »     eV"^' 

^veek,  for  the  purpose  aforesaid,  as  other  duties  ^vould  allow  to  every  o^erL? 

I  pcctively  ;  and  more  solemnly,  the  first  Tuesday  of  eich  nu-.ri.r  ?U 

'  with  the  first  Tuesday  of  November  then  nexfll:     ei E  t      l^LTcia/ 

or  a  part  of  the  day,  as  persoas  find  themselves  disposed  or  think  thel  circum: 

I    tances  will  allow:  the  time  to  be  spent  either  in  private  prayin^  societies  "r 

mp«6,cmeetmgs,or  alone  m  .ecrc/,  as  shall  be  found   most  p'racticable  or 

lud^edmost  convenient,  by  such  as  are  willing,  in  some  way  or^otCr  to  io^^ 

m  this  affair :  but  not  that  any  should  make  any  promises,  or  be  looked  upon  S 

under  strict  bonds  in  any  respect,  constantly  and  Without  Vail  to  obsery^eye?? 

one  of  these  da^s,  whatever  their  circumstances  should  be,  or  however  oS 

TZ""^:  T^^P'f"'''  T^^'\  "^"■^"•^'  or  that  person;  should  ook  upon 
themselves  bound  with  regard  to  these  days  in  any  wise  as  though  the  time  were 
holy,  or  the  settmg  them  apart  for  religioas  purposes  were  established  by  sacred 

a  pru.lent  p.e.se  at.ve  from  yielding  to  a  disposition,  that  persons  mio-ht  be  lia- 
ble to,  through  the  prevalence  oi  indolence  and  listlessness,  to  excuse  then^elvL 
on  trivial  occasions.  It  was  proposed,  that  those  that  unite  in  tirafl'a  r ThouW 
resolve  with  theiaselves,  that  if.  by  urgent  business,  or  otherwise,  hyw^^ 
hindered   rom  joining  with  others,  on  the  very  day  a-reed  on  yet  they  wodd 

5;^efi:^rL"?^?i'^^^^^^^^^ 

tiie  first  convenient  day  following,  for  that  purpose 

The  reason  why  Saturday  evening  and  Lord's  day  morning  were  judged 
most  convenient  for  the  weck/y  seasons,  was,  that  these  times  beinf.  so  near?he 
time  of  d.spensm.r  go.pd  ordinances  through  the  Christian  world,  which  are  the 
grea  means,  in  the  use  of  which  God  is  wont  to  grant  his  Spirit  to  mankind 
am  the  prmcipal  means  that  the  Spirit  of  God  Lk^  use  of  to  carry  on  ht' 
W.  oy>.acc,  .t  may  well  be  supposed  that  'Jie  minds  of  Christians  in  general 
will  at  these  seasons  be  especially  disen-ra^re.l  from  secular  affaii^,  and  disposed 
to  pious  meditations  and  the  duties  of  devof: on,  and  more  D,/ural  y  1  d  tS 


^3g  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

•    *•         f  +;.o  UnUr  Snirit  and  success  of  the  means  of  grace.   And 

^'  'r:Z^^tcMrf«^'^  ™  agreement  ,„d™..thod  as  .his  .ha. 
it^voiM  be  atooa  ex-pediint  lor  .he  mainiaining  and  keeping  „p  amongst  .he 
""°""r  „  ?,,,,.  oTPat  Chi-is.ian  duty  of  prayerfilnan  for  the  comvig  of 
Si?'f/l-Sl»     nVn  rl,  ''^ilS  Ch.it  hi  cini.ed  his  followers  to  be  so 

:;;!Xro,n.i™e.oL^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

at  thlsam"ime(ara  token  of  the  un.on  of  .heir  hear.s  with  the,n  tn  this  affa,r 
by  trerent"4a^=c!  in  the  same  holy  exercise,  would  na.urally  be  enhvened 

Die,  Denre  any  uwi,  bu  ..  ,;  ^,.^,,^o.;no-  and  order  no-  such  an  affair,  as  after 

:l:^U:X^M^^^^<^'^^-  that  afterlongconsideradon. 
anTso  rtrialTnlht  be  thought  best  to  alter  some  cncumstances ;  or  whether 
oS?e  r^L  S  not  yet  been  consulted,  might  not  propose  a  better  method  The 
tiSe  fir  t  alreed  on,\hough  but  short,  was  thought  sutfioent  to  give  opportunity 
f^UkmeS  ami  experience,  and  for  such  .s  were  disposed  to  union  in  an  afiair 
of  such  rnl^^^^^      distant  places,  mutually  to  communicate  their  sentm.ents  on 

^^'rh^iway  in  which  those  that  first  projected  and  came  into  this  agreement 
thought  S  for  the  giving  notice  of  it  and  proposing  it  to  others,  xyas  not  by 
Iny  £g "ubM^  Ion.  The,  press  ;.but  by  personal  ---^o-n  h  such  a 
thPv  could  conveniently  have  unmediate  access  to,  and  by  pnvate  coirespond 
Inc'e  with  otheral  a  dfstance.  At  first  it  was  intended,  that  some  f--  Pap^ 
proposing  the  matter,  should  be  sent  about  for  proper  amendment    .m 

meats,  and  then  concurrence  .  but  on  more  "J^^^^y^^^f  ^J  ;f^\°";;/.  \'' '^^th^^^ 
how  this  might  give  a  handle  to  objections  (which  they  thought  it  best,  to  the 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  437 

most,  to  avoid  in  the  infancy  of  the  affair),  and  how  pra  ^ticable  it  was,  withouw  any 
such  formality,  to  spread  the  substance  of  the  proposal  by  private  letters,  toge- 
ther with  a  request  to  their  correspondents,  nuitually  to  coininunieate  their 
thoughts.  'I  lierefore  this  was  lixed  on,  as  the  method  that  was  preferable  at 
the  beginning.  Aceorilingly,  tiny  proposed  and  endeavored  to  promote  the 
affair  in  this  way ;  and  with  such  success,  that  great  numbers  in  Scotland  and 
England  fell  in  with  the  proposal,  and  some  in  North  America.  As  to  Scot- 
land, it  was  complied  with  by  numbers  in  the  four  chief  towns,  Edinburgh, 
Glasgow,  Aberdeen  and  Dundee,  and  many  country  towns  and  congregations  in 
various  parts  of  the  land  :  one  of  the  ministers,  that  w;is  primarily  concerned  in 
tins  affair,  in  a  letter  to  one  of  his  correspondents,  speaks  of  an  explicit  decla- 
ration of  the  concurrence  of  the  praying  societies  in  Edinburgh,  which  they  had 
made  in  a  letter.  The  number  of  the  praying  societies  in  that  city  is  very  con- 
siderable: Mr.  Robe  of  Kilsytli  (in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Prince  of  13oston,  dated  Nov. 
3,  1743),  says,  there  were  then  above  thirty  societies  of  young  peoj)le  there 
newly  erected,  some  of  whom  consisted  of  upwards  of  liiiity  members.  As  to 
Glasgow,  this  union  was  unanimously  agreed  to  by  about  Ibrty-five  praying 
societies  there;  as  an  eminent  minister  in  that  city  informs,  in  a  letter. 

The  two  years,  first  agreed  on,  ended  last  November.  A  little  before  this 
time  expired,  a  number  of  ministers  in  Scotland  agreed  on  a  memorial  to  be 
printed,  and  sent  abroad  to  their  brethren  in  various  parts,  proposing  to  them 
and  requesting  of  them  to  join  with  them  in  the  continuance  of  this  method  of 
united  prayer,  and  in  endeavors  to  promote  it. — Copies  of  which  memorial  have 
hitely  been  sent  over  into  New  England,  to  the  number  of  near  five  hundred, 
directed  to  be  distributed  in  almost  eveiy  county  in  this  province  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bay,  and  also  in  several  parts  of  Connecticut,  New  Hampshire,  Rhode 
Island,  New-Yoik,  New  jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  Carolina, 
and  Georgia. — The  most  (I  suppose)  ol  these  were  sent  to  one  of  the  congre- 
gational ministers  in  Boston,  with  a  letter  subscribed  by  twelve  ministers  in 
Scotland,  about  the  affair :  many  of  them  to  another  of  the  said  ministers  of 
Boston ;  and  some  to  a  minister  in  Connecticut.  It  being  short,  I  shall  here 
insert  a  copy  of  it  at  length.     It  is  as  follows : 

MEMORIAL 

FROM  SEVERAL  MINISTERS  IN  SCOTLAND,  TO    THEIR   BRETHREN   IN   DIFFERENT   PLACES, 
ox  CONTINUING  A  CONCERT  FOR  I'RAYER,  FIRST  ENTERED  INTO  IN  THE  YEAR  1744. 

Whereas  it  was  the  chief  scope  of  this  Concert,  to  promote  more  abundant 
application  to  a  duty  that  is  perpetually  l)inding,  prayer  that  our  Lorcfs  king- 
dom  may  come,  joined  with  praises:  and  it  contained  some  circumstantial  ex- 
pedients, apprehended  to  be  very  subservient  to  that  design,  relating  to  stated 
times  for  such  exercises,  so  far  as  this  would  not  interfere  with  other  duties; 
particularly  a  part  of  Saturday  evening,  and  Sabbath  morning,  every  week; 
and  more  solemnly  of  some  one  of  the  first  days  of  each  of  the  iour  great  divi- 
sions of  the  year,  that  is,  of  each  quarter;  as  the  first  Tuesday,  or  first  conveni- 
ent day  after  :  and  the  concert,  as  to  this  circumstance,  was  extended  only  to 
two  years  ;  it  being  intended,  tliat  be(()re  these  expired,  persons  engaged  in  the 
concert  should  reciprocally  communicate  their  sentiments  and  inclinations,  as  to 
the  prolonging  of  the  time,  with  or  without  alteration,  as  to  the  circumstance 
mentioned  :  and  it  was  intended  by  the  first  promoters,  that  others  at  a  distance 
should  propose    such    cir<;uinstantial   amendments  or   improvements,  as  they 


438  UNION  IN  PRAYER 

should  find  proper:  it  is  hereby  earnestly  entreated,  that  such  would  com- 
municate their  sentiments  accordingly,  now  that  the  time  first  proposed  is  near 
expiring. 

II.  To  induce  those  already  engaged  to  adhere,  and  others  to  accede  to  this 
concert ;  it  seems  of  importance  to  observe,  that  declarations  of  concurrence, 
the  communicating  and  spreading  of  which  are  so  evidently  useful,  are  to  be 
understood  in  such  a  latitude,  as  to  keep  at  the  greatest  distance  from  entang- 
ling men's  minds:  not  as  binding  men  to  set  apart  any  stated  days  from  secular 
affairs,  or  even  to  fix  on  any  part  of  such  and  such  precise  days,  whether  it  be 
convenient  or  not ;  nor  as  absolute  promises  in  any  respect :  but  as  friendly, 
harmonious  resolutions,  with  liberty  to  alter  circumstances  as  shall  be  found  ex- 
pedient. On  account  of  all  which  latitude,  and  that  the  circumstantial  part  ex- 
tends only  to  a  few  years,  it  is  apprehended,  the  concert  cannot  be  liable  to  the 
objections  against  periodical  religious  times  of  human  appointment. 

III.  It  is  also  humbly  offered  to  the  consideration  of  ministers,  and  others 
furnished  with  gifts  for  the  most  public  instructions,  whether  it  might  not  be  of 
great  use,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  if  short  and  nervous  scriptural  persuasivea 
and  directions  to  the  duty  in  view,  loere  composed  and  published  (either  by  par- 
ticular authors,  or  several  joining  together ;  which  last  way  might  sonietimen 
have  peculiar  advantages),  anc?  that  from  time  to  time,  without  too  great  inter- 
vals ;  the  better  to  keep  alive  on  men's  minds  a  just  sense  of  the  obligations  to 
a  duty  so  important  in  itself,  and  in  which  many  may  be  in  danger  to  faint  and 
turn  remiss,  without  such  repeated  incitements  :  and  whether  it  would  iiot  also 
be  of  great  use,  if  ministers  would  be  pleased  to  preach  frequently  on  the  impor- 
tance and  necessity  of  prayer  for  the  coming  of  our  Lord's  kingdom  ;  particu- 
larly near  the  quarterly  days,  or  on  these  days  themselves,  where  there  is  pub- 
lic worship  at  that  time. 

IV.  They  who  have  found  it  incumbent  on  them  to  publish  this  memorial 
at  this  time,  having  pecuhar  advantages  for  spreading  it,  do  entreat  that  the  de- 
sire of  concurrence  and  assistance  contained  in  it,  may  by  no  means  be  under- 
stood as  restricted  to  any  particular  denomination  or  party,  or  to  those  who  are  of 
such  or  such  opinions  about  any  former  instances  of  remarkable  religious  concern  : 
but  to  be  extended  to  all,  who  shall  vouchsafe  any  attention  to  this  paper,  and 
have  at  heart  the  interest  of  vital  Christianity,  and  the  power  of  Godliness ; 
and  who,  however  differing  about  other  things,  are  convinced  of  the  import- 
ance of  fervent  prayer,  to  promote  that  common  interest,  and  Scripture  persua- 
sives to  promote  such  prayer. 

V.  As  the  first  printed  account  of  this  concert  was  not  a  proposal  of  it,  as  a 
thing  then  to  begin,  but  a  narration  of  it,  as  a  design  already  set  on  foot,  which 
had  been  brought  about  Avith  much  harmony,  by  means  of  private  letters  ;  so  the 
farther  continuance,  and,  it  is  hoped,  the  farther  spreading  of  it  seems  in  a 
promising  way  of  being  promoted  by  the  same  means ;  as  importunate  desires 
of  the  renewing  the  concert  have  been  transmitted  already  from  a  very  distant 
corner  abroad,  where  the  regard  to  it  has  of  late  increased  :  but  notwitlistand- 
ing  of  what  may  be  done  by  private  letters,  it  is  humbly  expected,  that  a  me- 
morial spread  in  this  manner,  may,  by  God's  blessing,  farther  promote  the  good 
ends  in  view ;  as  it  may  be  usefully  referred  to  in  letters,  and  may  reach  where 
they  will  not. 

VI.  Whereas  in  a  valuable  letter,  from  the  corner  just  now  mentioned  as  a 
place  where  regard  to  the  coL«ert  has  lately  increased,  it  is  proposed,  that  it 
should  be  continued  for  seven  years,  or  at  least  for  a  much  longer  time  than 
■what  was  specified  in  the  first  agreement;  those  concerned  in  this  memorial. 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  439 

who  would  wish  rather  to  receive  and  spread  directicns  and  proposals  on  IhU 
head,  than  to  be  the  fust  authors  of  any,  apprehend  no  inconvenience,  for  tlicir 
part,  in  a-;reeing  to  the  seven  years,  witli  the  latitude  above  described,  which 
reserves  liberty  to  make  such  circumstantial  alterations,  as  may  be  hereafter 
found  expedient :  on  the  contrary  it  seems  of  importance,  that  the  labor  of 
spreading  a  concert,  which  has  already  extended  to  so  distant  parts,  and  may, 
It  is  hoped,  extend  farther,  may  not  need  to  be  renewed  sooner,  at  least  much 
sooner  ;  as  it  is  uncertain  but  that  may  endanger  the  drojiping  of  it ;  and  it  seerns 
probable,  there  will  be  less  zeal  in  spreading  of  it,  if  the  time  proposed  for  its 
continuance  be  too  inconsiderable.  iVIeantime  declarations  of  concurrence  for 
a  less  number  of  years  may  greatly  promote  the  good  ends  in  view :  though  it 
seems  very  expedient,  that  it  should  exceed  what  was  fii-st  agreed  on  ;  seeing  it 
is  found  on  trial,  that  that  time,  instead  of  being  too  long,  was  much  too  short. 
VII.  If  persons  who  formerly  agreed  to  this  concert,  should  now  discontinue 
it ;  would  it  not  look  too  like  that  fainting  in  prayer,  against  which  we  arc  so 
expressly  warned  in  Scripture  ?  And  would  not  this  be  the  more  unsuitable  at 
this  time,  in  any  within  the  British  dominions,  when  they  have  the  united  calls 
of  such  public  chastisements  and  deliverances,  to  more  concern  than  ever  about 
public  reforn:iation,  and  consequently  about  that  which  is  the  source  of  all  tho- 
rough reformation,  the  regenerating  and  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Almighty 
Spirit  of  God  ?  -  August  26,  1746.^ 

The  minister  in  Boston  forementioned  (to  whom  most  of  the  copies  of  this 
memorial  were  sent)  who,  I  suppose,  has  had  later  and  more  full  intelligence 
than  I  have  had  says,  concerning  the  proposal,  in  a  letter  :  The  motion  seems  to 
come  from  above,  and  to  be  wonderfully  spreading  in  Scotland,  England, 
Wales,  Ireland,  and  North  America. 


PART   II. 

Motives  to  a  Compliance  with  what  is  proposed  in  the  Memorial. 

I  NOW  proceed  to  the  second  thing  intended  in  this  discourse,  viz.,  to  offer 
to  consideration  some  things,  which  may  tend  to  induce  the  people  of  God  to 
comply  with  the  proposal  and  request,  made  to  them  in  the  memorial. 

And  I  desire  that  the  following  things  may  be  considered. 

1.  It  is  evident  from  the  Scripture,  that  there  is  yet  remaining  a  fjreat  ad- 
vancement of  the  interest  of  religion  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  this  world, 
by  an  al)undant  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  far  greater  and  more  ex-ten- 
sive than  ever  yet  has  been.  It  is  certain,  that  many  things,  which  are  spoken 
concerning  a  glorious  time  of  the  church's  enlargement  and  prosperity  in  the 
latter  days,  have  never  yet  been  fulfdled.  There  has  never  yet  been  any  prop- 
agation and  prevailing  of  religion,.in  any  wise,  of  that  extent  und  universality, 
which  the  prophecies  represent.  It  is  often  foretold  and  signified,  in  a  great 
variety  of  strong  expressions,  that  there  should  a  time  come,  when  all  nations 
through  the  whole  habitable  world,  should  embrace  the  true  religion,  and  be 
brought  into  the  church  of  God.  It  was  often  promised  to  the  Patriarchs,  that 
m  their  seed  all  the  nations,  or  (as  it  is  sometimes  expressed)  all  the  families  of 
the  earth  should  be  blessed.  (See  Gen.  xii.  3,  xviii.  18,  xxii.  IS,  xxvi.  4, 
and  xxviii.  14.)     Agreeably  to  this,  it  is  said  of  the  Messiah,  Psal.  Ixxii.  1 1, 


440  UNlf,N  IN  PRAYER. 

that "  all  nations  shall  serve  him  :''  and  in  ver.  17,  "  men  shall  be  blessed  in  him, 
and  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed."  And  in  Isa.  ii.  2,  it  is  said,  that  '•  ah 
nations  shall  flow  unto  the  mountain  of  the  house  of  the  Lord."  And  Jer.  iii 
17,  that  "  all  nations  shall  be  gathered  unto  the  name  of  the  Lord  to  Jerasa- 
lem,  and  shall  walk  no  more  after  the  imagination  of  their  evil  heart."  So  it 
it  is  said,  that  all  flesh  shall  come,  and  worship  hefoie  the  Lord,  Isa.  Ixvi.  23. 
And  that  all  flesh  should  see  the  glory  of  God  together,  Isa.  xl.  5  And  that 
all  flesh  should  come  to  him  that  hears  prayer,  Psal.  Ixv.  2.  Christ  compares 
the  kwa-dom  of  heaven  in  this  world  to  leaven,  which  a  ivonian  took  ami  hid  in 
three  measures  of  meal,  until  the  ivhole  was  leavened.  Matt.  xiii.  33.  It  is 
natural  and  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  the  whole  world  should  finally  be  given 
to  Christ,  as  one  whose  right  it  is  to  reign,  as  the  proper  heir  of  him,  who  is 
originally  the  king  of  all  nations,  and  the  possessor  of  heaven  and  earth :  and 
the" Scripture  teaches  us,  that  God  the  Father  hath  constituted  his  Son,  as  God- 
man,  and  in  his  kingdom  of  grace,  or  mediatorial  kingdom,  to  be  the  heir  of 
the  world,  that  he  might  in  this  kingdom  have  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance, 
and  the  utmost  ends  of  the  earth  for  his  possession ;  Heb.  i.  2,  and  ii.  8, 
Psal.  ii.  6,  7,8.  Thus  Abraham  is  said  to  be  the  heir  of  the  world,  not  in  him- 
self, but  in  liis  seed,  which  is  Chi'ist,  Rom.  iv.  13.  And  how  was  this  to  be 
fulfilled  to  Abraham,  but  by  God's  fulfilling  that  great  promise,  that  in  his  seed 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  he  blessed?  For  that  promise  is  what  the 
apostle  is  speaking  of;  which  shows,  that  God  has  appointed  Christ  to  be  the 
heir  of  the  world  in  his  kingdom  of  grace,  and  to  possess  and  reign  over  all  na- 
tions, through  the  propagation  of  his  gospel,  and  the  power  of  his  Spirit  com- 
municating the  blessings  of  it.  God  hath  appointed  him  to  this  universal  do- 
minion by  a  most  solemn  oath :  Isa.  xiv.  23,  '■  I  have  sworn  by  myself,  the 
word  is  o-one  out  of  my  mouth  in  righteousness,  and  shall  not  return,  that  unto 
me  every  knee  shall  bow,  every  tongue  shall  sv.^ear."  Compared  with  Phil.  ii. 
10,  11.  Though  this  solemn  oath  of  God  the  Father  is  to  be  understood  in  so 
comprehensive  a  sense,  as  to  extend  to  what  shall  be  accomplished  at  the  day 
of  judgment,  yet  it  is  evident  by  the  foregoing  and  following  verses,  that  the 
thing  most  directly  intended,  is  what  shall  be  fulfilled  by  the  spreading  of  the 
gospel  of  his  salvation,  and  power  of  the  Spirit  of  grace,  bringing  "  all  the  ends 
of  the  earth  to  look  to  hun  that  they  may  be  saved,  and  come  to  him  for  right- 
eousness and  strength,  that  in  him  they  might  be  justified,  and  might  glory." 
God  has  suffered  many  earthly  princes  to  extend  their  conquests  over  a  great 
part  of  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  to  possess  a  dominion  of  vast  extent,  and  one 
monarchy  to  conquer  and  succeed  another,  the  latter  being  still  the  greater  ;  it  is 
icasonable  to  suppose  that  a  much  greater  glory  in  this  respect  should  be  re- 
served for  Christ,  God's  own  Son  and  rightful  heir,  who  has  purchased  the  do- 
minion by  so  great  and  hard  a  service  :  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  his  do- 
minion should  be  far  the  largest,  and  his  conquests  vastly  the  greatest  and  most 
extensive.  And  thus  the  Scriptures  represent  the  matter,  in  Nebuchadnezzar's 
vision,  and  the  prophet's  interpretation,  Dan,  ii.  "  There  the  four  great  monar- 
chies of  the  earth,  one  succeeding  another,  are  represented  by  the  great  imao-e 
of  gold,  silver,  brass,  iron  and  clay  ;  but  at  last  a  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain 
without  hands,  smites  the  image  upon  his  feet,  ^hich  breaks  the  hon,  clay, 
brass,  silver  and  gold  in  pieces,  that  all  becomes  as  the  chaff  of  the  summer 
threshing  floors,  and  the  wind  carries  them  away,  that  no  place  is  found  for 
them  ;  but  the  stone  waxes  great,  becomes  a  great  mountain,  and  fills  the  whole 
earth  ;  signifying  the  kingdom  which  the  Lord  God  of  heaven  should  set  up  in 
the  world,  last  of  all,  wliich  should  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  other  king- 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  441 

:loms."  Surely  this  representation  leads  us  to  suppose,  that  this  last  kino-dom 
shall  be  of  vastly  greater  extent  than  any  of  the  pnecdiiig.  Tiie  like  repifsen- 
tation  is  made  in  the  7th  eluij).  ol'  Daniel ;  there  the  four  monarchies  are  repre- 
sented by  four  great  beasts,  that  arose  successively,  one  conquering  and  subdu- 
ing another;  the  fourth  and  last  of  these  is  said  to  be  dreadful,  and  terrible, 
and  strong  exceedingly,  and  to  have  great  iron  teeth,  and  to  devour  and  break 
in  pieces,  and  stamp  the  residue  with  his  feet ;  yea,  it  is  said,  ver.  23,  that 
the  kingdom  represented  by  this  beast  shall  devour  the  ^vhole  earth  ;  but  last 
of  all  one  like  the  Son  of  Man  appears,  coiuivg  to  the  ancieitt  of  day<;,  and  be- 
ing brought  near  before  him,  and  receiving  of  him  a  dominion,  and  i^lory,  and 
u  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages  should  serve  him.  This  last 
circumstance,  of  the  vast  extent  and  universality  of  his  dominion,  is  manifestly 
spoken  of  as  one  thing  greatly  distinguishing  liis  holy  kingdom  I'rom  all  the 
preceding  monarcliies  :  although  of  one  of  the  former  it  was  said,  that  it  should 
devour  the  whole  earth,  yet  we  are  naturally  led,  both  by  the  much  greater 
emphasis  and  strength  of  the  expressions,  as  well  as  by  the  whole  connection 
and  tenor  of  the  prophecy,  to  understand  the  universality  here  expressed  in  a 
much  more  extensive  and  absolute  sense :  and  the  terms  used  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  this  vision  are  such,  that  scarcely  any  can  be  devised  more  strong,  to 
signify  an  absolute  universality  of  dominion  over  the  inhabitants  of  the  face  of 
the  earth  :  ver.  27,  "  And  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the 
kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  most  hio-li 
God.  Agreeably  to  this  the  gospel  is  represented  as  preached  unto  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and  tongue,  and  kindred,  and  people^ 
Rev.  xiv.  6.  The  universality  of  the  prevalence  of  true  religion  in  the  latter 
days,  ic  sometimes  expressed  by  its  reaching  to  "  the  utmost  ends  of  the  earth," 
Psal.  ii,  8.  "  To  all  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  world,"  Psal.  xxii.  27 — 
Ixvii.  7 — xcviii.  3,  Isa.  xlv.  22.  "  All  the  earth,  with  those  that  are  afar  off  upon 
the  sea,"  Psal.  Ixv.  5.  "  From  the  rising  of  thesun  to  the  going  down  of  the  same," 
Psal.  cxiii.  3,  Mai.  i.  11.  "The  outgoings  of  the  morning  and  of  the  evening," 
Psal.  Ixv.  8.  It  seems  that  all  the  most  strong  expressions,  that  Avere  in  use 
among  the  Jews  to  signify  the  habitable  world  in  its  utmost  extent,  are  made 
use  of  to  signify  the  extent  of  the  church  of  God  in  the  latter  days  :  and  in 
many  places,  a  variety  of  these  expressions  is  used,  and  there  is  an  accumula- 
tion of  them,  expressed  with  great  force. 

It  wo!jld  be  unreasonable  to  say,  these  are  only  bold  figures,  used  after  the 
tnanner  of  the  eastern  nations,  to  express  the  great  extent  of  the  Christian 
church,  at  and  after  the  days  ot  Constantine  :  to  say  so  would  be  in  effect  to 
say,  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  God,  if  he  had  desired  it,  plainly  to 
have  forctohl  any  thing  that  sliould  absolutely  have  extended  to  all  nations  of 
the  earth.  I  question  whether  it  be  possible  to  find  out  a  more  strong  expres- 
sion, to  signify  an  absolute  universality  of  the  knowledge  of  the  true  religion 
through  the  habitable  world,  than  that  in  Isa.  xi.  9,  "  The  earth  shall  be  full 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea."  Which  is  as 
much  as  to  say.  As  there  is  no  place  in  the  vast  ocean  where  there  is  not  water, 
so  there  shall  be  no  part  of  the  world  of  mankind  where  there  is  not  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Lord  ;  as  there  is  no  p;ut  of  the  wide  bed  or  cavity  possessed  by 
the  sea,  but  what  is  covered  with  Avater,  so  there  shall  be  no  part  of  the  habi- 
table world  that  shall  not  be  covered  with  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  possessed 
by  the  true  religion.  Waters  are  often  in  prophecy  put  for  nations  and  multi- 
tudes of  people  ;  so  the  waters  of  the  main  ocean  seem  sometimes  to  be  put  for 
*he  inhabitants  of  the  earth  in  general ;  a<   in  Ezekiel's  vision  of  waters  of  the 

Vol.  III.  ^(^ 


442  UNION   IN  PRAYER. 

sancluaiy  (Ezek.  xlvii.),  \vliicli  flowed  from  the  sanctuary,  and  ran  east,  until 
they  canje  to  the  ocean,  and  were  at  first  a  small  stream,  but  continually  increas- 
ed until  Ihey  became  a  great  river  ;  and  when  they  came  to  the  sea,  the  water 
even  of  ihe  vast  ocean  was  healed  (ver.  8),  representing  the  conversion  of  the 
workl  to  the  true  religion  in  *he  latter  days.  It  seems  evident,  that  the  time 
will  come,  when  there  will  not  be  one  nation  remaining  in  the  world,  which 
shall  not  embrace  the  true  religion,  in  that  God  has  expressly  revealed,  that  no 
one  such  nation  shall  be  left  standing  on  the  earth  :  Isai.  Ix.  12,  "  The  nation 
and  kingdom  that  will  not  serve  thee  shall  perish  ;  yea,  those  nations  shall  be 
utterly  wasted."  God  has  declared  that  heathen  idolatry  and  all  the  worship 
of  false  gods  shall  be  wholly  abolished,  in  the  most  universal  manner,  so  that  it 
shall  be  continued  in  no  place  under  the  heavens,  or  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  : 
Jer.  X.  11,  "  The  gods  that  have  not  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  even  they 
?hall  perish  from  the  earth,  and  from  under  these  heavens."  Ver,  15,  "  They 
are  vanity,  and  the  work  of  errors,  in  the  time  of  their  visitation  they  shall 
perish."  This  must  be  understood  as  what  shall  be  brought  to  pass  while  this 
earth  and  these  heavens  remain,  i.  e.,  before  the  end  of  the  world.  Agreeable 
to  this  is  that,  Isa.  liv.  1,  2,  "  Sing,  0  barren,  and  thou  that  didst  not  bear;  for 
more  are  the  children  of  the  desolate  than  the  children  of  the  married  wife,  saith 
the  Lord ;  enlarge  the  place  of  Ihy  tent,  and  let  them  stretch  forth  the  curtains 
of  thy  habitation;  spare  not;  lengthen  thy  cords,  strengthen  thy  stakes."  Ver. 
5,  "  For  thy  Maker  is  thy  husband  ;  the  Loid  of  Hosts  is  his  name  ;  and  thy 
Redeemer  the  Holy  One  of  Israel;  the  God  of  the  whole  earth  shall  he  be 
called." 

The  prophecies  of  the  New  Testament  do  no  less  evidently  show,  that  a 
time  will  come  when  the  gospel  shall  universally  prevail,  and  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  be  extended  over  the  whole  habitable  earth,  in  the  most  proper  sense. 
Christ  say  5,  John  xii.  32,  "T,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men 
unto  me."  It  is  fit,  that  when  the  Son  of  God  becomes  man,  he  should  have 
dominion  over  all  mankind  :  it  is  fit  that  since  he  became  an  inhabitant  of  the 
earth,  and  shed  his  blood  on  the  earth,  he  should  possess  the  whole  earth  :  it  is 
fit,  seeing  here  he  became  a  servant,  and  was  subject  to  men,  and  was  arraigned 
before  them,  and  judged,  condemned  and  executed  by  them,  and  suflfered  igno- 
miny and  death  in  a  most  public  manner,  before  Jews  and  Gentiles,  being  lifted 
up  to  view^  on  the  cross  upon  a  hill,  near  that  populous  city  Jerusalem,  at  a 
most  public  time,  when  there  were  many  hundred  thousand  spectators,  from  all 
parts,  that  he  sliould  be  rewarded  with  a  universal  dominion  over  mankind;  and 
it  is  here  declared  he  shall  be.  The  apostle,  in  the  11th  of  Romans,  teaches 
us  to  look  to  that  great  outpouring  of  the  Spiiit,  and  ingathering  of  souls  into 
Christ's  kingdom,  that  was  in  those  days,  first  of  the  Jews,  and  then  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, to  be  but  as  the  first  fruits  of  the  intended  harvest, /both  with  regard  to 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  to  look  on  the  ingathering  of  those  first  fruits  as  a  sign 
that  all  the  remainder,  both  Jew-s  and  Gentiles,  should  in  due  time  be  gathered 
in  :  ver.  16,  "  For  if  the  first  fruit  be  holy,  the  lump  is  also  holy  ;  and  if  the 
root  be  holy,  so  are  the  branches."  And  in  that  context,  the  apostle  speaks  of 
the  fulness  of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  as  what  shall  hereafter  be  brought  in,  as 
distinct  from  that  ingathering  from  among  both,  that  was  in  those  primitive  ages 
of  Christianity  :  in  ver.  12,  we  read  of  the  ftdness  of  the  Jews,  and  in  the  25th 
of  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  :  and  there  in  ver.  30,  31,  32,  the  apostle  teaches 
us  to  look  upon  that  infidelity  and  darkness,  that  first  prevailed  over  all  Gentile 
nations,  before  Christ  came,  and  then  over  the  Jews  after  Christ  came,  as  what 
was  wisely  permitted  of  God,  as  a  preparation  for  the  manifestation  of  the  glory 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  443 

of  God's  mercy,  in  due  tiint",  on  the  whole  world,  constituted  of  Jews  and  Gtn- 
tiles.  God  hnth  concluded  litem  all  in  unbelief,  that  he  viight  have  mercy  upon 
all.  These  things  plainly  show,  that  the  time  is  coiuinj^  when  the  whole  world 
of  mankind  shall  be  brou;j;ht  into  the  church  of  Christ ;  and  not  only  a  part  of 
the  Jews,  and  a  part  of  the  (lentile  world,  as  the  fust  fruits,  as  it  was  in  the 
first  ages  of  the  Christian  ohunji ;  but  the  fulness  of  both,  the  whole  lump,  all 
the  nation  of  the  Jews,  and  all  the  world  of  Gentiles, 

In  the  last  great  conHict  between  the  church  of  Christ  and  her  enemies,  be- 
fore the  commencement  of  the  glorious  time  of  the  church's  peace  and  rest, 
the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  iihole  world,  are  nyresented  us  gathered  together. 
Rev.  xvi.  14,  and  then  the  "  seventh  angel  pours  out  his  vial  into  the  air," 
which  limits  that  kingdom  that  Satan  has,  as  god  of  this  world,  in  its  utmost 
extent ;  and  that  kingdom  is  repi  esented  as  utterly  overthrown,  ver.  17,  &c 
And  in  another  description  of  that  great  battle,  chap,  xix.,  Christ  is  represented 
as  riding  forth,  having  on  his  head  UKiny  crowns,  and  on  his  vesture  and  on  his 
thigh  a  name  written,  King  of  hings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  Which  we  may  well 
suppose  signifies,  that  he  is  now  going  to  that  conquest,  whereby  he  shall  set  \ip 
a  kingdom,  in  which  he  shall  be  King  of  kings,  in  a  far  more  extensive  manner 
than  either  the  Babylonish,  Persian,  Grecian,  or  Roman  monarchs  were.  And 
in  ver.  17,  and  following,  "  an  angel  appears  standing  in  the  sun,  that  overlooks 
the  whole  world,  calling  on  all  the  fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  to 
come  and  eat  the  ilesh  of  kings,"  &.c.  And  in  consequence  of  the  great  victo- 
ry Christ  gains  at  that  time,  an  angel  comes  doicnfrom  heaven,  having  the  key 
of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand,  and  lays  hold  on  the  devilj 
and  binds  him,  and  casts  him  into  the  bottomless  pit,  and  shuts  him  \tp,  and  sets  a 
seal  upon  him,  that  he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more.  Satan,  being  dispos- 
stssed  of  that  highest  monarchy  on  earth,  the  Roman  empire,  and  cast  out  in 
the  time  of  Constantine,  is  represented,  chap,  xii.,  by  his  being  cast  down  from 
heaven  to  the  earth  :  but  now  there  is  something  far  beyond  that ;  he  is  cast  out 
of  the  earth,  and  is  shut  up  in  hell,  and  confined  to  that  alone,  so  that  he  has 
no  place  left  him  in  this  world  of  mankind,  high  nor  low. 

Now  will  any  be  so  unreasonable  as  to  say,  that  all  these  things  do  not  sig- 
nify more  than  that  one  third  part  of  the  world  should  be  brought  into  the  church 
of  Christ ;  beyond  which  it  cannot  be  pretemled  that  the  Christian  religion  has 
ever  yet  reached,  in  its  greatest  extent  ?  Those  countries,  which  beloncred  to 
the  Roman  empire,  that  were  brought  to  the  profession  of  Christianity,  after  the 
reign  of  Constantine,  are  but  a  small  part  of  what  the  habitable  world  now  is ; 
as  to  extent  of  ground,  they  all  together  bear,  1  suppose,  no  greater  proportion 
to  it,  than  the  land  of  Canaan  did  to  the  Roman  empire.  And  our  Redeemer 
in  his  kingdom  of  grace  has  hitherto  possessed  but  a  little  part  of  the  world,  in 
its  most  flourishing  state,  since  arts  are  risen  to  their  greatest  height ;  and  a  veiy 
great  part  of  the  world  is  but  lately  discovered,  and  much  remains  undiscovered 
to  this  day. 

These  things  make  it  very  evident,  that  the  main  fulfilment  of  those  pro- 
phecies, that  speak  of  the  glorious  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  on  earth, 
is  still  to  come. 

And  as  there  has  been  nothing  as  yet,  with  regard  to  the  flourishing  of  re- 
ligion, and  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom,  of  such  extent  as  to  answer 
the  prophecies,  so  neither  has  there  been  any  thing  of  that  duration,  that  is  fore- 
told. —The  prophecies  speak  of  Jerusalem's  being  made  the  joy  of  the  whole 
earth,  and  also  the  joy  of  many  generations  fPsal.  xlvili.  2,  Isa.  Ix.  15),  That 
God''s  people  should  long  enjoy  the  work  of  their  hands  (Isa.  Ixv.  22\     That 


444  UNION  IN  PRAYER 

they  should  reign  icith  Christ  a  thousand  years  {Ikev.XK.),  by  which  we  must  at 
least  vuKler.stand  a  very  long  time.  But  it  would  be  endless  to  mention  all  the  places, 
which  signify  that  the  time  of  the  church's  great  peace  and  }^  osperity  should  be 
of  long  continuance  :  almost  all  the  prophecies  that  speak  of  her  latter  day  glo- 
ry, imply  it ;  and  it  is  implied  in  very  many  of  them,  that  when  once  this  day  of 
the  church's  advancement  and  peace  is  begun,  it  shall  never  end,  till  the  world 
ends;'  or,  at  least,  that  there  shall  be  no  more  a  return  of  her  troubles  and  ad- 
versity for  any  considerable  continuance  ;  that  then  the  days  of  her  mourning 
ihall  be  ended  ;  that  her  tribulations  sliould  then  he  as  theicaters  qfjYoah  imto  God, 
'hat  as  he  has  su-orn  that  the  waters  ofJYoah  should  no  more  pass  over  the  earth, 
w  he  will  swear  that  he  will  no  more  ht  wroth  with  his  people,  or  rebuke  them; 
■hat  God's  people  should  no  Wvore  tcalk  after  the  imagination  of  their  evil  heart  j 
.hat  God  ico'uld  hide  himself  no  more  from,  the  house  of  Israel,  because  hehaspour- 
"A  out  his  Spirit  upon  them  ;  that  their  sun  should  no  more  go  down,  nor  the  moon 
withdraw  itself ;  that  the  light  should  not  be  clear  and  dark  (i.  e.  there  should 
be  no  more  an  interchange  of  light  and  darkness,  as  used  to  be),  but  that  it 
should  be  all  one  continued  day  ;  not  day  and  night  (lor  so  the  words  are  in  the 
M-icrinal  in  Zech.  xiv.  7)  alternately,  but  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  at  eveniiig 
firae  (i.  e.  at  the  time  that  night  and  darkness  used  to  be)  it  shall  be  light ;  and 
<hat  the  natioiis  should  heat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their  spears  into 
pruning  hooks,  and  that  nation  shall  7wt  lift  vp  sword  against  nation,  nor  learn 
ivarany  more  ;  but  that  there  shouldbe  abundance  of  peace  so  long  as  the  moon 
endureth.     And  innumerable  things  of  this  nature  are  declared. 

But  the  church  of  Christ  has  never  yet  enjoyed  a  state  of  peace  and  pros- 
/)erity  for  any  long  time ;  on  the  contrary,  the  times  of  her  rest,  and  of  the 
.lourishing  state  of  religion,  have  ever  been  very  short.  Hitherto  the  church  may 
say  as  inlsa.  Ixiii.  17,  18,  "Return,  for  thy  servants'  sake,  the  tribes  of  thine 
inheritance  ;  the  people  of  thy  holiness  have  possessed  it  but  a  little  while." 
The  quietness  that  the  church  of  God  enjoyed  after  the  beginning  of  Constan- 
"ine's  reign,  was  very  short ;  the  peace  the  empire  enjoyed,  in  freedom  from 
A-ar,  was  not  more  than  twenty  years;  no  longer  nor  greater  than  it  had  en- 
oyed  under  some  of  the  heathen  emperors.  After  this  the  empiie  was  rent  in 
lieces  by  intestine  wars,  and  wasted  almost  everywhere  by  the  invasions  and 
ijicursions  of  barbarous  nations,  and  the  Christian  world  was  soon  all  in  con- 
tention and  confusion,  by  heresies  and  divisions  in  matters  of  religion.  And 
he  church  of  Christ  has  never  as  yet  been,  for  any  long  time,  free  from  perse- 
cution ;  especially  when  truth  has  prevailed,  and  true  religion  flourished.  It  is 
nanifcst,  that  hitherto  the  people  of  God  have  been  kept  under,  and  Zion  has 
/)een  in  a  low  afflicted  state,  and  her  enemies  have  had  the  chief  sway. 

And  another  thing,  that  makes  it  exceeding  manifest  that  that  day  of  the 
church's  greatest  advancement  on  earth,  whicdi  is  foretold  in  Scripture,  has 
'lever  yet  come,  is,  that  it  is  so  plainly  and  expressly  revealed  that  this  day 
/",hould  succeed  the  last  of  the  four  monarchies,  even  the  Roman,  in  its  last  state, 
wherein  it  is  divided  into  ten  kingdoms,  and  after  the  destruction  of  Antichrist, 
';ignified  by  the  little  horn,  whose  reign  is  contemporary  with  the  reign  of  the 
ten  kings.  These  things  are  very  plain  in  the  2d  and  7th  chapters  of  Daniel, 
and  also  in  the  Revelation  of  St.  John.  And  it  is  also  plain  by  the  11th  chap- 
ter of  Romans,  that  it  shall  be  after  the  national  conversion  of  the  Jens,  which 
shall  he  as  life  from  the  dead  to  the  Gentiles,  and  the  fulness  of  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  should  he  come  in,  and  all  the  nation  of  the  Jews  and  all  other  nations 
shall  obtain  m.ercy,  and  there  shall  be  that  general  ingathering  of  the  harvest 
of  the  whole  earth,  of  which  all  tha ;  had  been  converted  before,  either  of  Jews 


UNION   IN   PRAYER.  445 

or  Gentiles,  were  but  the  first  fruits.     Anil  many  other  evider  ces  of  this  point 
might  be  mentioned,  which  lor  brevity's  sake  I  omit. 

And  thus  it  is  meet,  that  the  last  kingdom  which  shall  take  place  on  earth, 
sliould  be  the  kiiiij^dom  of  God's  own  Son  and  heir,  whose  right  it  is  to  rule  and 
reign  ;  and  that  whatever  revolutions  and  confusions  there  may  be  in  the  world, 
for  a  long  time,  the  cause  of  truth,  the  righteous  cause,  shoulil  finally  j)revail, 
and  God's  holy  people  should  at  last  inherit  the  earth,  and  reign  on  earlh  ;  and 
that  the  world  should  continue  in  tumults  and  great  revolutions,  following  one 
another,  liom  age  to  age,  the  world  being  as  it  weie  in  travail,  until  truth  and 
holiness  are  brought  forth  ;  that  all  things  should  be  shaken,  until  that  come,'- 
which  is  true  and  right,  and  agreeabh;  to  the  mind  of  God,  which  cannot  be 
shaken  ;  anil  that  tlie  wisilom  of  the  Ruler  of  the  world  shoulil  be  manifested 
in  the  bringing  all  things  ultimately  to  so  good  an  issue.  'J'he  world  is  made 
tor  the  Son  of  God  ;  his  kingdom  is  the  end  of  all  changes,  that  come  to  priss 
in  the  state  of  the  world  of  mankind  ;  all  are  only  to  prepare  the  way  for  this  ; 
it  is  fit  therefore  that  the  last  kingdom  on  earth  shoidd  be  his.  It  is  wisely  and 
mercifully  ordered  of  God  that  it  sliovdd  be  so,  on  this  account  as  well  as  many 
others,  viz.,  that  the  church  of  God  under  all  preceding  changes,  should  have 
this  consideration  to  encourage  her,  and  maintain  her  hope,  and  animate  her 
faith  and  prayers,  from  generation  to  generation,  that  God  has  promised,  her 
cause  should  finally  be  maintained  and  prevail  in  this  world. 
Let  it  now  be  considered, 

2.  The  future  promised  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  an  event 
unspeakably  happy  and  glorious.  The  Scriptures  speak  of  that  time,  as  a  time 
wherein  God  and  His  Son  Jesus  Christ  will  be  most  eminently  glorified  on 
earth  ;  a  time,  wherein  God,  who  until  then  had  dwelt  between  the  cherubims, 
and  concealed  himself  in  the  holy  of  holies,  in  the  secret  of  his  tabernacle, 
behind  the  vail,  in  the  thick  darkness,  should  openly  shine  forth,  and  all  flesh 
should  see  his  gloiy,  and  God's  people  in  general  have  as  great  a  privilege  as 
the  high  priest  alone  had  once  a  year,  or  as  Moses  had  in  the  mount ;  a  time, 
wherein  the  temple  of  God  in  heaven  should  be  opcw.d,  and  there  shoidd  be 
seen  the  ark  of  His  ieslanient  (Rev.  xi.  19);  a  time,  wherein  both  God  will  be 
greatly  glorified,  and  his  saints  made  unsfieakably  happy  in  the  view  of  hia 
glory  ;  a  time  wherein  God's  pe()j)]e  should  not  only  once  see  the  light  of  God's 
glory,  as  Moses,  or  see  it  once  a  year  with  the  high  priest,  but  should  dwell 
and  walk  continually  in  it,  and  it  should  be  their  constant  daily  light,  instead  of 
the  light  of  the  sun  (Isa.  ii.  5,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  15,  Isa.  Ix.  19),  which  light  should 
be  so  much  more  glorious  than  the  light  of  the  sun  or  moon,  that  the  moon  shall 
be  confounded,  and  the  sun  ashamed,  when  the  Lord  of  hosts  should  reign  in 
mount  Zion,  and  in  Jtrusalcm  before  his  ancients  gloriously,  Isa.  xxiv.  23. 

It  is  represented  as  a  time  of  vast  increase  of  knowledge  and  understanding, 
especially  in  divine  things  ;  a  time  wherein  God  would  "  destroy  the  face  of 
the  covering  cast  over  all  people,  and  the  vail  spread  over  all  nations,'' Isa. 
XXV.  7  ;  wiierein  "  the  light  of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and 
the  light  of  the  sun  seven-fold,''  Isa.  xxx.  26.  "  .^nd  the  eyes  of  them  that  see 
shall  not  be  dim,  and  the  heart  of  the  rash  shall  understand  knowledge,"  Isa. 
xxxii.  3,4.  "  And  they  shall  no  more  teach  every  n)an  his  neighbor,  and  ever}' 
man  his  brother,  saying.  Know  the  Lord,  because  they  shall  know  him  from  the 
ieast  to  the  greatest,"  Jer.  xxxi.  34.  And  a  time  of  general  holiness :  Isa.  l.x. 
21,  "  Thy  people  shall  be  all  righteous."  And  a  time  of  a  great  prevailing 
of  eminent  holiness,  when  little  children  should,  in  spiritual  attainmenl-s,  be  as 
though  they  were  "  a  hundred  years  old,"  Isa.  \x\'.  20.     And  wherein  "  be 


446  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

that  is  feeble  among  God's  people  should  be  as  David,"  Zeeh.  xii.  8.  A  time 
wherein  holiness  should  be  as  it  were  inscribed  on  every  thing,  on  all  men's 
common  business  and  employments,  and  the  common  utensils  of  life,  all  shall  be  ' 
dedicated  to  God,  and  improved  to  holy  purposes :  Isa.  xxiii.  18,  "  And  her 
merchandise  and  hire  shall  be  holiness  to  the  Lord."  Zech.  xiv.  20,  21,  "  Jn 
that  day  shall  there  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses,  Holiness  unto  the  Lord ;  and 
the  pots  in  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  like  the  bowls  before  the  altar  ;  yea,  everv- 
pot  in  Jerusalem  and  in  Judah  shall  be  holiriess  unto  the  Lord  of  Hosts."  A 
time  wherein  religion  and  true  Christianity  shall  in  every  respect  be  uppermost 
in  the  world  ;  wherein  God  will  cause  his  church  to  arise  and  shake  herself  from 
*he  dust,  and  jmt  on  her  beautiful  garments,  and  sit  down  on  a  throne  ;  and  the 
pom-  shall  be  raised  from,  the  dust,  and  the  beggar  from^  the  dunghill,  and  shall 
be  set  among  princes,  and  made  to  inherit  the  throne  of  God's  glory.  A  time 
wherein  vital  piety  shall  take  possession  of  thrones  and  palaces,  and  those  that 
are  in  most  exalted  stations  shall  be  eminent  in  holiness :  Isa.  xlix.  23,  '"  And 
kings  shall  be  thy  nursing  fathers,  and  their  queens  thy  nursing  mothers." 
Chap.  Ix.  16,  "  Thou  shalt  suck  the  breasts  of  kings."  Isa.  xlv.  12,  "  The 
daughter  of  Tyre  shall  be  there  with  a  gift,  the  rich  among  the  people  shall  en- 
treat thy  favor."  A  time  of  wonderful  union,  and  the  most  universal  peace, 
love,  and  sweet  harmony  ;  wherein  the  nations  shall  beat  their  swords  into 
oloughshares,  &.c.,  and  God  will  cause  wars  to  cease  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and 
h'reak  the  bow,  and  cut  the  spear  in  sunder,  and  burn  the  chariot  in  the  f  re  ;  and 
the  mountains  shall  bring  forth  -peace  to  God's  people,  and  the  little  hills  by 
righteousness  ;  wherein  the  wolf  should  divell  with  the  lamb,  &c.,  and  wherein 
God^s  people  shall  dwell  in  a  peaceable  habitation,  and  in  sure  dwellings,  and 
quiet  resting  places,  Isa.  xxxii.  17,  18,  and  xxxiii.  '20,  21.  A  time  wherein  all 
heresies  and  false  doctrines  shall  be  exploded,  and  the  church  of  God  shall  pot 
be  rent  with  a  variety  of  jarring  opinions.  Zech.  xiv.  9,  "  The  Lord  shall  be 
king  over  all  the  earth  :  in  that  day  there  shall  be  one  Lord,  and  his  name  one." 
And  all  superstitious  ways  of  worship  shall  be  abolished,  and  all  agree  in  wor- 
shipping God  in  his  own  appointed  way,  and  agreeable  to  the  purity  of  his  in- 
stitutions :  Jer.  xxxii.  39,  "  I  will  give  them  one  heart  and  one  way,  that  they 
may  fear  me  forever,  for  the  good  of  them  and  their  children  after  them  ;"  a 
time  wherein  the  whole  earth  shall  be  united  as  one  holy  city,  one  heavenly 
family,  men  of  all  nations  shall  as  it  were  dwell  together,  and  sweetly  corres- 
pond one  with  another,  as  brethren  and  children  of  the  same  father ;  as  the 
prophecies  often  speak  of  all  God's  people  at  that  time  as  the  children  of  God, 
and  brethren  one  to  another,  all  appointing  over  them  one  head,  gathered  to  one 
house  of  God,  to  worship  the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts  ;  a  time  wherein  this 
whole  great  society  shall  appear  in  glorious  beauty,  in  genuine  amiable  Chris- 
tianity, and  excellent  order,  as  a  city  compact  together,  the  perfection  of  beauty, 
an  eternal  excellency  shining  witl  a  reflection  of  the  glory  of  Jehovah  risen 
upon  it,  which  shall  be  attractive  and  ravishing  to  all  kings  and  nations,  and  it 
shall  appear  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband  ;  a  time  of  great  temporal  pros- 
perity ;  of  great  health  :  Isa.  xxxiii.  24,  "  The  inhabitants  shall  not  say,  I  am 
sick ;"  of  long  life  :  Isa.  Ixv.  22,  "  As  the  days  of  a  tree,  are  the  days  of  my 
people ;"  a  time  wherein  the  earth  shall  be  abundantly  fruitful,  Psal.  Ixvii.  6, 
Isa.  XXX.  23,  24,  Amos  i.<.  16,  and  many  other  places.  A  time  wherein  the 
^vorld  shall  be  delivered  from  that  multitude  of  sore  calamities  that  before  had 
prevailed  (Ezek.  xlvii.  20),  and  there  shall  be  a  universal  blessing  of  God  upon 
mankind,  in  soul  and  body,  in  all  their  concerns,  and  all  manner  of  tokens  of 
God's  presence  and  favor,  and  God  shall  rejoice  over  them  as  a  hridegroam  re- 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  447 

joiceth  over  Im  bride,  and  the  mountains  shall  as  it  were  drop  down  new  ui'ne, 
and  the  hills  shall  JIow  with  milk,  Joel  iii.  18.  A  time  of  great  and  universal 
joy  through  the  earth,  wh^n  frofn  the  vtmust  ends  of  the  earth  shall  be  heard 
songs,  even glori/ to  the  righfcoits,  and  God's  people  shall  with  joy  draw  v.ater 
out  of  the  wells  of  salvation,  and  (Jod  shall  prepare  in  his  holy  mountain,  a 
feast  of  iat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of 
wines  on  the  lees  well  refined,  which  feast  is  represented,  Rev.  xix.,  as  the 
marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  Yea,  the  Scriptures  represent  it  not  only  as  a  time 
of  universal  joy  on  earth,  but  extraordinary  joy  in  heaven,  among  the  angels 
and  saints,  the  holy  apostles  and  prophets  there,  Rev.  xviii.  20,  and  xix.  1 — 9. 
Yea,  the  Scriptures  represent  it  as  a  time  of  extraordinary  rejoicing  with 
Christ  himself,  the  glorious  head,  in  whom  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth  shall 
then  be  gatliered  together  in  one  :  Zech.  iii.  17,  "  The  Lord  thy  (iod  in  the 
midst  of  thee  is  miglity  ;  he  will  save ;  he  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy  ;  he 
will  rest  in  his  love  ;  he  will  joy  over  thee  with  singing."  And  the  very  fields, 
trees  and  mountains,  shall  then  as  it  were  rejoice,  and  break  forth  into  sinijing  : 
Isa.  Iv.  12,  "  Ye  shall  go  out  with  joy,  and  be  led  forth  with  peace  ;  the  moun- 
tains and  the  hills  shall  break  forth  before  you  into  singing,  and  all  the  trees  of 
the  field  shall  clap  their  hands."  Isa.  xliv.  23,  *'  Sing,  0  heavens,  for  the 
Lord  hath  done  it;  shout,  ye  lower  parts  of  the  earth;  break  forth  into  singing, 
ye  mountains ;  0  forests  and  every  tree  therein  ;  for  the  Lord  hath  redeemed 
Jacob,  and  glorified  himself  in  Israel." 

Such  being  the  state  of  things  in  this  future  promised  glorious  day  of  the 
church's  prosperity,  surely  it  is  worth  praying  for.  Nor  is  there  any  one  thing 
whatsoever,  if  we  viewed  things  aright,  which  a  regard  to  the  glory  of  God,  a 
concern  for  the  kingdom  and  honor  of  our  Redeemer,  a  love  to  his  people,  pity 
to  perishing  sinners,  love  to  our  fellow  creatures  in  general,  compassion  to  man- 
kind under  its  various  and  sore  calamities  and  miseries,  a  desire  of  their  tempo- 
ral and  spiritual  prosperity,  love  to  our  country,  our  neighbors  and  friends,  yea, 
and  to  our  own  souls,  would  dispose  us  to  be  so  much  in  prayer  for,  as  lor  the 
dawning  of  this  happy  day,  and  the  accomplishment  of  that  glorious  event. 

It  may  be  worthy  to  be  considered, 

3.  How  much  Christ  prayed  and  labored  and  suffered  in  order  to  the  glory 
and  happiness  of  that  day. 

The  sum  of  the  blessings  Christ  sought,  by  what  he  did  and  suffered  in  the 
work  of  redemption,  was  the  Holy  Spirit.  So  is  the  affair  of  our  redemption 
constituted ;  the  Father  provides  and  gives  the  Redeemer,  and  the  price  of 
redemption  is  offered  to  him,  and  he  grants  the  benefit  purchased  ;  the  Son  is 
the  Redeemer  that  gives  the  price,  and  also  is  the  price. offered  ;  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  the  grand  blessing  obtained  by  the  price  offered,  and  bestowed  on  the 
redeemed.  The  Holy  Spirit,  in  his  indwelling,  his  influences  and  liuits,  is  the 
sum  of  all  grace,  holiness,  comfort  and  joy;  or  in  one  word,  of  all  the  spiritua'. 
good  Christ  purchased  for  men  in  this  world  ,  and  is  also  the  sum  of  all  perfec 
tion,  glory  and  eternal  joy,  that  he  purchased  for  them  in  another  world.  Th 
Holy  Spirit  is  that  great  benefit,  that  is  the  subject  matter  of  the  promises,  both 
of  the  eternal  covenant  of  redemption,  and  also  of  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  the 
grand  subject  of  the  promises  of  the  Old  Testament,  in  the  prophecies  of  the 
blessings  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  ;  and  the  chief  subject  of  Ihe  promises  of 
the  New  Testament ;  and  particularly  of  the  covenant  of  grace  delivered  by 
Jesus  Christ  to  his  disciples,  as  his  last  will  and  testament,  in  the  14th,  15th,  and 
16th  chapters  of  John  ;  the  grand  legacy  that  he  bequeathed  to  them  in  that  his 
last  and  dying  discourse  with  them.     Therefore  the  Holy  Spirit  is  so  often  call- 


448  UNION   OF  PRAYER. 

ed  the  Spirit  of  promise,  and  emphatically  the  promise,  the  promise  of  the 
Father,  &c.,  Lulce  xxiv.  49,  Acts  i.  4,  and  ii.  33,  39,  Gal.  iii.  14,  Eph.  i.  13, 
and  iii.  6.     This  being  the  great  blessing  Christ  purchased  by  his  labors  and 
sufferings  on  earth,  it  was  the  blessing  he  received  of  the  Father,  when  he 
ascended  into  heaven,  and  entered  into  the  holy  of  holies  with  his  own  blood,  j 
to  communicate  to  those  that  he  had  redeemed.     John  xvi.  7,  "  It  is  expedient  ! 
for  you,  that  I  go  away  ;  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  ; 
but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you."     Acts  ii.  33,  "  Being  by  the  right 
hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth  this  which  ye  now  see  and  hear."     This  is  the 
sum  of  those  gifts,  wdiich  Christ  received  for  men,  even  for  the  rebellious,  at  his  , 
ascension.     This  is  the  sum  of  the  benefits  Christ  obtains  for  men  by  his  inter-  i 
cession  :  John-xiv.  16,  17,  "  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  an-  • 
other  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  forever  ;    even  the  Spirit  of 
Truth."     Herein  consists  Christ's  communicative  fulness,  even  in  his  being  ' 
full  of  the  Spirit,  and  so  full  of  grace  and  truth,  that  we  might  of  this  fulness 
receive,  and  grace  for  grace.     He  is  anointed  with  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  this  is 
the  ointment  that  goes  down  from  the  head  to  the  members.     God  gives  the 
Spirit  not  by  measure  unto  him,  that  every  one  that  is  his  might  receive  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ.     This  therefore  was  the   great 
blessing  he  prayed  for  in  that  wonderful  prayer,  that  he  uttered  for  his  disciples 
and  all  his  future  church,  the  evening  before  he  died,  John  xvii  :  the  blessing- 
he  prayed  for  to  the  Father,  in  behalf  of  his  disciples,  was  the  same  he  had 
insisted  on  his  preceding  discourse  with  them  :  and  this  doubtless  w^as  the 
blessing  that  he  prayed  I'or,  when,  as  our  High  Pjiest,he  offered  up  strong  cry- 
ing and  tears,  with  his  blood,  Heb.  v.  6,  7.     The  same  that  he  shed  his  blood 
for,  he  also  shed  tears  for,  and  poured  out  prayers  for. 

But  the  time  that  we  have  been  speaking  of,  is  the  chief  time  of  the  be- 
stowment  of  this  blessing  ;  the  main  season  of  the  success  of  all  that  Christ  did 
and  suffered  in  the  work  of  our  redemption.  Before  this  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
given  but  very  sparingly,  and  but  few  are  saved ;  but  then  it  will  be  far  other- 
wise ;  wickedness  shall  be  rare  then,  as  virtue  and  piety  had  been  before :  and 
undoubtedly,  by  far  the  greatest  number  of  them  that  ever  receive  the  benefits 
of  Christ's  redemption,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  end  of  it,  will 
receive  it  in  that  time.  The  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  will  doubt- 
less then  be  vastly  multiplied  ;  and  the  number  of  redeemed  ones  much  more.    , 

If  we  should  suppose  that  glorious  day  to  last  no  more  than  (literally)  a 
thousand  years,  and  that  at  the  beginning  of  that  thousand  years  the  world  of 
mankind  should  be  but  just  as  numerous  as  it  is  now,  and  that  the  number  should 
be  doubled,  during  that  time  of  great  health  and  peace  and  the  universal  bless- 
ing of  heaven,  once  only  in  a  hundred  years,  the  number  at  the  end  of  a  thou- 
sand years  would  be  more  than  a  thousand  times  gi-eater  than  it  is  now ;  and  if 
it  should  be  doubled  once  in  fifty  years  (Avhich  probably  the  number  of  the  in- 
habitants of  New  England  has  ordinarily  been,  in  about  half  that  time),  then, 
at  the  end  of  the  thousand  years,  there  would  be  more  than  a  million  inhabitants 
on  the  face  of  the  earth  where  there  is  one  now.  And  there  is  reason  to  think 
that  through  the  greater  part  of  this  period  at  least,  the  number  of  saints  will, 
in  their  increase,  bear  a  proportion  to  the  increase  of  the  number  of  inhabitants. 
And  it  must  be  considered,  that  if  the  number  of  mankind  at  the  beginning  of 
this  period  be  no  more  than  equal  to  the  present  number,  yet  we  may  doubtless 
conclude,  that  the  number  of  true  saints  will  be  immensely  greater ;  when  in- 
stead of  the  few  true  and  thorough  Christians  now  in  some  few  countries,  every 


UNION   IN   PRAYER.  449 

nation  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth  shall  be  converted  to  Christianity,  and 
eYer\-  country  shall  be  full  of  true  Christians  ;  so  that  the  successive  multiplica- 
tion of  true  saints  through  the  liiousaiid  years,  will  begin  with  that  vast  advan- 
tage, beyond  the  multiplication  of  mankind;  where  the  latter  is  begun  from 
units,  the  other  doubtless  will  begin  with  hundreds,  if  not  thousands.  How 
much  greater  then  will  be  the  number  of  true  converts,  that  will  b(?  brought  to 
a  participation  of  the  benefits  o['  Christ's  redemption,  during  that  period,  than 
in  all  other  times  put  together!  I  think,  the  foregoing  things  considered,  we 
shall  be  very  moderate  in  our  conjectures,  if  we  say,  it  is  probable  that  there 
will  be  a  hundred  thousand  times  more,  that  will  be  actually  redeemed  to 
God  by  Chiist's  blood,  during  that  period  of  the  church's  prosperity  that  we 
have  been  speaking  of,  than  ever  had  been  before,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
vvorkl  to  that  time. 

That  time  is  represented  in  Scripture,  as  the  proper  appointed  season  of 
Christ's  salvation  ;  eminently  the  elect  season,  the  accepted  time  and  day  of 
salvalion  (Isai.  xlix.  S,  and  so  on  to  ver.  23,  and  chap.  Ixi.  2,  taken  with  the 
context,  in  that  and  the  preceding  and  following  chapters).  The  year  of  Christ's 
redeemed,  Isa.  Ixiii.  4.  This  period  is  spoken  of  as  the  proper  time  of  the  do- 
minion of  the  Redeemer,  and  reign  of  his  redeeming  love,  in  the  2d  and  7th 
chapters  of  Daniel,  and  many  other  places  ;  the  proper  time  of  his  harvest,  or 
ingathering  of  his  fruits  from  this  fallen  world  ;  the  appointed  day  of  his  triumph 
over  Satan,  the  great  destroyer ;  and  the  appointed  day  of  his  marriage  with 
his  elect  spouse,  Rev.  xix.  7.  The  time  given  to  the  Sun  of  righteousness  to  rule, 
as  the  day  is  the  time  God  has  appointed  for  the  natural  sun  to  bear  rule. 
Therefore  the  bringing  on  of  this  time  is  called  Christ's  coming  in  his  kingdom; 
wherein  he  will  rend  the  heavens  and  come  down,  and  tlie  Sim  of  righteousness 
shall  arise,  Mai.  iv.  2,  and  Isa.  Ix.  1. 

The  comparatively  little  saving  good  there  is  in  the  world,  as  the  fruit  of 
Christ's  redemption,  before  that  time,  is,  as  it  were,  granted  by  way  of  antici- 
pation ;  as  we  anticipate  something  of  the  sun's  light  by  reflection  b<4bre  the 
daytime,  the  proper  time  of  the  sun's  rule;  and  as  the  first  fruits  are  gathered 
before  the  harvest.  Then  more  especially  will  be  the  fulfilment  of  those  great 
promises,  made  by  God  the  Father  to  the  Son,  for  his  pouring  out  his  soul  unto 
death,  Isa.  liii.  IC,  11,  12  ;  then  "shall  he  see  his  seed,  and  the  pleasure  of  the 
Lord  shall  prosper  in  his  hand:  then  shall  he  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and 
be  satisfied,  and  shall  justify  many  by  his  knowledge  ;  then  will  God  divide  him 
a  portion  with  the  great,  and  he  shall  divide  the  spoil  with  the  strong;"  then 
shall  Christ  in  an  eminent  manner  obtain  his  chosen  spouse,  that  "  he  loved 
and  died  for,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  her,  with  the  washing  of  water, 
by  the  word,  and  present  her  to  himself  a  glorious  church."  He  will  obtain 
"  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  for  which  he  endured  the  cross,  and  despised 
the  shame,"  chiefly  in  the  events  and  consequences  of  that  day  :  that  day,  as  was 
observed  before,  is  often  represented  as  eminently  the  time  of  the  rejoicing  of 
the  bridegroom.  The  foreknowledge  and  consideration  of  it  vv'as  what  supported 
him,  and  that  which  his  soul  exulted  in,  at  a  time  when  his  soul  had  been  trou- 
bled at  the  \new  of  his  approaching  sufferings ;  as  may  be  seen  in  John  xii. 
23,  24,  27,  31,  32. 

Now  therefore,  if  it  be  so,  that  this  is  what  Jesus  Christ,  our  great  Redeemer 
and  the  head  of  the  church,  did  so  much  desire,  and  set  his  heart  upon,  from  all 
etfcrnity,  and  which  he  did  and  suffered  so  much  for,  offering  up  strong  crying 
and  tears,  and  his  precious  blood  to  obtain  it ;  surely  his  disciples  and  members 
should  also  earnestly  seek  it,  and  be  much  and  earnest  in  prayer  for  it. 

Vol.  III.  57 


450  UNION  m  PRAYER. 

Let  it  he  considered, 

4.  The  whole  creation  is,  as  it  were,  earnestly  waiting  for  that  day,  and  con- 
stantly groaning  and  travailing  in  pain  to  bring  forth  the  felicity  and  glory  of 
it.     For  that  day  is  above  all  other  times,  excepting  the  day  of  judgment,  the 
day  of  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,  and  of  their  glorious  liberty  :  and 
therefore  that  elegant  representation  the  apostle  makes  of  the  earnest  expecta- 
tion and  travail  of  the  creation,  in  Rom.  viii.  19 — 22,  is  applicable  to  the  glo- 
rious events  of  this  day  :  "  The  earnest  expectation  of  the  creature  waiteth  for 
tlie  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God.     For  the  creature  was  made  subject  to 
vanity,  not  willingly,  but  by  reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in  hope. 
Because  the  creature  itself  also  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.    For  we  know  that  the  whole 
creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now."     This  visible  world 
nas  now  for  many  ages  been  subjected  to  sin,  and  made  as  it  were  a  sei-vant  to 
it,  through  the  abusive  improvement  that  man,  who  has  the  dominion  over  the 
creatures,  puts  the  creatures  to.     Thus  the  sun  is  a  sort  of  servant  to  all  man- 
ner of  wickedness,  as  its  light  and  other  beneficial  influences  are  abused  by  men, 
and  made  subservient  to  their  lusts  and  sinful  purposes.     So  of  the  rain,  and 
fruits  of  the  earth,  and  the  brute  animals,  and  all  other  parts  of  the  visible  crea- 
tion ;  they  all  serve   men's  corruption,  and  obey  their  sinful  will ;  and  God 
doth  in  a  sort  subject  them  to  it ;  for  he  continues  his  influence  and  power  to 
make  them  to  be  obedient,  according  to  the  same  law  of  nature  w^hereby  they 
yield  to  men's  command  w'hen  used  to  good  purposes.     It  is  by  the  immediate 
influence  of  God  upon  things,  acting  upon  them,  according  to  those  constant 
methods  that  we  call  the  laws  of  nature,  that  they  are  ever  obedient  to  man's 
will,  or  that  we  can  use  them  at  all.     This  influence  of  God  continues,  to  make 
them  obedient  to  men's  will,  though  wicked.     Which  is  a  sure  sign  that  the 
present  state  of  things  is  not  lasting  :  it  is  confusion  ;  and  God  would  not  suf- 
fer it  to  be,  but  that  he  designs  in  a  little  time  to  put  an  end  to  it,  when  it  shall 
no  more  be  so.     Seeing  it  is  to  be  but  a  little  while,  God  chooses  rather  to  sub- 
ject the  creature  to  man's  wickedness,  than  to  disturb  and  interrupt  the  course 
of  nature  according  to  its  stated  laws  :  but  it  is,  as  it  were,  a  force  upon  the 
creature  ;  for  the  creature  is  abused  in  it,  perverted  to  far  meaner  pui-poses  than 
those  for  which  the  author  of  its  nature  made  it,  and  to  which  he  adapted  it. 
The  creature  therefore  is  as  it  were  unwillingly  subject ;  and  would  not  be  sub- 
ject, but  that  it  is  but  for  a  short  time  ;  and  it,  as  it  were,  hopes  for  an  altera- 
tion.    It  is  a  bondage  the  creature  is  subject  to,  from  which  it  was  partly  deliv- 
ered when  Christ  came,  and  the  gospel  was  promulgated  in  the  world  ;  and 
"will  be  more  fully  delivered  at  the  commencement  of  the  glorious  day  we  are 
speaking  of;  and  perfectly  at  the  day  of  judgment.     This  agrees  with  the  con- 
text ;  for  the  apostle  was  speaking  of  the  present  suffering  state  of  the  church. 
The  reason  why  the  church  in  this  world  is  in  a  suffering  state,  is  that  the  world 
is  subjected  to  the  sin  and  corruption  of  mankind.     By  vanity,  in  Scripture,  is 
very  commonly  meant  sin  and  wickedness  ;  and  also  by  corruption,  as  might  be 
shown  in  very  many  places,  would  my  intended  brevity  allow. 

Though  the  creature  is  thus  subject  to  vanity,  yet  it  does  not  rest  in  this 
subjection,  but  is  constantly  acting  and  exerting  itself,  in  order  to  that  glorioas 
liberty  that  God  has  appointed  at  the  time  we  are  speaking  of,  and  as  it  were 
reaching  forth  towards  it.  All  the  changes  that  are  brought  to  pass  in  the 
world,  from  age  to  age,  are  ordered  in  infinite  wisdom  in  one  respect  or  other 
to  prepare  the  way  for  that  glorious  issue  of  things,  that  shall  be  when  truth  and 
righteousness  shall  finally  prevail,  and  he,  whose  right  it  is,  shall  take  the  king- 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  461 

dom.  All  the  creatures,  In  all  their  operations  and  motions,  continually  tend  to 
this.  As  in  a  clock,  all  the  laolions  of  the  whole  system  ol ■^vheels  and  move- 
ments, tend  to  the  striking  of  the  hammer  at  the  appointed  time.  All  the  revo- 
/utions  anti  restless  motions  of  the  sun  and  other  heavenly  bodies,  from  day  to 
day,  from  year  to  year,  and  from  a^e  to  age,  are  continually  tending  hither";  as 
all  the  many  turnings  of  the  Avheels  of  a  chariot,  in  a  journey,  tend  to  the  ap- 
pointed journey's  end.  The  mighty  struggles  nnd  conllicts  of  nations,  andshak- 
mgs  of  kingdoms,  and  those  vast  successive  changes  ihat  are  brought  to  pass,  in 
the  kingdoms  and  empires  of  the  world,  from  one  age  to  another,  are  as  it  were 
iravtiil  pangs  of  the  creation,  in  order  to  bring  forth  this  glorious  event.  And 
the  Scriptures  represent  the  last  stiuggles  and  changes  that  shall  immediately 
precede  this  event,  as  being  the  greatest  of  all ;  as  tlie  last  pangs  of  a  woman 
in  tiavail  are  the  most  \'iolent. 

The  creature  thus  earnestly  expecting  this  glorious  manifestation  and  hberty 
of  the  children  of  God,  and  travailing  in  pain  in  order  to  it,  therefore  the  Scrip- 
tures, by  a  like  figure,  do  very  often  represent,  that  when  this  shall  be  accom- 
plished, the  whole  inanimate  creation  shall  greatly  rejoice :  that  the  heavens 
.^hall  s-ing,  the  earth  be  glad,  the  mountains  break  forth  into  ringing,  the  hills  be 
joyful  together ,  the  trees  clapih/'ir  hands,  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ahout,  the 
sea  roar  and  the  fulness  thereof,  and  the  foods  dap  their  hands,  Lsa.  xliv.  23, 
xlix.  13,  Psal.  Ixix.  34,  35,  xcvi.  11,  12,  and  xcviii.  7,  8. 

All  the  intelligent  elect  creation,  all  God's  holy  creatures  in  heaven  and 
earth,  are  truly  and  properly  waiting  for,  and  earnestly  expectmg  that  event. 
It  is  abundantly  represented  in  Scripture  as  the  spirit  and  character  of  all  true 
saint"^,  that  they  set  their  hearts  upon,  love,  long,  wait  and  pray  for  the  pro- 
mised glory  of  that  day ;  they  are  spoken  of  as  those  that  prefer  Jerusalem  to 
their  chief  joy,  Psal.  cxxxni.  fi.  That  take  ■pleasure  in  the  stones  of  Zion,  and 
favor  the  dust  thereof,  Psal.  cii.  13,  14.  That  ivaitfor  the  consolation  of  Israel , 
Luke  ii.  25,  and  v.  38.  It  is  the  language  of  the  church  of  God,  and  the  breatb- 
mg  of  the  soul  of  every  true  saint,  that  we  have  in  Psal.  xiv.  7,  "  0  that  the 
salvation  of  Israel  were  come  out  of  Zion  !  when  the  Lord  bringeth  back  the 
captivity  of  his  people,  Jacob  shall  rejoice,  and  Israel  shall  be  glad."  And 
Cant.  ii.  17,  "  Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  turn,  my  beloved, 
and  be  thou  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart  upoathe  mountains  of  Bether."  And 
chap.  viii.  14, "  Make  haste,  my  beloved,  and  be  thou  like  to  a  roe,  or  to  a 
young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of  spices."  Agreeable  to  this,  was  the  spirit 
of  old  Jacob,  which  he  expressed  when  he  was  dying,  in  faith  in  the  great  pro- 
raise  made  to  him  and  Isaac  and  A^braham,  that  "  in  their  seed  all  the  families 
of  the  earth  should  be  blessed :"  Gen.  xlix.  18, "  I  have  waited  for  thy  salvation, 
0  Lord.''  The  same  is  represented  as  the  spirit  of  his  true  children,  or  the 
family  of  Jacob :  lsa.  viii.  17,  "  I  will  wait  upon  the  Lord,  that  hideth  himself 
from  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  I  will  look  for  him."  They  that  love  Christ's  ap- 
pearing, is  a  name  that  the  apostle  gives  to  true  Christians,  2  Tim.  iv.  8. 

The  glorious  inhabitants  of  the  heavenly  world,  the  saints  and  angels  there, 
that  rejoice  when  one  sinner  repents,  are  earnestly  waiting,  in  an  assured  and 
jqyful  dependence  on  God's  promises  of  that  conversion  of  the  world,  and  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb,  which  shall  be  when  that  glorious  day  comes  ;  and  there- 
fore they  are  represented  as  all  with  one  accord  rejoicing  and  praising  God 
with  such  mighty  exultation  and  triumph,  when  it  is  accomplished,  in  Rev.  xix. 

5.  The  word  of  God  is  full  of  precepts,  encouragements,  and  examples, 
tending  to  excite  and  induce  the  people  of  God  to  be  much  in  prayer  for  this 
mercy. 


452  UNION  m  PRAYER. 

The  Spirit  of  God  is  the  chief  of  the  blessings,  that  are  the  subject  matter 
of  Christian  prayer ;  for  it  is  the  sum  of  all  spiritual  blessings  ;  which  arc  those 
that  we  need  infinitely  more  than  all  others,  and  are  those  wherein  our  true  and 
eternal  happiness  consists.  That  which  is  the  sum  of  the  blessings  that  Christ 
purchased,  is  the  sum  of  the  blessings  that  Christians  have  to  pray  for ;  but 
that,  as  was  observed  before,  is  the  Holy  Spirit :  and  therefore  when  the  disciples 
came  to  Christ,  and  desired  him  to  teach  them  to  pray,  Luke  xi.,  and  he  accord- 
ingly gave  them  particular  directions  for  the  performance  of  this  duty,  the  con- 
elusion  of  his  whole  discourse  in  the  13th  verse  plainly  shows  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  the  sura  of  the  blessings  that  are  the  subject  matter  of  that  prayer  about 
which  he  had  instructed  them :  "  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  moi-e  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  ?"  For  which  words  of  Christ,  we  may  also 
observe,  that  there  is  no  blessing  that  we  have  so  great  encouragement  to  pray 
for,  as  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  the  w^oids  imply  that  our  heaverdy  Father  is  especially 
ready  to  bestow  his  Holy  Spirit  on  them  that  ask  him.  Of  the  more  excellent 
nature  any  benefit  is  that  we  stand  in  need  of,  the  more  ready  God  is  to  bestow 
it  in  answer  to  prayer:  the  infinite  goodness  of  God's  nature  is  the  more  grati- 
fied, and  the  grand  design  and  aim  of  the  contrivance  and  work  of  our  redemp- 
tion is  the  more  answered,  and  Jesus  Christ,  the  Redeemer,  has  the  greatei 
success  in  his  undertaking  and  labors ;  and  those  desires  that  are  expressed 
in  prayer  for  the  most  excellent  blessings  are  the  most  excellent  desires,  and 
consequently  such  as  God  most  approves,  and  is  most  ready  to  gratify. 

The  Scriptures  do  not  only  direct  and  encourage  us  in  general  to  pray  for 
the  Holy  Spirit  above  all  things  else,  but  it  is  the  expressly  revealed  will  of  God, 
that  his  church  should  be  veiy  much  in  prayer  foi-  that  glorious  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  that  is  to  be  in  the  latter  days,  and  the  things  that  shall  be  accom- 
plished by  it.  God,  speaking  of  that  blessed  event,  Ezek.  xxxvi.,  under  the 
figure  of  "  cleansing  the  house  of  Israel  from  all  their  iniquities,  planting  and 
building  their  waste  and  ruined  places,  and  making  them  to  become  like  the 
garden  of  Eden,  and  filling  them  with  men  like  a  flock,  like  the  holy  flock,  the 
nock  of  Jerusalem  in  her  solemn  feasts"  (wherein  he  doubtless  has  respect  to  the 
same  glorious  restoration  and  advancement  of  his  church  that  is  spoken  of  in 
the  next  chapter,  and  in  all  the  following  chapters  to  the  end  of  the  book),  says, 
ver.  37  :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of 
Israel,  to  do  it  for  them."  Which  doubtless  implies  that  it  is  the  will  of  God 
that  extraordinary  prayerfulness  in  his  pecj>Ie  for  this  mercy  should  precede  the 
bestowment  of  it. 

I  know  of  no  place  in  the  Bible,  where  so  strong  an  expression  is  made  use 
of  to  signify  importunity  in  prayer,  as  is  used  in  Isa.  Ixii.  6,  7,  where  the  people 
of  God  are  called  upon  to  be  importunate  for  this  mercy  :  "  Ye  that  make  men- 
tion of  the  Lord,  keep  not  silence,  and  give  him  no  rest,  until  he  establish,  and 
until  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  earth."  How  strong  is  the  praise  ! 
And  how  loud  is  this  call  to  the  church  of  God,  to  be  fervent  and  incessant  in 
their  cries  to  him  for  this  great  meicy  !  How  wonderful  are  the  words  to  be 
used,  concerning  the  manner  in  which  such  worms  of  the  dust  should  address 
the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabits  eternity  I  And  what  encouragement  is 
Here,  to  approach  the  mercy  seat  with  the  greatest  freedom,  boldness,  earnest- 
ness, constancy  and  full  assurance  of  faith,  to  seek  of  God  this  greatest  thing 


that  can  be  sought  in  Christian  pray 

It  is  a  just  observation  of  a  certain  eminent  minister  of  the  church  of  Scot- 
land, in  a  discourse  of  his,  lately  published  on  social  prayer,  in  which,  speaking 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  453 

of  plciding  for  the  succo<5S  of  the  gospel,  as  required  by  the  Lord's  prayer,  he 
says,  "  That  notwithstanding  of  its  being  so  compendious,  yet  the  one  half  of 
it,  that  is,  three  petitions  in  six,  and  these  the  first  prescribed,  do  all  relate  to 
this  groat  ease:  so  tiiat  to  put  up  any  of  these  petitions  apart,  or  all  of  them 
together,  is  upon  the  matter,  to  pray  that  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel  may 
be  blessed  with  divin(>  power."  That  glorious  day  we  are  speaking  of  is  the 
proper  and  appointed  time,  above  all  others,  for  the  bringing  to  pass  the  thintrs 
requested  in  each  of  these  petitions.  As  tlie  prophecies  everywhere  represent 
that  as  the  time,  which  (lod  has  especially  appointed  for  the  hallowing  or  glo- 
ritying  !iis  own  great  name  in  this  world,  causing  his  glory  to  be  revealed,  that 
all  tiesh  may  see  it  together,  causing  it  openlv  to  be  manifested  in  the  sifjit  of 
the  heathen,  filling  the  whole  world  with  the  light  of  his  glory  to  such  a  deoree 
that  the  moon  shall  be  confounded  and  sun  ashamed  before  that  brighter  glory  . 
the  ai)[)ointed  time  for  the  glorifying  and  magnifying  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
causing  every  knee  to  bow,  and  every  tongue  to  confess  to  him.  This  is  the 
proper  time  of  God's  Icingdom's  coming,  or  of  Christ's  coming  in  hLs  kin"-dom: 
that  is  the  very  time  foretold  in  the  2(1  of  Daniel,  wlien  the  Lord  God  of  heaven 
shall  set  up  a  kingdom,  in  the  latter  times  of  the  last  monarchy,  when  it  is  di- 
vided into  ten  kingdoms :  and  that  is  the  very  time  foretold  in  tlie  7th  of  Daniel, 
when  there  should  be  given  to  one  like  to  the  Son  of  man,  dominion,  glory  and 
a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations  and  languages  should  serve  him  ;  and  the 
kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  tlie  whole  heaven 
shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  most  high  God  after  the  destruction 
of  the  little  horn,  that  should  continue  for  a  time,  times,  and  the  dividino-  of  time. 
And  that  is  the  time  wherein  God's  will  shall  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  done  m 
heaven  ;  when  heaven  shall  as  it  were  be  bowed,  and  come  down  to  the  earth,  as 
God'speople  shall  be  all  righteous,  and  holiness  to  the  Lord  shall  be  written  on  the 
bells  of  the  horses,  &c.  So  that  the  three  first  petitions  of  the  Lord's  prayer  are  in 
effect  no  other  than  requests  for  the  bringing  on  this  glorious  day.  And  as  the 
Lord's  prayer  begins  with  asking  for  this,  in  the  three  first  petitions,  so  it  concludes 
with  it,  in  these  words.  For  thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory 
for  ever.  Amen.  Which  words  imply  a  request  that  (ioci  would  take  to  him- 
self his  great  power,  and  reign,  and  manifest  his  power  and  glory  in  the  world. 
Thus  Christ  teaches  us  that  it  becomes  his  disciples  to  seek  this  above  all  other 
things,  and  make  it  the  first  and  the  last  in  their  prayers,  and  that  every  petition 
should  be  put  up  in  a  subordination  to  the  advancement  of  God's  kingdom  and 
glory  in  the  world. 

J3esides  what  has  been  observed  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  if  we  look  through 
the  whole  Bible,  and  observe  all  the  examples  of  prayer  that  we  find  there  re- 
corded, we  shall  find  so  many  prayers  for  no  other  mercy,  as  for  the  deliver- 
ance, restoration  and  prosperity  of  the  church,  and  the  advancement  of  God's 
glory  and  kingdom  of  grace  in  the  world.  If  we  well  consider  the  prayers  that 
we  fiml  recorded  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  I  believe  we  shall  see  reason  to  think, 
that  a  very  great,  if  not^  the  greater  part  of  them,  are  prayere  uttered,  either  in 
the  name  of  Christ,  or  in  the  name  of  the  church,  for  such  a  mercy :  and  un- 
doubtedly the  greatest  part  of  that  book  of  Psalms,  is  made  up  of  prayers  for 
this  mercy,  prophecies  of  it,  and  prophetical  praises  for  it. 

The  prophets,  in  their  prophecies  of  the  restoration  and  advancement  of  the 
church,  ver}' often  speak  of  it  as  what  shall  be  done  in  answer  to  the  prayers  of 
God's  people.  Isa.  xxv.  9,  xxvi.  9,  12,  13,  16,  17,  to  the  end,  chap,  xxxiii. 
%  Psal.  cii.  13—22,  Jer.  iii.  21,  Isa.  Ixv.  24,  xli.  17,  Hos,  v.  15,  with  vi.  1, 
2,  3,  and  xiv.  2,  to  the  end,  Zech.  x.  6,  xii.  10  and  xiii.  9,  Isa.  Iv.  6,  with 


454  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

verses  12,  13,  Jer.  xxxiii.  3.  The  prophecies  of  future  glorious  times  of  the 
church  are  often  introduced  with  a  prayer  of  the  church  for  her  deliverance  and 
advancement,  prophetically  uttered;  as  in  Isa.  li.  9,  &c.,  chap.  Ixiii.  11, to  the 
end,  and  Ixiv.  throughout. 

In  order  to  Christ's  being  mystically  born  into  the  world,  in  the  advance- 
ment and  flourishing  of  true  religion,  and  great  increase  of  the  number  of  true 
converts,  who  are  spoken  of  as  having  Christ  formed  in  them,  the  Scrip- 
tures represent  it  as  requisite  that  the  church  should  fnst  be  in  travail,  crying, 
and  pained  to  be  delivered,  Rev.  xii.  1,  2,  5.  And  one  thing  that  we  have 
good  reason  to  understand  by  it,  is  her  exercising  strong  desires,  and  wrestling 
and  agonizing  with  God  in  prayer,  for  ihis  event ;  because  we  find  such  figiues 
of  speech  used  in  this  sense  elsewhere ;  so,  Gal.  iv.  19,  "  My  little  children,  of 
whom  I  travail  ui  birth  again,  until  Christ  be  formed  in  you."  Isa.  xxvi.  16, 
17,  *'  Lord,  in  trouble  have  they  visited  thee  ;  they  poured  out  a  prayer  when 
thy  chastening  was  upon  them.  Like  a  M'oman  with  child,  that  di'aweth  near 
the  time  of  her  delivery,  is  in  pain,  and  crieth  out  in  her  pangs,  so  have  we 
been  in  thy  si^ht,  0  Lord."  And  certainly  it  is  fit,  that  the  church  of  God 
should  be  in  travail  for  that,  which  (as  I  before  observed)  the  whole  creation 
travails  in  pain  for. 

The  Scriptures  do  not  only  abundantly  manifest  it  to  be  the  duty  of  God's 
people  to  be  much  in  prayer  for  this  great  mercy,  but  it  also  abounds  with 
manifold  considerations  to  encourage  them  in  it,  and  animate  them  with  hopes 
of  success.  There  is  perhaps  no  one  thing  that  so  much  of  the  Bible  is  taken 
jip  in  the  promises  of,  in  order  to  encourage  the  faith,  hope  and  prayers  of  the 
saints,  as  this ;  which  at  once  affords  to  God's  people  the  clearest  evidences 
that  it  is  their  duty  to  be  much  in  prayer  for  this  mercy  (for  undoubtedly  that 
which  God  does  abundantly  make  the  subject  of  his  promises,  God's  people 
should  abundantly  make  the  subject  of  their  prayers),  and  also  affords  them  the 
strongest  assurances  that  their  prayers  shall  be  successful.  With  what  confi- 
dence may  we  go  before  God,  and  pray  for  that,  of  which  we  have  so  many 
exceeding  precious  and  glorious  promises  to  plead !  The  ver}  first  promise  of 
God  to  fallen  man,  even  that  in  Gen.  iii.  15, "  It  shall  bruise  thy  head,"  is  a 
promise  that  is  to  have  its  chief  fulfilment  at  that  day.  And  the  whole  Bible 
concludes  with  a  promise  of  the  glory  of  that  day,  and  a  prayer  for  its  fulfil- 
ment. Rev.  xxii.  20,  "  He  that  testifieth  these  things,  saith,  Surely  I  come 
quickly  :  Amen      Even  so,  come.  Lord  Jesus." 

The  Scripture  gives  us  great  reason  to  think,  that  when  once  there  comes 
to  appear  much  of  a  spirit  of  prayer  in  the  church  of  God  for  this  mercy,  then 
it  will  soon  be  accomplished.  It  is  evidently  with  reference  to  this  mercy,  that 
God  makes  that  promise,  Isa.  xli.  17,  18,  19,  "  When  the  poor  and  needy  seek 
water,  and  there  is  none,  and  their  tongue  faileth  for  thirst,  I  the  Lord  will 
hear  them;  I,  the  God  of  Israel,  will  not  forsake  them  ;  I  will  open  rivers  in 
high  places,  and  fountains  in  the  midst  of  the  valleys ;  I  will  make  the  wilder- 
ness a  pool  of  water,  and  the  dry  land  springs  of  water ;  I  will  plant  in  the 
wilderness  the  cedar,  the  shittah  tree,  and  the  myrtle  and  the  oil  tree,  I  will 
set  in  the  desert  the  fir  tree,  and  the  pine,  and  the  box  tree  together."  Spirit- 
ual waters  and  rivers  are  explained  by  the  Apostle  John,  to  be  the  Holy  Spirit, 
John  vii.  37,  38,  39.  It  is  now  a  tune  of  scarcity  of  these  spiritual  waters  ; 
there  are  as  it  were  none :  if  God's  people,  in  this  time  of  great  drought,  were 
but  made  duly  sensible  of  this  calamity,  and  their  own  emptiness  and  necessity, 
and  brought  earnestly  to  thirst  and  cry  for  needed  supplies,  God  would  doubt- 
less soon  ifulfil  this  blessed  promise.     We  have  another  piomise  much  like  this. 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  455 

in  Psal.  cil.  16,  17 :  "  When  the  Lord  shall  build  up  Zion,  he  shnll  appear  in 
h's  glory  ;  he  will  regard  the  prayer  ol'  the  destitute,  and  not  despise  their 
prayer."  And  remarkable  arc  the  words  that  follow  in  the  next  verse,  "  This 
shall  be  written  I'ur  the  generaiion  to  come ;  and  the  people  which  shall  be 
created,  shall  praise  the  Lord,"  Which  seems  to  signiiy,  that  this  promise  should 
be  left  on  record  to  encourage  some  future  generation  of  God's  people  to  pray 
and  cry  earnestly  for  this  mercy,  to  whom  he  would  fulfd  the  promise,  and 
thereby  give  them,  and  great  multitudes  of  others,  that  should  be  converted 
tluough  their  prayers,  occasion  to  praise  his  name.  Who  knows  but  that  the 
generation  here  spoken  of  may  be  this  present  generation  ?  One  thing  men- 
tioned in  the  character  of  that  future  generation,  is  certainly  true  concerning 
the  present,  viz.,  that  it  is  tiestituto  ;  the  church  of  God  is  in  very  low,  sorrow- 
ful and  neeily  circumstances:  and  if  the  next  thing  there  supposed,  were  also 
verified  in  us,  viz.,  that  we  were  made  sensible  of  our  great  calamity,  and 
brought  to  cry  earnestly  to  God  for  help,  1  am  persuaded  the  third  would  be  also 
verified,  viz.,  that  our  prayers  would  be  turned  into  joyful  praises,  for  God's  gra- 
cious an.jwers  to  our  prayers.  It  is  spoken  of  as  a  Mgn  and  evidence,  that  the 
time  to  favor  Zion  is  come,  when  God's  servants  are  brought  by  their  prayer- 
fulness  for  her  restoration,  in  an  eminent  manner,  to  show  tliat  they  favor  her 
stones  and  dust,  in  the  I3lh  and  14lh  verses  of  this  Psalm  :  "  Thou  shalt  arise, 
and  have  mercy  upon  Zion  ;  for  the  time  to  favor  her,  yea,  the  set  time  is  come ; 
for  thy  servants  take  pleasure  in  her  stones,  and  favor  the  dust  thereof" 

God  has  respect  to  the  prayers  of  his  saints  in  all  his  government  of  the 
world;  as  we  may  observe  by  the  representation  made  Rev.  viii.  at  the  begin- 
ning. There  we  read  of  several  angels  standing  before  the  throne  of  God,  and 
receiving  of  him  seven  trumpets,  at  the  sounding  of  which,  great  and  mighty 
changes  were  to  be  brought  to  pass  in  the  world,  through  many  successive  ages. 
But  when  these  angels  had  received  their  trumpets,  they  must  stand  still,  and  all 
must  be  in  silence,  not  one  of  them  must  be  allowed  to  sound,  until  the  prayers 
of  the  saints  are  attended  to.  The  angel  of  the  covenant,  as  a  glorious  High 
Priest,  comes  and  stands  at  the  altar,  with  much  incense,  to  offer  with  the  prayers 
of  all  saints  upon  the  golden  altar,  before  the  tiirone  ;  and  the  smoke  of  the  in- 
cense, with  the  prayers  of  tlie  saints,  ascends  up  with  acceptance  before  God, 
out  of  the  angel  s  hand  :  and  then  the  angels  prepare  themselves  to  sound. 
And  God,  in  the  events  of  every  trumpet,  reuK'mbers  those  prayers  :  as  appears 
at  last,  by  the  great  and  glorious  things  he  accomplislies  for  his  church,  in  the 
issue  of  all,  in  answer  to  these  prayers,  in  the  event  of  the  last  trumpet,  which 
brings  on  the  glory  of  the  latter  days,  when  these  prayers  shall  be  turned  into 
joyful  praises.  Rev.  xi.  15,  16,  17,  "And  the  seventh  angel  sounded;  and 
there  were  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  be- 
come the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever 
and  ever.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  which  sat  before  God  on  their  seats, 
fell  upon  their  faces  and  worshijiped  God,  saying,  We  give  thee  thanks,  0  Lord 
God  Almighty,  which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come,  because  thou  hast  taken  to 
thee  thy  great  power,  and  hast  reigned."  Since  it  is  thus,  that  it  is  the  pleasure 
of  God  so  to  honor  his  people,  as  to  carry  on  all  the  designs  of  his  kingdom  in 
this  way,  viz.,  by  the  prayei-s  of  his  saints,  this  gives  us  great  reason  to  think, 
that  whenever  the  time  comes  that  God  gives  an  extraordinary  spirit  of  prayer 
for  the  promised  advancement  of  his  kingdom  on  earth  (which  is  God's  great 
aim  in  all  preceding  providences,  and  which  is  the  main  thing  that  the  spirit  of 
prayer  in  the  saints  aims  at),  then  the  fulfilling  this  event  is  nigh. 

God,  in  wonderful  grace,  is  pleased  to  represent  liimself  as  it  were  at  the 


456  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

command  of  his  people,  with  regard  to  mercies  of  this  nature,  so  as  to  he  ready 
to  bestow  them  whenever  they  shall  earnestly  pray  for  them  :  Isa.  xlr  1 1, 
*'  Thus  sailh  the  Lord,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  and  his  Maker,  Ask  of  me  con- 
cernino-  things  to  come,  concerning  my  sons,  and  concerning  the  woik  cf  my 
hands,  command  ye  me."  What  God  is  speaking  of  in  this  context,  is  the 
restoration  of  his  church ;  not  only  a  restoration  from  temporal  calamity  and  an 
outward  captivity,  by  Cyrus  ;  but  also  a  spiritual  restoration  and  advancement, 
by  God's  commanding  the  heavens  to  droj)  doun  from  above,  and  the  skies  to 
four  down  righteousness,  and  causing  the  earth  to  openand  bring  forth  salvation, 
and  righteousness  to  spring  up  together,  ver.  8.  God  would  have  his  people 
ask  of  him,  or  inquire  of  him  by  earnest  prayer,  to  do  this  for  them  ;  and  mani- 
fests himself  as  being  at  the  command  of  earnest  prayers  for  such  a  mercy  :  and 
a  reason  why  God  is  so  ready  to  hear  such  prayers  is  couched  in  the  words,  viz., 
because  it  is  prayer  for  his  own  chuich,  his  chosen  and  beloved  people,  his  sons 
and  daughters,  and  the  work  of  his  hands ;  and  he  cannot  deny  any  thing  that 
is  asked  for  their  comfort  and  prosperity. 

God  speaks  of  himself  as  standing  ready  to  be  gracious  to  his  church,  and 
to  appear  for  its  restoration,  and  only  wailing  for  such  an  opportunity  to  bestow 
this  mercy,  when  he  shall  hear  the  cries  of  his  people  for  it,  that  he  may  bestow 
it  in  answer  to  their  prayers.  Isa.  xxx.  18,  19,  "  Therefore  will  the  Lord  wait, 
that  he  may  be  gracious  to  thee;  and  therefore  will  he  be  exalted,  that  he  may 
have  mercy  upon  you  :  for  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment :  blessed  are  all  they 
that  wait  for  him.  For  the  people  shall  dw^ell  in  Zion  at  Jerusalem.  Thou 
shalt  weep  no  more ;  he  will  be  very  gracious  unto  thee,  at  the  voice  of  thy  cry  : 
•\vhen  he^shall  hear  it,  he  will  answer  thee."  The  words  imply  as  much  as 
that  when  God  once  sees  his  people  much  engaged  in  praying  for  this  mercy, 
it  shall  be  no  longer  delayed.  Christ  desires  to  hear  the  voice  of  his  spouse, 
that  is  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  in  the  secret  places  of  the  stairs ;  in  a  low^  and 
obscure  state,  driven  into  secret  cornejs:  he  only  W'aits  for  this,  in  order  to  put 
an  end  to  her  state  of  affliction,  and  cause  the  day  to  break,  and  the  shadows  to 
flee  away.  If  he  once  heard  her  voice  in  earnest  prayer,  he  would  come  swiftly 
over  the  mountains  of  separation  between  him  and  her,  as  a  roe,  or  young  hart ; 
Canticles  ii.  14,  to  the  end.  When  his  chuich  is  in  a  low  state,  and  oppressed 
by  her  enemies,  and  cries  to  him,  he  will  swiftly  fly  to  her  relief,  as  birds  fly  at 
the  cry  of  their  young,  Isa.  xxxi.  5.  Yea,  when  that  glorious  day  comes,  that 
I  am  speaking  of,  before  they  Cdll,  he  will  ansiccr  them,  and  while  they  are  yet 
speaking,  he  will  hear  ;  and  in  answer  to  their  pi-ayers,  he  will  make  the  wolf 
and  the  lamb  feed  together,  &c.,  Isa.  Ixv.  24,  25.  W'hen  the  spouse  prays  for 
the  etfusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  coming  of  Christ,  by  granting  the  tokens 
of  his  spiritual  presence  in  his  church,  saying.  Cant.  iv.  16,  Awake,  0  north 
wind,  and  come,  thou.  south,hlow  upon  my  garden,  that  the  spices  thereof  may 
Hoio  out ;  let  my  beloved  come  into  his  garden,  and  eat  his  pleasant  fruits ; 
there  seems  to  be  an  immediate  answer  to  her  prayer,  in  the  next  words,  in 
abundant  communications  of  the  Spirit,  and  bestowment  of  spiritual  blessings  ; 
lam  come  into  my  garden,  my  sister,  my  spouse  ;  /  have  gathered  my  myrrh 
with  my  s-pice  ;  I  have  eaten  my  honeycomb  with  my  honey  ;  I  have  drunk  my 
wine  with  my  milk.     Eat,  0  friends  ;  drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  0  beloved. 

Scripture  instances  and  examples  of  success  in  prayer  give  great  encourage- 
ment to  pray  for  this  mercy.  Most  of  the  remarkable  deliverances  and  restora^ 
tions  of  the  church  of  God,  that  we  have  account  of  in  the  Scripture,  were  in 
answer  to  prayer  So  was  the  redemption  of  the  church  of  God  from  the  Egyp- 
tian bondage,  Exod.  ii.  23,  and  iii.  7.     The  great  restoration  of  the  church  in 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  457 

the  latter  day,  is  often  spoken  of  as  resembled  by  tliis ;  as  in  Isa.  ixlv.  1 — 4, 
xi.  11,  15,  16,  xliii.  2,  3,  16—19,  li.  10,  11,  15,  Ixiii.  11,  12,  13,  Zcrli.  x.  10, 
11,  llos.  ii.  14,  15.  It  was  in  answer  to  prayer,  that  the  sun  stooil  still  over 
Gibeon,  and  the  moon  in  the  valley  Aijalon,  and  God's  people  obtained  that 
jreal  victory  over  their  enemies;  in  whieh  wonderful  miracle,  God  seemed  to 
»iave  some  respect  to  a  Inture  n)ore  glorious  event  to  l)e  accomplished  for  the 
Christian  church,  in  the  ilay  of  her  victory  over  her  enemies,  in  the  latter  days  j 
'ven  tiiat  event  foretold,  Isa.  Ix.  20,  "Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  neither 
shall  thy  moon  withdraw  itself."  It  was  in  answer  to  prayer,  that  God  deliv- 
ered his  church  from  t})e  mighty  host  of  the  Assyrians,  in  Ilezekiah's  time; 
whicli  dispensation  is  abundantly  made  use  of,  as  a  type  of  the  great  things  God 
will  do  lor  the  Christian  church  in  the  latter  days,  in  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah. 
The  restoration  of  the  church  of  God  from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  as  abun- 
dantly appears  both  by  Scripture  ])rophecies  and  histories,  was  in  answer  to 
extraordinary  prayer;  see  Jer.  xxix.  10  — 14,  and  1.  4,  5,  Dan.  ix.  throughout, 
Ezra,  viii.  21,  &c.,  Neh.  i.  4,  to  the  end,  iv.  4,  5,  and  chap.  ix.  throughout. 
This  restoration  of  the  Jewish  church,  after  the  destruction  of  Kabylon,  is  evi- 
dently a  type  of  the  glorious  restoration  of  the  Christian  churcli,  after  the 
destruction  of  the  kirigdom  of  Antichrist;  which  (as  all  know)  is  abundantly 
spoken  of  in  the  Revelation  of  St.  John,  as  the  antitype  of  Babylon.  Samson, 
out  of  weakness,  receiveil  strength  to  pull  down  Uagon's  temple,  through  prayer. 
So  the  peo{)le  of  God,  in  the  latter  days,  will  out  of  weakness  be  made  strong, 
and  will  become  the  instruments  of  pulling  down  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  by 
prayer. 

The  Spirit  of  God  was  poured  out  upon  Christ  himself,  in  answer  to  prayer : 
Luke  iii.  21,  22,  "  Now  when  all  the  people  were  baptized,  it  came  to  pa.ss,  that 
Jesus  also  being  baptized,  and  praying,  the  heaven  was  opened,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily  shape  like  a  dove,  upon  him  ;  and  a  voice  came 
from  heaven  which  said,  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son,  in  thee  1  am  well  pleased." 
The  Spirit  descends  on  the  church  of  Christ,  the  same  way  in  this  respect,  that 
it  descended  on  the  Head  of  the  church.  The  greatest  elFusionof  the  Spirit  that 
ever  yet  has  been,  even  that  whieh  was  in  the  primitive  times  of  the  Christian 
church,  which  began  in  Jerusalem  on  the  day  of  pentecost,  was  in  answer  to 
extraordinary  prayer.  When  the  disciples  were  gathered  together  to  their  Lord, 
a  little  before  his  ascension,  he  commanded  them  thai  they  should  not  depart 
from  Jerusalem,  bid  wait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father,  which  (sailli  he)  ye 
fiave  heard  ofme,'^  i.  e.,  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Acts  i.  4.  What  they 
had  their  hearts  upon  was  the  restoration  of  the  kingdom  to  Israel :  Lord  (say 
they),  tciit  thou,  at  this  time,  restore  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ?  ver.  6.  And 
according  to  Christ's  direction  after  his  ascension,  tliey  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
and  continued  in  united  fervent  prayer  and  supplication.  It  seems  they  spent 
their  time  in  it  from  day  to  day,  without  ceasing ;  until  the  Spirit  came  down 
in  a  wonderful  manner  upon  them,  and  that  work  was  begun  which  never  ceased, 
until  the  world  was  turned  upside  down,  and  all  the  chief  nations  of  it  were 
converted  to  Chrislianity.  And  that  glorious  deliverance  and  advancement  of  , 
the  Christian  church,  that  was  in  the  days  of  Constantine  the  Great,  followed 
the  extraordinary  cries  of  the  church  to  God,  as  the  matter  is  represented  in  Rev. 
vi.,  at  the  opening  of  the  fifth  seal.  The  church  in  her  sulFering  slate  is  repre- 
sented crying  with  a  loud  voice,  "  How  long,  0  Lord,  holy  ancl  true,  dost  thou 
not  judge,  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth?"  And  the 
opening  of  the  next  seal  brings  on  that  mighty  revolution,  in  the  days  oi  Con- 
)*antine,  compared  to  those  great  changes  that  shall  be  at  the  end  of  the  world. 
Vol.  III.  58 


458  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

As  there  is  so  great  and  manifold  reason  from  the  word  of  God,  to  think 
that  if  a  spirit  of  earnest  prayer  for  that  great  effusion  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
which  I  am  speaking  of,  prevailed  in  the  Christian  church,  the  mercy  would  be 
soon  granted ;  so  those  that  are  engaged  in  such  prayer  might  expect  the  first 
benefit.  God  will  come  to  those  that  are  seeking  him  and  waiting  for  him,  Isa. 
XXV.  9,  and  xxvi.  S.  When  Christ  came  in  the  flesh,  he  was  first  revealed  to 
them  who  were  "  waiting  for  the  consolation  of  Israel,  and  looking  for  redemp- 
tion in  Jerusalem,"  Luke  i.  25,  38.  And  in  that  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit 
that  was,  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  attended  with  such  glorious  effects  among 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  the  Spirit  came  down  first  on  those  that  were  engaged  in 
united,  earnest  prayer  for  it.  A  special  blessing  is  promised  to  them  that  love 
and  prav  for  the  prosperity  of  the  church  of  God,  Psal.  cxxii.  6 :  "  Pray  for  the 
peace  of  Jerusalem.     They  shall  prosper  that  love  thee." 

7.  We  are  presented  with  many  motives  in  the  dispensation  of  divine  Prov- 
idence, at  this  day,  to  excite  us  to  be  much  in  prayer  for  this  mercy. 

There  is  much  in  Providence  to  show  us  our  need  of  it,  and  put  us  on  desir- 
ing it.  The  great  outward  calamities,  in  which  the  world  is  involved  ;  and 
particularly  the  bloody  war  that  embroils  and  wastes  the  nations  of  Christendom, 
and  in  which  our  nation  lias  so  great  a  share,  may  well  make  all  that  believe  God's 
word,  and  love  mankind,  earnestly  long  and  pray  for  that  day,  when  the  wolf 
shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  nations  shall  beat  their  swords  into  plough- 
shares, &c.  But  especially  do  the  spiritual  calamities  and  miseries  of  the  pre- 
sent time,  show  our  great  need  of  that  blessed  effusion  of  God's  Spirit :  there 
having  been,  for  so  long  a  time,  so  great  a  withholding  of  the  Spirit,  from  the 
greater  part  of  the  Christian  world,  and  such  dismal  consequences  of  it,  in  the 
great  decay  of  vital  piety,  and  the  exceeding  prevalence  of  infidelity,  heresy, 
and  all  manner  of  vice  and  wickedness;  and  especially  in  our  land  and  nation; 
of  which  a  most  afif'ecting  account  has  lately  been  published  in  a  pamphlet 
printed  in  London,  and  reprinted  in  Scotland,  entitled  "  Britain's  Remembran- 
cer ;"  by  which  it  seems  that  luxury,  and  wickedness  of  almost  every  kind, 
is  well  nigh  come  to  the  utmost  extremity  in  the  ncition;  and  if  vice  should 
continue  to  prevail  and  increase  for  one  generation  more,  as  it  has  the  genera- 
tion past,  it  looks  as  though  the  nation  could  hardly  continue  in  being,  but  must 
sink  under  the  weight  of  its  own  corruption  and  wickedness.  And  the  state  of 
things  in  the  other  parts  of  the  British  dominions,  besides  England,  is  very  de- 
plorable. The  church  of  Scotland  has  very  much  lost  her  glory,  greatly  de- 
parting from  her  ancient  purity,  and  excellent  order;  and  has  of  late  been 
bleeding  with  great  and  manifold  wounds,  occasioned  by  their  divisions  and  hot 
contentions.  And  there  are  frequent  coajplaiiUs  from  thence,  by  those  that 
lament  the  corruptions  of  that  land,  of  sin  and  wickedness,  of  innumerable  kinds, 
abounding  and  prevailing  of  late,  among  all  ranks  and  sorts  of  men  there.  And 
how  lamentable  is  the  moral  and  religious  state  of  these  American  colonies; 
of  New  England  in  particular !  How  much  is  that  kind  of  religion  that  was 
professed  and  much  experienced  and  practised,  in  the  first,  and  apparently  the 
best  times  of  New  England,  grown  and  growing  out  of  credit !  What  fierce 
and  violent  contentions  have  been  of  late  among  ministers  and  people,  about 
things  of  a  religious  nature !  How  much  is  the  gospel  ministry  grown  into 
contempt !  And  the  work  of  the  ministry,  in  many  respects,  laid  under  uncom- 
mon difficulties,  and  even  in  danger  of  sinking  amongst  us !  How  many  of  our 
congregations  and  churches  rending  in  pieces  !  Church  discipline  weakened, 
and  ordinances  less  and  less  regarded  !  What  wild  and  extravagant  notions, 
gross  delusions  of  the  devil,  and  strange  practices  have  prevailed,  and  do  stil) 


UNION  IN   rUAYEK.  459 

prevail,  in  many  places,  under  a  pretext  of  extraordinar)'  purity,  spirituality, 
liberty  and  zeal  aij^ainst  formality,  usurpation,  and  contbrinily  to  the  world ! 
How  stronLj  and  deeply  rooted  and  i;eneral  are  the  prejudices  that  prevail  against 
vital  religion  and  the  power  of  gmiliness,  and  ahnost  every  thing  that  appertains 
to  it,  or  tends  to  it !  How  apparently  are  the  hearts  of  people,  everywhere, 
uncommonly  shut  up  against  \\\  means  and  endeavors  to  awaken  sinners  and 
revive  religion  !  Vice  and  immorality,  of  all  kinds,  withal  increasing  and  un^ 
*jsually  prevailing !  May  not  an  attentive  view  and  consideration  of  such  a 
state  of  things  well  inlluence  the  people  that  favor  the  dust  of  Zion,  to  earnest- 
ness in  their  cries  to  God  for  a  general  outpouring  of  his  Spirit,  'vhich  only  can 
be  an  effectual  remedy  for  these  evils  ? 

Besides  the  things  that  have  been  mentioned,  the  fresh  attempts  made  by 
the  antichristian  powers  against  the  Protestant  interest,  in  their  late  endeavors 
to  restore  a  Popish  government  in  (Jreat  Britain,  the  chief  bulwark  of  the  Pro- 
testant cause ;  as  also  the  persecution  lately  revived  against  the  Protestants  in 
Frarjce,  may  well  give  occasion  to  the  people  of  God,  to  renewed  and  extraor- 
dinary earnestness  in  their  prayers  to  him,  for  the  fulfdmcnt  of  the  promised 
downfall  of  Antichrist,  and  that  liberty  and  glory  of  his  church  that  shall  fol- 
low. 

As  there  is  much  in  the  present  state  of  things  to  show  us  our  great  need  of 
his  mercy,  and  to  cause  us  to  desire  it ;  so  there  is  very  much  to  convince  us 
that  Goil  alone  can  bestow  it,  and  show  us  our  entire  and  absolute  dependence 
on  him  for  it.  The  insufilciency  of  human  abilities  to  bring  to  pass  any  such 
happy  change  in  the  world  as  is  foretold,  or  to  afford  any  remedy  to  mankind, 
from  such  miseries  as  have  been  mentioned,  does  now  remarkably  appear. 
Those  observations  of  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  i.,  "  The  world  by  wisdom  knows  not 
God,  and  God  makes  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this  world,"  never  were  verified  to 
such  a  degree  as  they  are  now.  Great  discoveries  have  been  made  in  the  arts 
nnd  sciences,  and  never  was  human  learning  carried  to  such  a  height,  as  in  the 
present  age;  and  yet  never  did  the  cause  of  religion  and  virtue  lun  so  low  in 
nations  professing  the  true  religion.  Never  was  an  age  wherein  so  many  learned 
and  elaborate  treatises  have  been  written,  in  proof  of  the  truth  and  divinitv  of 
the  Christian  religion  ;  yet  never  were  there  so  many  infidels,  among  those'that 
were  brought  up  under  the  light  of  the  gospel.  It  is  an  age,  as  is  supposed,  ot 
great  light,  freedom  of  thought,  and  discovery  of  trutli  in  matters  of  religion,  and 
detection  of  the  weakness  and  bigotry  of  our  ancestors,  and  of  the  folly  and  ab- 
surdity of  the  notions  of  those  that  were  accounted  eminent  divines  in  former 
generations;  which  notions,  it  is  imagined,  did  destroy  the  verv  foundations  of 
virtue  and  religion,  and  enervate  all  precepts  of  morality,  and  in  effect  annul  all 
difference  between  virtue  and  vice ;  and  yet  vice  and  wickedness  did  never  so 
prevail,  like  an  overflowing  deluge.  It  is  an  age  wherein  those  mean  and  stin- 
gy principles  (as  they  are  called)  of  our  forefathers,  which  (as  is  supposed)  de- 
formed religion,  and  led  to  unworthy  thoughts  of  God,  are  very  much  discarded, 
and  grown  out  of  credit,  and  supposed  more  free,  noble  and  generous  thoughts 
of  thenatfire  of  religion,  and  of  the  Christian  scheme,  are  entertained,  but  yet 
never  was  an  age,  wherein  religion  in  general  was  so  much  despised  and 
trampled  on,  and  Jesus  Christ  and  God  Almighty  so  blasphemed  and  treated 
with  open,  daring  contempt. 

The  exceeding  weakness  of  mankind,  and  their  insuflliciency  in  themselves 
for  the  bringing  to  pass  any  thing  great  and  good  in  the  world,  with  regard 
to  its  moral  and  spiritual  state,  remarkably  appears  in  many  things  that  have 
attended  and  followed  the  extraordinary  religious  commotion,  that  has  lately 


460  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

been  in  many  parts  of  Great  Britain  and  America.  The  infirmity  of  the  iiumaR 
nature  has  been  manifested,  in  a  very  affecting  manner  in  the  various  passiom- 
that  men  have  been  the  subjects  of,  and  innumerable  ways  that  they  have  been 
moved,  as  a  reed  shaken  with  the  vvind,  on  occasion  of  the  changes  and  inci- 
dents, both  public  and  private,  of  such  a  state  of  things.  Hov\^  many  errors 
and  extremes  are  we  liable  to  !  How  quickly  overtopped,  blinded,  misled,  and 
confounded !  And  how  easily  does  Satan  make  fools  of  men,  if  confident  in 
their  own  wisdom  and  strength,  and  left  to  themselves  !  Many,  in  the  late 
wonderful  season,  were  ready  to  admire  and  trust  in  men,  as  if  all  depended  on 
such  and  such  instruments,  at  least  did  ascribe  too  much  to  their  skill  and  zeal, 
because  God  was  pleased  to  improve  them  a  little  while  to  do  extraordinary 
things :  but  what  great  things  do  the  skill  and  zeal  of  instruments  do  nou^,  when 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  withdrawn  ? 

As  the  present  state  of  things  may  well  excite  earnest  desires  after  the 
promised  general  revival  and  advancement  of  true  religion,  and  serve  to  show 
our  dependence  on  God  for  it,  so  there  are  many  things  in  Providence,  of  late, 
that  tend  to  encourage  us  in  prayer  for  such  a  mercy.  That  infidelity,  heresy 
and  vice  do  so  prevail,  and  that  corruption  and  wickedness  are  risen  to  such  an 
extreme  height,  is  that  which  is  exceeding  deplorable;  but  yet,  I  think,  con- 
sidering God's  pron:iises  to  his  chuich,  and  the  ordinary  method  of  his  dispensa- 
tions, hope  may  justly  be  gathered  from  it,  that  the  present  state  of  things  will 
not  last  long,  but  that  a  happy  change  is  nigh.  We  know  that  God  never  will 
desert  the  cause  of  truth  and  holiness,  nor  suflTer  the  gates  of  hell  to  prevail 
against  his  church  ;  and  that  it  has  usually  been  so  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  that  the  state  of  the  church  has  appeared  most  dark,  just  before  some 
remarkable  deliverance  and  advancement:  many  a  time,  may  Israel  nay,  had 
not  the  Lord  been  on  our  side,  then  our  enemies  wotild  have  su-al/owed  us  up 
quick — the  waters  had  overwhelmed  us.  The  church's  extremity  has  often 
been  God's  opportunity  for  the  magnifying  his  power,  mercy  and  faithliilness 
tov.'ards  her.  The  interest  of  vital  piety  has  long  been  in  general  decaying,  and 
error  and  wickedness  prevailing  :  it  looks  as  though  the  disease  were  now 
come  to  a  crisis,  and  that  things  cannot  remain  long  m  such  a  state,  but  that  a 
change  may  be  expected  in  one  respect  or  other.  And  not  only  God's  manner 
of  dealing  with  his  church  in  former  ages,  and  many  things  in  the  promises  and 
prophecies  of  his  word,  but  also  several  things  appeitaining  to  present  and  late 
aspects  of  divine  Providence,  seem  to  give  reason  to  hope  that  the  change  will 
be  such,  as  to  magnify  God's  free  grace  and  sovereign  mercy,  and  not  his  re- 
venging justice  and  wrath.  There  are  certain  times,  that  are  days  of  vengeance, 
appointed  for  the  more  special  displays  of  God's  justice  and  indignation  ;  and 
God  has  also  his  days  of  mercy,  accepted  times,  chosen  seasons,  wherein  it  is  his 
pleasure  to  show  mercy,  and  nothing  shall  hinder  it ;  they  are  times  apj)ointed 
for  the  magnifying  of  the  Redeemer  and  his  merits,  and  the  triumphs  of  his 
grace,  wherein  his  grace  shall  triumph  over  men's  unworthiness  in  its  greatest 
height.  And  if  we  consider  God's  late  dealings  with  our  nation  and  this  land,  it 
appears  to  me  that  there  is  much  to  make  us  think  that  this  day  is  such  a  day : 
particularly  God's  preserving  and  delivering  the  nation,  when  in  so  great  danger 
of  ruin  by  the  late  rebellion  ;  and  his  preserving  New  England,  and  the  other 
British  colonies  in  America,  in  so  remarkable  a  manner,  from  the  great  arma- 
ment from  France,  prepared  and  sent  against  us  the  last  year  ;  and  the  almost 
miraculous  success  given  to  us  against  our  enemies  at  Cape  Breton  the  year  be- 
fore, disappointing  their  renewed  preparations  and  fresh  attempt  against  thest 
colonies,  this  present  year,  1747,  by  delivering  up  the  strength  of  their  fleet  into 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  461 

the  hands  of  the  Enghsh,  as  they  were  in  their  way  hither.  And  also  in  pro- 
tecting; us  from  time  to  time  from  armies  by  land  that  have  come  against  us 
from  Canada,  since  the  beginning  of  the  present  war  with  France.  Besides 
many  strange  instances  of  protection  of  particular  forls  and  settlements,  show- 
ing a  manifest  interposition  of  the  hand  of  heaven,  to  the  observation  of  some 
of  our  enemies,  and  even  of  the  savages.  And  added  to  these,  the  late  unex- 
pected restoring  of  the  greater  part  of  our  many  captives  in  Canada,  by  those 
that  held  them  prisoners  there.  It  appears  to  me  that  God  has  gone  much  out 
of  his  usual  way,  in  his  exercises  of  mercy,  patience  and  long-sulfering  in  these 
instances.  God'^  patience  was  very  wonderful  of  old,  towards  the  ten  tribes, 
and  the  people  of  .Judah  and  Jerusalem,  anil  afterwards  to  the  Jews  in  Christ's 
and  tlie  apostles'  times ;  but  it  seems  to  ine,  all  things  considered,  not  equal  to 
his  patience  and  mercy  to  us.  God  does  not  only  forbear  to  destioy  us,  notwith- 
standing all  our  provocations  and  their  aggravations,  which  it  would  be  endless 
to  recount ;  but  he  has  in  the  forementioned  instances,  wrought  great  things  for 
us,  wherein  his  hand  has  been  most  visible,  and  his  arm  made  bare ;  especially 
those  two  instances  in  America,  God's  succeeding  us  against  Cape  Breton,  and 
confounding  the  aimada  from  France  the  last  year ;  dispejisations  of  Providence 
which,  if  considered  in  all  their  circumstances,  were  so  wonderful,  and  apparently 
manifesting  an  extraordinary  divine  interposition,  that  they  come,  perhaps,  the 
nearest  to  a  parallel  with  God's  wonderful  works  of  old,  in  Moses',  Joshua's, 
and  Hf.zekiah's  time,  of  any  that  have  been  in  these  latter  ages  of  the  world. 
And  it  is  to  my  present  purpose  to  observe,  that  God  was  pleased  to  do  great 
things  tor  us  in  both  these  instances,  in  answer  to  extraordinary  prayer.  Such 
remarkable  appearances  of  a  spirit  of  prayer,  on  any  particular  public  occa- 
sion, have  not  been  in  the  land,  at  any  time  within  my  observation  and  memory, 
as  on  occasion  of  the  affair  of  Cape  Breton.  And  it  is  worthy  to  be  noted  and 
remembered,  that  God  sent  that  great  storm  on  the  fleet  of  our  enemies  the  last 
year,  that  finally  dispersed,  and  utterly  confounded  then),  and  caused  them  wholly 
to  give  over  their  designs  against  us,  the  very  night  after  our  day  of  public  fast- 
ing and  prayer,  for  our  protection  and  their  confusion. 

Thus,  although  it  be  a  day  of  gieat  apostasy  and  provocation,  yet  it  is  ap- 
parently a  day  of  the  wonderful  works  of  God  ;  wonders  of  power  and  mercy  \ 
which  may  well  lead  us  to  think  on  those  two  places  of  Scripture,  Psal.  cxix. 
126,  "  It  is  time  for  thee.  Lord,  to  work,  for  they  have  made  void  thy  law." 
And  Psal.  Ixxv.  1,  "  That  thy  name  is  near,  thy  wondrous  works  declare." 
God  appears  as  it  were  loth  to  destroy  us,  or  deal  with  us  according  to  our 
iniquities,  as  great  and  aggravated  as  they  are ;  and  shows  that  mercy  pleases 
him.  As  corrupt  a  time  as  it  is,  it  is  plain  by  experience,  that  it  is  a  time 
■wherein  God  may  be  found,  and  stands  ready  to  show  mercy  in  answer  to 
prayer.  He  that  has  done  such  great  things,  and  has  so  wonderfully  and 
speedily  answered  prayer  for  temporal  mercies,  will  much  more  give  the  Holy 
Spirit  if  we  ask  him.  He  marvellously  preserves  us,  and  waits  to  be  gracious 
to  us,  as  though  he  chose  to  make  us  monuments  of  his  grace,  and  not  his  ven- 
geance, and  waits  only  to  have  us  open  our  mouths  wide,  that  he  may  fdl  them. 

The  late  remarkable  religious  awakenings,  that  have  been  in  many  parts 
of  the  Christian  worUl,  are  another  thing  that  may  justly  encourage  us  in 
prayer  for  the  promised  glorious  and  universal  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
"  In  or  about  the  year  1732  or  1733,  God  was  pleased  to  pour  out  his  Spirit 
on  the  people  of  Saltzburg  in  Germany,  who  were  living  under  Popish  dark- 
ness, in  a  most  uncommon  manner :  so  that  above  twenty  thousand  of  them, 
merely  by  reading  the  Bible,  which  they  made  a  shift  to  get  in  their  own  Ian- 


462  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

guage,  were  determined  to  throw  off  Popery,  and  embrace  the  reformed  re- 
ligion ;  yea,  and  to  become  so  very  zealous  for  the  truth  and  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  to  be  willing  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things  in  the  world,  and  actually 
to  forsake  their  houses,  lands,  goods  and  relations,  that  they  might  enjoy  the 
pure  preaching  of  the  gospel  ;  with  great  earnestness,  and  tears  in  their  eyes, 
beseeching  Protestant  ministers  to  preach  to  them,  in  places  where  they  (when 
banished  from  their  own  country)  came,  in  different  places."  In  the  years  1734 
and  1735,  there  appeared  a  veiy  great  and  general  awakening,  in  the  county 
of  Hampshire,  in  the  province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England,  and 
also  in  many  parts  of  Connecticut.  Since  this  there  has  been  a  far  more  exten- 
sive awakening  of  many  thousands  in  England,  Wales  and  Scotland,  and  almost 
all  the  British  provinces  in  North  America.  There  has  also  been  something 
remarkable  of  the  same  kind,  in  some  places  in  the  United  Netherlands:  and 
about  two  years  ago,  a  very  great  awakening  and  reformation  of  many  of  the 
Indians,  in  the  Jerseys,  and  Pennsylvania,  even  among  such  as  never  embraced 
Christianity  before  :  and  within  these  two  years,  a  great  awalcening  in  Virginia 
and  Maryland.  Notwithstanding  the  great  diversity  of  opinions  about  the  issue 
of  some  of  these  awakenings,  yet  I  know  of  none  that  have  denied  that  there 
have  been  great  awakenings  of  late,  in  these  times  and  places,  and  that  multi- 
tudes have  been  brought  to  more  than  common  concern  for  their  salvation, 
and  for  a  time  were  made  more  than  ordinarily  afraid  of  sin,  and  brought  to  re- 
form their  former  vicious  courses,  and  take  much  pains  for  their  salvation.  If 
I  should  be  of  the  opinion  of  those  that  think  these  awakenings  and  strivings 
of  God's  Spirit  have  been  generally  not  well  improved,  and  so,  as  to  most, 
have  not  issued  well,  but  have  ended  in  enthusiasm  and  delusion,  yet,  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  has  been  of  late  so  wonderfully  awakening  and  striving  with 
such  multitudes,  in  so  many  different  parts  of  the  world,  and  even  to  this  day, 
in  one  place  or  other,  continues  to  awaken  men,  is  what  I  should  take  great 
encouragement  from,  that  God  was  about  to  do  something  more  glorious,  and 
would,  before  he  finishes,  bring  things  to  a  greater  ripeness,  and  not  finally 
suffer  this  work  of  his  to  be  frustrated  and  rendered  abortive  by  Satan's  crafty 
,  management ;  and  that  these  unusual  commotions  are  the  forerunners  of  some- 
thing exceeding  glorious  approaching  ;  as  the  wind,  earthquake  and  fire,  at 
Mount  Sinai,  were  forerunners  of  that  voice,  wherein  God  was,  in  a  more  emi- 
nent manner ;  although  they  also  were  caused  by  a  divine  power,  as  it  is  rep- 
resented that  these  things  were  caused  by  the  Lord  passing  by,  1  Kings  xix. 
11,  12.  ' 

8.  flow  condecent,  how  beautiful,  and  of  good  tendency  would  it  be,  for 
multitudes  of  Christians,  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  by  explicit  agreement, 
to  unite  in  such  prayer  as  is  proposed  to  us. 

Union  is  one  of  the  most  amiable  things,  that  pertains  to  human  society  ; 
yea,  it  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  happy  things  on  earth,  which  indeed 
makes  earth  most  like  heaven.  God  has  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men, 
to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  hereby  teaching  us  this  moral  lesson, 
that  it  becomes  mankind  all  to  be  united  as  one  family.  And  this  is  agreeable 
to  the  nature  that  God  has  given  men,  disposing  them  to  society  ;  and  the 
circumstances  God  has  placed  them  in,  so  many  ways  obliging  and  necessita- 
ting them  to  it.  A  civil  union,  or  a  harmonious  agreement  among  men  in  the 
management  of  their  secular  concerns,  is  amiable  ;  but  much  more  a  pious 
anion  and  sweet  agreement  in  the  great  business  for  which  man  was  created, 
and  had  powers  given  him  beyond  the  brutes  ;  even  the  business  of  religion ; 
^he  life  and  soul  of  which  is  love.     Union  is  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  thie  pe- 


UNION   IN  PRAYER.  468 

culiar  beauty  of  the  church  of  Christ,  Cant.  vi.  9  :  "  My  dove,  my  undcfiled  is 
but  one,  she  is  the  only  one  of  her  mother,  she  Is  the  ch(jice  one  of  her  that 
bare  her ;  the  daughters  saw  her  and  blessed  her,  yea,  ihe  queens  and  the 
concubines,  and  they  praised  her."  Psal.  cxxii.  3,  "Jerusalem  is  builded  as  a 
city  that  is  compact  together."  Eph.  iv.  3 — 6,  "  Endeavoring  to  keep  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  There  is  one  body,  and  one  Spirit ; 
even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in 
you  all."  Ver.  16,  "  The  whole  body  fitly  framed  together  and  eompacted, 
by  tliat  which  every  joint  supplieth,  ai.'cording  to  the  elfectual  working  in  the 
measure  of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the  body,  unto  the  edifying  itself 
in  love." 

As  it  is  the  glory  of  the  church  of  Christ,  that  she  in  all  her  members,  how- 
ever dispersed,  is  thus  one  holy  society,  one  city,  one  family,  one  body ;  so  it  is 
very  desirable,  that  this  union  should  be  manifested,  and  become  visible  ;  and 
so,  that  her  distant  members  should  act  as  one,  in  those  things  that  concej-n  the 
common  interest  of  the  whole  body,  and  in  those  duties  and  exercises  wherein 
they  have  to  do  with  their  common  Lord  and  head,  as  seeking  of  him  the  com- 
mon prosperity.  It  becomes  all  the  members  of  a  particular  family,  who  are  so 
strictly  united,  and  have  in  so  many  respects  one  common  interest,  to  unite  in 
prayer  to  God  for  the  things  they  need  :  it  becomes  a  nation,  in  days  of  prayer, 
appointed  by  national  authority,  at  certain  seasons,  visibly  to  imite  in  prayer  for 
those  public  mercies  that  concern  the  interest  of  the  whole  nation :  so  it  be- 
comes the  church  of  Christ,  which  is  one  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people,  one 
heavenly  family,  more  strictly  united,  in  many  respects,  and  having  infinitely 
greater  interests  that  are  common  to  the  whole,  than  any  otlicr  society;  I  say,  it 
especially  becomes  this  society,  visibly  to  unite,  and  expressly  to  agree  together 
m  prayer  to  God  ibr  the  common  prosperity  ;  and  above  all,  that  common  pros- 
perity and  advancement  that  is  so  unspeakably  great  and  glorious,  which  God 
hath  so  abundantly  promised  to  fulfil  in  the  latter  days. 

It  is  becoming  of  Christians,  with  whose  character  a  narrow  selfish  spirit, 
above  all  others,  disagrees,  to  be  much  in  prayer  for  that  puljlic  mercy,  where- 
in consists  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  the  whole  body  of  Christ,  of  which 
they  are  members,  and  the  greatest  good  of  mankind.  .\nd  union  or  agreement 
in  prayer  is  especially  becoming,  when  Christians  })ray  for  that  mercy,  which 
above  all  other  things  concerns  them  unitedly,  and  tends  to  the  relief,  prosperity 
and  glory  of  the  whole  body,  as  well  as  of  each  individual  member. 

Such  a  union  in  prayer  for  the  general  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
would  not  only  be  beautiful,  but  profitable  too.  It  would  tend  very  much  to 
promote  union  and  charity  between  distant  members  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
and  a  public  spirit,  and  love  to  the  church  of  God,  and  concern  for  the  interest 
of  Zion  ;  as  well  as  be  an  amiable  exercise  and  manifestation  of  such  a  spirit. 
Union  in  relio;ious  duties,  especially  in  the  duty  of  prayer,  in  praying  one  with 
and  for  another,  and  jointly  for  their  common  welfare,  above  almost  all  other 
things,  tends  to  promote  mutual  affection  and  endearment.  And  if  ministers  anc, 
people  .should  by  particular  agreement  and  joint  resolution,  set  themselves,  in  n 
solemn  and  extraordinary  manner,  trom  time  to  time,  to  })ray  for  the  revival  of 
religion  in  the  world,  it  would  naturally  tend  more  to  awaken  in  them  a  con* 
cern  about  things  of  this  nature,  and  more  of  a  desire  after  such  a  mercy ;  h 
would  engage  them  to  more  attention  to  such  an  affair,  make  them  inore  in- 
quisitive about  it,  more  ready  to  use  endeavors  to  promote  that  which  they, 
with  so  many  others,  spend  so  much  time  in  praying  for,  and  more  ready  to  re- 


464  UNION  IN  PRAYER 

joice  and  praise  God  when  they  see  or  hear  of  any  thhig  of  that  nature  or  ten- 
dency :  and  in  a  particular  manner,  would  it  naturally  tend  to  engage  ministers 
(the  business  of  whose  lives  it  is  to  seek  the  welfare  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
and  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom)  to  greater  diligence  and  earnestness  in 
their  work  :  and  it  would  have  a  tendency  to  the  spiritual  profit  and  advantage 
of  each  particular  person.  For  persons  to  be  thus  engaged  in  extraordinarily 
praying  for  the  reviving  and  flourishing  of  religion  in  the  world,  will  naturally 
lead  each  one  to  reflect  on  hiniself,  and  consider  how  religion  flourishes  in  his 
own  heart,  and  how  far  his  example  contributes  to  the  thing  that  he  is  praying 
for. 

9,  There  is  great  and  particular  encouragement  given  in  the  word  of  God, 
to  express  union  and  agreement  in  prayer.  Daniel,  when  he  had  a  great  thing 
to  request  of  God,  viz.,  that  God  by  his  Holy  Spirit  would  miraculously  reveal 
to  him  a  great  secret,  which  none  of  the  wise  men,  astrologers,  magicians  or 
soothsayers  of  Babylon  could  find  out,  he  goes  to  Hananiah,  Mishael  and  Az- 
arlah,  his  companions,  and  they  agree  together,  that  they  will  unitedly  desire 
mercies  of  the  God  of  heaven  concerning  this  secret  ;  and  their  joint  request 
was  soon  granted  ;  and  God  put  great  honor  upon  them,  above  all  the  wise 
men  of  Babylon,  to  the  filling  their  mouths  with  praise,  and  to  the  admiration 
and  astonishment  of  Nebuchadnezzar  ;  insomuch  that  that  great  and  haughty 
monaich,  as  we  are  told,  fell  upon  his  face  and  worshipped  Daniel,  and  owned 
that  his  God  was,  of  a  truth,  a  God  of  gods,  and  greatly  promoted  Daniel  and 
his  praying  companions  in  the  province  of  Babylon.  Esther,  when  she  had  a 
yet  more  important  request  to  make,  for  the  saving  of  the  church  of  God,  and 
whole  nation  of  the  Jews,  dispersed  through  the  empire  of  Persia,  when  on  the 
brink  of  ruin,  sends  to  all  the  Jews  in  the  city  Shushan  to  pray  and  fast  wdth 
her  and  her  maidens  ;  and  their  united  prayers  prevail ;  so  that  the  event  was 
wonderful :  instead  of  the  intended  destruction  of  the  Jews,  the  Jews'  enemies 
are  destroyed  everywhere,  and  they  are  defended,  honored  and  promoted,  and 
their  sorrow  and  distress  is  turned  into  great  gladness,  feasting,  triumph  and 
mutual  joyi'ul  congratulations. 

The  encouragement  to  explicit  agreement  in  prayer  is  great  from  such  in- 
stances as  these  ;  but  it  is  yet  greater  from  those  wonderful  words  of  our  bless- 
ed Redeemer,  Matt,  xviii.  19, "  I  say  unto  you,  that  if  any  two  of  you  shall 
agree  on  earth,  touching  any  thing  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of 
my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Christ  is  pleased  to  give  this  great  encouragement 
to  the  union  of  his  followers  in  this  excellent  and  holy  exercise  of  seeking  and 
serving  God  ;  a  holy  union  and  communion  of  his  people  being  that  which  he 
greatly  desires  and  delights  in,  that  which  he  came  into  the  woild  to  bring  to 
pass,  that  which  he  especially  prayed  for  with  his  dying  breath,  John  xvii.,  that 
which  he  died  for,  and  which  was  one  chief  end  of  the  whole  affair  of  our  re- 
demption by  him :  Eph.  i.,  "  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood, 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace,  wherein  he  hath 
abounded  towards  us  in  all  wisdom  and  prudence ;  having  made  known  to  us 
the  mystery  of  his  W'ill,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which  he  hath  purposed 
in  himself:  ihat  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times,  he  might  gather  to- 
gether in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on 
earth,  even  in  him." 


L'NION   IN  PRAYER.  466 

PART    III. 

Objections  Answered. 

I  COME  now,  as  was  proposed,  in  the  thinl  place,  to  answer  objections,  that 
some  may  be  ready  to  make  agamst  the  thing  that  has  been  proposed  to  us. 

OwiicT.  I.  Some  may  be  ready  to  say  :  that  Ibr  Christians,  in  such  a  man- 
ner to  set  apart  certain  seasons,  every  week,  and  every  quarter,  to  be  religiously 
observed  and  kept  lor  the  purposes  proposed,  from  year  to  year,  would  be  in  ef- 
fect to  establish  certain  periodical  times  of  human  invention  and  appointment, 
to  be  kept  holy  to  God  ;  and  so  to  do  the  very  thing,  that  has  ever  been  object- 
ed against,  by  a  very  great  part  of  the  most  eminent  Christians  and  l)ivine3 
among  Protestants,  as  what  men  have  no  right  to  do  ;  it  being  for  them  to  add 
to  God's  institutions,  and  introduce  their  own  inventions  and  establishments 
into  the  stated  worship  of  God,  and  lay  unwarrantable  bonds  on  men's  con- 
sciences, and  do  what  naturally  tends  to  superstition. 

Answi::ii.  To  this  I  would  say  :  there  can  be  no  justice  in  such  an  objection 
against  this  proposal,  as  made  to  us  in  the  forementioned  memorial.  And  in- 
deed that  caution  and  prudence  appears  in  the  projection  itself,  and  in  the  man- 
ner in  which  it  is  proposed  to  us,  that  there  is  not  so  much  as  any  color  for  the 
objection.  The  proposal  is  such,  and  so  well  guarded,  that  there  seems  to  be 
no  room  for  the  weakest  Christian  that  well  observes  it,  so  to  mistake  it,  as  to 
understand  those  things  to  be  implied  in  it,  that  have  indeed  been  objected 
against  by  many  eminent  Christians  and  Divines  among  Protestants,  as  entang- 
ling men's  consciences,  and  adding  to  divine  institutions,  &c.  Here  is  no  pre- 
tence of  establishing  any  thing  by  authority  ;  no  appearance  of  any  claim  of 
power  in  the  proposers,  or  right  to  any  regard  to  be  paid  to  their  determinations 
or  proposals  by  virtue  of  any  deference  due  to  them,  in  any  respect,  any  more 
than  to  every  individual  person  of  those  that  they  apply  themselves  to.  So  far 
from  that,  that  they  expressly  mention  that  which  they  have  thought  of,  as 
what  they  would  propose  to  the  thoughts  of  others,  for  their  amendments  and 
improvements,  declaring  that  they  chose  rather  to  receive  and  spread  the  direc- 
tions anil  proposals  of  others,  than  to  be  the  first  authors  of  any.  No  times, 
not  sanctified  by  God's  own  institution,  are  proposed  to  be  observed  more  than 
others,  under  any  notion  of  such  times  being,  in  any  respect,  more  holy,  or  more 
honorable,  or  worthy  of  any  preference,  or  distinguishing  regard ;  either  as  be- 
ing sanctified,  or  made  honorable,  by  authority,  or  by  any  great  events  of  divine 
Providence,  or  any  relation  to  any  holy  persons  or  things;  but  only  as  circum- 
stantially convenient,  helpful  to  memory,  especially  free  from  worldly  business, 
near  to  the  times  of  the  administration  of  public  ordinances,  &c.  None  attempts 
to  lay  any  bonds  on  others,  with  respect  to  this  matter ;  or  to  desire  that  they 
should  lay  any  bonds  on  themselves;  or  look  on  themselves  as  under  any  obli- 
gations either  by  power  or  promise ;  or  so  much  as  come  into  any  absolute  de- 
termination in  their  own  minds,  to  set  apart  any  stated  days  from  secular  atfairs; 
or  even  to  fix  on  any  part  of  such  days,  without  liberty  to  other  circmnstances, 
as  shall  be  found  expedient ;  and  also  liberty  left  to  a  future  alteration  of  judg- 
ment, as  to  expediency,  on  further  trial  and  consideration.  All  that  is  propos- 
ed is,  that  such  as  fall  in  with  what  is  proposed  in  their  judgments  and  inclina- 
tions, while  they  do  so,  should  strengthen,  assist  and  encourage  their  brethren 
that  are  of  the  same  mind,  by  visibW  consenting  and  joining  with  them  in  the 

Vol.  UI.  59 


466  UNION  IN  PRAYEB. 

affair.  Is  here  any  thing  like  making  laws  in  matters  of  conscience  and  reli- 
gion, or  adding  men's  institutions  to  God's  ;  or  any  show  of  imposition,  or  su- 
perstitious esteeming  and  preferring  one  day  above  another,  or  any  possible 
ground  of  entanglement  of  any  one's  conscience  ? 

For  men  to  go  about  by  law  to  establish  and  limit  circumstances  of  worship, 
not  established  or  limited  by  any  law  of  God,  such  as  precise  time,  place  and 
order,  may  be  in  many  respects  of  dangerous  tendency.  But  surely  it  cannot 
be  unlawful  or  improper,  ibr  Christians  to  come  into  some  agreement,  with  re- 
gard to  these  circumstances  :  for  it  is  impossible  to  carry  on  any  social  worship 
without  it.  There  is  no  institution  of  Scripture  requiring  any  people  to  meet 
together  to  worship  God  in  such  a  spot  of  ground,  or  at  such  an  hour  of  the 
day  ;  but  yet  these  must  be  determined  by  agreement;  or  else  there  will  be  no 
social  worship,  in  any  place,  or  any  hour.  So  we  are  not  determined  by  insti- 
tution, what  the  precise  order  of  the  dilferent  parts  of  worship  shall  be  ;  Mhat 
shall  precede  and  what  shall  follow  ;  whether  praying  or  singing  shall  be  first, 
and  what  shall  be  next,  and  what  shall  conclude :  but  yet  some  order  must  be 
agreed  on,  by  the  congregation  that  unite  in  worship ;  otherwise  they  cannot 
jointly  carry  on  divine  worship,  in  any  way  or  method  at  all.  If  a  congrega- 
tion of  Christians  do  agree  to  begin  their  public  worship  with  prayer,  and  next 
to  sing,  and  then  to  attend  on  the  preaching  of  the  word,  and  to  conclude  with 
prayer ;  and  do  by  consent  carry  on  their  worship  in  this  order  from  year  to 
year ;  though  this  order  is  not  appointed  in  Scripture  ;  none  will  call  this  su- 
perstition. And  if  a  great  number  of  congregations,  through  a  whole  land,  or 
more  lands  than  one,  do  by  common  consent,  keep  the  same  method  of  public 
worship ;  none  will  pretend  to  find  fault  with  it.  But  yet  for  any  to  go  about 
to  bind  all  to  such  a  method,  would  be  usurpation  and  imposition.  And  if  such 
a  precise  order  should  be  regarded  as  sacred,  as  though  no  other  could  be  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  this  would  be  superstition.  If  a  particular  number  of  Chris- 
tians shall  agree,  that  besides  the  stated  public  worship  of  the  Sabbath,  they 
will,  when  their  circumstances  allow,  meet  together,  to  carry  on  some  religious 
exercises,  on  a  Sabbath  day  night,  for  their  mutual  edification  ;  or  if  several 
societies  agree  to  meet  together  in  different  places  at  that  time ;  this  is  no  su- 
perstition ;  though  there  be  no  institution  for  it.  If  people  in  different  congre- 
gations, voluntarily  agree  to  take  turns  to  meet  together  in  the  house  of  God, 
to  Avorship  him  and  hear  a  public  lecture,  once  a  month,  or  once  in  six  weeks ; 
it  is  not  unlawful ;  though  there  be  no  institution  for  it :  but  yet  to  do  this  as 
a  thing  sacred,  indispensable,  and  binding  on  men's  consciences,  would  be 
superstition.  If  Christians  of  several  neighboring  congregations,  instead  of  a 
lecture,  agree  on  some  special  occasion  to  keep  a  circular  fast,  each  congrega- 
tion taking  its  turn  in  a  certain  time  and  order,  fixed  on  by  consent ;  or  if  instead 
of  keeping  fast  by  turns,  on  different  days,  one  on  one  week,  and  one  on  an 
other,  they  should  all  agree  to  keep  a  fast  on  the  same  day,  and  to  do  this 
either  once  or  frequently,  according  as  they  shall  judge  their  own  circumstan- 
ces, or  the  dispensations  of  divine  Providence,  or  the  importance  of  the  mercy 
they  seek,  do  require  ,•  neither  is  there  any  more  superstition  in  this  than  the 
other. 

Object.  II.  Some  may  be  ready  to  say,  there  seems  to  be  something  whim- 
sical in  its  being  insisted  on  that  God's  people  in  different  places  should  put  up 
their  prayers  for  this  mercy  at  the  same  time;  as  though  their  prayers  would 
be  more  forcible  on  that  account ;  and  as  if  God  would  not  be  so  likely  to  hear 
prayers  offered  up  by  many,  though  they  happened  not  to  pray  at  the  same  time, 
as  he  would  if  he  heard  them  all  at  the  same  moment. 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  467 

Ans.  To  this  I  would  say,  if  sucli  an  objection  be  made,  it  must  be  through 
misunderstanding.  It  is  not  signified  or  implied  in  any  thing  said  in  the  pro- 
posal, or  in  any  arguments  made  use  of  to  enforce  it  that  I  have  seen,  that  the 
prayers  of  a  great  number  in  dilferent  places  will  be  more  forcible,  merely  be- 
cause of  that  circumstance  of  their  being  put  up  at  the  same  time.  It  is  indeed 
supposed,  that  it  will  be  very  expedient,  that  certain  times  for  united  prayer 
should  be  agreed  on:  which  it  may  be,  Avithout  supposing  the  thing  supposed  in 
the  objection,  on  the  following  accounts. 

1.  This  seems  to  be  a  proper  expedient  for  the  promoting  and  maintaining 
a  union  among  Christians  of  distant  places,  in  extraordinary  prayer  for  such  a 
raercy.  It  appears,  from  what  was  before  observed,  that  there  ought  to  be  ex- 
traordinary prayers  among  Christians  for  this  mercy  ;  and  that  it  is  fit,  that  God's 
people  should  agree  and  unite  in  it.  Though  there  be  no  reason  to  suppose  tha 
prayer  will  be  more  prevalent,  merely  from  that  circumstance,  that  different  per- 
SQtis  pray  exactly  at  the  same  time  ;  yet  there  will  be  more  reason  to  hope  that 
prayers  ibr  such  mercy  will  be  prevalent,  when  God's  people  are  very  much  in 
prayer  for  it,  and  when  many  of  them  are  united  in  it.  And  therefore  if  agreeing 
on  certain  times  for  united  and  extraordinary  prayer,  be  a  likely  means  to  promote 
a  union  of  many  in  extraordinary  prayer,  then  there  is  more  reason  to  hope,  that 
there  will  be  prevalent  prayer  for  such  a  mercy,  for  certain  times  for  extraor- 
dinary prayer  being  agreed  on.  But  that  agreeing  on  certain  times  for  united, 
extraordinary  prayei-,  is  a  likely  and  proper  means  to  promote  and  maintain  such 
prayer,  I  think  will  be  easily  evident  to  any  one  that  considers  the  matter.  If 
there  should  be  only  a  loose  agreement  or  consent  to  it  as  a  duty,  or  a  thin^  fit 
and  proper,  that  Christians  should  be  much  in  prayer  for  the  revival  of  religion, 
and  much  more  in  it  than  they  used  to  be,  without  agreeing  on  particular  times, 
how  liable  would  such  a  lax  agreement  be  to  be  soon  forgotten,  and  that  extra- 
ordinar)'  prayerfulncss,  which  is  fixed  to  no  certain  times,  to  be  totally  neglected? 
To  be  sure,  distant  parts  of  the  church  of  Christ  could  have  no  confidence  in 
one  another,  that  this  would  not  be  the  case.  If  these  ministers  in  Scotland, 
instead  of  the  proposal  they  have  made,  or  any  other  ministers  or  Christians  in 
any  part  of  the  Christian  world,  had  sent  abroad  only  a  general  proposal,  that 
God's  people  should,  for  time  to  come,  be  much  more  in  prayer  for  the  advance- 
ment of  Christ's  kingdom,  than  had  been  common  among  Christians  heretofore ; 
and  they  should  hear  their  proposal  was  generally  allowed  to  be  good  ;  and  that 
ministers  and  people,  in  one  place  and  another,  that  had  occasion  to  speak  their 
minds  upon  it,  owned  that  it  was  a  ver^'  proper  thing,  that  Christians  should 
pray  more  for  this  mercy  than  they  generally  used  to  do ;  could  they  from  this 
only,  have  in  any  measure  tlie  like  grounds  of  dependence,  that  God's  people 
in  various  parts  of  the  Christian  world,  would  indeed  henceforward  act  unitedly, 
in  maintaining  extraordinary  prayer  for  this  merc)'^,  as  if  they  should  not  only 
hear  that  the  dut}'  in  general  was  approved  of,  but  also  that  particular  times 
were  actually  fixed  on  for  the  purpose,  and  an  agreement  and  joint  resolution 
was  come  into,  that  they  would,  unless  extraordinarily  hindered,  set  apart  such 
particular  seasons  to  be  spent  in  this  duty,  from  time  to  time,  maintaining  this 
practice  for  a  certain  number  of  years  ? 

2.  For  God's  people  in  distant  places  to  agree  on  certain  times  for  extraor- 
dinary prayer,  wherein  they  will  unitedly  put  up  their  requests  to  God,  is  a 
means  fit  and  proper  to  be  used,  in  order  to  the  visihiUly  of  their  union  in  such 
prayer.  Union  among  God's  people  in  prayer  is  truly  beautiful,  as  has  been 
before  observed  and  shown  ;  it  is  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  Christ,  and  it  is  justly 
beautiful  and  amiable  in  the  eyes  of  Christians.     And  if  so,  then  it  must  needs 


468  UNION  IN  PR.\YER. 

be  desirable  to  Christians  that  such  union  should  be  visible.  If  it  would  be  a 
lovely  sight  in  the  eyes  of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  much  to  their  comfort,  to 
behold  various  and  dillerent  parts  of  the  chuich  united  in  extraordinary  prayer 
for  the  general  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  then  it  must  be  desirable  to  them  that 
such  a  union  should  be  visible,  that  they  may  behold  it  ;  for  if  it  be  not  visibl,e,  it 
cannot  be  beheld.  But  agreement  and  union  in  a  multitude  in  their  worship  be« 
comes  visible,  by  an  agreement  in  some  external  visible  circumstances.  Worship 
itself  becomes  visible  worship,  by  something  external  and  visible  belonging  to  the 
Worship,  and  no  other  way  :  theiefore  union  and  agreement  of  many  in  worship 
becomes  visible  no  other  way,  but  by  union  and  agreement  in  the  external  and 
visible  acts  and  circumstances  of  the  worship.  Such  union  and  agreement  becomes 
visible,  particularly  by  an  agreement  in  those  two  visible  circumstances,  ime  and 
flace.  When  a  number  of  Christians  live  near  together,  and  their  number  and 
situation  is  convenient,  and  they  have  a  desire  visibly  to  unite  in  any  acts  of  wor- 
ship, they  are  wont  to  make  their  union  and  agreement  visible  by  a  union  in  both 
these  circumstances.  But  when  a  much  greater  number  of  Christians,  dwelling 
in  distant  places,  so  that  they  cannot  unite  by  worshipping  in  the  same  place, 
and  }'et  desire  a  visible  union  in  some  extraordiiuiiy  worship  ;  they  are  wont  to 
make  their  union  and  agreement  visible,  by  agreeing  only  in  the  former  of  those 
circumstances,  viz.,  that  of  time ;  as  is  common  in  the  appointment  of  public 
fasts  and  thanksgivings  ;  the  same  day  is  appointed,  for  the  performance  of 
that  extraordinary  worship,  by  all  those  Christians, .in  different  places,  that  It  is 
intended  should  be  united  therein,  as  a  visible  note  of  their  union.  This  the 
common  light  and  sense  of  God's  people  leads  Christians  to,  in  all  countries. 
And  the  wisdom  of  God  seems  to  dictate  the  same  thing,  in  appointing  that  his 
people,  through  the  world,  in  all  ages,  in  their  stated  and  ordinary  public  wor- 
ship, every  week,  should  manifest  this  union  and  communion  one  with  another, 
in  their  Avorship,  as  one  holy  society,  and  great  congregation  of  worshippers, 
and  servants  of  God  ;  by  offering  up  their  worship  on  the  same  day  ;  for  the 
greater  glory  of  their  common  Lord,  and  the  greater  edification  and  comfort  of 
the  whole  body. 

If  any  yet  find  fault  with  the  proposal  of  certain  times  to  be  agreed  on  by 
God's  people  in  different  places,  in  the  manner  set  forth  in  the  memorial,  I 
would  ask  whether  they  object  against  any  such  thing,  as  a  visible  agreement  of 
God's  people,  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  in  extraordinary  prayer,  for  the 
coming  of  Christ's  kingdom  ?  Whether  such  a  thing  being  visible  would  not 
be  much  for  the  public  honor  of  God's  name  1  And  whether  it  would  not  tend 
to  Christians'  assistance,  quickening  and  encouragement  in  the  duty  united  in, 
by  mutual  example,  and  also  to  their  mutual  comfort,  by  a  manifestation  of  that 
union  which  is  amiable  to  Christ  and  Cluistians,  and  to  promote  a  Christian 
union  among  professing  Christians  in  general  1  And  whether  we  have  not 
reason  to  think,  from  the  word  of  God,  that  before  that  great  revival  of  religion 
foretold,  is  accomplished,  there  will  be  a  visible  union  of  the  people  of  God,  in 
various  parts  of  the  world,  in  extraordinary  prayer,  for  this  mercy?  If  these 
things  are  allowed,  I  would  then  ask  further,  whethei-  any  method  can  be 
thought  of  or  devised,  whereby  an  express  agreement,  and  visible  union  of 
God's  people,  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  can  be  come  into,  and  maintained, 
but  this,  or  some  other  equivalent  to  it  ?  If  there  be  an  express  agreement  about 
any  extraordinary  prayer  at  all,  it  must  first  be  proposed  by  some,  and  others 
must  fall  in,  in  the  manner  as  is  represented  in  my  text.  And  if  extraordinary 
prayer  be  agreed  on  and  maintained  by  many  in  different  places,  visibly  one 
with  another,  then  it  must  be  agreed  in  some  respect,  and  with  regard  to  some 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  469 

circurastanccs,  what  extraordinary  prayer  shall  be  kept  up  ;  and  it  must  be  seen 
and  hoard  of,  from  one  to  another,  what  extraordinary  prayer  is  kept  up.  But 
how  shall  this  be,  when  no  times  are  agreed  upon,  and  it  is  never  known  nor 
lieard,  by  those  in  dillerent  parts,  nor  is  in  any  respect  visible  to  thera',  when  or 
liow  often,  those  in  one  town  or  country,  and  another,  do  attend  this  extraordi- 
nary prayer  ?  And  the  consequence  must  necessarily  be,  that  it  can  never  be 
known  how  far,  or  in  what  respect  others  join  with  them  in  extraordinary 
prayer,  or  whether  they  do  it  at  all ;  and  not  so  much  as  one  circumstance  of  ex- 
traoahnary  prayer  will  be  visible  ;  and  indeed  nothing  will  be  visible  about  it 
So  that  I  think  that  any  body  that  well  considers  the  matter,  will  sec  that  he 
that  determines  to  oppose  such  a  method  as  is  proposed  to  us  in  the  memorial, 
^id  all  others  equivalent  to  it,  is  in  elPect  determined  to  oppose  there  ever  being 
any  such  thing  at  all,  as  an  agreed  and  visibly  united,  extraordinary  prayer,  in 
the  church  of  God,  for  a  general  outpouring  of  the  Spirit. 

3.  Though  it  would  not  be  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  merely  such  a  circum- 
stance of  prayer,  as  many  people's  praying  at  the  same  time,  W'ill  directly  have 
any  influence  or  prevalence  with  GW,  to  cause  him  to  be  the  more  ready  to  hear 
prayer  ;  yet  such  a  circumstance  may  reasona!)ly  be  supposed  to  have  influence 
on  the  minds  of  men  ;    as  the  consideration  of   it  may  tend  to  encourage  and 
assist  those  in  praying,  that  are  united  in  prayer.     Will  any  deny,  that  it  has 
any  reasonable  tendency  to  encourage,  animate,  or  in  any  respect  to  lielp  the  mind 
of  a  Christian  in  serving  God  in  any  duty  of  religion,  to  join  with  a  Christian 
congregation,  and  to  see  an  assembly  of  his  dear  brethren  around  him  at  the 
same  time  en^rageil  with  him  in  the  same  duty  ?  And  supposing  one  in  this  assem- 
bly of  saints  IS  blind,  and  sees  no  one  there  ;  but  has  by  other  means  ground  of 
Satisfaction  that  there  is  present  at  that  time  a  multitude  of  God's  people,  that 
are  united  with  him  in  the  same  service  ;  will  any  deny,  that  his  supposing  this 
and  being  satisfied  of  it,  can  have  any  reasonable  influence  upon  his  mind,  to 
excite  and  encourage  him  or  in  any  respect  to  assist  him,  in  his  worship  ?  The 
encouragement  or  help  that  one  that  joins  with  an  assembly  in  worshipping  God, 
has  in  his  worship,  by  others  being  united  with  him,  is  not  merely  by  any  thing 
that  he  immediately  perceives  by  sight,  or  any  other  of  the  external  senses  (for 
union  in  worship  is  not  a  thing  objected  to  the  external  senses),  but  by  the 
notice  or  knowledge  the   mind  has  ot  that  union,  or  the  satisfaction  the  imder- 
standing  has  that  others,  at  that  time,  have  their  minds  engaged  with  him  in  the 
same  service  :  which  may  be,  when  those  unitedly  engaged,  are  at  a  distance 
one  from  another,  as  well  as  when  they  are  present.     H  one  be  present  in  a 
^vorshipping  assembly,  and  is  not  blind,  and  sees  others  present,  and  sees  their 
external  b-havior  ;  their  union  and  engagedness  with  him  in  worship,  is  what  he 
does  not  see  :  and  what  he  sees  encourages  and  assists  him  in  his  worship,  only 
as  he  takes  it  as  an  evidence  of  that  union  and  concurrence  in  his  worship,  that 
is  out  of  his  sight.     And  persons  may  have  evidence  of  this,  concerning  per- 
sons that  are  absent,  that  may  give  him  as  much  satisfaction  of  their  union 
with  him,  as  if  they  were  present.    And  therefore  consideration  of  others  being 
at  the  same  time  engaged  with  him  in  worship,  that  are  absent,  may  as  reason- 
ably animate  and  encoura^-e  him  in  his  worship,  as  if  tliey  were  present. 

There  is  no  wisdom  in  finding  fault  with  human  nature,  as  God  has  made  it 
Things  that  exist  now,  at  this  present  time,  are  in  themselves  no  more  weighty 
or  important,  than  like  things,  and  of  equal  reality,  that  existed  in  time  past, 
or  are  to  exist  in  time  to  come:  yet  it  is  evident  thatthe  consideration  of  things 
being  present  (at  least  in  most  cases)  does  especially  affect  human  nature.  As 
for  instance  if  a  man  could  be  certainly  informed,  that  his  dear  child  at  a  dis- 


470  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

tance,  was  now  under  some  extreme  suffering ;  or  that  an  absent  most  dear  friend, 
was  at  this  time  tliinking  of  him,  and  in  the  exercise  of  great  affection  towards 
him,  or  in  the  performance  of  some  great  deed  of  friendship  ;  or  if  a  pious  parent 
should  know  that  now  his  child  was  in  the  act  of  some  enormous  wickedness  ;  or 
that  on  the  contraiy,  he  was  now  in  some  eminent  exercise  of  grace,  and  in  the 
performance  of  an  extraordinary  deed  of  virtue  and  piety;  would  not  those  things 
be  more  aifecting  to  the  human  nature,  ibr  being  considered  as  things  that  are  m 
existence,  at  the  present  time,  than  if  considered  as  at  some  distance  of  time,  either 
past  or  future  1  Hundreds  of  other  instances  might  be  mentioned,  wherein  it  is  no 
less  plain,  that  the  consideration  of  the  present  existence  of  things,  gives  them 
advantage  to  affect  the  minds  of  men.  Yea,  it  is  undoubtedly  so  with  things  in 
general,  that  take  any  hold  at  all  of  our  affections,  and  towards  which  we  are  not 
indiflferent.  And  if  the  mind  of  a  particular  child  of  God  is  disposed  to  be  affected 
by  the  consideration  of  the  religion  q^  other  saints,  and  with  their  union  and 
concurrence  with  him  in  any  particular  duty,  or  act  of  religion,  I  can  see  no 
reason  why  the  human  mind  should  not  be  more  moved  by  the  object  of  its  aff'ec- 
tion,  when  considered  as  present,  as  well  in  this  case,  as  in  any  other  case  : 
Yea,  I  think  we  may  on  good  grounds  determine  there  is  none. 

Nor  may  we  look  upon  it  as  an  instance  of  the  peculiar  weakness  of  the 
human  nature,  that  men  are  more  affected  with  things  that  are  considered  as 
present,  than  those  that  are  distant :  but  it  seems  to  be  a  thing  common  to  finite 
minds,  and  so  to  all  created  inteUigent  beings.  Thus,  the  angels  in  heaven 
have  peculiar  joy,  on  occasion  of  the  conversion  of  a  sinner,  when  recent,  beyond 
what  they  have  in  that  which  has  been  long  past.  If  any,  therefore,  shall  call  it 
silly  and  whimsical  in  any,  to  value  and  regard  such  a  circumstance,  in  things  of 
religion,  as  their  existing  at  the  present  time,  so  as  to  be  the  more  affected  with 
them  for  that;  they  must  call  the  host  of  angels  in  heaven  a  parcel  of  silly  and 
whimsical  beings. 

I  remember,  the  Spectator  (whom  none  will  call  a  whimsical  author),  some- 
where speaking  of  different  ways  of  dear  friends  mutually  expi^ssing  their  affec- 
tion, and  maintaining  a  kind  of  intercourse,  in  absence  one  from  another,  men- 
tions such  an  instance  as  this,  v^ith  much  approbation,  viz.,  that  two  friends, 
that  were  greatly  endeared  one  to  another,  when  about  to  part,  and  to  be  for  a 
considerable  time  necessarily  absent,  that  they  might  have  the  comfort  of  the 
enjoyment  of  daily  mutual  expressions  of  friendship,  in  their  absence;  agieed 
that  they  would,  every  day,  precisely  at  such  an  houi-,  retire  from  all  company 
and  business,  to  pray  one  for  another.  Which  agreement  they  so  valued,  and 
so  strictly  observed,  that  when  the  hour  came,  scarce  any  thing  would  hinder 
them.  And  rather  than  miss  the  opportunity,  they  would  suddenly  break  off' 
conversation,  and  abruptly  leave  company  they  were  engaged  with.  If  this  be 
a  desirable  way  of  Intercourse  of  particular  friends,  is  it  not  a  desirable  and 
amiable  way  of  maintaining  intercourse  and  fellowship  between  brethren  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  the  various  members  of  the  holy  family  of  God,  in  different 
parts  of  the  world,  to  come  into  an  agreement,  that  they  will  set  apart  certain 
times,  which  they  wall  spend  with  one  accord,  in  extraordinary  prayer  to  their 
heavenly  Father,  for  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  and  glory  of  their  common 
dear  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  for  each  other's  prosperity  and  happiness,  and  the 
greatest  good  of  all  their  fellow-creatures  through  the  world  ? 

Object.  III.  Some  perhaps  may  object,  that  it  looks  too  much  like  Phari- 
saism, when  persons  engage  in  any  such  extraordinary  religious  exercises,  beyond 
what  is  appointed  by  express  institution,  for  them  thus  designedly  to  make  it  man- 
ifest abroad  in  the  world,  and  so  openly  to  distinguish  themselves  from  others 


UNION   IN  PRAYER.  471 

Ans.  1.  All  open  enijjiiging  in  extraordinary  exercises  of  religion,  not  ex- 
pressily  enjoineil  by  institution,  is  not  Piiarisaisni,  nor  has  ever  been  so  reputed 
m  the  Christian  churcli.  As  when  a  particular  church  or  congregation  of  Chris- 
tians agree  together  to  keep  a  day  ot  iksting  and  prayer,  on  some  special  occa- 
sion ;  or  when  public  da}  s  of  lasting  and  thaidcsgiving  are  kept  liiroughout  a 
Christian  province  or  country  :  and  though  it  be  ordinarily  the  maimer  of  the 
civil  magistrate  to  lead  in  the  setliiig  ai)arl  such  days  ;  yet  that  alters  not  the 
case:  if  it  be  Pharisaism  in  the  society  openly  to  agree  in  such  extraordinary 
exercises  of  religion,  it  is  not  jess  Pharisaism,  for  the  heads  of  the  society  leading 
in  the  affair.  And  if  that  were  now  the  case  with  the  Christian  church,  that 
once  was,  lor  about  three  hundred  yeare  together,  that  the  civil  magistrate  was 
not  of  the  society  of  Christians,  nor  con(;erned  himself  in  their  alfairs;  yet 
this  would  not  render  it  the  less  suitable  for  Christians,  on  proper  occasions, 
jointly  and  visibly,  one  to  another,  to  engage  in  such  extraordinary  exercises  of 
religion,  and  to  keep  days  of  fasting  and  thanksgiving  by  agreement. 

Ans.  2.  As  to  the  latter  part  of  the  objection,  there  can  be  no  room  for  it 
in  this  case.  It  cannot  be  objected  against  what  is  proposed  in  the  memorial, 
that  if  persons  should  comply  with  it,  it  would  look  like  affecting  singularity, 
and  open  distinction  from  others  of  God's  professing  people,  in  extraordinary 
religion,  such  as  was  in  the  Pharisees  of  old  :  because  it  is  evident,  the  very 
design  of  the  memorial,  is  not  to  promote  singularity  and  distinction,  but  as 
much  as  possible  to  avoid  and  prevent  it.  The  end  of  the  memorial  is  not  to 
confine  and  limit  the  thing  proposed,  that  it  may  be  practised  only  by  a  few-,  in 
distinction  from  the  generality ;  but  on  the  contrary  to  extend  it,  and  make  it 
as  general  among  professing  Christians  as  possible.  Some  had  complied  with 
the  extraordinary  duty  proposed,  and  therein  had  been  distinguished  from  others, 
for  two  years,  before  the  memorial  was  published ;  and  they  were  more  distin- 
guished than  they  desired ;  and  th'jre fore  send  abroad  this  memorial,  that  the 
practice  might  be  more  spread,  and  become  more  general,  that  they  might  be 
less  distinguished.  WJiat  they  evidently  seek,  is  to  bring  to  pass  as  general  a 
compliance  as  possible  of  Christians  of  all  denominations,  entreating  that  the  de- 
sire of  concurrence  and  assistance,  contained  in  the  memorial,  may  hy  no  means 
he  understood,  as  restricting  to  any  particular  denomination  or  party,  or  those 
who  are  of  such  i:r  such  opinions  about  any  former  instances  of  rtmarkuhlc  re- 
ligious concern  ;  hut  to  he  extended  to  all,  who  shall  vouchsafe  any  attention  to 
the  proposed,  and  have  at  heart  the  interest  of  vital  Christianity,  and  the  power 
of  godliness  ;  and  icho,  however  differing  about  other  things,  are  convinced  of 
the  importance  of  fervent  prayer,  to  promote  that  co'mmon  interest,  and  of 
Scripture  persuasives,  to  pru/nolc  such  prayer. 

Odjkct.  IV.  Another  objection,  that  is  very  likely  to  arise  in  the  minds  of 
many  against  such  extraordinary  prayer  as  is  proposed  for  the  speedy  coming 
of  Christ's  kingdom,  is  that  we  have  no  reason  to  expect  it, until  there  first  come 
a  time  of  most  extreme  calamity  to  the  church  of  God,  and  prevalence  of  her 
Antichristian  enemies  against  her ;  even  that  which  is  represented,  Rev.  xi.,  by 
tlie  slaying  of  the  witnesses  ;  but  have  reason  to  determine  thecontrai-)'. 

A\s.  It  is  an  opinion  that  seems  pretty  much  to  have  obtained,  that  before 
tlie  fuliiiment  of  the  promises  relating  to  the  church's  latter  day  glory,  there 
must  come  a  most  terrible  time,  a  time  of  extreme  suffering,  and  dreadful  per- 
secution of  the  church  of  Christ ;  wherein  Satan  and  Antiolnist  are  to  obtain 
their  greatest  victoiy  over  her,  and  she  is  to  De  brought  lower  than  ever  by  her 
enemies.  Which  opinion  has  chiefly  risen  from  the  manner  of  inleqireting  and 
applying  the  forementioned  prophecy  of  the  slaying  of  the  witnesses.     Tlxis 


472  UNION  IN  FRAYER. 

opinion,  with  such  persons  as  retain  it,  must  needs  be  a  gTeat  restraint  and  hin- 
derance,  with  regard  to  such  an  affair  as  is  proposed  to  us  in  the  memorial.  If 
persons  expect  no  other,  than  that  the  more  the  glorious  times  of  Christ's  king- 
dom are  hastened,  the  sooner  will  come  this  dreadful  time,  wherein  the  generality 
of  God's  people  must  suffer  so  extremely,  and  the  church  of  Christ  be  almost 
extinguished,  and  l;lotted  out  from  under  heaven;  how  can  it  be  otherwise,  than 
a  gre.rti  damp  to  their  hope,  coiu'&ge  and  activity,  in  praying  for,  and  reaching 
after  the  speedy  introduction  of  those  glorious  promised  times  ?  As  long  as  this 
opinion  is  retained,  it  will  undoubtedly  ever  have  .this  unhappy  influence  on  the 
minds  of  those  that  wish  well  to  Zion,  and  favor  her  stones  and  dust.  It  will 
tend  to  damp,  deaden,  and  keep  down,  life,  hope,  and  joyful  expectation  in 
prayer;  and  even  in  great  measure,  to  prevent  all  earnest,  animated  and  encour- 
aged prayer,  in  God's  people,  for  this  mercy,  at  any  time  before  it  is  actually 
fulfilled.  For  they  that  proceed  on  this  hypothesis  in  theu"  prayers,  must,  at  the 
same  time  that  they  pray  for  this  glorious  day,  naturally  conclude  within  them- 
selves, that  they  shall  never  live  to  see  on  the  earih  any  dawning  of  it,  but  only 
to  see  the  dismal  time  that  shall  precede  it,  in  which  the  far  greater  part  of 
God's  people,  that  shall  live  until  then,  shall  die  under  the  extreme  cruehies  of 
their  persecutors.  And  the  more  they  expect  that  God  will  answer  their  prayers, 
by  speedily  brijiging  on  the  promised  glorious  day,  the  more  must  they  withal 
expect  themselves,  to  have  a  share  in  those  dreadful  things,  that  nature  shrinks 
at  the  thoughts  of,  and  also  expect  to  see  things  that  a  renewed  nature  shrinks 
at  and  dreads;  even  the  prevailing  of  God's  enemies,  and  the  almost  total  ex- 
tinguishing the  true  religion  in  the  world.  And  on  this  hypothesis,  these  dis- 
couragements are  like  to  attend  the  prayers  of  God's  people,  until  that  dismal 
time  be  actually  come  :  and  when  that  is  come,  those  that  had  been  prophesying 
and  praying  in  sackcloth,  shall  generally  be  slain  :  and  after  that  time  is  over, 
then  the  gloiious  day  shall  immediately  commence.  So  that  this  notion  tends 
to  discourage  and  hinder  all  earnest  prayer  in  the  church  of  God  for  that  glo- 
rious coming  of  Christ's  kingdom,  until  it  be  actually  come;  and  that  is  to 
hinder  its  ever  being  at  all. 

It  being  so,  this  opinion  being  of  such  hurtful  tendency,  certainly  it  is  a 
thousand  pities  it  should  prevail  and  be  retained,  if  truly  there  be  no  good  ground 
for  it. 

Therefore  in  answer  to  this  objection,  I  would, with  all  humihty  and  modes- 
ty, examine  the  foundation  of  that  opinion,  of  such  a  dreadful  time  of  victory  of 
Antichrist  over  the  church,  yet  to  be  expected  :  and  particulai'ly  shall  endeavor 
to  show  that  the  slaying  of  the  witnesses,  foretold  Rev.  xi.  7 — 10,  is  not  an 
event  that  remairts  yet  to  be  fulfilled.  To  this  end,  I  w^ould  propose  the  follow- 
ing things  to  consideration. 

1.  The  time  w'herein  the  vntnesses  lie  dead  in  the  streets  of  the  great  city, 
doubtless  signifies  the  time  wherein  the  true  church  of  Christ  is  lowest  of  all, 
most  of  all  prevailed  against  by  Antichrist,  and  nearest  to  an  utter  extinction ; 
the  time  wherein  there  is  left  the  least  visibility  of  the  church  of  Christ  yet  sub- 
sisting in  the  world,  least  remains  of  any  thing  appertaining  to  true  religion, 
whence  a  revival  of  it  can  be  expected,  and  wherein  all  means  of  it  are  most 
abolished,  and  the  state  of  the  church  is  in  all  respects  furthest  from  any  thing 
whence  any  hopes  of  its  ever  flourishing  again  might  arise.  For  before  this, 
the  witnesses  prophesy  in  sackgloth  ;  but  now  they  are  dead  :  before  this,  they 
were  kept  low  indeed,  yet  there  was  life,  and  power  to  bring  plagues  on  their 
enemies,  and  so  much  of  Inie  religion  left,  as  to  be  a  continual  eyesore  and 
torment  to  them ;  but  now  their  enemies  rejoice  and  feast,  and  h~  ye  a  general 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  473 

[mhY\c.  triumph,  as  having-  oblainoil  a  full  victory  over  them,  and  havinf^  entire- 
y  extirpalod  ihcni,  and  bi-ini;  coinpK'tely  delivered  from  them,  and  all  that 
might  i^ive  thorn  any  Tear  nt'  heing  ever  troubled  with  them  any  more. — This 
time,  wherever  it  be  fixed,  doubtless  is  (he  time,  not  only,  wherein  fewest  pro- 
fessors of  true  religion  are  left  in  the  world;  but  a  time  wherein  the  truth  shall 
be  farthest  out  of  sight,  antl  out  of  reach,  and  most  forgotten;  wherein  there 
are  left  fewest  beams  of  light  or  tract  s  of  truth,  fewest  means  of  information, 
and  opportunities  of  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  tiie  truth  ;  and  so  a  time  of 
the  most  barbarous  ignorance,  most  destitute  of  all  history,  relics,  monuments  and 
memory  of  thi?igs  appertaining  to  true  religion,  or  things,  the  knowledge  of 
which  hath  any  tendency  to  bring  truth  again  to  light ;  and  most  destitute  of 
learning,  study  an  inquiry. 

Now,  if  we  consider  the  present  stale  of  mankind,  is  it  credible,  that  a  time 
will  yet  come  in  the  world,  that  in  these  res])ects  exceeds  all  times  that  were 
before  the  reformation  '?  And  that  such  a  time  will  come  before  tlie  fall  of 
Antichrist,  unless  we  set  that  at  a  much  greater  distance,  than  the  farthest  that 
any  have  yet  supposed  ?  It  is  next  to  iinpossible,  that  such  a  change  should 
be  brought  about  in  so  short  a  time:  it  cannot  be  without  a  miracle.  Jn  order 
to  it,  not  only  must  the  Popish  nations  so  prevail,  as  utterly  to  extirpate  the 
Protestant  religion  through  the  earth  ;  but  must  do  many  other  things,  far  more 
impossible  for  them  to  effect,  in  order  to  cover  the  world  with  so  gross  and  con- 
firmed a  darkness,  and  to  bury  all  light  and  truth  in  so  deep  an  oblivion,  and  so 
far  out  of  all  means  and  hopes  of  a  revival.  And  not  only  must  a  vast  change 
be  made  in  the  Protestant  world,  but  the  Popish  nations  must  be  strangely  me- 
tamorphosed ;  and  they  themselves  must  be  terribly  persecuted  by  some  other 
power,  in  order  to  bring  them  to  such  a  change:  nor  would  persecution  without 
extirpation  be  sufficient  for  it.  If  there  should  be  another  universal  deluge,  it 
might  be  sufficient  to  bring  things  in  the  world  to  such  a  pass  ;  provided  a  few 
ignorant  barbarous  persons  only  were  preserved  in  an  ark  :  and  it  would  require 
some  catastropiie,  not  much  short  of  this,  to  effect  it. 

2.  In  the  reformation  that  was  in  the  days  of  Luther,  Calvin  and  others, 
their  contemporaries,  the  threatened  destruction  of  Antichrist,  that  dreadful 
enemy,  that  had  long  oppressed  and  worn  out  the  saints,  was  begun  ;  nor  was 
it  a  small  beginning,  but  Antichrist  had  fallen,  at  least  half  way  to  the  ground, 
from  that  height  of  power  and  grandeur,  that  he  was  in  before.  Then  began 
the  vials  of  God's  wrath  to  be  foured  out  on  the  throiv  ofilip.  beast,  io  the  great 
shaking  o4'  its  foundations,  and  diminution  of  its  extent ;  so  that  the  Pope  lost 
near  half  of  his  former  dominions:  and  as  to  degree  of  authority  and  influence 
over  what  is  left,  he  is  not  now  possessed  of  what  he  had  before.  God  now  at 
length,  in  answer  to  the  lono;  continued  cries  of  his  people,  awaked  as  one 
out  of  sleep,  and  began  to  deliver  his  church  from  her  exceeding  low  slate,  that 
she  had  continued  in  for  many  ages,  under  the  great  oppression  of  this  grand 
enemy,  and  to  restore  her  from  her  exile  and  bondage  in  the  spiritual  Babylon 
and  Egypt. — And  it  is  not  agreeable  to  the  analogy  of  God's  dispensations,  that 
after  this,  God  should  desert  his  people,  and  hide  himself  from  them,  even  more 
than  before,  and  leave  thern  more  than  ever  in  the  hands  of  their  eneiry,  and  all 
this  advantage  of  the  church  against  Antichrist  should  be  entirely  given  up  and 
lost,  and  the  power  and  t^'ranny  of  Antichrist  be  more  confirmed,  and  the  church 
brought  more  under,  and  more  entirely  subdued  than  ever  before,  and  further 
from  all  help  and  means  to  recover.  This  is  not  God's  way  of  dealing  with  his 
people,  or  with  their  enemies:  his  work  of  salvation  Ls  perfect  :  when  he  has 
\  ^gun  such  a  work  he  will  carr}'  it  on  :  when  he  once  caases  th(  day  of  deliver- 
VoL.  III.  60 


474  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

ance  to  dawn  to  his  people,  after  such  a  long  night  of  dismal  darkness,  he  will 
not  extinguish  the  light,  and  cause  them  to  return  again  to  midnight  darkness ; 
when  he  has  begun  to  enkindle  the  blessed  fire,  he  will  not  quench  the  smoking 
flax,  until  he  hath  brought  forth  judgment  unto  victory.  When  once  the  church, 
after  her  long  labor  and  sore  travail,  has  brought  forth  her  man-child,  and 
Avrought  some  deliverance,  her  enemies  shall  never  be  able  to  destroy  this  child, 
though  an  infant ;  but  it  shall  ascend  up  to  heaven,  and  be  set  on  "high  out  of 
their  reach. 

The  destruction  that  God  often  foretold  and  threatened  to  ancient  Babylon 
(which  is  often  referred  to  in  the  Revelation,  as  a  great  type  of  tlie  Antichris- 
lian  church)  was  gradually  accomplished,  and  fulfilled  by  varicais  steps,  at  a 
great  distance  of  time  one  from  another  :  it  was  begun  in  the  conquest  of  Cyrus, 
and  was  further  accomplished  by  Darius,  about  eighteen  years  after,  by  a  yet 
gi-eater  destruction,  wherein  it  was  brought  much  nearer  to  utter  desolation  ;  but  it 
was  about  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  years  after  this,  before  the  ruin  of  it  was 
perfected,  and  the  prophecies  against  it  fully  accomplished,  m  its  being  made 
an  utter  and  perpetual  desolation,  without  any  human  inhabitant,  becoming 
the  dwelling  place  for  owls,  dragons  and  other  doleful  creatures.  But  yet 
when  God  had  once  begun  to  destroy  her,  he  went  on  until  he  finished,  and 
never  suffered  her  any  more  to  recover  and  establish  her  former  empire.  So  the 
restitution  of  the  Jewish  church,  after  the  Babylonish  captivity,  was  gradual, 
by  various  steps  ;  there  were  several  times  of  retuin  of  the  Jews  from  captivity, 
and  several  distinct  decrees  of  the  Persian  emperors,  for  the  restoring  and  re- 
building Jei'usalem,  and  re-establishing  the  Jewish  church  and  state ;  and  it  was 
done  in  turbulent  times;  there  were  great  interruptions  and  checks,  and  violent 
oppositions,  and  times  wherein  the  enemy  did  much  prevail :  but  yet,  when  God 
had  once  begun  the  work,  he  also  made  an  end  ;  he  never  sufflered  the  enemies 
of  the  Jews  to  bring  Jerusalem  to  such  a  state  of  desolation  as  it  had  been  in 
before,  until  the  promised  restoration  was  complete.  Again, The  deliverance  of 
God's  church  from  the  oppression  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes  (another  knovm 
type  of  Antichrist)  was  gradual  ;  they  were  first  holpen  with  a  little  help,  by 
the  Maccabees ;  and  afterwards  the  promised  deliverance  was  completed,  in 
the  recovery  of  Jerusalem,  the  restoration  of  the  temple,  the  miserable  end  of 
Antiochus,  and  the  consequent  more  full  deliverance  of  the  whole  land.  But 
after  God  once  began  to  appear  for  the  help  of  his  church  in  that  instance,  after 
it  seemed  dead  and  past  all  hope,  he  never  suffered  Antiochus  to  prevail  against 
his  people,  to  that  degree,  again  ;  though  the  utmost  strength  of  this  great 
monarch  was  used,  from  time  to  time,  in  order  to  it,  and  his  vast  empire  was 
eno-aged  against  a  handful  that  opposed  them  :  God  never  forsook  the  work 
of  nis  own  hand ;  when  he  had  begun  to  deliver  his  people,  he  also  made  an 
end.  And  so  Hainan,  that  proud  and  inveterate  enemy  of  the  Jews,  that 
thought  to  extirpate  the  whole  nation,  who  also  was  probably  another  type  of 
Antichrist,  when  he  began  to  fall  before  Esther  and  Mordecai,  never  stayed, 
until  his  ruin  and  the  church's  deliveiance  were  complete.  Haman's  vvdfe 
speaks  of  it,  as  an  argument  of  his  approaching  inevitable  full  destruction,  that 
he  had  begun  to  fall,  Esth.  vi.  15. 

3.  If  it  should  be  so  that  Antichristian  tyranny  and  darkness  should  here- 
after so  prevail  against  the  Protestant  chmch,  and  the  true  religion,  and  every 
thing  appertaining  to  it,  as  to  bring  things  to  the  pass  forementioned,  this  would 
hardly  so  properly  answer  the  prophecy  of  slaying  the  two  witne.'^scs ;  for 
doubtless,  one  reason  why  they  are  called  two  witnesses,  is  that  the  number  of 
the  remaining  witnesses  for  the  truth,  though  sufficient,  was  yet  very  small. 


UNION    L\   PRAYKR.  47^ 

Which  was  remarkably  the  case,  in  the  dark  tiin«i  of  popery  :  biil  since  the 
reformation,  tlie  number  of  those  appearini;  on  the  siih-  of  true  religion,  has 
been  far  from  being  so  small.  Tlw  visible  church  of  Christ  h:us  bt-in  va.slly 
large,  in  comparison  of  Mh.it  it  was  before:  the  number  of  Protestants  has 
someliuKS  been  tliougbl  lu-arly  etjual  to  that  of  the  Papists;  ami  doublkss  iht- 
number  of  true  saints  lias  been  far  greater  than  before. 

4.  It  seems  to  be  signified  in  prophecy,  that  aftei  (he  reformatiwi  .\ntiehrist 
should  never  prevail  against  the  iluireh  of  Chiist  any  more,  as  he  had  done  be- 
fore. I  cannot  but  think,  that  whoever  reads  and  we'll  considers  what  the  learned 
Mr.  Lowman  has  written  on  the  five  first  vials,  Kev.  xvi.,  in  his  late  exposition 
on  the  Revelation,  must  think  it  to  be  very  manife.st,  that  what  is  saiil  ver.  10, 
of  the  pouring  out  of  the  fifth  vial  mi  the  throne  of  llic  bcosl  (for  so  it  is  in  the 
original),  is  a  projiliccy  ol  the  reformation.  Then  the  vial  ot  (Jod's  wrath  wj'.s 
poured  out  on  the  throne  of  the  beasi,  i.  e.,  according  to  the  language  of  Scrip- 
ture, on  his  authority  and  domimon,  greatly  to  weaken  and  diminish  it,  both  in 
extent  and  degree.  But  when  this  is  represi-nted  in  the  pioi)liciy,  tln-n  it  is 
atlded,  and  his  kingdom  lowifull  of  darkness,  and  they  gnawed  Ihci'r  longtus  ff, 
■pain.  It'  we  consider  what  is  commonly  intended  by  such  like  phrases  in  the 
Scripture,  I  think  we  shall  be  naturally,  and  as  it  were  necessarily  led  to  under- 
stand those  words  thus  :  their  policy,  by  which  heretofore  they  have  prevailed, 
sliall  now  fail  them  ;  their  authority  shall  be  weakened,  and  their  domini(m 
greatly  diminished,  and  all  their  craft  and  sui)tilty  shall  not  avail  them  to  main- 
tain and  sup})ort  the  throne  of  the  beast,  or  ever  again  to  extend  his  authority 
so  far  as  it  had  been  belbre  extended,  and  to  recover  what  it  lost ;  but  all  theix 
crafty  devices  to  this  end  shall  be  attended  with  vexatious,  tormenting  disap- 
pointment ;  they  that  have  the  management  of  the  aflairs  of  the  beiLst's  king- 
dom, shall  henceforward  grope  as  in  the  dark,  and  stumble  and  be  confounded 
in  their  purposes,  plots  and  enterprises ;  formerly  their  policy  wa.s  greatly 
successful,  was  as  a  light  to  guide  them  to  their  ends,  but  now  their  kingdom 
shall  be  full  of  darkness,  and  their  wisdom  shall  fail  them  in  all  their  devices  to 
subdue,  and  again  to  bring  under  the  church  of  God. 

The  Scripture  takes  notice  of  the  great  policy  and  subtilty  of  the  powers 
tliat  support  this  kingdom,  Dan.  vii.  8  :  "  And  behold,  in  this  horn  were  eyes 
like  the  eyes  of  a  man."  So  it  is  said  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  that  great  typo 
of  Antichrist,  Dan.  viii.  23,  "  A  king  of  fierce  countenance,  and  understanding 
dark  sentences,  shall  stand  up."  Vei-se  25,  "  .And  tliioui;h  his  policy  also,  shall 
he  cause  craft  to  prosper  in  his  hand."  This  undei-staniling  and  policy  Ls  the 
light  of  this  kingdom,  as  true  wisdom  is  the  liijht  of  the  spiritual  Jerusalem. 
And  theretore  when  this  light  fails,  then  may  the  kingdom  of  thib  .spiritual 
Egypt  be  said  to  be  full  of  darkness.  God  hencelbrward  will  defend  liLs  |>eopIe 
from  these  mystical  Egvptians,  as  he  defended  Israel  of  old  from  Pharaoh  and 
his  host,  when  pursuing"  after  them,  by  placing  a  cloud  and  darkness  in  their 
way,  and  so  not  suffering  them  to  come  nigh.  So  he  will  protect  his  church 
from  the  men  of  that  city  that  is  spiritually  rall< d  Sodom,  as  Lot's  house,  where- 
in were  the  angels,  was  defended  liom  the  men  of  S(xloin,  l)y  their  Ix-ing  smitten 
with  darkness  or  blindness,  so  that  they  wearied  theuL^^elves  to  find  the  door: 
and  as  God  defended  the  city  in  which  was  Elisha  the  ])roph(t  and  witness  of 
the  Lord,  from  the  Syrians,  when  they  compassetl  it  al)out  with  horse*  and 
chariots  and  a  great  host  to  apprehend  him,  by  smiting  them  with  blindness. 
The  Scripture  teaches  us,  that  God  is  wont  in  this  way  to  defend  his  church  and 
people  from  their  crafty  and  powerful  enemies  :  Job  v.  11,  &.c.,  "  To  set  up  on 
high  those  that  be  low,  that  those  which  mourn  may  be  exalted  to  safety  :  he 


476  UNION  IN  PRAYER 

disappomteth  the  devices  of  the  crafty,  so  that  their  hands  cannot  perform  their 
enterprise  :  he  taketh  the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness,  and  the  counsel  of  the 
froward  is  carried  headlong :  they  meet  with  darkness  in  the  daytime,  and  grope 
in  the  noonday  as  in  the  night :  but  he  saveth  the  poor  from  the  sword,  from  tkeir 
mouth,  and  from  the  hand  of  the  mighty,  Psal.  xxxv.  4,  6,  "  Let  tliem  be  con- 
founded and  put  to  shame,  that  seek  after  my  soul :  let  them  be  turned  back,  and 
brought  to  confusion,  that  devise  my  hurt. — Let  their  way  be  dark  and  slippery." 

Such  defence  of  God's  Protestant  church,  and  disappointment  and  con- 
fusion of  all  the  subtle  devices,  deep  laid  schemes,  and  furious  atteiiipts  of  their 
Antichristian  enemies,  to  bring  them  under  and  root  them  out,  and  their  seeing 
them  still  maintaining  their  ground,  and  subsisting  in  an  independency  on  them, 
in  spite  of  all  that  they  do,  makes  them  as  it  were  gnash  their  teeth,  and  bite  their 
tongues  for  mere  rage  and  vexation  ;  agreeably  to  Psal.  cxii.  9, 10,  "  His  right- 
eousness endureth  forever,  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honor:  the  wicked 
shall  see  it  and  be  grieved,  and  gnash  with  his  teeth  and  melt  away  :  the  desire 
of  the  wicked  shall  perish." 

Hitherto  this  prophecy  has  been  very  signally  fulfilled  ;  since  the  reformation, 
the  kingdom  of  Antichrist  has  been  remarkably  tilled  with  darkness  in  this  respect. 
Innuraei  able  have  been  the  crafty  devices,  and  great  attempts  of  the  church 
of  Rome,  wherein  they  have  exerted  their  utmost  policy  and  power,  to  recover 
their  lost  dominions,  and  again  to  subjugate  the  Protestant  nations,  and  subdue 
the  northern  heresy,  as  they  call  it.  They  have  wearied  themselves  in  these  en- 
deavors for  more  than  two  liundred  years  past.  But  have  hitherto  been  disap- 
pointed ;  and  have  often  been  strangely  confounded.  When  their  matters  seemed 
to  be  brought  to  a  ripeness,  and  they  triumphed  as  though  their  point  was  gained, 
their  joy  and  triumph  was  suddenly  turned  into  vexation  and  torment.  How 
many  have  been  their  politic  and  powerful  attempts  against  the  Protestant  inter- 
est in  our  nation,  in  particular  !  And  how  wonderfully  has  God  disappointed 
them  from  time  to  time!  And  as  God  has  hitherto  so  remarkably  fulfilled  his 
word  in  defending  his  Protestant  church  from  Antichrist,  so  1  think  we  have 
ground  to  trust  in  him,  that  he  will  defend  it  to  the  end. 

5.  The  hypothesis  of  those  that  suppose  the  slaying  of  the  witnesses  is  a 
thing  that  yet  remains  to  be  fulfilled,  makes  the  prophecies  of  the  Revelation  to 
be  inconsistent  one  with  another.  According  to  their  hypothesis,  that  battle 
Rev.  xi.  7,  wherein  the  beast  makes  war  with  the  witnesses,  and  overcomes 
them,  and  kills  them,  is  the  last  and  greatest  conflict  between  Antichrist  and  the 
church  of  Christ,  that  is  to  precede  the  utter  overthrow^of  the  Antichristian 
kingdom.  And  they  must  suppose  so  ;  for  they  suppose,  that  immediately  after 
the  sufferings  the  church  shall  endure  in  that  Avar,  she  shall  arise,  and  as  it  were 
ascend  into  heaven  ;  i.  e.,  as  they  interpret  it,  the  church  shall  be  directly  ad- 
vanced to  her  latter  day  rest,  prosperity  and  gloiy.  And  consequently,  this 
conflict  must  be  the  same  with  that  great  battle  between  Antichrist  and  the 
church,  that  is  described  chap.  xvi.  13,  to  the  end,  and  more  largely  chap.  xix. 
11,  to  the  end.  For  that  which  is  described  in  these  places,  is  most  evidently 
and  indisputably  the  greatest  and  last  battle  or  conflict  that  shall  be  between  the 
church  and  her  Antichristian  enemies  ;  on  which  the  utter  downfall  of  Antichrist, 
and  the  church's  advancement  to  her  latter  day  glory,  shall  be  immediately  con- 
sequent. And  so  the  earthquake  that  attends  the  resurrection  of  the  witnesses, 
chap.  xi.  13,  must  be  the  same  with  that  great  earthquake  that  is  described,  chap. 
xvi.  IS.  And  the  falling  of  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  must  be  the  same  with  that 
terrible  and  utter  destruction  of  Antichrist's  kingdom,  chap.  xvi.  17,  to  the  end. 

But  these  things  cannot  be.    The  battle  chap.  xi.  7,  cannot  be  the  same  with 


UNION   IN   PIUYKR,  477 

that  last  and  great  battle  between  the  church  and  Antichrist  describe.1,  chnptm 
XVI.  and  X1X-.  1-  or  tlie  things  that  are  said  of  one  and  the  other,  and  their  iLue 
are  ni  no  wise  consistent.  In  that  l.atilo,  chap.  .xi,ih.-  church  of  tjod  connicli 
with  her  enemies  in  sorrow,  sackcloth  and  blood:  but  in  the  other  the  matter 
IS  represented  exceedingly  otherwise;  the  church  goes  forth  to  fight  with  .Anti- 
clirist,  not  in  sackcloth  and  blood,  but  clothed  in  wliile  laiment,  Christ  hiiaself 
before  them,  as  their  captain,  going  forth  in  great  pomp  and  magnificence,  uimo 
a  iv/iiic  horse,  and  on  his  head  nuiny  crowns,  and  on  hit  vesture  and  o.t  his  thigh 
a  name  uriHen,  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords  ;  and  the  ^aints  that  follow 
so  glorious  a  Leader  to  this  great  battle,  follow  him  on  white  horses,  clothe<l  in 
fine  linen,  white  and  clean,  in  garments  of  slrenglh,  joy,  glor}'  imd  triumph  ;  in 
the  same  kind  of  raiment,  that  the  saints  appear  in,  wjicn  they  are  rei)ri-senlfd 
as  triumphing  \vith  Christ,  with  palms  in  their  hmids,  ehap.  vii.  9.  Ant!  the 
issue  of  the  latter  of  these  conllicls,  is  quite  the  revei>e  of  the  former.  In  that 
battle,  chap.  xi.  7,  "  The  beast  makes  war  with  the  witm-sscs,  and  overcomes 
them  and  kills  them."  The  same  is  foretold,  Dan.  vii.  21,  "  1  beheld,  and  the 
same  horn  made  war  with  the  saints,  and  prevailed  against  them."  Ami  Rev. 
xii.  7,  "  And  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the  saints,  and  to  over- 
come them."  But  in  the  issue  of  that  last  and  great  battle,  which  the  church 
sh"ll  have  with  her  Antichristian  eneraiei:,  the  chur<h  shall  overcome  them,  and 
Idli  tlu'in  :  Rev.  xvii.  14,  "  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  juidthe  Lamb 
shall  overcome  them;  for  he  is  Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings;  and  tliey 
that  are  with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  ami  faithful,"  compared  with  chapter 
xix.  IG,  and  following  verses,  and  chap.  x-^i.  IG,  17.  In  the  conflict  that  the 
beast  shall  have  with  the  witnesses,  the  "  beast  kills  them  and  their  dead  bodies 
lie  unburied  ;"  as  though  they  were  to  be  meat  for  the  beasts  of  the  farth,  and 
fowls  of  heaven  :  but  in  that  last  great  battle,  it  is  represented  that  Christ  and 
his  church  shall  slay  their  enemies,  and  give  their  dead  bodies  to  be  meat  Jor 
the  fowls  of  heaven,"'  chap.  xLx.  17,  to  the  end.  There  is  no  manner  of  ap- 
pearance, in  the  descriptions  that  are  given  of  that  last  gieat  battle,  of  any  ad- 
vantages gained  in  it,  by  the  enemies  of  the  church,  before  they  themselves  are 
overcome;  but  all  apptarance  of  the  contjary.  Bcsiin-  the  descriptioas  in  the 
16th  and  19th  chapters  of  the  Revelation,  will  by  no  means  allow  of  such  an 
advantage,  as  the  overcoming  of  God's  people,  and  slaying  them,  and  their  lying 
dead  lor  some  time,  and  unburied,  that  their  dead  !)Oilies  may  be  for  their  ene- 
mies to  abuse,  and  trample  on,  and  make  sport  with.  In  chap.  x\\.,  we  read 
of  their  being  gathered  together  against  the  chuich,  a  mighty  host,  into  the 
place  called  Armageddon ;  and  then  the  first  thing  we  hear  of,  is  the  pouring 
out  of  the  seventh  vial  of  God's  wrath,  and  a  voice  saying.  It  is  done.  And  so 
in  the  19th  chapter,  we  have  an  account  of"  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  their  armies,  being  gathered  together  to  make  war  against  liim  that 
sat  on  the  horse,  and  against  his  army."  .And  then  the  next  thing  we  hear  of, 
is,  that  "  the  beast  is  taken,  and  with  him  the  false  pro|)het ;  and  that  these  are 
both  cast  alive  into  the  lake  of  fire ;  and  that  the  remnant  of  the  vast  anny  are 
slain,  and  all  the  fowls  filled  with  their  flesh.  The  Issue  of  the  confiict  of  the 
beast  with  the  witnesses  is  the  triumph  of  the  church's  enemies  over  God's  peo- 
ple, looking  on  them  as  entirely  vanquished,  and  their  interest  utterly  ni'mcd, 
past  all  possibility  of  recovery :  they  thni  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  see  the  dead 
bodies  of  the  saints  lying  in  the  streets  of  the  grcaf  rity,  and  shall  rejoice  over 
them,  and  make  merry,  and  send  gifts  one  to  another.  But  the  issue  of  that 
great  and  last  battle  is  quite  the  reverse ;  it  is  the  church's  triumph  over  her 
enemies  as  being  utterly  and  forever  destroyed. 


478  UNION  IN  PRAYER 

Here  if  any  one  shall  say,  that  the  ascension  of  the  witnesses  into  heaven 
in  the  sight  of  their  enemies,  may,  as  has  more  generally  been  supposed,  signify 
the  church's  last  victory  and  triumph  over  her  Antichristian  enemies,  and  final 
deliverance  from  them,  and  yet  the  battle  between  Antichrist  and  the  witnesses 
spoken  of  Rev.  xi.  7,  wherein  the  witnesses  are  slain,  may  not  be  the  same  with 
that  last  and  greatest  battle  between  Antichrist  and  the  church,  chap.  xvi.  and 
xix.  that  immediately  precedes  and  issues  in  the  church's  final  victory  and  deliv- 
erance ;  there  may  be  two  great  battles,  soon  following  one  another,  though 
both  are  not  mentioned  in  the  same  place;  one,  a  conflict  wherein  Antichrist 
prevails  against  the  witnesses,  and  overcomes  them,  and  kills  them,  and  another, 
that  o-reat  battle  described  chap.  xvi.  and  xix.,  after  the  witnesses'  resurrection, 
before  their  ascension  into  heaven,  wherein  they  shall  prevail  and  overcome  their 
enemies,  and  kill  them :  I  say  if  any  one  shall  say  thus,  they  will  say  that  which 
the  prophecies  give  no  reason  for,  nor  allow  any  room  to  suppose.  That  last 
battle  between  the  church  and  Antichrist,  wherein  Christ  and  his  people  obtain 
a  complete  victory,  is  evidently  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  remarkable  events 
foretold  in  all  the  Apocalypse  :  and  there  is  no  one  thing,  unless  it  be  the  con- 
summation of  all  things,  in  the  two  last  chapters,  that  is  described  in  so  solemn 
and  august  a  manner.  And  the  description  shows  that  it  is  an  event  which, 
with  its  circumstances,  must  take  up  much  time.  There  is  vast  preparation 
made  for  it  by  the  church's  enemies :  the  devils,  in  order  to  stir  men  up,  and  gather 
them  together,  to  this  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God  Mmighty,  go  forth  unto 
the  kings  of  the  farth  and  of  the  lohole  icorld,  to  propagate  various  kinds  of  delu- 
sions, far  and  wide,  all  over  the  world  ;  which  undoubtedly  must  take  up  many 
years'  time  ;  chap.  xvi.  13,  14.  And  then  great  preparation  is  made  in  the 
church  of  God,  to  make  opposition  ;  chap.  xix.  11 — 17.  Now  can  any  reason- 
ably suppose,  that  in  what  is  represented,  chap,  xi.,  of  a  great  conflict  between 
Anti'^hrist  and  God's  people,  wherein  the  latter  are  overcome  and  slain,  and  lie 
dead  three  days  (or  three  years)  and  a  half,  and  their  enemies  triumphing  over 
them,  but  God's  people  rising  again  from  the  dead  in  the  midst  of  this  triumph 
of  their  enemies,  and  ascending  into  heaven,  while  their  enemies  stand  astonished 
and  amazed  spectators — that  the  manner  of  the  description  leaves  fair  room  for 
us  to  suppose,  that  after  this  resurrection  of  God's  people,  they  continue  long 
before  they  ascend,  to  encounter  with  Antichrist  in  a  new  conflict,  wherein  their 
enemies  after  long  time  to  prepare,  should  engage  with  them  with  vastly  greater 
preparation,  strength,  and  violence  than  before,  and  should  wage  war  with  them 
with  the  mightiest  army  that  ever  was  gathered  against  the  church,  and  in  the 
greatest  battle  that  ever  was  fought  7  .  .  '       . 

And  besides,  the  witnesses  ascending  into  heaven  in  the  sight  of  their  ene- 
mies, spoken  of  chap,  xi.,  cannot  be  the  same  with  the  church's  gaining  a  glori- 
ous ascendant  over  her  enemies,  in  her  final  victory  over  Antichrist,  spoken  of 
chap.  xvi.  and  xix.,  because  the  descriptions  of  the  events  that  attend  the  one  and 
the  other  do  by  no  means  answer  each  other.  For,  observe,  it  is  said  that  when 
the  witnesses  arose,  and  stood  on  their  feet,  and  ascended  into  heaven,  the  same 
hour  there  was  a  great  earthquake  :  but  this  does  not  seem  to  answer  to  what  is 
described  chap.  xiv.  18,  "  And  there  were  voices,  and  thunders,  and  lightnings, 
and  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  such  as  was  not  since  men  were  upon  the  earth, 
so  mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so  great."  It  is  said  that  at  the  time  of  the  first 
earthquake,  chap.  xi.  13,  "  The  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell :"  but  how  far  does 
this  fall  short  of  what  is  described,  as  attending  the  great  earthquake  !  _  Chap, 
xvi.  19,  20,  "  And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three  parts,  and  the  cities  of 
the  nations  fell ;  and  great  Babylon  came  into  remembrance  before  God,  to  give 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  479 

unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath  ;  and  every  island 
fled  awav,  and  the  mountains  were  not  found."  It  is  saifl  of  the  earthtjuake, 
chap,  xi.,  "  And  in  tiie  earlhquake  were  shiin  of  men  seven  thousand  :  but  how 
far  is  this  from  answering!;  the  .shuighter  described  chap.  xix.  17,  &.C.,  which 
is  represented  as  a  general  slaui2,liter  of  the  kings,  captains,  mighty  men,  horses, 
and  armies  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  whole  world ;  so  that  all  the  fowls  that  fly 
in  the  midst  of  heaven,  as  far  as  the  sun  shines,  are  filled  with  the  flesh  of  the 
dead  carcases,  it  being  [heflcsk  of  all  men,  both  free  and  bond,  both  small  and 
great!  Compare  chap.  xvi.  14.  Who  can  think,  that  this  great  slaughter 
that  is  thus  represented,  should  in  chap.  xi.  be  only  calleil  i\  slaj/ing  seven  t/iou' 
sand  men  ? 

If  we  read  this  very  eleventh  chapter  through,  we  shall  see  that  the  falling 
of  the  tenth  part  of  the  city,  and  the  witnesses  rising  and  ascending  into  hea- 
ven, are  entirely  distinct  from  the  final  destruction  of  Antichrist,  and  that  ad- 
vancement of  the  church  to  her  latter  day  glory,  that  is  consequent  upon  it. 
The  judgments  here  spoken  of,  as  executed  on  God's  enemies,  are  under  another 
ICO  ;  and  the  benefits  bestowed  on  the  church,  are  under  another  trumpet.  For 
immediately  after  the  account  of  the  rising  and  ascending  of  the  witnesses,  and 
the  tenth  part  of  the  city's  falling,  and  the  slaying  of  the  seven  thousand  men, 
and  the  aliVighting  of  the  rest,  and  their  giving  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven, 
follow  these  words  in  the  14th  and  15th  verses,  "  The  second  wo  is  past ;  and 
behold  the  third  wo  cometh  quickly.  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded ;  and 
there  were  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  tliis  world  are  be- 
come the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  and  he  shall  reign  forever 
and  ever."  And  in  the  following  verses,  we  have  an  account  of  the  praises 
sung  to  God  on  this  occasion.  And  then  in  the  last  verse,  we  have  a  brief 
hint  of  that  same  earthquake,  and  that  great  hail,  and  those  thundei-s,  and  light- 
nings, and  voices,  that  we  have  an  account  of  in  the  latter  part  of  chap.  xvi. 
So  that  the  earthquake  mentioned  in  the  last  verse  of  chap.  xi.  is  that  great 
earthcpiake  that  attends  the  last  great  conflict  of  the  church  and  her  enemies ; 
and  not  that  mentioned  ver.  13. 

The  three  woes  are  the  woes  of  God  on  Antichrist  and  his  subjects ;  and  the 
third  and  last  of  them  evidently  signifies  the  terrible  judgments  of  God  on  Anti- 
christ, by  which  God's  wrath  upon  him  shall  be  fulfilled  in  his  utter  destruction : 
but  the  calamities  on  Antichrist  spoken  of  as  attenchng  the  rising  and  ascending 
of  the  witnesses,  such  as  the  falling  of  the  tenth  part  of  the  city,  and  slaying 
seven  thousand  men,  do  not  belong  to  this  last  wo,  and  therefore  do  not  signify 
the  final  destruction  of  Antichrist :  for  the  words  of  ver.  14,  will  by  no  means 
allow  of  such  a  supposition ;  for  there,  immediately  after  giving  an  account  of 
these  calamities,  it  is  added,  "The  second  wo  is  past;  and  behold  the  third  wo 
cometh  quickly  :"  making  a  most  plain  and  express  distinction  between  these 
calamities  that  had  already  been  mentioned,  and  especially  these  that  were  just 
then  mentioned  in  the  very  last  words,  and  the  calamities  that  belong  to  the 
third  wo,  that  yet  remain  to  be  mentioned  :  for  by  being  passed,  the  prophet 
is  to  be  understood  no  otherwise  than  passed  in  the  declaration  and  representa- 
tion ;  it  was  not  past  in  any  other  respect :  it  is  as  much  as  to  say.  Thus  an 
account  has  been  given  of  the  calamities  upon  Antichrist  that  belong  to  the 
second  wo ;  now  1  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  those  dispensations  of  Provi- 
dence that  belong  to  the  third  and  last  wo,  which  shall  prove  Antichrist's  final 
destruction,  and  end  in  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  becoming  the  kingdoms  of 
our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ. 

What  was  fulfilled  in  the  reformation,  well  answers  the  representatioi.  made 


480  UNION  IN  PRAYER.  | 

concerning  the  witnesses,  Rev.  xi.  11,  12,  of  "the  Spirit  of  Life  from  God 
entering  into  them,  and  their  standing  on  their  feet,  and  ascending  up  to  heaven, 
in  the  sight  of  their  enemies."  A  little  before  the  reformation,  the  state  of  the 
church  of  God,  and  of  true  religion  was  lowest  of  all,  and  nearest  to  utter  ex- 
tinction. Antichrist  had,  after  great  and  long  struggles,  prevailed  against  the 
Waldenses,  Albigenses,  and  Bohemians.  The  war  with  the  Albigenses  seems 
especially  to  be  intended  by  th^  war  of  the  beast  with  the  witnesses  spoken  of,  \ 
ver.  7.  These  were  witnesses  to  the  truth,  that  were  the  most  numerous  and 
considerable,  and  those  that  most  tormented  the  church  of  Rome.  And  the  war  . 
that  was  maintained  against  them,  was  by  far  the  greatest  that  ever  Antichrist  i 
had  against  any  of  the  professors  of  the  truth,  befoie  the  reformation;  and  was 
properly  the  war  of  the  beast;  it  was  the  Pope  that  proclaimed  the  war,  and 
that  raised  the  soldiers  by  his  emissaries  and  priests,  preaching  the  cross,  gather- 
ing innumei able  multitudes  of  pilgrims  fiom  all  parts  of  Christendom,  and  raising  ! 
one  crusade  after  another,  which  were  conducted  and  managed  by  the  Pope's 
legates ;  and  it  was  the  Pope  that  paid  the  soldiers  with  pardons,  indulgences, 
promises  of  paradise,  and  such  like  trumpery.  When  Antichrist  had  gradually 
prevailed  against  these  witnesses,  with  much  difficulty,  and  long-continued  vio- 
lent struggling,  and  after  innumerable  vexatious  disasters  and  disappointments ; 
the  church  of  God,  in  the  time  of  Luther  and  other  reformers,  on  a  sudden,  in  a 
wonderful  manner  revives,  when  such  an  event  was  least  expected  (to  the  sur- 
prise and  amazement  of  their  Antichristian  enemies),  and  appears  in  such  strength, 
that  the  reformed  are  able  to  stand  on  their  own  legs,  and  to  withstand  all  the 
power  and  rage  of  the  church  of  Rome.  Presently  after  this  revival,  the  people 
of  God  are  set  on  high,  having  the  civil  magistrate  in  many  countries  on  their 
side,  aiul  henceforward  have  the  power  of  many  potent  princes  engaged  for 
their  pi'otection ;  and  this,  in  sight  of  their  enemies,  and  greatly  to  their  grief 
and  vexation ;  who,  though  they  from  time  to  time  exert  their  utmost,  never 
are  able  to  prevail  against  them,  to  bring  them  under  any  more,  as  they  had 
done  in  former  wars.  Oftentimes  in  Scripture,  God's  churches  dwelling  in 
safety  out  of  the  reach  of  their  enemies,  is  represented  by  their  dwelling  on  high, 
or  being  set  on  high  ;  as  Psal.  lix.  1,  Ixix.  29,  xci.  14,  cvii.  41,  Prov.  xxix.  25, 
Isa.  xxxiii.  16.  The  children  of  Israel,  in  their  deliverance  out  of  Egypt,  from 
their  cruel  taskmasters,  that  would  fain  have  brought  them  into  bondage  again, 
were  said  to  be  carried  on  eagle's  wings,  that  is  lofty  in  its  flight,  flies  away 
towards  heaven  ;  so  that  the  Egyptians  could  not  come  at  them  :  and  they  were 
protected  by  the  cloud  that  went  with  them ;  as  the  witnesses  are  said  to  be 
caught  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud.  Compare  this  with  Isa.  iv.  5  :  "  And  the  Lord 
will  create  upon  every  dwelling-place  of  Mount  Zion,  and  upon  her  assemblies, 
a  cloud  and  smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining  of  a  flaming  fire  by  night ;  for  upon 
all  the  glory  shall  be  a  defence." 

I  shall  not  pretend  to  explain  the  mystery  of  the  three  days  and  half  of  the 
witnesses  lying  dead,  or  to  determine  the  precise  duration  signified  by  that  mys- 
tical representation.     Possibly  no  particular  measure  of  time  may  be  intended  by  * 
it ;  and  yet  it  not  be  without  significancy.*     As  no  particular  number  of  per- 
sons is  intended  by  the  two  witnesses;  but  in  general,  it  intends  a  small  number, 

*  Mr.  Lowmari,  in  the  pref.ice  to  his  Paraphrase  on  the  Revelation,  page  8,  observes  as  follows  : 
"Prophptic  nuinhers  do  not  always  express  a  determinate  duration  or  space  of  time,  any  more  than  they 
always  express  a  certain  number.  Prophecy,  I  acknowledge,  uses  numbers  sometimes  as  other  expres- 
sions, in  a  figurative  meaning,  as  symbols  and  hieroglyphics.  Thus  the  number  seven,  son.etimes  does 
not  denote  the  precise  number  seven  :  but  figuratively  denotes  perfection,  or  a  full  and  complete  number  ; 
and  the  mmiher  ten,  sometimes  does  not  mean  precisely  ten  in  number,  but  many  in  general,  or  a  con- 
siderable number." 


UNION   IN  PKAYEU.  4S1 

and  yet  a  sufficient  number;  atul  as  small  as  mi^^iit  be,  and  yet  be  sufficient ; 
as,  less  than  two  witnesses  was  not  suHicient:  so  perhaps  no  particular  diiialion 
of  that  low  stale  that  the  church  was.  in  belbre  the  relbrnialioii,  may  be  intended 
by  three  days  and  hall";  but  in  general  it  may  be  hereby  sii^nified,  that  this  time 
ot'the  triumphinix  ol'the  wicked,  and  extremity  ol' (Jod's  church,  should  be  but 
short.  And  possibly  three  days  and  half  may  be  mentioned,  because  that  is  the 
utmost  space  of  time  that  a  dead  body  can  be  ordinarily  supposed  to  lie  without 
putrefaction  ;  signitying  that  at  this  time  the  church  should  be  brought  to  the 
very  brink  of  utter  ruin,  and  yet  should  be  preserved  and  revive  again.  And 
half  a  day  may  be  mentioiicd  to  signily  the  particular  care  of  Provitlence  in 
exactly  determining  this  time  of  the  church's  extreuiity.  And  probably  there 
may  be  some  reference  to  the  three  times  (or  tluee  yeai-s)  and  a  half  of  the  wit- 
nesses prophesying  in  sackcloth  ;  the  more  apparently  to  show  the  disproportion 
between  the  time  of  the  church's  well'are,  and  the  time  of  her  enemies'  victory 
and  triumj)li :  the  time  of  the  church's  allhction  and  contlict  may  be  long  ;  and 
in  the  issue  she  may  be  overcome  ;  but  the  time  of  this  victory  shall  be  but 
short;  in  compaiison  with  the  other,  but  as  a  day  to  a  year:  she  may,  as  it 
were,  be  killed,  and  lie  dead,  until  she  comes  to  the  very  brink  of  utter  and 
hopeless  ruin,  but  yet  God  will  not  suffer  her  to  see  corrupiion ;  but  at  that  very 
time,  when  her  enemies  expected  that  she  should  putrefy,  she  shall  rise  ;  and  be 
set  on  high,  otit  of  their  reach,  greatly  to  their  astonishment. 

The  grand  objection  against  all  this,  is,  that  it  is  said,  that  the  witnesses 
should  prophesy  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  days  clothed  in  sackcloth  ;  and  when 
they  harejUnishcd  their  testimony^  the  beast  should  make  v:ar  against  them  and 
kilt  them,  &c.,  and  that  it  seems  manifest,  that  after  this,  they  are  no  lon^^er  in 
sackcloth,  for  henceforward  they  are  in  an  exalted  state  in  lieaven :  and  that 
therefore,  seeing  the  time  of  their  wearing  sackcloth,  is  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  days,  which  is  the  time  of  the  continuance  of  Antichrist;  hence  their  be- 
ing slain  and  rising  again,  must  be  at  the  conclusion  of  this  period,  and  so  at  the 
end  of  Antichrist's  reign. 

In  answer  to  which  I  would  say,  that  we  can  justly  infer  no  more  from  this 
prophecy  than  this,  viz.,  that  the  t>velve  hundred  and  sixty  days  is  the  proper 
time  of  the  church's  trouble  and  bondage,  or  being  clothed  in  sackcloth  ;  because 
it  is  the  appointed  time  of  the  reign  of  Antichrist.  13ut  this  does  not  hinder  but 
that  God,  out  of  his  great  compassion  to  his  church,  should,  in  some  respect, 
shorten  the  days,  and  grant  that  she  should,  in  some  measure,  anticipate  the  ajv 
pointeil  great  deliverance  that  should  be  at  the  end  of  those  days.  As  he  has 
in  fact  done  in  the  reformation ;  whereby  the  church  has  had  a  great  degree  of 
restoration  granted,  from  the  darkness  and  power  of  Antichrist,  before  her  pro- 
per time  of  restoration,  which  is  at  the  end  of  the  twelve  hundred  and  sixty 
days. — Thus  the  church  of  Christ,  through  the  tender  mercies  of  her  Father  and 
Redeemer,  in  some  respects;  anticipates  her  deliverance  from  her  sorrows  and 
sackcloth  :  as  many  parts  of  the  church  are  hereby  brought  from  under  the  do- 
minion of  the  Antichristian  powers,  into  a  state  of  power  and  liberty;  though 
in  other  respects,  the  church  may  be  said  to  continue  in  sackcloth,  and  in  the 
%vildcrness,  until  the  end  of  days;  many  parts  of  it  stijl  remaining  under  griev- 
ous persecution. 

What  we  render,  when  they  shall  have  fnished  their  testimony,  Mr.  Low- 
man,  from  Mr.  Daubuz,  renders,  ichile  they  shall  perform  their  testimony  ;  and 
observes,  that  the  original  may  mean  the  time  of  their  testimony,  as  well  as  the 
end  of  it. 

I  might  here  observe  that  V(e  have  other  instances  of  God's  shortening  the 

Vol.  III.  -61 


482  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

days  of  his  church's  captivity  and  bondage,  either  at  the  beginning  or  end,  very 
parallel  with  what  has  been  now  supposed  in  the  case  of  the  witnesses.  Thus 
the  proper  time  of  the  bondage  of  the  posterity  of  Abraham  in  Egypt,  was  four 
hundj-ed  years,  Gen.  xv.  13.  But  yet  God  in  meicy  deferred  the  beginning  of 
their  bondage ;  whereby  the  time  was  much  shortened  at  the  beginning.  So 
the  lime  wherein  it  was  foretold  that  the  whole  land  of  Israel  should  be  a  deso- 
lation and  an  asionislwient,  and  the  land  should  enjoy  her  Sabbaths,  by  the  Baby- 
lonish captivity,  ivas  seventy  years,  Jer.  xxv.  1 1,  12,  and  these  seventy  years  are 
dated  in  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  20,  21,  from  Zedekiah's  captivity,  and  yet,  from  that 
captivity  to  Cyrus's  decree,  was  but  fifly-two  years ;  though  it  was  indeed  sev- 
enty years  before  the  mor^  full  restoration  of  the  Jev.'ish  church  and  state  by 
Darius's  decree,  Ezra.  vi.  So  the  proper  time  of  the  oppression  and  bondage  of 
the  Jewish  church  under  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  wherein  both  the  sanctuary  and 
Iiost  shoidd  be  trodden  underfoot  by  hitn,  was  two  thousand  three  hundred  days  ; 
Dan.  viii.  13,  14.  The  time  from  Antiochus's  taking  Jerusalem  and  polluting 
the  sanctuary,  to  .Antiochus's  death,  seems  to  have  been  about  so  long  :  but 
God  shortened  the  days,  by  granting  remarkable  help  to  his  people  by  means 
of  the  Maccabees,  before  that  time:  yea  the  temple  and  sanctuary  were  restor- 
ed, and  the  altar  rebuilt  and  dedicated  before  that  time. 

Upon  the  whole,  1  think  there  appears  to  be  no  reason  from  the  prophecy 
concerning  the  two  witnesses.  Rev.  xi.,  to  expect  any  such  general  and  terrible 
destruction  of  the  church  of  Christ,  belbre  the  utter  downfall  of  Antichrist,  as 
some  have  supposed ;  but  good  reason  to  determine  the  contrary.  It  is  true, 
there  is  abundant  evidence  in  Scripture,  that  there  is  yet  remaining  a  mighty 
conflict  between  the  church  and  her  enemies,  the  most  violent  struggle  of  Satan 
and  his  adherents,  in  opposition  to  true  religion,  and  the  most  general  commotion- 
that  ever  was  in  the  world,  since  the  foundation  of  it  to  that  time;  and  many 
particular  Christians,  and  some  parts  of  the  church  of  Christ,  may  suflfer  hard 
things  in  this  conflict :  but  in  the  general,  Satan  and  Antichrist  shall  not  get 
the  victory,  nor  greatly  prevail ;  but  on  the  contrary  be  entirely  conquered,  and 
utterly  overthrown,  in  this  great  battle.  So  that  I  hope  this  prophecy  of  the 
slaying  of  the  witnesses,  will  not  stand  in  the  way  of  a  compliance  with  the 
pEoposal  made  to  us  in  the  memorial,  as  a  prevalent  objection  and  discourage- 
ment. 

Object.  5.  A  late  very  learned  and  ingenious  expositor  of  the  Revelation, 
viz.,  Mr.  Lowman,  sets  the  fall  of  Antichrist,  and  consequently  the  coming  of 
Christ's  kingdom  at  a  great  distance  ;  supposing  that  the  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  years  of  Antichrist's  reign  did  not  begin  until  the  year  seven  hundred  and 
fifty-six ;  and  consequently  that  it  will  not  end  until  alter  the  year  two  thou- 
sand, more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  hence  ;  and  this  opinion  he  con- 
firms by  a  great  variety  of  arguments. 

Ans.  1.  If  this  objection  be  alloAved  to  be  valid,  and  that  which  ought  to 
determine  persons  in  an  affair  of  this  nature,  and  those  things  concerning  God's 
people  praying  for  this  glorious  event,  be  also  allowed  to  be  true,  which  before 
were  shown  to  be  the  will  of  God  abundantly  revealed  in  his  word,  then  the 
following  things  must  be  supposed  ;  viz.,  that  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  his  peo- 
ple be  much  in  prayer  for  this  event,  and  particularly  that  it  is  God's  revealed 
will  and  purpose,  that,  a  little  before  the  accomplishment  of  it,  his  people  be 
earnestly  seeking  and  waiting,  and  importunately  and  incessantly  crying  to  God 
for  it ;  but  yet  that  it  was  God's  design,  that  before  this  time  comes  of  extra- 
ordinary prayer  and  importunity  of  his  church,  for  the  bringing  on  this  glo- 
rious event,  his  church  should  have  it  given  them  to  understand  precisely  when 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  483 

the  appointed  time  should  be  ;  and  that  accordingly  he  has  now  actually  brought 
the  fixed  time  to  light,  by  means  of  Mr.  Lowman.  But  it  is  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose, that  this  should  be  God's  maimer  of  dealing  with  his  church,  first  to  make 
known  to  them  the  precise  time  which  he  has  umdterahly  fixed  for  the  showing 
this  mercy  to  Zion,  and  then  niake  it  the  duty  of  his  ciiurch,  in  an  extraordinary 
manner,  to  be  by  prayer  inquiring  of  him  concerning  it,  and  saying,  IIow  Imig, 
Lord  !  And  wailing  for  it,  day  and  night  ciynng  to  him  with  exceeding  im- 
portunity that  he  would  bring  it  on,  that  he  would  come  quickly,  that  he  would 
hide  himself  no  longer,  but  would  arise  and  have  mercy  upon  Zion,  and  awake 
as  one  out  of  sleep,  openly  manifest  himself,  and  make  bare  bis  holy  arm  for  the 
salvation  of  his  people !  That  they  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord,  should  not 
keep  silence,  nor  give  him  any  rest,  until  he  establish,  and  make  Jerusalem  a 
praise  in  the  earth  !  And  that  the  church  should  then  say  to  Christ,  Malce  haste, 
my  beloved,  and  he  thou  like  a  roe  or  a  young  hart  on  the  mountains  of  spices! 

It  may  be  many  ways  for  the  comfort  and  benefit  of  God's  church  in  her 
afflicted  state,  to  know  that  the  reign  of  Antichrist  is  to  be  no  more  than  1260 
years  :  and  some  things  in  genera!  may  be  argued  concerning  the  approach  of 
it,  when  it  is  near  :  as  the  Jews  could  argue  the  approach  of  Christ's  first  com- 
ing from  Daniel's  prophecy  of  the  seventy  weeks,  though  they  knew  not  pre- 
cisely when  that  seventy  weeks  would  end.  But  it  is  not  reasonable  to  expeci 
that  God  should  make  known  to  us  beforehand,  the  precise  time  of  Christ's 
coming  in  his  kingdom.  The  discij)les  desired  to  know  this,  and  manifested 
their  desire  to  their  Lord  ;  but  he  told  them  plainly  that  it  was  not  for  them  to 
know  the  times  and  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power,  Acts 
i.  6,  7;  and  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  it  is  any  more  for  us  than  for  them  ; 
or  for  Christ's  disciples  in  these  days  any  more  than  lor  his  apostles  in  those 
days.  God  makes  it  the  duty  of  his  church  to  be  importunately  praying  for  it, 
that  it  may  come  speedily  ;  and  not  only  to  be  praying  for  it,  but  to  be  seeking 
of  it,  in  the  use  of  proper  means ;  endeavoring  that  religion  may  now  revive 
everywhere,  and  Satan's  kingdom  be  overthrown  ;  and  always  to  be  waiting  for 
it,  being  in  a  constant  preparation  for  it,  as  servants  that  wait  for  the  coming  of 
their  Lord,  or  virgins  for  the  coming  of  the  bridegroom,  not  knowing  at  what 
hour  he  will  come.  But  God's  making  known  beforehand  the  precise  time  of 
his  coming,  does  not  well  consist  with  these  things. 

It  is  the  revealed  will  of  God,  that  he  should  be  inquired  of  by  his  people, 
by  extraordinary  prayer,  concerning  this  great  mercy,  to  do  it  for  them,  before  it 
be  fulfilled.  And  if  any  suppose,  that  it  is  now  found  out  precisely  when  the 
time  is  to  be,  and  (the  time  being  at  a  considerable  distance  j  that  now  is  not  a 
proper  season  to  begin  this  extraordinary  prayer,  I  would,  on  this  supposition, 
ask  when  we  shall  begin  ?  How  long  before  the  fixed  and  known  time  of  the 
bestowment  of  this  mercy  comes,  shall  we  begin  to  cry  earnestly  to  God  that  this 
mercy  may  come,  and  that  Christ  would  make  haste  and  be  like  a  roe,  &c.  ? 
For  us  to  delay,  supposing  that  wc  know  the  time  to  be  far  off,  is  not  agreeable 
to  the  language  of  God's  people  in  my  text,  Come,  let  risgo  speedily,  and  pray 
before  the  Lord,  and  seek  the  Lord  of  hosts, 

Ans.  2.  I  acknowledge  that  Mr.  Lowman's  exposition  of  the  Revelation  is, 
on  many  accx^unts,  excellently  written,  giving  great  light  into  some  parts  of 
that  prophecy,  and  an  instance  of  the  fulfilment  of  that  prediction,  Dan.  xii. 
4,  '*  Many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased  :"  and  es- 
pecially in  his  interpretation  of  the  five  first  vials  (which  he  supposes  already 
poured  out),  exceeding  satisfying.  But  yet  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Lowman,  with 
regard  to  the  particular  time  of  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  time,  times  and  a 


484  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

half  of  Antichrist's  reign,  and  of  all  others  that  pretend  to  fix  the  time,  is  the 
less  to  be  regarded,  because  it  is  clearly  revealed,  and  expressly  declared  by  God, 
that  that  matter  should  be  sealed  up  and  hid,  and  not  known  until  the  time  of 
the  end  of  this  time,  times  and  a  half.  Daniel,  in  the  last  chapter  of  his  pro- 
phecy, gives  us  an  account,  how  the  angel  told  him  of  a  future  time  of  great 
trouble  and  affliction  to  the  church  of  God,  and  then  said  to  him,  ver.  4,"  But 
thou,  0  Daniel,  shut  up  the  wprds,  and  seal  the  book,  even  lo  the  lime  of  the 
end."  And  then  the  prophet  proceeds  to  give  an  account  of  a  vision  that  he 
had  of  one  earnestly  inquiring  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  how  long  it  would  be 
to  the  end  of  this  remarkable  and  wonderlul  time  of  the  church's  trouble,  say- 
ing, How  long  shall  it  he  to  the  end  of  these  wonders  ?  ver.  5.  6.  The  answer 
was,  th-dt  it  should,  be  for  a  time,  times  and  a  half;  and  that  when  so  long  a 
time  was  past,  then  this  wonderful  affliction  and  scattering  of  the  holy  people 
should  be  finished,  ver.  7.  But  (hen  Daniel  tells  us,  in  the  next  vers-e,  that  he 
heard.,  hut  he  understood  not,  and  said,  0  my  Lord,  what  shall  he  the  end  of  these 
things?  He  did  not  understand  that  general  and  mystical  answer,  that  those 
things  should  have  an  end  at  the  end  of  a  time,  times  and  a  half ;  he  did  not 
know  by  it,  when  this  period  would  have  an  end:  and  therefore  he  inquires 
more  particularly  what  the  time  of  the  end  was.  But  the  angel  replies,  ver.  9, 
"  Go  thy  way,  Daniel,  the  words  are  closed  and  sealed  up,  until  the  time  of  the 
end."  1  do  not  know  what  could  have  been  more  express.  The  angel  gently  re- 
bukes this  over  inquisitiveness  of  Daniel,  very  much  as  Christ  did  a  like  inquisitive- 
nessof  the  disciples  concerning  the  same  matter,  when  he  said  to  them,  It  is  'not 
for  you  to  know  the  times  and  seasons,  that  the  Father  hath  -put  in  his  own  power. 
I  think  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  this  space,  of  a  time,  times  and  half,  of 
the  church's  great  trouble,  about  the  end  of  which  Daniel  inquires,  is  the  same 
whh  that  time,  times  and  half,  that  is  spoken  of  chap.  vii.  25,  and  Rev.  xii. 
14,  as  the  time  of  Antichrist's  reign,  and  the  church's  being  in  the  wilderness; 
and  not  merely  the  time  of  the  church's  troubles  by  Antioclms  Epiphanes, 
But  we  see,  when  Daniel  has  a  mind  to  know  particularly  when  this  time  would 
come  to  an  end,  he  is  bid  to  go  away,  and  rest  contented  in  ignorance  of  this 
matter :  for,  says  the  man  clothed  in  linen,  the  icords  are  closed  wp,  and  sealed, 
until  the  time  of  the  end.  That  is,  very  plainly,  the  matter  that  you  inquire 
about,  when  the  end  of  this  time,  and  times  and  half  shall  come,  shall  not  be 
known,  but  kept  a  great  secret,  until  the  time  of  the  end  actually  comes,  and 
all  attempts  to  find  it  out  before  that  shall  be  in  vain.  And  therefore  when  a 
particular  divine  appears,  that  thinks  he  has  found  it  out,  and  has  unsealed  this 
matter,  and  made  it  manifest  with  very  manifold  and  abundant  evidence,  we 
may  well  think  he  is  mistaken,  and  doubt  whether  those  supposed  evidences  are 
truly  solid  ones,  and  such  as  are  indeed  sufficient  to  make  that  matter  manifest, 
which  God  has  declared  should  be  kept  hid,  and  not  made  manifest  before  it  is 
accomplished. 

Mr.  Lowman's  own  words  in  his  preface,  pages  24,  25,  are  here  worthy  to 
be  repeated  :  "  It  will  (says  he)  ever  be  a  point  of  wisdom,  not  to  be  over  busy, 
or  over  confident  in  any  thing,  especially  in  fixing  periods  of  time,  or  determin- 
ing seasons ;  which  it  may  be  are  not  to  be  determined,  it  may  be  are  not  fit 
to  be  known.  It  is  a  maxim  of  greater  wisdom  than  is  usually  thought.  Seek 
not  to  knoiv  what  shoidd  not  he  revealed.  Such  are  many  future  events.  The 
precise  time  of  our  Saviour's  coming  to  judgment,  was  not  revealed,  oecause 
not  fit  to  be  revealed.  The  uncertainty  of  his  appearance  was  of  greater  ser- 
vice to  preserve  a  care  of  religion,  than  the  revelation  of  it  would  have  been : 
for  the  uncertainty  itself  gives  many  useful  exhortations ;  Watch,  for  ye  know 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  485 

not  what  hour  the  Son  of  man  cometh.  Suppose  then  some  of  the  events  de- 
scribed ill  ihis  prophecy  should  be  of  doubtiul  application,  suppose  the  precise 
time  of  the  downlall  of  tlie  beast,  the  slaying  and  resurrection  of  the  witnesses, 
and  the  bei^inning  of  a  thousand  years  liappy  state  of  the  church,  should  not  be 
so  deteraiined,  but  it  would  admit  of  dilU'reiit  calculations;  may  it  not  be  wise, 
and  therefore  fit  it  should  be  so  ?  The  certainty  of  those  events  in  a  proper 
time,  though  that  time  should  not  be  precisely  determined,  will  answer  the 
greater  ends  of  useful  instruction.  Anil  if  the  revelation  should  go  no  further 
than  this,  it  would  yet  be  a  revelation,  of  great  benefit  and  advantage;  as  the 
certainty  of  the  day  of  judgment  in  its  proper  timesurely  is,  though  of  that  day 
and  hour  knoweth  no  man." 

.Ans.  3.  Though  it  is  not  for  us  to  know  the  precise  time  of  the  fall  of 
Anticiirist,  yet  I  humbly  conceive  that  we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  the  event 
principally  intended  in  the  prophech-s  of  Antichrist's  destruction  to  be  at  so 
great  a  distance,  as  Mr.  Lowman  places  it ;  but  have  reason  to  think  it  to  be 
much  nearer.  Not  that  I  would  set  tip  myself  as  a  person  of  equal  judgment 
with  Mr.  Lowman  in  matters  of  this  nature.  As  he  diflfers  from  most  others 
of  the  most  approved  expositors  of  the  Apocalypse,  in  this  matter,  so  I  hope  it 
will  not  appear  vanity  and  presumption  in  me,  to  differ  from  this  particular  ex- 
positor, ami  to  agree  with  the  greater  numlier.  ^iid  since  his  opinion  stands 
so  much  in  the  way  of  that  great  and  important  affiiir,  to  promote  which  is  the 
ver)'  end  of  this  whole  discourse,  I  hope  it  will  not  look  as  though  I  affected  to 
appear  considerable  among  the  interpreters  of  prophecy,  and  as  a  person  o\  skill 
in  these  mysterious  matters,  that  1  otier  some  reasons  against  Mr.  Lowman's 
opinion.  U  is  surely  great  pity,  that  it  should  be  received  as  a  thing  clear  and 
abundantly  confirmed,  that  the  glorious  day  of  Antichrist's  fall  is  at  so  great  a 
distance  (so  directly  tending  to  damp  and  discourage  all  earnest  prayers  ibr,  or 
endeavors  after  its  speedy  accomplishment),  imless  there  be  good  and  plain 
ground  for  it.  I  would  therefore  offer  some  things  to  consideration,  which  I 
think  may  justly  make  us  look  upon  the  opinion  of  this  learned  interpreter,  of 
this  happy  event's  being  at  so  great  a  distance,  not  so  certain  and  indubitable," 
as  to  hinder  our  praymg  and  hoping  lor  its  being  fulfilled  much  sooner. 

The  period  of  Antichrist's  reign,  as  their  author  has  fixed  it,  seems  to  be 
the  main  point  insisted  on  in  his  exposition  of  the  Revelation  ;  which  he  sup- 
poses a  great  many  things  in  the  scheme  of  prophecies  delivered  in  that  book  do 
concur  to  establish.  And  indeed  it  is  so  with  respect  to  the  scheme  of  inter- 
pretation of  these  prophecies,  which  he  goes  into,  and  finds  it  requisite  to  main- 
tain, in  order  to  confirm  fhis  point.  But  there  are  several  things  in  that  scheme, 
that  appear  to  me  justly  liable  to  exception. 

Whereas  it  it  represented,  Rev.  xvli.  10,  11,  that  there  are  seven  different 
successive  heads  of  the  beast ;  that  five  were  past,  and  another  was  to  come, 
and  to  continue  a  short  space,  that  might  on  some  accounts  be  reckoned  a  sev- 
enth; and  that  Antichrist  was  to  follow  next  after  this,  as  the  eighth  ;  but  yet 
the  foregoing  not  being  properly  one  of  the  heads  of  the  beast,  he  was  properly 
the  seventh;  Mr.  Lowman  does  not  think  with  others,  that  by  the  seventh  that 
was  to  continue  a  short  space,  which  would  not  be  projierly  one  of  the  heads  of 
the  beast,  is  meant  Constantine  and  the  other  Christian  emperors  (for  he 
thinks  they  are  reckoned  as  properly  belonging  to  the  sixth  head  of  the  beast); 
but  that  hereliy  is  intended  the  government  that  Rome  was  subject  to  under  the 
Gothic  princes,  and  the  exarchate  of  Ravenna,  after  the  imperial  form  of  govern- 
ment in  Rome  ceased  in  Augustulus,  until  the  Pope  was  invested  with  his  temporal 
dominion,  called  St  Peter's  Patrimony,  by  Pepin,  king  of  France,  in  the  year 


486  UNION  IN  PRAYER.       ^ 

756.  And  he  supposes,  that  that  wounding  of  one  of  the  heads  of  the' beast 
Avith  a  sword  unto  death,  that  we  read  of  chap.  xiii.  3,  and  14,  was  not  fulfilled 
in  the  destruction  of  the  Heathen  empire,  and  the  giving  the  imperial  power 
unto  Christians,  but  in  the  destruction  of  the  imperial  form  of  government,  by  the 
sword  of  the  Goths,  in  the  time  of  Augustulus.  But  it  seems  to  me  to  be  very 
unhkely,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  should  reckon  Constantine  and  the  Christian 
emperors  as  proper  members,  and  belonging  to  one  of  the  heads,  of  that  mon- 
strous, wild  and  cruel  beast,  that  is  compared  to  a  leopard  and  a  bear,  and  a 
devouring  lion,  and  that  had  a  mouth  speaking  great  things  and  blasphemies, 
and  that  rules  by  the  power  and  authority  of  the  dragon,  or  the  devil  ;*  which 
beast  is  represented  in  this  very  17lh  chapter,  as  full  of  names  of  blasphemy, 
and  of  a  bloody  color,  denoting  his  exceeding  cruelty  in  persecuting  the  Chris- 
tian church.  For  Constantine,  intead  of  this,  was  a  member  of  the  Christian ' 
church,  and  set  by  God  in  the  most  eminent  station  in  his  church ;  and  was 
honored  above  all  other  princes  that  ever  had  been  in  the  world,  as  the  great 
protector  of  his  church,  and  her  deliverer  from  the  persecuting  power  of  that 
cruel  scarlet-colored  beast.  Mr.  Lowman  himself  styles  him  a  Christian  prince, 
and  protector  of  the  Christian  religion.  God  is  very  careful  not  to  reckon  his 
own  people  among  the  Gentiles,  the  visible  subjects  of  Satan  :  Num.  xxiii.  9, 
"  The  people  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations."  God  will  not  enrol 
them  with  them  ;  if  they  happen  to  be  among  them,  he  will  be  careful  to  set  a 
mark  upon  them,  as  a  note  of  distinction.  Rev.  vii.  3,  &c. ;  when  God  is  reck- 
oning up  his  own  people,  he  leaves  out  those  that  have  been  noted  for  idolatry. 
As  among  the  tribes  that  were  sealed,  Rev.  viii.,  those  idolatrous  tribes  of 
Ephraim  and  Dan  are  left  out,  and  in  the  genealogy  of  Christ,  Matt,  i.,  those 
princes  that  were  chiefly  noted  for  idolatry,  are  left  out.  Much  more  would 
God  be  careful  not  to  reckon  his  own-  people,  especially  such  Christian  princes 
as  have  been  the  most  eminent  instruments  of  overthrowing  idolatry,  amongst 
idolaters,  and  as  members  and  heads  of  that  kingdom  that  is  noted  in  Scripture 
as  the  most  notorious  and  infamous  of  all,  for  abominable  idolatry,  and  opposi- 
tion and  cruelty  to  the  true  worshippers  of  God.  And  especially  not  to  reckon 
them  as  properly  belonging  to  one  of  those  seven  heads  of  this  monarchy,  of 
which  very  heads  it  is  particularly  noted  that  they  had  on  them  the  names  of 
blasphemy  (Rev.  xiii.  1);  which  Mr.  Lowman  himself  supposes  to  signify 
idolatry.  It  was  therefore  wqrthy  of  God,  agreeable  to  his  manner,  and  what 
might  well  be  expected,  that  when  he  was  reckoning  up  the  several  successive 
heads  of  this  beast,  and  Constantine  and  ■  his  successors  came  in  the  way,  and 
there  was  occasion  to  mention  them,  to  set  a  mark,  or  note  of  distinction  on  them, 
signifying  that  they  did  not  properly  belong  to  the  beast,  nor  were  to  be  reck- 
oned as  belonging  to  his  heads  ;  and  therefore  are  to  be  skipped  over  in  the 
reckoning;  and  Antichrist,  though  the  eighth  head  of  the  Roman  empire,  is  to 
be  reckoned  the  seventh  head  of  the  beast.  This  appears  to  me  abundantly 
the  most  just  and  natural  interpretation  of  Rev.  xvii.  10,  11.  It  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  God  would  take  care  to  make  such  a  note  in  this  prophetical 
description  of  this  dreadful  beast,  and  not  by  any  means  to  reckon  Constantine 
as  belonging  properly  to  him.  If  we  reckon  Constantine  as  a  member  of  this 
beast,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  described  chap,  xvii.,  and  as  properly 
one  of  his  heads,  then  he  was  also  properly  a  member  of  the  great  red  dragon, 
with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  that  warred  with  the  woman,  cliap  xii.  For 
the  seven  heads  and  ten  horns  of  that  dragon,  are  plainly  the  same  with  the 

•  The  word  Therioit  signifies  a  wild  savage  beast,  as  Mr.  Lowman  himself  observes,  page  127. 


UNION   IN   PRAYER.  4S7 

seven  heads  and  ten  horns  of  tliis  beast.  So  that  tliis  makes  Constantlne  a 
visible  member  of  ihe  devil :  for  we  are  told  expressly  of  that  dracfon,  ver.  9, 
that  he  was  "  that  old  serpent,  called  the  devil  and  Satan."  And  to  suppose 
tliat  Conslantine  is  reckoned  as  belonginjr  to  one  of  the  heads  of  that  (lrii;^on 
is  to  make  these  prophecies  inconsistent  with  themselves.  For  here  in  this  ]2tl 
chanter  we  have  represented  a  war  between  the  dragon  and  the  woman  cloth- 
ed with  the  sun  ;  Avhicii  woman,  as  all  agree,  is  the  church  ;  but  Constantinc, 
as  all  do  also  agree,  belonged  to  the  woman,  was  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  was  on  that  sidi-  in  the  war  against  the  dragon,  yea,  \vas  the  main 
instrun)eiit  of  that  great  victory  that  was  obtained  over  the  dragon,  there  spo- 
ken of,  ver.  9 — 12.  What  an  incgnsistency  therefore  is  it,  to  suppose  that  he 
was  at  the  same  time  a  member  and  head  of  that  very  dragon  which  fought 
with  the  woman,  and  yet  which  Constantine  himself  fought  with,  overcame, 
and  gloriously  triumphed  over !  It  is  not  thelefoie  to  bo  wondered  at,  that  God 
wo-s  careful  to  distinguish  Constantine  from  the  proper  heads  of  the  beast:  it 
would  have  been  a  Avonder  if  he  hail  not.  God  seems  to  have  been  careful  to 
distinguish  him,  not  only  in  his  word,  but  in  his  providence,  by  so  ordering  it 
that  this  Christian  emperor  should  be  removed  from  Rome,  the  city  that  God 
had  given  up  to  be  the  seat  of  the  power  of  the  beast  and  of  its  heads,  and  that 
he  should  have  the  seat  of  his  empire  elsewhere. 

Constantine  was  made  the  instrument  of  giving  a  mortal  wound  to  the  hea- 
then Roman  empire  ;  and  giving  it  a  mortal  wound  in  its  head,  viz.,  the  heathen 
emperors  that  were  then  reigning,  Maxentius  and  Licinius.  But  more  eminent- 
ly was  this  glorious  change  in  the  empire  owing  to  the  power  of  God's  word,* 
the  prevalence  of  the  glorious  gospel,  by  which  Constantine  himself  Avas  con- 
verted, and  so  became  the  instrument  of  the  overthrow  of  the  heathen  empire 
in  the  east  and  west.  The  change  that  was  then  brought  to  pass,  is  represent- 
ed as  the  destruction  of  the  heathen  empire,  or  the  old  heathen  world  ;  and 
therefore  seems  to  be  compared  to  that  dissolution  of  heaven  and  earth  that  shall 
be  at  the  day  of  judgment,  Rev.  vi.  12,  to  the  end.  And  therefore  well  might 
the  heathen  empire  under  the  head  which  was  then  reigning,  be  represented  as 
wounded  to  death,  chap.  xiii.  3.  It  is  much  more  likely  that  the  wound  tHe 
beast  had  by  a  sword,  in  his  head,  spoken  of  ver.  14,  was  the  wound  that  the 
heathen  empire  had  in  its  head,  by  that  sword  that  we  read  of  chap.  i.  16,  and 
xix.  15,  that  proceeds  out  of  the  mouth  of  Christ,  than  the  wound  that  was  given 
to  the  Christian  empire  and  emperor  by  the  swoid  of  the  heathen  Goths.  It  is 
most  likely  that  this  deadly  wound  was  by  that  sword  with  which  Michael 
made  war  with  him,  and  overcame  him,  and  cast  him  to  the  earth,  chap.  xii.  9, 
and  that  the  deadly  wouml  that  was  given  him.  Was  given  him  at  that  very 
time.  It  is  most  likely,  that  the^word  that  gave  him  tliis  deadly  wound,  after 
which  he  strangely  revived,  as  though  he  rose  from  the  dead,  was  the  same 
sword  with  that  which  is  spoken  of,  as  what  shall  at  last  uttcrlv  destroy  him,  so 
that  he  shall  never  rise  more,  chap.  xix.  15,  19,  20,  21.  Thjs'wounding  of  the 
head  of  the  beast  by  the  destruction  of  the  heathen  empire,  and  conversion  of 
the  emperor  to  the  Christian  truth,  was  a  glorious  event  indeed  of  divine  Pro- 
\"idei)ce,  worthy  to  be  so  much  spoken  of  in  prophecy.  It  is  natural  to  suppose, 
that  the  mortal  Avounding  of  the  head  of  that  savage  cruel  beast,  that  is  represented 
as  constantly  at  war  Avilh  the  Avoman,  and  p(?rsecuting  the  church  of  Christ, 
should  be  so»me  relief  to  the  Christian  church :  but  on  the  contrary  that  Avound- 
ing  to  death  that  Mr.  Lowman  speaks  of,  Avas  the  victory  of  the  enemies  of  the 
Christian  church  over  her,  and  the  Avound  she  received  from  them. 

It  is  said  of  that  head  of  the  empire  that  shall  be  next  after  the  sixth  head, 


438  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

and  next  before  Antichrist,  and  that  is  not  reckoned  as  properly  one  of  the  num- 
ber of  the  heads  of  the  beast,  that  when  it  comes,  it  shall  continue  a  short  space^ 
chap.  xvii.  10.  By  which  we  may  well  understand,  at  least,  that  it  shall  be 
one  of  the  shortest  in  its  continuance,  of  the  successive  heads.  But  the  govern- 
ment seated  at  Ravenna,  in  the  hands  of  the  Goths,  or  of  the  deputies  of  the 
Greek  emperors  (which  Mr.  Lowman  supposes  to  be  meant  by  tliis  head),  con- 
tinued, as  Mr.  Lowman  himself  takes  notice,  very  near  300  years.  And  if  so, 
its  continuance  was  one  of  the  longest  of  the  heads  mentioned. 

And  besides,  if  the  government  that  Rome  was  under,  from  the  time  that 
Augustulus  abdicated,  to  the  when  time  the  Pope  was  confirmed  in  his  temporal 
dominion,  was  meant  by  that  seventh  head  that  was  to  be  between  the'imperial 
head  and  (he  papal,  there  would  doubtless  have  been  two  different  heads  mentioned, 
instead  of  one,  between  the  emperor  and  the  Pope;  viz.,  first,  the  Gothic 
princes,  which  reigned  near  a  hundred  years :  secondly,  the  Exarchs  of  Ra- 
venna, which  governed  for  about  185  years.  The  Gotliic  kingdom  was  much 
more  properly  a  distinct  government  from  the  imperial,  than  the  Exarchate  of 
Ravenna.  For  during  the  Exarchate,  Rome  was  under  the  government  of  the 
emperor,  as  nuich  as  it  was  in  Constantine's  time. 

in  Rev.  xvii.  12,  it  is  said,  the  "■  ten  horns  are  ten  kings,  which  are  to  re- 
ceive power  as  kings  one  hour  with  the  beast,"  or  (as  Mr.  Lowman  says  it 
ought  to  have  been  translated)  "  the  same  hour  or  point  of  time  with  the  beast." 
This  will  not  allow  the  time  when  i\ntichrist  first  receives  power  as  king,  to 
be  so  late  as  Mr.  Lowman  supposes.  This  division  of  the  empire  into  many 
kingdoms,  denoted  by  the  number  ten,  was  about  the  year  456,  after  Gensericus 
had  taken  the  city  of  Rome:  but  Mr.  Lowman  places  the  beginning  of  the 
reign  of  Antichiist  in  the  year  756,  which  is  300  years  later.  1  know,  such  an 
expression  as  in  one  hour,  or  the  same  hour,  may  allow  some  latitude ;  but 
surely  not  such  a  latitude  as  this.  This  is  a  much  longer  time,  than  it  was 
from  the  time  of  the  vision  to  Constantine  ;  much  longer  than  the  space  of  all 
the  first  six  seals;  "longer  than  it  was  from  Christ's  ascension  to  Constantine; 
and  near  as  long  as  the  time  of  all  the  reigns  of  the  heathen  emperors  put  to- 
gether, from  Augustus  Caesar  to  Constantine.  An  hour  is  everywhere,  in  the 
other  places  in  this  book  of  Revelation,  used  to  signify  a  very  short  time  ;  as 
may  be  seen  in  places  cited  in  the  margin.*  And  the  expression,  the  same 
hour,  everywhere  else  in  the  Bible,  intends  near  the  same  point  of  time.f  The 
phrase  one  hour  is  used  several  times  in  the  next  chapter,  speaking  of  the 
downfall  of  Antichrist  :J  and  each  time,  evidently  signifies  a  very  short  space 
of  time.  And  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  understand  the  same 
phrase  in  the  same  sense,  wlien  it  is  used  here  concerning  the  rise  of  Antichrist. 

Mr.  Lowman  greatly  insists  upon  it,  that  what  is  spoken  as  containing  1260 
days,  is  not  so  much  any  spiritual  authority  or  ecclesiastical  power  of  the  Pope, 
over  the  nations  of  Christendom,  as  his  temporal  government  and  dominion  in 
that  individual  city  of  Rome  ;  and  therefore  to  determine  wdien  these  1260  days 
or  years  began,  and  when  they  will  end,  we  must  consider  when  the  Pope  first 
leceived  this  his  temporal  power  over  this  city  of  Rome,  and  the  neighboring 
regions,  called  St.  Peter's  Patrimony.  But  I  can  see  no  good  reason  for  this. 
Indeed  it  is  strange,  if  it  be  so.  God  has  been  pleased  in  these  revelations  and 
prophecies,  which  he  has  given  for  the  benefit  ojf  his  church  in  general,  to  speak 
much  concerning  an  Antichristian  power  that  should  arise,  that  should  perse- 

*  Rev.  xviii.  10,   17,  19,  chap.  xi.  3,  iii.  10,  viii.  3,  ix.  i.'i,  xiv.  7.  t  Dan.  iii.  6,  iv.  33,  v.  5,Matt. 

viii.  13,  X.  19,  Luke  vii.  21^  xii.    2,  x.x.  19,  xxiv.  33,  John  iv.  53,   Acts  ;;vi.  18,33,  xxii.  13,  Rev.  xi.  13. 
t  Verses  10,  17,  19. 


UNION  LV  PRAYER.  489 

niie  the  saints,  and  scatter  the  powtr  of  the  holy  people,  and  be  an  occasioa 
ol'  irreat  allliction  to  the  churcli  of  Christ ;  and  in  these  revelations,  in  both 
Old  Teslauieiit  and  New,  has  declared  and  often  repeated  it,  that  his  dominion 
•  shall  continue  so  lonj];,  and  no  longer;  and  for  the  conilort  of  his  church  in 
f^eneral,  Christ  hath  sworn  with  <^reat  solemnity,  that  the  continuance  of  this 
persecuting  power  shall  be  thus  limiteil,  Dan,  xii.  7. 

Now  it  would  be  strange,  if  in  all  this  the  thing  principally  intended  is  not 
that  dominion  of  this  Antichristian  power  that  chielly  concerns  the  church  of 
Christ  in  general,  but  merely  his  temporal  dominion  over  one  province  in  Italy, 
called  St.  Peter's  Patrimony.  Doubtless  that  dominion  of  Antichrist  which  the 
prophecies  insist  upon  and  describe,  is  the  dominion  \vhose  duration  and  limits 
thfvse  prophecies  declare.  But  the  dominion  of  Antichrist  which  the  prophecies 
insist  upon  and  describe,  is  not  any  dominion  over  a  particular  province  in  Italy, 
but  the  dominion  by  which  he  succeeds  the  four  great  munarrhies  of  t/u:  world, 
Dan.  vii.  The  doujinion  by  which  he  succeeds  the  dragon  in  his  power,  throne 
and  grc<.:t  authority,  Piev.  xiii.  2.  The  dominion  in  which  he  h;\s  power  given 
liim  over  all  kindreds,  tongues  and  nations,  ver.  7.  'Ihe  dominion  by  which 
the  great  whore  sits  on  many  waters  (chap  xvii.  1),  which  the  angel  explains 
to  he  peoples,  mid  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues  (ver.  15),  and  the  do- 
minion in  which  he  reigns  overtHe  ten  kings,  into  which  the  Roman  empire  is 
divided,  Rev.  xiii.  1,  and  xvii.  3,  12,  13.  The  beast  that  had  ten  horns,  is 
not  the  city  of  Rome  and  the  neighboring  region,  but  the  Roman  empire ;  they 
are  the  horns  or  the  kings,  not  of  the  city,  but  of  the  empire.  If  we  consider 
what  is  expressed  in  the  passages  themselves,  which  spe;ik  of  the  three  years  and 
half  of  Antichrist,  they  will  lead  us  to  understanri  something  very  diverse  from 
the  duration  of  his  temporal  dominion  ov(!r  St.  Peter's  patrimony.  Inl)?}n.  vii. 
25,  the  time,  times  and  a  half,  of  the  little  horn,  is  expressly  the  continuance 
of  time  wherein  it  shall  be  given  to  him  to  change  times  and  laws,  and  wear  out 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High  ;  and  in  chap.  xiii.  7,  it  is  spoken  of  as  the  time 
of  his  scattering  the  power  of  the  holy  people.  In  Rev.  xi.  2,  the  forty  antl  two 
months  is  spoken  of  as  the  time  of  Antich.rist's  treading  under  Joot  the  court  of 
the  temple,  and  the  holy  city  ;  i.  e.,  the  external  or  visible  Christian  church 
abroad  in  the  world,  or  the  nations  of  Christendom.  In  ver.  3,  the  twelve 
hundred  and  sixty  days  of  Antichrist  are  spoken  of  as  the  time  of  the  witnesses 
prophesying  in  sackcloth  ;  and  in  chap.  xii.  6,  and  14,  the  time  of  the  woman'^s 
being  in  the  vnlderncss,  which  was  through  the  great  power  that  Antichrist  had 
over  the  Christian  v\-orld,  and  not  his  small  temporal  dominion  in  Italy. 

It  is  true,  some  regard  is  had  in  the  prophecies  to  the  city  of  Rome,  the  city 
built  on  seven  hills :  which,  being  the  Ibuntain  of  all  rule  and  authority  in  the 
Roman  monarchy,  and  the  capital  city  of  the  empire,  from  whence  the  whole 
empire  was  denominated,  and  the  place  where  the  head  of  the  empire  usually 
resided,  was  properly  made  use  of  by  the  angel,  Rev.  xvii.  9,  18,  to  show  what 
empire  Anticluist  should  rule  over,  and  <what  city  he  should  usually  reside  in. 
And  this  is  all  that  can  be  meant  by  the  words  of  the  angel ;  and  not  that  those 
streets  nnd  walls,  and  that  very  ground,  were  such  main  and  essential  things  in 
what  the  prophecy  intended  by  the  beast  ;  that  when  Antichrist's  dominion 
began  in  tluit  place,  then  the  beast  ceases.  For  if  so,  then  it  will  follow,  that 
the  bca'st  had  his  head  wounded  to  death  a  second  time,  and  ceased  to  be,  when 
the  Popes  resided  at  A\  ignon  in  France,  for  the  best  part  of  a  century ;  when 
not  only  the  Popes  did  not  reside  at  Rome,  nor  in  any  pnrt  of  St.  Peter''s  patri- 
mony, nor  any  part  of  Italy  ;  but  some  of  them  were  neither  Romans  nor  Ital- 
i  ns.     Though  the  angel  says  of  the  great  whore,  Rev  xvii.  18,  "  The  woman 

Vol..  III.  62 


490  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

which  thou  sawest,  is  that  great  city  which  reigns  over  the  kings  of  the  earth :" 
yet  by  the  city,  in  this  case,  is  not  meant  so  much  what  was  contained  within  those 
Roman  walls,  as  the  Roman  empire  ;  as  is  evident  by  chap.  xi.  8,  "  And  their 
tiead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the  street  of  the  great  city,  which  is  spiritually  called 
Sodom  and  Egypt."  Here,  by  the  great  cit}',  neither  Mr.  Lowra'an  himself, 
nor  I  suppose  any  other  Piotestant  interpreter,  understands  the  city  of  Rome, 
strictly  speaking,  but  the  Roman  monarchy. 

And  though  it  be  true,  as  Mr.  Lowman  observes,  the  Pope's  ecclesiastical 
jnonarchy,  and  power,  and  influence,  through  Christendom,  was  greatly  estab- 
lished and  advanced  by  Pepin's  making  him  a  temporal  prince  over  the  exar- 
chate of  Ravenna  ;  yet,  I  would  ask,  whether  the  Pope's  power  and  influence 
in  the  world,  and  his  ability  to  disturb  the  quiet  of  the  nations  of  Christendom, 
and  (as  it  is  expressed  in  Daniel)  to  change  times  and  laws,  and  to  carry  his 
own  designs,  in  the  various  countries  and  kingdoms  of  Europe,  was  not  greater 
before  Pepin,  than  it  is  now,  and  has  been  for  a  long  time  ?  And  yet  Mr. 
Lowman  supposes  that  now  is  properly  the  time  of  Antichrist's  reign,  that  the 
twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years  of  his  reign  continues,  and  will  continue  for 
about  two  hundred  and  seventy  years  longer  ;  though  his  power  be  now  so  small, 
and  has  been  declining  ever  since  the  reiormation,  and  still  declines  continually. 

One  thing  that  Mr.  Lowniian  supposes  confirms  his  opinion  of  so  late  a  begin- 
ning of  the  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years  of  the  reign  of  the  beast,  is  the  order 
of  the  several  periods  of  this  prophecy,  and  the  manner  of  their  succeeding  one 
another. 

As  to  his  particular  scheme  of  the  seven  periods,  so  divided  and  limited,  and 
so  obviously  ranked  in  such  order,  and  following  one  another  in  such  direct  and 
continued  succession,  and  each  ending  in  a  state  of  peace,  safety  and  happiness 
to  the*  church  of  God,  it  seems  to  me  to  be  more  ingenious  than  solid,  and  that 
many  things  might  be  said  to  demonstrate  it  not  to  be  founded  in  the  truth  of 
things,  and  the  real  design  of  the  divine  Author  of  this  prophecy.  But  now  to 
enter  into  a  particular  and  full  examination  of  it,  would  be  to  lengthen  out  this 
discourse  far  beyond  its  proper  limits.  I  would  only  observe  (which  directly 
concerns  my  present  purpose)  that  to  make  out  this  scheme,  Mr  Lowman  sup- 
poses that  the  fifth  and  sixth  trumpets,  that  bring  on  the  two  first  woes,  and  the 
whole  9th  chapter  of  the  Revelation,  altogether  respects  the  Saracens.  But  it 
appears  to  me  not  very  credible  that  the  Saracens  should  have  so  much  said  of 
them  in  this  prophecy,  as  to  have  a  whole  chapter  taken  up  about  them,  and 
not  a  word  in  the  w  hole  prophecy  be  said  about  the  Turks  who  immediately  suc- 
ceeded them*  in  the  same  religion,  and  proceeding  on  the  same  principles,  and 
were  so  much  more  considerable,  and  brought  vastly  greater  calamities  on  the 
Christian  world,  and  have  set  up  and  long  maintained  one  of  the  greatest,  strong- 
est and  most  extraordinary  enipiies  that  ever  the  world  saw,  anti  have  been  the 
most  terrible  scourge  to  Christendom,  that  ever  divine  Providence  made  use  of, 
and  one  of  the  greatest  of  all  God's  plagues  on  the  world  of  mankind. 

Mr.  Lowman,  in  pursuance  of  his  scheme,  also  supposes  (which  is  yet  more 
incredible)  this  period  of  the  trumpets  ends  in  a  state  of  safety,  feaceand  happi- 
ness to  the  church  of  God  ;  so  that,  on  that  occasion,  there  are  great  voices  in 
heaven,  saying.  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  oxvr 

*  For  though  it  be  true,  thn\  the  reigu  of  Othman,  or  Ottoman,  who  began  what  they  call  the  Ottoman 
empire,  was'a  long  time  after  this;  yet  the  Turks  themselves,  under  other  princes  in  the  government 
they  set  up  in  territories  tiuit  had  formerly  been  possessed  by  Christians,  and  in  their  overrunning 
and  ravaging  Christian  countries,  immediately  succeeded  the  Saracjns  ;  and  from  thenceforward  have 
been  a  terrible,  and  almost  continual  scourge  to  the  church. 


UNION   IN   PRAYKR.  491 

Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  chap.  xi.  15.*  And  yi-t  he  supposes,  that  it  issues  in 
setting  up  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist ;  and  tluit  about  that  very  time,  when 
these  lieavetdy  voices  so  joyl'idly  proclaimed  this,  the  beast  was  entlironed,  and 
the  time,  times  and  liah',  or  twelve  lumdred  anil  sixty  days  of  his  reign  began, 
which  is  spoken  of  every  wiieie,  as  the  time  of  the  church's  greatest"  darkness 
and  trouble,  the  time  wherein  ihe  little  liorn  should  wear  uiii  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High,  Dan.  vii.  25.  The  tine  appointed  for  his  sciUtering  the  power  of 
the  holi/ pn)ple,  Dan.  xii.  7.  The  time  of  tlie  ic<imnn''s  being  in  the  wilderness^ 
Rev.  xii.  6,  14.  The  time  oUriading  wider  foot  the  court  of  the  temple,  chap, 
xi.  2.     And  the  time  oi the  witnesses  jtrophesi/ing  in  sackcloth,  ch[\p.  xi.  3. 

However,  I  do  not  deny  that  the  time  when  Mr.  Lowman  supposes  the 
reign  of  the  beast  began,  even  the  time  A-hen  Pepin  confirmed  to  the  Pope  his 
temporal  dominions  in  Italy,  was  a  lime  of  tlit;  great  increase  and  advancement 
of  the  power  of  Antichrist  in  the  world,  and  a  notable  ejioch.  And  it  1  may 
be  allowed  humbly  to  oiler  what  appears  to  me  to  be  the  truth  with  relation  to 
the  rise  and  fall  of  Antichrist,  it  is  this.  As  the  power  of  Antichrist,  and  the  cor- 
ruption of  the  apostate  church,  rose  not  at  once,  but  by  several  notable  steps  and 
degrees  ;  so  it  will  in  the  like  manner  fall :  and  that  diveis  steps  and  seasons  of  de- 
struction to  the  spiritual  Babylon,  and  revival  and  advancement  of  the  true  church, 
are  prophesied  of  under  one.  Though  it  be  true,  that  there  is  some  particular  event 
that  prevails  above  all  otherS  in  the  intention  of  the  prophecy,  some  one  remark- 
able season  of  the  destruction  of  the  church  of  Rome  and  papal  power  and  cor- 
ruption, and  advancement  of  true  religion,  that  the  prophecies  have  a  principal 
respect  to. 

It  was  certainly  thus  with  regard  to  the  prophecies  of  the  destruction  of  old 
Babylon,  and  the  church's  deliverance  from  captivity  and  oppression  by  that 
city  and  kingdom ;  which  is  abundantly  alluded  to  in  these  prophecies  of  the 
Revelation,  as  a  noted  type  of  the  oppression  of  the  church  of  Christ  by  the  church 
of  Rome,  calling  the  latter  so  often  by  the  name  of  Babylon,  and  the  church  ot 
Christ  Jerusalem.  The  captivity  of  the  Jews  by  the  Babylonians  was  not 
perfected  at  once,  but  was  brought  on  by  several  notable  steps.  So  neither  was 
the  restoration  of  the  Jewish  church,  after  the  captivity,  perl'ected  at  once.  It 
was  several  times  foretold,  that  the  duration  of  the  captivity  should  be  seventy 
years ;  and  also,  that  after  seventy  years  were  accojnplished,  God  would  destroy 
Babylon,  Jer.  xxv,  11,  12,  &,c.  But  this  period  had  manifestly  several  dilFer- 
ent  beginnings,  and  several  endings.  Thus  from  Jehoiakim's  captivity  to  Cyrus's 
decree,  for  the  return  of  the  Jews,  and  the  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem,  was  seventy 
years.  And  from  Zedekiah's  captivity  to  Darius's  decree,  Ezra  vi.,  seventy 
years.  And  from  the  last  carrying  away  of  all,  Jer.  lii.  30,  to  the  finishing  and 
dedication  of  the  temple,  was  also  seventy  years.  So  also  the  prophecies  of 
Babylon's  destruction  were  fulfilled  by  several  steps.  These  prophecies  seem 
to  have  a  principal  respect  to  that  destruction  that  was  accomplished  by  Cyrus, 
at  the  end  of  the  first  seventy  years  forementioned  :  but  there  were  other  things 
in  the  very  same  jirophecies,  that  were  not  fulfilled  until  the  4th  year  of  Darius  ; 
when  what  remained  of  Babylon  was  subject  to  another  dreadiul  destruction  ; 
which  in  a  great  measure  completed  its  desolation;  which  was  at  the  end  of 
the  second  seventy  years,  and  at  the  same  time  that  the  restoration  of  the  Jews 
was  perfected  by  the  decree  of  Darius.*  But  yet,  there  were  many  other  thino^s 
contained  in  the  same  prophecies  of  Babylon's  destruction,  ren<lering  it  thence- 
forward perfectly  and  perpetually  desolate,  and  the  haunt  of  serpents  and  wild 

»  Preface  of  his  Paraphrase,  &c.,  p.  13,  14,  and  IG. 

t  Pndeaux's  Connection,  Fart  I.  p.  183,  184,  and  267,  269,  269.     Edit.  9,  and  p.  271,  and  272. 


492  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

beasts,  that  were  not  fulfilled  until  more  than  two  hundred  years  after,  in  the 
lime  of  Seleucus  kinnj  of  Syria.*  So  also  it  was  with  respect  to  the  prophecies 
of  the  destruction  of  "Tyre,  in  the  26th,  27th  and  28th  chapters  of  Ezekiel ; 
from  which  many  of  the  expressions  used  in  the  Revelation,  concerning  the 
destruction  of  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  are  taken,  and  which  is  evidently  made 
use  of  in  Scripture  as  a  type  of  the  latter.  These  prophecies  of  the  destruction 
of  Tyre  v>'ere  fulfdled  by  various  steps.  Many  things  were  fultilled  in  the  de- 
struction of  the  old  city  by  Nebuchadnezzar  ;t  and  yet  other  parts  of  the  same 
prophecy  were  fulfilled  by  Alexander ; J  which  was  about  two  hundred  and 
forty  years  afterwards.  And  yet  both  these  desolations  are  prophesied  of 
under  one. 

And  thus  it  seems  to  me  very  prcfbable,  that  it  will  prove,  with  respect  to 
the  prophecies  of  the  destruction  of  mystical  Babylon.  It  is  I  think  pretty  haan- 
ifest  by  the  prophecies,  that  this  A.ntichristian  hierarchy  and  apostate  church 
will  at  last  be  so  destroyed,  that  there  shall  be  noremaindeis  of  it  left,  and  shall 
have  as  perfect  a  desolation,  before  God  has  done  with  her,  as  old  Babylon  had  ; 
there  shall  be  no  such  thing  as  Pope  or  church  of  Rome  in  the  w^orld.§  It  seems 
also  pretty  manifest  that  after  that  event  that  is  chiefly  intended  in  the  prophe- 
cies of  Antichrist's  destruction,  there  will  be  some  remains  of  the  Romish  church. 
This  appears  by  that  most  particular  and  large  description  of  that  destruction, 
Rev.  xviii.  There  it  seems  to  be  implied,  not  only  that  many  shall  yet  remain 
of  the  church  of  Rome,  that  shall  bewail  her  overthrow,  of  her  people  and 
clergy,  ver.  11,  15,  17,  18,  but  that  there  should,  be  some  princes  among  them, 
kings  of  the  earth,  that  have  committed  fornication,  and  lived  deliciously  with 
her,  ver.  9,  10.  And  it  is  exceeding  improbable  in  itself,  that  every  JPapist, 
in  each  quarter  of  the  world,  should  be  destroyed,  or  cease  from  the  world,  at 
one  blow.  And  as  long  as  so  considerable  a  number  remains,  as  may  be  gath- 
ered from  the  prophecy,  they  will  doubtless  have  a  hierarchy ;  and  there  will 
be  one  among  them  that  will  bear  the  name  of  a  Pope.  Although  the  church 
of  Rome  shall  be  mainly  destroyed,  and  the  interest  of  Popery  shall  be  simk 
very  lov;  in  the  world ;  so  that  there  will  yet  remain  such  a  thing  as  a  Papal 
churcli  and  hierarchy  in  the  world,  to  be  wholly  extirpated  at  another  period, 
some  time  after  that  great  overthrow  principally  insisted  on  in  the  prophecies. 
And  this  second  destiuction  of  Antichrist,  or  rather  extirpation  of  his  remains 
together  with  the  complete  extirpation  of  all  the  remains  of  Mahometanism, 
Heathenism  and  Heresy  through  the  world,  and  the  finishing  stroke  towards  the 
overthrow  of  Satan's  visible  kingdom  on  earth,  and  so  the  beginning  of  the 
Millennium  or  spiritual  rest  of  the  world,  may,  for  aught  I  know,  be  about  the 
lime  Mr.  Lowman  speaks  of;  agreeable  to  the  opinion  of  the  ancient  Jews,  and 
many  Christian  divines  that  have  followed  them,  that  the  world  would  stand  six 
thousand  years;  and  then,  the  seventh  thousand  years  should  be  the  world's  rest 
or  Sabbath.  The  ruin  of  the  Popish  interest  is  but  a  sm.all  part  of  what  is  re- 
quisite, in  order  to  introduce  and  settle  such  a  state  of  things,  as  the  world  is 
represented  as  being  in,  in  that  Millennium  that  is  described,  Rev.  xx.,  wherem 
Satan's  visible  kingdom  is  everywhere  totally  extirpated,  and  a  perfect  end  pul 
to  all  heresies,  delysions  and  false  religions  whatsoever,  through  the  whole  earth, 
and  Satan  thenceforward  deceives  the  nations  no  more,  and  has  no  place  any 
where  but  in  hell.  This  i?  the  Sabbatism  of  the  world ;  when  all  shall  be  in  t 
holy  rest,  when  the  wolf  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  there  shall  be  nothing 
to  hurt  or  offend,  and  there  shall  be  abundance  of  peace,  and  the  earth  shall  be 

•  Prideairx's  Connectioii,  Part.  I.  p.  808—812.         f  Iljid.  p.  128,  129,  130.       t  Ibid.  p.  C93.       ^  Se? 
llev.  xviii.  21—23,  and  xix.  20,  21.     Dan.  vii.  26,  27. 


UNION   IN   PRAYER.  493 

full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  T.onI  ;is  the  waters  cover  the  seas,  and  (lod's  peo- 
ple s'uiill  dwell  in  quiet  resting  places.  There  is  not  the  least  reason  to  think, 
that  all  tins  will  be  brought  to  pass  as  it  were  at  one  stroke,  or  that  from  the 
present  lamentable  stale  of  things,  there  should  be  brought  about  and  completed 
the  destruction  of  the  church  of  Rome,  the  entire  extiri)ation  of  all  infidelity, 
heresies,  superstitions  and  schisms,  through  all  Christendom,  and  the  conversion 
of  all  the  Jews,  and  the  full  enlightening  and  conversion  of  all  Mahometan  and 
Heathen  nations,  through  the  whole  earth,  orrevery  side  of  the  globe,  and  from 
the  north  to  the  south  pole,  and  the  full  settlement  of  all  in  the  pure  Christian 
faith  and  order,  all  as  it  were  in  the  issue  of  one  battle,  and  by  means  of  the 
victory  of  the  church  in  one  great  conflict  with  her  enemies.  This  would  con- 
tradict many  thiiigs  in  Scripture,  which  represent  this  great  event  to  be  brought 
to  jiass  by  a  gradual  progress  of  religion  ;  as  leavou  that  gradually  sprc^ads, 
until  it  has  diifused  itself  through  the  whole  lump ;  and  a  plant  of  mustard, 
which  fVom  a  very  small  seed,  gradually  becomes  a  great  tree,  Malt.  xiii.  31, 
32,  33,  nnd  like  seed  which  a  man  casts  into  the  ground,  that  springs  and  grows 
up,  night  and  day  ;  and  Jirst  brings  forth  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full 
corn  in.  the  ear.  And  especially  would  this  contradict  the  prophetical  represen- 
tation in  Ezek.  xlvii.,  where  the  progress  of  religion  is  represented  by  the  grad- 
ual increase  of  the  waters  of  the  sanctuary  ;  being  first  a  small  spring  issuing 
Out  tVom  under  the  threshold  £>f  the  temple  ;  and  then,  after  they  had  run  a 
thousand  cubits,  being  up  to  the  ankles ;  and  at  the  end  of  another  thousand 
cubits,  up  to  the  knees ;  and  at  the  end  of  another  thousand,  up  to  the  loins ; 
and  afterwards  a  great  river,  that  could  not  be  passed  over  ;  and  being  finally 
brought  into  the  sea,  and  healing  the  waters  even  of  the  vast  ocean. 

If  the  Spirit  of  God  should  be  immediately  poin-ed  out,  and  that  great  work 
of  God's  power  and  grace  should  now  begin,  which  in  its  progress  and  issue 
should  complete  this  glorious  effect ;  there  must  be  an  amazing  and  unparalleled 
progress  of  the  work  and  manifestation  of  divine  power  to  bring  so  much  to  pass 
by  the  year  two  thousand.  Would  it  not  be  a  great  thing  to  be  accomplished  in 
one  half  century,  that  relifjion,  in  the  power  and  purity  of  it,  should  so  prevail, 
as  to  gain  the  conquest  over  all  those  many  things  that  stand  in  opposition  to  it 
among  Protestants,  and  gain  the  upper  hand  through  the  Protestant  world  ? 
And  if  in  another,  it  should  go  on  so  to  prevail,  as  to  get  the  victory  over  all 
the  opposition  and  strength  of  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  so  as  to  gain  the  as- 
cendant in  that  which  is  now  the  Popish  world  ?  And  if  in  a  third  half  century, 
it  should  prevail  and  subdue  the  greater  part  of  the  Mahometan  world,  and  bring 
in  the  .Jewish  nation,  in  all  their  dispei-sions  ?  And  then  in  th(,'  next  whole  cen- 
tury, the  whole  ht^athen  world  should  be  enlightened  and  converted  to  the 
Christian  faith,  throughout  all  parts  of  Africa,  Asia,  America  and  Terra  Aus- 
tralis,  and  be  thoroughly  settled  in  Christian  faith  and  order,  witliout  any 
remainders  of  their  old  delusions  and  superstitions,  and  this  attended  with  an 
utter  extirpation  of  the  remnant  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  all  the  relics  of 
Maliometanism,  heresy,  schism  and  enthusiasm,  and  a  suppression  of  all  remains 
of  open  vice  and  immorality,  and  every  sort  of  visible  enemy  to  true  religion, 
through  the  whole  earth,  and  bring  to  an  end  all  the  unhappy  commotions,  tu- 
mulls.  and  calamities  occasioned  by  such  greatchan'jcs,  anil  all  things  so  adjust- 
ed and  settled  through  the  world,  that  the  world  thenceforward  should  enjoy  a 
holy  rest  or  sabbatism  ? 

I  have  thus  distinguished  what  belongs  to  a  bringing  of  the  world  from  its 
present  state,  to  the  happy  state  of  the  Millennium,  the  better  to  give  a  view 
of  the  greatness  of  the  work ;  and  not,  that  I  pretend  so  much  as  to  conjecture^ 


494  UNION  IN  PRAYER 

that  things  will  be  accomplished  just  in  this  order.  The  whole  work  is  not  the 
less  great  and  wonderlul,  to  be  accomplished  in  such  a  space  of  time^in  what- 
ever order  the  different  parts  of  it  succeed  each  other.  They  that  think  that 
what  has  been  mentioned  would  not  be  swift  progress,  yea  amazingly  swift,  do 
not  consider  how  great  the  work  is,  and  the  vast  and  innumerable  obstacles  that 
are  in  the  way.  It  was  a  wonderful  thing,  when  the  Christian  religion,  after 
Christ's  ascension,  so  prevailed,  as  to  get  the  ascendant  in  the  Roman  empire 
in  about  three  hundred  years  ;  but  that  was  nothing  to  this. 

Ans.  4.  There  are,  as  I  apprehend,  good  reasons  to  hope,  that  that  work  of 
God's  Spirit  will  begin  in  a  little  time,  which,  in  the  progress  of  it,  will  over- 
throw the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  and  in  its  issue  destroy  Satan's  visible  king- 
dom on  earth. 

The  prophecy  of  the  sixth  vial.  Rev.  xvi.  12 — 16,  if  w^e  take  it  in  its  con- 
nection with  the  other  vials,  »ind  consider  those  providential  events,  by  which 
the  preceding  vials  have  manifestly  been  fulfilled,  I  humbly  conceive  affords  just 
ground  for  such  a  hope. 

It  is  very  plain  from  this  whole  chapter,  as  also  the  preceding  and  following, 
that  all  these  seven  vials  are  vials  of  God's  wrath  on  Antichrist ;  one  is  not 
poured  out  on  the  Jews,  another  on  the  Turks,  another  on  Pagans,  another  on 
the  church  of  Rome  ;  but  they  all  signify  God's  successive  judgments  or  plagues 
on  the  beast  and  his  kingdom,  which  is  in  this  chapter  and  almost  every\vhere 
in  this  book,  called  great  Babylon.  And  therefore  undoubtedly,  when  it  is  said, 
the  sixth  angel  ipoured  out  his  vial  on  the  river  Euphrates,  and  the  loater  there- 
of was  dried  up,  that  the  way  of  the  kings  of  the  east  might  he  prepared  ;  by 
the  river  Euphrates  is  meant  something  some  way  appertaining  to  this  mystical 
Babylon ;  as  that  river  that  ran  through  Chaldea,  called  Euphrates,  was  some- 
thing appertaining  to  the  literal  Babylon.  And  it  is  very  manifest,  that  here 
is  in  the  prophecy  of  this  vial  an  allusion  to  that  by  which  the  way  was  prepar- 
ed for  the  destruction  of  Babylon  by  Cyrus ;  which  was  by  turning  the  channel 
of  the  river  Euphrates,  which  ran  through  the  midst  of  the  city,  whereby  the 
w^ay  of  the  kings  of  the  east,  the  princes  of  Media  arnl  Persia,  was  prepared  to 
come  in  under  the  walls  of  the  city,  at  each  end,  where  the  waters  used  to  run, 
and  destroy  it ;  as  they  did  that  night  wherein  Daniel  interpreted  the  hand- 
writing on  the  wall,  against  Belshazzar,  Dan.  v.  20.  The  prophecies  of  Baby- 
lon's destruction,  do  from  time  to  time  take  notice  of  this  way  of  destroying 
her,  by  drying  up  the  waters  of  the  river  Euphrates,  to  prepare  the  way  for  her 
enemies :  Isa.  xliv.  27,  28,  That  saith  to  the  deep,  he  dry,  and  I  will  dry  up 
thy  rivers  ;  that  saith  of  Cyrus,  he  is  my  servant,  and  shall  perform  all  my  plea- 
sure. Jer.  li.  31,32,  One  post  shall  run  to  meet  another,  to  show  the  king  of 
Bahylonthat  his  city  is  taken  at  one  end,  and  that  the  passages  are  stopped,  and 
the  reeds  they  have  burnt  with  fre,  and  the  men  of  war  are  affrighted.  And 
verse  36,  i  will  dry  up  her  sea,  cmd  make  her  springs  dry.  The  Medes  and 
Persians,  the  people  that  destroyed  Babylon,  dwelt  to  the  eastward  of  Babylon, 
and  are  spoken  of  as  coming  from  the  east  to  her  destruction,  Isa.  xlvi.  11. 
Calling  a  ravenom  bird  from  the  east,  the  man  that  exectdeth  my  counsel, 
from  afar  country.  And  the  pT;inces  that  joined  with  this  ravenous  bird  from 
the  east,  in  this  affair  of  destroying  Babylon,  are  called  kings,  Jer.  li.  11 :  The 
Lord  hath  raised  up  the  spirit  of  the  kings  of  the  Medes  ;  for  his  device  is 
against  Babylon  to  destroy  it.  Ver.  28,  Prepare  against  her  the  nations  icith  the 
kings  of  the  Medes,  the  captains  thereof,  and  the  rulers  thereof — The  diying 
the  channel  of  the  river  Euphrates,  to  prepare  the  way  for  these  kings  and  cap- 
tains of  the  east,  to  enter  into  that  city  under  its  high  walls,  was  the  last  thing' 


UNION  IN   PRAYER.  495 

done  by  the  bcsienjers  of  Babylon,  before  her  actual  destruction  :  as  this  sixth 
vial  is  the  last  vial  of  God's  wrath  but  one,  on  the  mystical  Babylon  ;  and  the 
effect  of  it,  the  drying  up  the  channel  of  the  river  Euphrates,  is  the  last  thing 
done  against  it,  before  its  actual  destruction  by  the  seventh  vial,  and  opens 
the  way  for  those  that  fight  in  a  spiritual  war  against  It,  speedily  to  bring  on  its 
ruin. 

Mence  I  think  it  may  without  dispute  be  determined,  that  by  the  river  Eu- 
phrates in  the  prophecy  of  this  vial,  is  meant  something  appertaining  or  relating 
to  the  mystical  Babylon,  or  the  Anticiiristian  church  and  kingdom,  that  serves 
that,  or  is  a  benefit  to  it,  in  a  way  answerable  to  that  in  which  the  river  Eu- 
phrates served  old  Babylon,  and  the  removal  of  which  will  in  like  manner  pre- 
pare the  way  for  her  enemies  to  destroy  her.  And  therefore  what  we  have  to 
do  in  the  first  place,  in  order  to  find  out  what  is  intendeil  by  the  river  Euphrates, 
in  this  prophecy,  is  to  consider  how  the  literal  Euphrates  served  old  Babylon. 
And  it  may  be  noted,  that  Euphrates  was  of  remarkable  benefit  to  that  city  in 
two  respects :  it  served  the  city  as  a  supply  ;  it  was  let  through  the  midst  of 
the  city  by  an  artificial  canal,  and  ran  tluough  the  midst  of  the  palace  of  the 
king  of  Babylon ;  that  part  of  his  palace  called  the  old  palace,  standing  on  one 
side,  and  the  other  part  called  the  new  palace,  on  the  other;  with  communica- 
tions from  one  part  to  another,  above  the  waters,  by  a  bridge,  and  under  the 
waters,  by  a  vaulted  or  arched 'passage  ;  that  the  city,  and  especially  the  palace, 
might  have  the  convenience  of  its  waters,  and  be  plentifully  supplied  with 
water.  And  another  way  that  the  waters  of  Euphrates  served  Babylon,  was  as 
an  impediment  and  obstacle  in  the  way  of  its  enemies,  to  hinder  their  access  to 
it  to  destroy  it.  For  there  was  a  vast  moat  round  the  city,  without  the  walls, 
of  prodigious  width  and  depth,  filled  with  the  water  of  the  river,  to  hinder  the 
access  of  her  besiegers:  and  at  each  end  of  the  city,  the  river  served  instead  of 
walls.  And  therefore  when  Cyrus  had  dried  up  the  river,  the  moat  was  emptied, 
and  the  channel  of  the  river  under  the  walls  left  dry ;  and  so  his  way  was  pre- 
pared. 

And  therefore  it  is  natural  to  suppose,  that  by  drying  up  the  waters  of  the 
river  Euphrates,  in  the  prophecies  of  the  destruction  of  the  new  Babylon,  to 
prepare  the  way  of  her  enemies,  is  meant  the  drying  up  her  incomes  and  sup- 
plies; and  the  removal  of  those  things  that  hitherto  have  been  the  chief  obsta- 
cles in  the  way  of  those  that  in  this  book  are  represented  as  at  war  with  her 
and  seeking  her  destruction,  spoken  of  Rev.  xix.  11,  to  the  end,  and  chap.  xii. 
7,  that  have  hindered  their  progress  and  success,  or  that  have  been  the  chief 
impediments  in  the  way  of  the  Protestant  religion.  The  first  thinir  is  the  drying 
the  streams  of  the  wealth  of  the  lew  Babylon,  the  temporal  sujiplies,  revenues 
and  vast  incomes  of  the  Romish  church,  and  riches  of  the  Popish  douiinions. 
Waters  in  Scripture  language  very  often  signify  provision  and  supplies,  both 
temporal  and  spiritual;  as  in  Prov.  ix.  17,  Isa.  xxxiii.  16,  xllii,  20,  Iv.  1,  and 
Iviii.  11,  Jer,  ii.  13  and  IS,  xvii,  8  and  13,  and  in  other  places  innumerable. 
The  temporal  supplies  of  a  people  are  very  often  in  Scripture  called  waters  ;  as 
fsa.  V.  13,  Therefore  my  people  is  gone  into  captivity,  and  tluir  honorable  men 
are  famished,  and  their  mxdtitude  dried  up  vith  thirst,  i.  e.,  deprived  of  the  sup- 
ports and  supplies  of  life.  And  the  dr}ing  up  the  waters  of  a  city  or  kingdom, 
is  olten  used  in  Scripture  prophecy,  for  the  depriving  them  of  their  wealth,  as 
the  Scripture  explains  itself,  Hos,  xiii,  15  :  "  His  spring  shall  become  dry,  and 
his  fountain  shall  be  dried  up  ;  he  shall  spoil  the  treasure  of  all  pleasant  vessels," 
Isa.  XV,  6,  7,  '•  The  waters  of  Nirarim  shall  be  desolate ;  for  the  hay  is  withered 
away ;  the  grass  faileth  ;    there  Ls  no  green  thing.     Therefore  the  abundance 


496  UNION  IN   PRAYER 

they  have  gotten,  and  that  which  they  iiave  laid  up,  shall  they  cany  away  to 
the  brook  of  the  willows."  By  the  brook  of  the  willows  there  seems  to  be  a 
reference  to  the  waters  of  Assyria  or  Chaldea,  whose  streams  abounded  with 
willows  (compare  Psal.  cxxxvii,  2).  So  that  the  carrying  away  the  treasures 
of  Moab,  and  adding  of  them  to  the  treasures  of  Assyria,  is  here  lepresentcd  by 
the  figure  of  turning  away  the  waters  of  Nimrira  from  the  country  of  Moab,  and 
adding  (hem  to  the  wateis  of  Assyria,  as  the  prophecy  ^plains  ilself.  Yea, 
even  in  the  prophecies  of  the  destruction  of  Babylon  itself,  the  depriving  her  of 
her  treasures,  seems  to  be  one  thing  intended  by  the  drying  up  of  her  w^aters. 
This  seems  manifest  by  the  words  of  the  prophecy  in  Jer.  1.  37,  38  :  "  A  sword 
is  upon  her  treasures,  and  they  shall  be  robbed  ;  a  drought  is  upon  her  waters, 
and  they  shall  be  dried  up."  Compared  with  chap.  li.  15, "  0  thou  that  dwellest 
upon  many  waters,  abundant  in  treasures ;"  with  ver.  36,  "  I  will  dry  up  her  sea, 
and  nialce  her  springs  dry."  The  wealth,  revenues,  and  the  vast  incomes  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  are  the  waters  by  which  that  Babylon  has  been  nom'ished  and 
supported ;  these  are  the  waters  v>'hich  the  Popish  clergy  and  the  members  of 
the  Romish  hierarchy  thirst  after,  and  are  continually  drinking  down,  with  in- 
satiable appetite  ;  and  they  are  v»'aters  that  have  been  flowing  into  that  spiritual 
city  like  a  great  river;,  ecclesiastical  persons  possessing  a  very  great  part  of  the 
Popish  dominions:  as  this  Babylon  is  represented  as  vastly  rich,  in  this  pro- 
phecy of  the  Apocalypse,  especially  in  the  17th  and  ISth  chapters.  These  are 
especifilJy  the  waters  that  supply  the  palace  of  the  king  of  this  new  Babylon, 
viz.,  the  Pope  ;  as  the  river  Euphrates  ran  through  the  midst  of  the  palace  of 
the  king  of  old  Babylon.  The  revenues  of  the  Pope  have  been  like  the  waters 
of  a  great  river,  coming  into  his  palace,  from  innumerable  fountains,  and  by 
iimumeiable  branches  and  lesser  streams,  coming  from  many  various  and  dis- 
tant countries. 

This  prophecy  represents  to  us  two  cities  very  contrary  the  one  to  th.e  other ; 
viz.,  New  Babylon  and  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  a  river  running  through  the 
midst  of  each.  The  new  Jerusalem,  which  signifies  the  church  of  Christ,  espe- 
cially in  her  best  estate,  is  described  as  having  a  river  running  through  the 
midst  of  it.  Rev.  xxii.  1,  2.  This  river,  as  might  easily  be- made  most  evident, 
by  comparing  this  with  abundance  of  other  Scriptures,  undoubtedly  signifies  the 
divine  siipphes,  and  rich  and  abundant  spiritual  incomes  and  provision  of  that 
holy  city.  Mr.  Lowman,  in  his  late  exposition,  says,  It  represents  a  constant 
•provision  for  the  comfortahle  and  happy  life  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  this  city 
of  God.  And  in  his  notes  on  the  same  place,  observes  as  follows :  "  Water 
(says  he),  as  necessary  to  the  support  of  life,  and  as  it  contributes  in  great  cities, 
especially  in  hot  eastern  countries,  to  the  ornament  of  the  place,  and  delight  of 
the  inhabitants,  is  a  very  proper  representation  of  the  enjoyment  of  all  things, 
both  for  the  support  and  pleasure  of  life."  As  the  river  that  runs  through  the 
new  Jerusalem,  the  church  of  Christ,  that  refreshes  that  holy  spiritual  society, 
sJo-nifies  their  spiritual  supplies,  to  satisfy  their  spiritual  thirst;  so  the  river  that 
runs  through  the  new  Babylon,  the  Antichristian  church,  that  wicked  carnal 
society,  sig-nifies,  according  to  the  opposite  character  of  the  city,  her  worldly, 
3arnal  supplies,  to  satisfy  their  carnal  desires  and  thirstings. 

This  new  Jerusalem  is  called  in  this  book  the  paradise  of  God ;  and  there- 
fore is  represented  as  having  the  tree  of  life  growing  in  it,  chap.  ii.  7,  and  xxii.  2. 
And  it  being  described,  as  though  a  river  ran  through  the  midst  of  it,  there 
seems  to  be  some  allusion  to  the  ancient  paradise  in  Eden,  of  which  we  are 
told  that  there  ran  a  river  through  the  midst  of  it  to  water  it.  Gen.  ii.  10 ;  i.  e., 
to  supply  the  plants  of  it  with  nourishment.     And  this  river  was  this  very  same 


UMOX   IN   PRAYER.  497 

river  Euphrates,  that  afterwards  ran  through  Babylon.  And  in  one  and  the 
other  it  represented  the  (hveis  supphes  ol"  two  opposite  cities  :  in  Eden  it  rcp- 
fsented  the  spiritual  supplies  and  wealth  of  the  true  Christian  churcii,  in  lier 
spiritual  advanceuieiu  and  glory;  and  seeins  to  be  so  iLade  use  of  Kev.  xxii. 
1,  2.  In  the  other  it  represiiikil  the  outwaid  carnal  supplies  of  the  false  Anli- 
christian  church,  in  her  worldly  pomp  and  vainglory,  chap.  xvi.  12. 

When  the  wateis  that  supply  this  mystical  iJabylon,  come  to  be  dried  up 
in  this  sense,  it  will  prepare  the  way  lor  the  eneiniL-sof  Antichristian  corruption, 
tliat  seek  her  overthrow.  The  wealth  of  the  churcli  of  Kuiue,  and  of  the  ])owers 
that  support  it,  is  very  much  its  del'ence.  Alter  the  streams  of  her  leveimes 
and  riches  are  dried  up,  or  very  gieatly  diminished,  her  walls  will  be  as  it  were 
broken  down,  and  she  will  become  weak  and  defenceless,  and  exposed  to  easy 
ruin. 

When  Joab  had  taken  that  part  of  the  city  of  Rabbah,  that  was  called  the 
city  of  waters,  whence  the  city  had  its  supply  of  water,  the  fountains  of  the 
brook  Jabbok  being  probably  there  ;  and  which  was  also  called  the  royal  city, 
probably  because  there  the  king  had  his  palace  and  gardens,  on  the  account  of 
its  peculiar  pleasantness;  1  say,  when  he  had  taken  this,  the  conquest  of  the 
rest  of  the  city  was  easy ;  his  message  lo  David  implies  ihat  the  city  now  might 
be  taken  at  pleasure,  2  Sam.  xii.  27,  28.  It  is  possible  that  by  the  pouring  out 
of  the  sixth  vial  to  dry  up  the  river  of  the  mystical  Babylon,  there  may  be 
something  like  the  taking  the  city  of  wateis  in  Kabbah  ;  some  one  of  the  chief 
of  the  Popish  powers,  that  has  been  the  main  strength  and  support  of  the  Popish 
cause,  or  from  whence  that  church  has  its  chief  supplies,  may  be  destroyed,  or 
converted,  or  greatly  reduced.     But  this,  events  must  determine. 

In  the  prophecies  of  Egypt's  destruction,  it  is  signified,  that  when  their 
rivers  and  waters  should  be  dried  up,  in  that  sense,  that  the  streams  of  their  tempo- 
ral supplies  should  be  averted  from  them,  their  defence  would  begone:  Isa.  xix. 
4,  tScc, ''  The  Egyptians  will  1  give  over  into  the  hand  of  a  cruel  lord  ;  and  the 
waters  shall  fail  from  the  sea,  and  the  river  shall  be  wasted  and  dried  up,  and 
the  brooks  of  defence  shall  be  emptied  and  dried  up,  and  the  reeds  and  flags 
shall  wither ;  every  thing  sown  by  the  brooks  shall  wither :  the  fishers  also 
shall  mourn." 

Those  whose  way  was  prepared  to  come  in  and  destroy  Babylon,  by  the 
drying  up  the  river  Euphrates,  were  the  army  that  was  at  war  with  Babylon, 
Cyrus  the  king,  and  his  host,  that  sought  her  overthrow  :  so  there  seems  to  be 
all  reason  to  suppose,  that  those  whose  way  will  be  prepared  to  come  in  and 
destroy  mystical  Babylon,  by  drying  up  the  mystical  Euphrates,  are  that  king 
and  army  that  are  in  this  book  of  Revelation  represented  as  at  war  with  Anti- 
christ And  what  king  and  army  that  is,  we  may  see  in  chap.  xii.  7,  and  xix. 
11,  to  the  end  :  Michael  the  king  of  angels,  and  ids  angels  ;  he  whose  name  is 
called  the  word  of  God,  and  that  has  on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name 
written.  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords ;  and  the  heavenly  armies  that  follow 
him,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean.  Cyrus  the  chief  of  the  kings  of  the 
east,  that  destroyed  Babylon,  ami  redeemed  God's  church  from  thence,  and  re- 
stored Jerusalem,  seems  in  that  particular  affair  very  manifestly  to  be  spoken  of 
iis  a  type  of  Christ ;  God  calls  him  his  shepherd,  to  perform  his  pleasure,  to 
say  to  Jerusalem,  thou  shalt  be  built,  and  to  the  temple,  thy  foundation  shall  be 
laid,  Isa.  xliv.  28.  God  calls  him  his  Messiah  :  chap.  xlv.  1,  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  to  his  anointed  (in  the  original,  to  his  Messiah),  to  Cyrus."  He  is  spoken 
of  as  one  that  God  had  raised  up  in  righteousness,  that  he  might  builii  his  city, 
and  freely  redeem  his  captives,  or  let  them  go  without  price  or  reward,  chapter 

VcL   UI.  63 


498  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

xlv.  13.  He  Is  said  to  be  one  whom  God  had  loved,  chap,  xlvili.  14.  In  hke 
manner  as  the  Messiah  is  said  to  be  God's  elect,  in  whom  his  soul  delighteth.  As 
by  Babylon,  in  the  Revelation,  is  meant  that  Antichristian  society  that  is  typi- 
fied by  old  Babylon  ;  so  by  the  kings  of  the  east,  that  should  destroy  this  Anti- 
christian church,  must  be  meant  those  enemies  of  it  that  were  typified  by  Cyrus 
and  other  chieftains  of  the  east,  that  destroyed  old  Babylon ;  viz.,  Christ,  who 
Avas  born,  hved,  died  and  rose  in  the  east,  together  with  those  spiritual  princes 
that  follow  him,  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places,  and  tho.s.e 
ministers  and  saints  that  are  kings  and  priests,  and  shall  reign  on  earth ;  espe- 
cially those  leaders  and  heads  of  God's  people,  those  Christian  ministers  and 
magistrates  that  shall  be  distinguished  as  public  blessings  to  his  church,  and 
chief  instruments  of  the  overthrow  of  Antichrist. 

As  the  river  Euphrates  served  the  city  of  Babylon  as  a  supply,  so,  as  it  also 
was  before  observed,  It  served  as  an  impediment  or  obstacle  to  hinder  the  access 
of  its  enemies  :  as  there  was  a  vast  moat  round  the  city,  filled  with  the  water  of 
the  river,  which  was  left  empty  when  Euphrates  wasdiied  up.  And  therefore 
we  may  suppose  that  another  thing  meant  by  the  effect  of  the  sixth  vial,  is  the 
removal  of  those  things  which  hitherto  have  been  the  chief  obstacles  in  the  way 
of  the  progress  of  the  true  religion,  and  the  victory  of  the  church  of  Christ  over 
her  enemies  ;  which  have  been  the  corrupt  doctrines  and  practices  that  have 
prevailed  in  Protestant  countries,  and  the  doubts  and  difficulties  that  attend 
many  doctrines  of  the  true  religion,  and  the  many  divisions  and  contentions  that 
subsist  among  Protestants.  The  removal  of  those  would  wonderfully  prepare 
the  way  for  Christ  and  his  armies,  to  go  forw^ard  and  prevail  against  her  ene- 
mies, in  a  glorious  propagation  of  true  religion.  So  that  this  vial  which  is  to 
prepare  the  way  for  Chiist  and  his  people,  seems  to  have  respect  to  that  remark- 
able prepaiing  the  way  for  Christ,  by  levelhng  mountains,  exalting  valleys, 
drying  up  rivers,  and  removing  stumbling-blocks,  which  is  often  spoken  of  in 
the  prophecies,  as  what  shall  next  precede  the  church's  latter  day  glory ;  as 
Isa.  xlii.  13,  &c.,  "  The  Lord  shall  go  forth  as  a  mighty  man  ;  he  shall  .stir  up 
jealousy  as  a  man  of  war ;  he  shall  prevail  against  his  enemies.  I  will  make 
waste  mountains  and  hills,  and  dry  up  all  their  herbs ;  and  I  will  make  the 
rivers  islands,  and  1  will  dry  up  the  pools  ;  and  I  will  bring  the  bhnd  by  a  way 
that  they  knew  not,  and  I  will  lead  them  in  paths  that  they  have  not  known  ; 
I  will  make  darkness  light  before  them,  and  crooked  things  straight :  these 
things  will  I  do  unto  them  and  not  foisake  them."  Chap.  xl.  3,  4, 5,  "  Prepare 
ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God  : 
every  valley  shall  be  exalted,  and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  made  low, 
and  the  crooked  shall  be  made  straight,  and  rough  places  plain ;  and  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it  together."  Chap.  xi.  15, 
16,  "  And  the  Lord  shall  utterly  destroy  the  tongue  of  the  Egyptian  sea,  and  with 
his  mighty  wind  shall  he  shake  his  hand  over  the  river,  and  shall  smite  it  in  the 
seven  streams  thereof,  and  make  men  go  over  dry  shod  :  and  there  shall  be  a 
highway  for  the  remnant  of  his  people  which  shall  be  left,  from  Assyria,  like 
as  it  was  to  Israel,  in  the  day  that  he  came  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  Chap. 
Ivii.  14, "  Cast  ye  up,  cast  ye  up,  prepare  the  way,  take  up  the  stumbling-block 
out  of  the  way  of  my  people."  And  chap.  Ixii.  10,  "  Go  through,  go  through 
the  gates  ;  prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  people ;  cast  up,  cast  up  the  high-way  ; 
gather  out  the  stones;  lift  up  a  standard  for  the  people."  Zech.  x.  10,  11, 
12,  "  I  will  bring  them  again  also  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  gather  them 
out  of  Assyria  ;  and  I  will  bring  them  into  the  land  of  Gilead  and  Lebanon  ; 
and  place  shall  not  be  found  for  them.    And  he  shall  pass  through  the  sea  with 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  499 

afflirtlon,  and  shall  smite  the  waves  of  the  sea  ;  and  all  the  deeps  of  the  river 
shall  dry  up  :  and  the  pride  of  Assyria  shall  be  brought  down,  and  the  sceptre 
of  ELTVpt  shall  depart  away  :  and  1  will  strengthen  them  in  the  TiOrd,  and  they 
shall  walk  up  and  down  in  his  name,  saith  the  Lord."  And  it  is  worthy  to  be 
remarked  that  as  Cyrus's  destroying  liabylon,  and  letting  go  God's  captives  from 
thence,  and  restoring  Jerusalem,  is  certainly  typical  of  Christ's  destroying  mys- 
tical Babylon,  and  delivering  his  people  from  her  tyranny,  and  gloriously  build- 
ing up  the  spiritual  Jeriusalem  in  the  latter  days  ;  so  God's  preparing  Cyrus's 
way,  by  drying  up  the  river  Euphrates,  is  spoken  of  in  terras  like  those  that  are 
used  in  those  prophecies  that  have  been  mentioned,  to  signify  the  preparing 
Christ's  way,  when  he  shall  come  to  accomplish  the  latter  event.  Thus  God 
says  concerning  Cyrus,  Isa.  xlv,  2,  "  I  will  go  before  thee,  and  make  crooked 
places  straight."  And  ver.  13,  "  I  will  direct,  or  make  straight  (as  it  is  in  the 
margin)  all  his  ways."  This  is  like  chap.  xl.  2,  4,  "  Prepare  ye  the  way  of 
the  Lord  ;  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God.  The  crooked 
things  shall  be  made  straight."  Chap,  xlii,  16,  "  I  will  make  darkness  light 
before  them,  and  crooked  things  straight." 

If  any  should  object  against  understanding  the  river  Euphrates  in  Rev.  xvi. 
12,  as  signifying  what  has  been  supposed,  that  when  mention  is  made  of  the 
river  Euphrates,  in  another  place  in  this  prophecy,  it  is  manifestly  not  so  to  be 
understood,  viz.  in  (-hapter  ix.  14,  "  Saying  to  the  sixth  angel  which  had  the 
trumpet.  Loose  the  four  angels  which  are  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates ;" 
and  that  there  is  no  reason  to  understand  the  river  Euphrates  in  the  vision  of 
the  sixth  vial,  as  sicjnitying  something  diverse  from  what  is  meant  by  the  same 
river  in  the  vision  of  the  sixth  trumpet ; 

I  answer,  that  there  appears  to  me  to  be  good  reason  for  a  diverse  under- 
standing of  the  river  Euphrates  in  these  two  different  places :  the  diversity  of 
the  scene  of  the  vision,  and  of  the  kind  of  representation,  in  those  two  diverse 
parts  of  this  prophecy,  naturally  leads  to  it  and  requires  it.  It  is  in  this  book 
as  it  is  in  the  Old  Testament ;  when  the  river  Euphrates  is  spoken  of  in  the 
Old  Testament,  twth  in  the  histories  and  prophecies,  it  is  mentioned  with  regard 
to  a  twofold  relation  of  that  river;  viz.,  1st,  with  regard  to  its  relation  to 
Babylon.  And  as  it  was  related  to  that,  it  was  something  belonging  to  that 
city',  as  its  defence  and  supply,  as  has  been  represented.  Thus  the  river  Eu- 
phratc-s  is  spoken  of  in  many  places  that  have  been  already  observed,  and  others 
that  might  be  mentioned.  2dly.  This  river  is  spoken  of  with  regard  to  its  re- 
lation to  the  land  of  Israel,  God's  visible  people.  And  as  it  was  related  to 
that,  it  was  its  eastern  boundary.  It  is  so  spoken  of  Gen.  xv.  18,  Exod.  xxiii. 
31,  Deut.  i.  7,  and  xi.  24,  Josh.  i.  4,  2  Sam.  viii.  3,  1  Chron.  xviii.  3,  1 
Kings  iv.  21,  J^zra  iv.  20.  Agreeable  to  this  diverse  respect  or  relation  of 
this  river,  under  which  it  is  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament,  so  must  wc  under- 
stand it  differently  in  different  parts  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book  of  Revelation, 
according  as  the  nature  and  subject  of  the  vision  requires.  In  the  16th  chap- 
ter where  the  prophecy  is  about  Baliylon,  and  the  vision  is  of  God's  plagues  on 
Babylon,  preparing  the  way  for  her  destruction,  there,  when  the  river  Euphra- 
tes Is  mentioned,  we  are  naturally  and  necessarily  led  to  consider  it  as  some- 
thing belonging  to  Babylon,  appertaining  to  the  mystical  Babylon,  as  Euphra- 
tes did  to  old  Babylon.  But  we  cannot  understand  it  so  in  the  9th  chapter,  for 
there  the  prophecy  is  not  about  Babylon.  To  mention  Euphrates  there,  as 
something  belonging  to  Babylon,  would  have  been  improper ;  for  the  nature 
of  the  vision,  and  prophetical  representation,  did  not  lead  to  it,  nor  allow  it. 
John  had  had  no  vision  of  Babylon  ;  that  kind  of  representation  had  not  been 


500  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

made  to  him  ;  there  is  not  a  word  said  about  Babylon  until  we  come  to  tlw 
second  part  of  this  prophecy,  after  John  had  the  vision  of  the  second  book,  and 
Christ  had  said  to  him.  Thou  mud  prophecy  again  before  peoples,  aiid  nations^ 
and  kings,  chap.  xi.  The  scene  of  the  vision,  in  the  former  part  of  the  pro- 
phecy, had  been  more  especially  the  hmd  of  Israel  j  and  the  vision  is  concern- 
ing two  sorts  of  persons  there,  viz.,  those  of  the  tribes  of  Israel  that  had  the 
seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads,  and  those  wicked  apostate  Israelites  that  had 
not  this  mark.  Compare  chap.  vii.  3 — 8,  and  chap.  ix.  4.  The  vision  in  this 
9th  chapter  is  of  God's  judgments  on  those  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  or  in  the  land 
of  Israel,  which  had  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads.  And  therefore 
when  mention  is  made,  ver.  14,  of  a  judgment  coming  on  them  from  the  river 
Euphrates,  this  river  is  here  spoken  of  in  the  former  respect,  viz.,  with  regard  to 
its  relation  to  the  land  of  Israel,  as  its  eastern  border;  and  thereby  we  must 
understand  that  God  would  brmg  some  terrible  calamity  on  Chri^'ccndom  from 
its  eastern  border,  as  he  did  when  the  Turks  were  let  loose  on  Cluistendom. 

If  these  things  that  have  been  spoken  of,  are  intended  in  the  prophecy  of 
the  sixth  vial,  it  affords,  as  I  conceive,  great  reason  to  hope  that  the  beginning 
of  that  glorious  work  of  God's  Spirit,  which,  in  the  progress  and  issue  of  it,  will 
overthrow  Antichrist,  and  introduce  the  glory  of  the  latter  days,  is  not  very  far  off. 

Mr.  Lowman  has,  I  think,  put  it  beyond  all  reasonable  doubt,  that  the  fifth 
vial  was  poured  out  in  the  time  of  the  reformation.  It  also  appears  satisfyingiy, 
by  his  late  exposition,  that,  take  one  vial  with  another,  it  has  not  been  two  hun- 
dred years  from  the  beginning  of  one  vial  to  the  beginning  of  another,  but 
about  one  hundred  and  eighty  years.  But  it  is  now  about  two  hundred  and 
twenty  years  since  the  fifth  vial  began  to  be  poured  ;  and  it  is  a  long  time  since 
the  main  effects  of  it  have  been  finished.  And  therefore  if  the  sixth  vial  has  not 
already  begun  to  be  poured  out,  it  may  well  be  speedily  expected. 

But  with  regard  to  the  first  thing  that  I  have  supposed  to  be  signified  by 
the  eflect  of  this  vial,  viz.,  the  drymg  up  the  fountains  and  streams  of  the 
wealth  and  temporal  incomes  and  supplies  of  the  Antichristian  church  and  terri- 
tories, I  would  propose  it  to  consideration,  whether  or  no  many  things  that  have 
come  to  pass  within  these  twenty  years  past,  may  not  be  looked  upon  as  prob- 
able beginnings  of  a  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy.  Particularly  what  the  kings 
of  Spain  and  Portugal  did  some  years  since,  when  displeased  with  the  Pope, 
forbidding  any  thenceforward  going  to  Rome  for  investitures,  &c.,  thereby  cut- 
ting off  two  great  streams  of  the  Pope's  wealth,  from  so  great  and  rich  a  part 
of  the  Popish  world  ;  and  its  becoming  so  frequent  a  thing  of  late  for  Popish 
princes,  in  their  wars,  to  make  bold  with  the  treasure  of  the  church,  and  to  tax 
the  clergy  within  their  dominions,  as  well  as  laity ;  or,  which  is  equivalent,  to 
oblige  them  to  contribute  great  sums,  under  the  name  of  a  free  gift ;  and  also 
the  late  peeling  and  impoverishing  the  Pope's  temporal  dominions  in  Italy,  by 
ihe  armies  of  the  Austrians,  Neapolitans  and  Spaniards,  passing  and  repassing 
through  them,  and  living  so  much  at  discretion  in  them,  of  which  the  Pope  has 
60  loudly  complained,  and  in  vain ;  receiving  nothing  but  menaces,  when  he 
has  objected  against  giving  liberty  for  the  like  passage,  for  the  future.  These 
things  make  it  hopeful  that  the  time  is  coming  when  the  princes  of  Europe,  the 
ten  horns,  shall  hate  the  whore,  and  make  her  desolate  and  naked,  and  eat  her 
flesh,  as  Rev.  xvii.  16  ;  which  will  prepare  the  way  for  what  next  follows,  her 
being  burnt  with  fire ;  even  as  the  sixth  vial  poured  out,  to  consume  the  sup- 
plies of  Antichrist,  and  strip  him  naked  of  his  wealth,  and  as  it  were  to  pick  his 
flesh  off  from  his  bones,  will  make  way  for  what  next  follows,  the  seventh  vial 
that  will  consume  Antichrist  by  the  fierceness  of  God's  wrath. 


UNION  IN  PRAYER.  501 

Besides  these  things  that  have  been  already  mentioned,  are  also  worthy  to 
be  considered  tlie  things  that  have  lately  happened  to  dry  up  the  fountains  and 
streams  ol' the  wealth  of  the  Anlichristian  dominions:  as,  the  so  far  ruining  the 
trade  of  France  and   Spain,  that  are  the  two  chief  Popish  kingdoms,  the  main 
support  of  tJie  Popish  cause,  and  from  whence  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist  has 
had  of  late  its  main  supplies.     The  almost  miraculous  taking  of  Cape  Breton, 
in  the  year  1745,  whereby  was  dried  up  one  of  the  main  sources  of  the  wealth 
of  the  kingdom  of  France  ;  and  the  no  less,  but  yet  more  wonderful  disappoint- 
ment of  the  French,  in  their  great  attempt  to  repossess  themselves  of  it,  and  the 
confounding  of  their  great  Armada,  under  the  duke  D'Anville,  by  a  most  visi- 
ble hand  of  God  against  them,  the  last  year;  and  in  now  again  baffling  a  sec- 
ond attempt  of  our  obstinate  enemies,  this  year,  by  delivering  up  their  men  of 
M'ar,  with  their  warlike  Ibrces  and  stores,  in  their  way  to  America,  into  the 
hands  of  the  English  Admirals  Anson  and  Warren  :  the  strange  and  unaccount- 
able consuming  of  the  great  magazines  of  the  French  East  India  company,  at 
Port  L'Orient,  with  their  magnificent  buildings,  the  last  year  ;  and  its  so  won- 
derfully coming  to  pass,  that  scarce  any  thing  of  the  great  stores  there  laid  up, 
was  saved  out  of  the  flames ;  the  awful  destruction  by  an   earthquake,  the  last 
year,  of  that  great  and  rich  city  of  Lima,  the  centre  of  the  South  Sea  trade,  and 
the  capital  of  Peru,  the  richest  country  in  the  world,  from  whence  comes  more 
of  its  silver  and  gold  than  any  other  country,  from  whence  Spain  is  principally 
supplied  with  its  wealth,  and  where  the  French  had  a  great  trade  ;  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  city  being  attended  with  the  destruction  of  all  the  ships  in  the  har- 
bor, which  were  dashed  in  pieces  as  it  were  in  a  moment,  by  the  immediate 
hand  of  God;  many  of  Avhich   were  doubtless  laden   with  vast  treasures.     I 
might  have  mentioned  the  taking  of  Porto  Bello,  not  long  before  this,  by  a 
very  small  force,  though   a  place  of  very  great  strength,  where  the  Spanish 
galleons  used  principally  to  go,  to  carry  the  wealth  of  Peru  to  Spain.     Besides 
the  taking  from  the  French  and  Spaniards  so  many  of  their  ships,  laden  with 
vast  riches,  trading  to  the  South  Seas,  the  East  and  West  Indies,  and  the  Levant. 
And  here  it  is  especially  worthy  of  notice,  that  when  the  French  seemed  to 
have  gotten  so  great  an  advantage  of  the  English  factory  at  Madras,  they 
were  so  frustrated  of  the  benefit  and  gains  they  expected  by  it,  by  the  hand  of 
heaven  against  them,  immediately  pursuing  the  conquerors  with  tempest,  wreck- 
ing their  ships  laden  with  our  spoils  ;  and  after  that,  delivering  up  into  the 
hands  of  the  English  their  East  India  fleet,  with  their  stores  and  immense 
treasures,  intended  for  the  confirming  to  themselves  the  advantage  they  seemed 
to  have  gained  by  the  foremcntioned  conquest :  at  the  same  instant,  also  de- 
livering into  our  hands  their  strong  force  intended  for  the  regaining  that  great 
fountain  of  their  wealth,  which  they  had  lost  at  Cape  Breton.     And  since  that, 
■lelivering  into  the  hands  of  Sir  Peter  Warren  so  great  a  part  of  their  vast  and 
rich  fleet  from  the  West  Indies. 

And  one  thing  with  relation  to  the  taking  of  Cape  Breton,  though  it  may 
seem  trivial,  yet  I  do  not  think  to  be  altogether  inconsiderable  in  the  present 
case;  and  that  is,  that  hereby  the  A ntichristian  dominions  are  deprived  of  a 
very  great  part  of  their  fish,  which  makes  no  small  part  of  the  food  and  sup- 
port of  Popish  countries ;  their  superstition  forbidding  them  to  eat  any  flesh  for 
near  a  third  part  of  the  year.  This  they  were  supplied  with  much  more 
from  Cape  Breton,  than  any  place  in  the  world  in  the  possession  of  Papists. 
And  the  contention  of  France  with  the  Dutch,  deprives  them  of  most  of  their 
supply  of  this  sort,  which  they  had  elsewhere.  When  the  prophet  Isaiah  fore- 
tells the  depriving  Egypt  of  its  wealth  and  temporal  supplies,  under  the  figure 


502  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

of  drying  up  their  rivers,  this  is  particularly  mentioned,  that  they  .should  be  de- 
prived of  their  fish.  Isa.  xix.  4,  &c.,  "  And  the  Egyptians  will  I  give  over 
into  the  hand  of  a  cruel  lord.  And  the  waters  shall  fail  from  the  sea,  and  the 
rivers  shall  be  w^asted  and  dried  up  ;  and  they  shall  turn  the  rivers  far  away, 
and  the  brooks  of  defence  shall  be  emptied  and  dried  up.  The  fishers  also 
shall  mourn,  and  all  they  that  cast  angle  into  the  brooks  shall  lament,  and  they 
that  spread  nets  upon  the  waters  shall  languish."  This  is  expressed  in  the 
prophecies  of  drying  up  the  waters,  i.  e.,  the  supplies,  of  Egypt ;  and  this 
probably  is  implied  in  the  prophecies  of  drying  up  the  waters  of  that  city  that 
is  spiritually  called  Egypt.  And  it  may  be  noted,  that  this  is  not  only  a  supply 
that  the  church  of  Antichrist  has  literally  out  of  the  waters,  but  is  that  part  of 
their  temporal  supply  which  is  eminently  the  supply  and  food  of  their  Anti- 
chrlstian  superstition,  or  which  thei*'  Popish  religion  makes  necessary  for  them. 

These  things  duly  considered,  I  imagine  affbril  us  ground  to  suppose,  not 
only  that  the  elfect  of  this  sixth  vial  is  already  begun,  but  that  some  progress 
is  already  made  in  it,  and  that  this  vial  is  now  running  apace.  And  when  it 
shall  be  finished,  there  is  all  reason  to  suppose  that  the  destruction  of  Antichrist 
will  veiy  speedily  follow ;  and  that  the  two  last  vials  will  succeed  one  another 
more  closely  than  the  other  vials.  When  once  the  river  Euphrates  was  dried 
up,  and  Cyrus's  way  was  prepared,  he  delayed  not,  but  immediately  entered 
into  the  city  to  destroy  it.  Nor  is  it  God's  manner,  when  once  his  way  is  pre- 
pared, to  delay  to  deliver  his  church  and  show  mercy  to  Zion.  When  once 
impediments  are  removed,  Christ  will  no  longer  remain  at  a  distance,  but  will 
be  like  a  roe  or  a  young  hart,  coming  swiftly  to  the  help  of  his  people.  When 
that  cry  is  made,  Isa.  Ivii.  14,  "  Cast  ye  up,  cast  ye  up,  prepare  the  way,"  &c., 
the  high  and  lofty  one  that  inhabits  eternity,  is  represented  as  very  near  to  revive 
the  spirit  of  the  contrite,  and  deliver  his  people  with  whom  he  had  been  wroth, 
ver.  15,  to  the  end.  When  that  cry  is  made  Isa.  xl.,  "  Prepare  ye  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God  ;  every  valley 
shall  be  exalted,"  &c.,  God  tells  his  church,  that  her  warfare  is  accomplished, 
mid  the  time  to  comfort  her  is  come,  and  that  the  glory  of  the  Lord  now  shall  be 
revealed,  and  all  flesh  see  it  together,  ver.  1 — 5.  And  agreeably  to  these  things, 
Christ,  on  the  pouring  out  the  sixth  vial,  says.  Behold  I  come,  Rev,  x-vi.  15. 
The  sixth  vial  is  the  forerunner  of  the  seventh  and  last,  to  prepare  its  way.  The 
angel  that  pours  out  this  vial  is  the  harbinger  of  Christ ;  and  when  the  har- 
binger is  come,  the  king  is  at  hand.  John  the  Baptist,  that  was  Christ's  har- 
binger, who  came  to  level  mountains  and  fill  up  valleys,  proclaimed.  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  at  hand  ;  and  lohen  he  had  prepared  ChrisVs  way,  then  the 
Lord  suddenly  came  into  his  temple,  even  the  7nessenger  of  the  covenant, 
Mai.  iii.  1. 

It  is  true,  that  we  do  not  know  how  long  this  vial  may  continue  running, 
and  so  Christ's  way  preparing,  before  it  is  fully  prepared  :  but  yet  if  there  be 
reason  to  think  the  effect  of  this  vial  is  begun,  or  is  near,  then  there  is  reason 
also  to  think  that  the  beginning  of  that  great  work  of  God's  Spirit,  in  reviving 
of  religion,  which  before  it  is  finished,  will  issue  in  Antichrist's  ruin,  is  not  far  off. 
For  it  is  pretty  manifest,  that  the  beginning  of  this  work  will  acompany  the  sixth 
vial.  For  the  gathering  together  of  the  armies  on  both  sides,  on  the  side  of 
Christ  and  Antichrist,  to  that  great  battle  that  shall  issue  in  the  overthrow  of 
the  latter,  will  be  under  this  vial  (compare  Rev.  xvl.  12,  13,  14,  with  chapter 
xix.  11,  to  the  end)  ;  and  it  is  plain  that  Christ's  manifesting  himself,  and  won- 
derfully appearing  after  long  hiding  himself  to  plead  his  own  and  his  people's 
cause,  and  riding  forth  against  his  enemies  in  a  glorious  manner,  and  his  peo- 


UNION   IN   PRAYER,  C03 

j)k''.s  following  him  In  pure  linen,  or  the  practice  of  rigliteousness  ;  nd  pure  reli- 
gion, will  be  tlie  thing  that  will  give  the  alarm  to  Antichrist,  and  cause  him  to 
gather  tlu\t  vast  host  to  make  the  utmost  opposition.  But  this  alarm  and  gath- 
ering togetiier  is  represented  as  being  under  the  sixth  vial.  So  that  it  will  be 
a  great  revival,  and  mighty  progress  of  true  religion  luider  the  sixth  vial,  emi- 
nL-nlly  threatening  the  speedy  and  utter  overthrow  of  Satan's  kingdom  on  earth, 
that  will  so  mightily  rouse  tlic  old  serpent,  to  exert  himself  with  such  exceeding 
violence,  in  that  greatest  conflict  and  struggle  that  ever  he  had  with  Christ  and 
the  church,  since  the  world  stood. 

All  the  seven  vials  bring  terrible  judgments  upon  Antichrist ;'  but  there 
seems  to  be  something  distinguishing  of  the  three  last,  the  fifth,  sixth  and 
:5eventh,  viz.,  that  they  more  directly  tend  to  the  ovei  throw  of  his  kingdom,  and 
accordingly  each  of  them  is  attended  with  a  great  revival  of  religion.  The  fifth 
vial  was  attemied  with  such  a  revival,  and  reformation,  that  greatly  weakened 
and  diminished  the  throne  or  kingdom  of  the  beast,  and  went  far  towards  its 
ruin.  It  seems  as  though  the  sixth  vial  should  be  much  more  so  ;  for  it  is  the  dis- 
tinguishing note  of  this  vial,  that  it  is  the  preparatory  vial,  which  more  than  any 
other  vial  prepares  the  way  for  Christ's  coming  to  destroy  the  kingdom  of  An- 
tichrist, and  set  up  his  own  kingdom  in  the  world.  A  great  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  accompani'.'d  that  dispensation  that  was  preparatory  to  Christ's  coming 
in  his  public  ministry,  in  the  days  of  his  flesh  :  so,  much  more  will  a  great  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit  accompany  the  dispensation  that  will  be  preparatory  to 
Christ's  coming  in  his  kingdom. 

And  besides  those  things  which  belong  to  the  preparation  of  Christ's  way, 
which  are  so  often  represented  by  levelling  mountains,  drying  up  rivers,  &c.,vlz., 
tlie  unravelling  intricacies,  and  removing  difliculties  attending  Christian  doc- 
trines, the  distinguishing  between  true  religion  and  its  false  appearances,  the 
detecting  and  exploding  errors  and  corrupt  principles,  and  the  reforming  the 
wicked  lives  of  professors,  which  have  been  the  chief  stumbling-blocks  and  ob- 
stacles that  have  hitherto  hindered  the  progress  of  true  religion  ;  1  say,  these 
things,  which  seem  to  belong  to  this  preparatory  vial,  are  the  proper  work  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  promoting  and  advancing  divine  hght  and  true  piety,  and  can 
be  the  effect  of  nothing  else. 

And  that  the  beginning  of  that  glorious  work  of  God's  Spirit,  which  shall  final- 
ly bring  on  the  church's  latter  day  glory,  will  accompany  that  other  effect  of  this 
vial,  viz.,  the  turning  the  streams  of  the  wealth  of  the  world,  the  bringing  its 
treasures,  and  the  gains  of  its  trade  and  navigation.  Into  the  true  Protestant 
church  of  Christ,  seems  very  manifest,  because  this  very  efTect  is  spoken  of  as 
that  which  shall  be  at  the  beginning  of  this  glorious  work  :  Isa.  Ix.  8,  9,  "*Who 
are  these  that  fly  as  a  cloud,  and  as  doves  to  their  windows?  Surely  the  Isles 
shall  wait  for  me,  and  the  ships  of  Tarshish  first,  to  bring  thy  sons  from  far, 
their  silvtr  and  gold  with  them,  unto  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  to  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  because  he  hath  glorified  thee."  So  that  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  before  this  effect  of  this  vial,  which  is  now  probably  begun,  is  at  an  end, 
the  Spirit  of  God  will  so  influence  the  hearts  of  Protestants,  that  they  will  be 
disposed  to  devote  to  the  service  of  God  the  silver  and  gold  they  take  from 
their  I'opish  enemies,  and  the  galas  of  their  trade  and  navigation,  both  to  the 
East  and  West  Indies,  so  that  their  merchandise  and  hire  shall  be  holiness  to 
the  Lord. 

Agr.cably  to  what  has  been  supposed,  that  ar.  extraordinary  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  to  accompany  this  sixth  vial  ,  so  the  beginning  of  a  work 
of  extraordinary  awakening  has  already  attendt-.i  the  probable  beginning  of 


504  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

this  vial ;  and  has  been  continued  in  one  place  or  other  for  many  years  past ; 
although  it  has  been,  in  some  places,  mingled  with  much  enthusiasm,  after  the 
manner  of  things  in  their  first  beginnings,  unripe,  and  mixed  with  much  crudity. 
But  it  is  lo  be  lioped  a  far  more  pure,  extensive  and  glorious  revival  of  religion 
is  not  far  off,  which  will  more  properly  be  the  beginning  of  that  work,  which 
in  its  issue  shall  overthrow  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  and  of  Satan  through  the 
world.  But  God  will  be  inquired  of  for  this,  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for 
them. 

Ans.  5.  If  notwithstanding  all  that  I  have  said,  it  be  still  judged  that  there 
is  sufficient  reason  to  determine  that  the  ruin  of  Antichrist  is  at  a  very  great 
distance,  and  if  all  that  I  have  said,  as  arguing  that  there  is  reason  to  hope  that 
the  beginning  of  that  glorious  revival  of  religion,  which  in  its  continuance  and 
progress  will  destroy  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist  is  not  very  far  off,  be  judged  to 
be  of  no  force  ;  yet  it  will  not  follow  that  our  complying  with  what  is  propos- 
ed to  us  in  the  late  memorial  from  Scotland,  will  be  in  vain,  or  not  followed 
with  such  spiritual  blessings,  as  will  richly  recompense  the  pains  of  such  extra- 
ordinary prayer  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  revival  of  religion.  If  God  does 
not  grant  that  greatest  of  all  effusions  of  his  Spii  it,  so  soon  as  we  desire,  yet 
we  shall  have  the  satisfaction  of  a  consciousness  of  our  having  employed  ourselves 
in  a  manner  that  is  certainly  agreeable  to  Christ's  will  and  frequent  commands, 
in  beino-  much  in  prayer  for  this  mercy,  and  much  more  in  it  than  has  heretofore 
been  common  with  Christiv.ns  :  and  there  will  be  all  reason  to  hope,  that  we 
shall  receive  some  blessed  token  of  his  acceptance.  If  the  fall  of  mystical 
Babylon,  and  the  work  of  God's  Spirit  that  shall  bring  it  to  pass,  be  at  several 
hundred  years  distance,  yet  it  follows  not  that  there  will  be  no  happy  revivals  of 
religion  before  that  time,  that  shall  be  richly  worth  the  most  diligent,  earnest 
and  constant  praying  for. 

I  would  say  something  to  one  Objection  more,  and  then  hasten  to  the  con- 
clusion of  this  discourse. 

Object.  VI.  Some  may  be  ready  to  object,  that  what  is  proposed  in  this 
memorial  is  a  new  thing,  such  as  never  was  put  in  practice  in  the  church  of 
God  before. 

Ans.  If  there  be  something  circumstantially  new  in  it,  this  cannot  be  a  suf- 
ficient objection.  The  duty  of  prayer  is  no  new  duty  :  for  many  of  God's 
people  expressly  to  agree,  as  touching  something  they  shall  ask  in  prayer,  is  no 
new  thing  :  for  God's  people  to  agree  on  circumstances  of  time  and  place  for 
united  prayer,  according  to  their  own  discretion,  is  no  new  thing :  for  many,  in 
different  places,  to  agree  to  offer  up  extraordinary  prayers  to  God,  at  the  same 
time,  as  a  token  of  their  union,  is  no  new  thing  :  but  has  been  commonly  prac- 
tised in  the  appointment  of  days  of  fasting  and  prayer  for  special  mercies.  And 
if  the  people  of  God  should  engage  in  the  duty  of  prayer,  for  the  coming  of 
Christ's  kingdom,  in  a  new  manner  in  that  respect,  that  they  resolve  they  will 
not  be  so  negligent  of  this  duty,  as  has  been  common  with  professors  of  rehgion 
heretofore,  but  will  be  more  frequent  and  fervent  in  it ;  this  would  be  such  a 
new  thing  as  ought  to  be,  and  would  be  only  to  reform  a  former  negligence. 
And  for  the  people  of  God  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  visibly,  and  by  express 
agreement,  to  unite  for  this  extraordinary  prayer,  is  no  more  than  their  duty,  and 
no  more  than  what  it  is  foretold  the  people  of  God  should  actually  do,  before 
the  time  comes  of  the  church's  promised  glory  on  earth.  And  if  this  be  a  duty, 
then  it  is  a  duty  to  come  into  some  method  to  render  this  practicable :  but  it  is 
not  practicable  (as  was  shown  before)  but  by  this  method,  or  some  other 
equivalent. 


UNION  IN  PRAYER. 


THE    CONCLUSION. 


And  now,  upon  the  wholo,  I  desire  every  serious  Christian,  that  may  read 
this  discourse,  cahnly  and  dehberately  to  considi-r  whether  he  can  excuse  him- 
selfirom  complyiuti^  with  what  has  been  proposed  to  us  and  requested  of  us,  by 
those  ministers  of  Christ  in  Scotland,  that  are  the  authors  of  the  late  memorial. 
God  has  stirred  up  a  part  of  his  churcli,  in  a  distant  part  of  the  woild,  to  be  in 
an  extraorilinary  inarmer  seei<ing  and  crying  to  him,  that  he  would  appear  to 
favor  Zion,  as  he  has  promised.  And  they  are  applying-  themselves  to  us,  to  join 
with  tliein  ;  and  make  that  very  proposal  to  us,  that  is  spoken  of  in  my  text, 
and  in  like  manner  aud  circumstances.  The  members  of  one  church,  in  one 
country,  are  coming  to  others,  in  otiier  distant  countries,  saying,  "  Let  us  go 
speedily  and  constantly  to  pray  before  the  Lord,  and  to  seek  the  Lord  of  hosts." 
Will  it  not  become  us  readily  to  say  "  I  will  go  also  ?"  What  these  servants 
of  Christ  ask  of  us,  is  not  silver  or  gold,  or  any  of  our  outward  substance,  or 
that  we  would  put  ourselves  to  any  cost,  or  do  any  thing  that  will  be  likely  to 
expose  us  to  any  remarkable  trouble,  difficulty  or  sufTering  iji  our  outward  inter- 
est ;  but  only  that  we  would  help  together  with  them,  by  our  prayers  to  God, 
for  the  greatest  mercy  in  the  world ;  and  that  a  mercy  which  as  much  concerns 
us  as  them  ;  for  the  glory  of  their  Lord  and  ours,  for  the  great  advancement  of 
our  common  interest  and  happiness,  and  the  happiness  of  our  fellow  creatures 
through  all  nations;  a  mercy,  which,  at  this  day  especially,  there  is  great  need  of; 
a  mercy  which  we  in  this  land  do  stanil  in  particular  need  of ;  a  meicy  which  the 
word  of  God  requires  us  to  make  the  subject  matter  of  our  prayers,  above  all  other 
mercies,  and  gives  us  more  encouragement  to  pray  earnestly  and  unitedly  to 
him  for,  than  any  other  mercy  ;  and  a  mercy,  which  the  providence  of  God 
towards  the  world  of  mankind,  at  this  day,  does  loudly  call  the  people  of  God 
to  pray  for.  I  think,  we  cannot  reasonably  doubt  but  that  these  ministers  have 
acted  a  part  becoming  disciples  of  the  great  Messiah,  and  ministers  of  his  king- 
dom, and  have  done  the  will  of  God,  according  to  his  word,  in  setting  forward 
such  an  affair  at  this  day,  and  in  proposing  it  to  us.  And  therefore  I  desire  it 
may  be  considered,  whether  we  shall  not  really  sin  against  God,  in  refusing  to 
comply  with  their  proposal  and  request,  or  in  neglecting  it,  and  turning  it  by, 
with  but  little  notice  and  attention  ;  therein  disregarding  that  which  is  truly  a 
call  of  God  to  us. 

The  ministers  that  make  this  proposal  to  us  are  no  Separatists  or  schismat- 
ics, promoters  of  no  public  disorders,  nor  of  any  wildness  or  extravagance  in 
matters  of  religion ;  but  are  quiet  and  peaceable  members  and  ministers  of  the 
church  of  Scotland,  that  have  lamented  the  late  divisions  and  breaches  of  that 
church.  If  any  shall  say,  that  they  are  under  no  advantage  to  judge  of  their 
character,  but  must  take  it  on  trust  from  others,  because  they  conceal  their 
names ;  in  answer  to  this,  I  would  say,  that  I  presume  that  no  sober  person  will 
say  that  he  has  any  reason  to  suspect  them,  to  be  any  other  than  gentlemen  of 
honest  intention.  Besure  there  is  no  appearance  of  any  thing  else,  but  an  up- 
right design  in  their  proposal :  and  that  they  have  not  mentioned  their  names, 
is  an  argument  of  it.  It  may  well  be  presumed,  from  the  manner  of  their 
expressing  themselves,  in  the  memorial  itself,  that  they  concealed  their  names 
from  that  which  perhaps  may  be  called  an  excess  of  modesty  ;  choosing  to  be 
at  the  (greatest  distance  from  appearing  to  set  forth  themselves  to  the  view  of 
Vol.  III.  64 


506  UNION  IN  PRAYER. 

the  world,  as  the  heads  of  a  great  affah',  and  the  first  projectors  and  movers 
of  something  exti-aordiuary,  that  they  desire  should  hecome  general,  and  that 
God's  people  in  various  distant  parts  of  the  world  should  agree  in.  And 
therefore,  they  are  moreover  careful  to  tell  us,  that  they  do  not  propose  the  affair, 
as  now  setting  it  on  foot,  but  as  a  thing  already  set  on  foot ;  and  do  not  tell  us 
who  first  projected  and  moved  it.  The  proposal  is  made  to  us  in  a  very  proper 
and  pi'udent  manner,  with  all  appearance  of  Christian  modesty  and  sincerity, 
and  with  a  very  prudent  guard  against  any  thing  that  looks  like  superstition, 
or  whatsoever  might  entangle  a  tender  conscience  ;  and  far  from  any  appear- 
ance of  a  design  to  promote  any  particular  party  or  denomination  oi  Christians, 
in  opposition  to  others ;  but  with  all  appearance  of  the  contrary,  in  their  char- 
itable request,  that  none  would  by  any  means  conceive  of  any  such  thing  to  be 
in  their  view,  and  that  all,  of  all  denominations  and  opinions  concerning  the 
late  religious  commotions,  would  join  with  them,  in  seeking  the  common  interest 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  And  therefore  I  think,  none  can  be  in  the  way  of 
their  duty,  in  neglecting  a  proposal  in  itself  excellent,  and  that  which  they  have 
reason  to  think  is  made  with  upright  intentions,  merely  because  the  proposers 
modestly  conceal  their  names.  I  do  not  see  how  any  serious  person,  that  has 
an  ill  opinion  of  late  religious  stirs,  can  have  any  color  of  reason  to  refuse  a 
compliance  with  this  proposal,  on  that  account ;  the  more  disorders,  extravagan- 
cies and  delusions  of  the  devil  have  lately  prevailed,  the  more  need  have  we  to 
pray  earnestly  to  God,  for  his  Holy  Spirit  to  promote  true  religion,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  grand  deceiver,  and  all  his  works ;  and  the  more  such  prayer  as  is 
proposed,  is  answered,  the  more  effectually  will  all  that  is  contrary  to  sober  and 
pure  religion,  be  extirpated  and  exploded.         ^ 

One  would  think  that  every  one  that  favors  the  dust  of  Zion,  when  he  hears 
that  God  is  stirring  up  a  considerable  number  of  his  ministers  and  people,  to 
unite  in  extraordinary  prayer,  for  the  revival  of  religion  and  advancement  of 
his  kingdom,  should  greatly  rejoice  on  this  occasion.  If  we  lay  to  heart  the 
present  calamities  of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  long  for  that  blessed  alteration 
that  God  has  promised,  one  would  think  it  should  be  natural  to  rejoice  at  the 
appearance  of  something  in  so  dark  a  day,  that  is  so  promising  a  token.  Would 
not  our  friends  that  were  lately  in  captivity  in  Canada,  that  earnestly  longed 
for  deliverance,  have  rejoiced  to  have  heard  of  any  thing  that  seemed  to  fore- 
bode the  approach  of  their  redemption  1  And  particularly  may  we  not  sup- 
pose that  such  of  them  as  were  religious  persons,  would  greatly  have  rejoiced 
to  have  understood  that  there  was  stirred  up  in  God's  people  an  extraordinary 
spirit  of  prayer  for  their  redemption  ?  And  I  do  not  know  why  it  would 
not  be  as  natural  for  us  to  rejoice  at  the  like  hopeful  token  of  the  redemption 
of  Zion,  if  we  made  her  interest  our  own,  and  preferred  Jerusalem  above  our 
chief  joy. 

If  we  are  indeed  called  of  God  to  comply  with  the  proposal  now  made  to 
us,  then  let  me  beseech  all  that  do  sincerely  love  the  interest  of  real  Christian- 
ity, notwithstanding  any  diversity  of  opinion,  and  former  disputes,  now  to  unite 
in  this  affair,  with  one  heart  and  voice :  and  let  us  go  speedily  to  pray  before 
the  Lord.  There  is  no  need  that  one  should  wait  for  another.  If  we  can  get 
others,  that  are  our  neighbors,  to  join  with  us,  and  so  can  conveniently  spend 
the  quarterly  seasons  with  praying  societies,  this  is  desirable ;  but  if  not, 
why  should  we  wholly  neglect  the  duty  proposed  ?  Why  should  not  we 
perform  it  by  ourselves,  uniting  in  heart  and  practice,  as  far  as  we  are 
able,  with  those  who,  in  distant  places,  are  engaged  in  that  duty  at  that 
time? 


UNION   IN   PRAYER.  507 

If  It  be  agreeable  to  the  mind  antl  will  of  God,  that  we  should  comply  with 
the  memorial,  by  prayin<^  lor  the  comin";  of  Christ's  kingdom,  in  the  manner 
therein  proposed,  tlu-n  doubtless  it  is  tlie  duly  of  all  to  comply  with  the  memo- 
rial, in  that  respect  also,  viz.,  in  endeavoring,  as  far  as  in  us  lies,  to  promote 
others'  joining  in  such  prayer,  and  to  render  this  union  and  a'j^reement 
as  extensive  as  may  be.  Private  Christians  may  have  many  advantages 
and  opportunities  for  this ;  but  especially  ministers,  inasmuch  as  they  not 
only  are  hy  ofrice  overseers  of  whole  congregations  of  God's  people,  and 
their  guides  in  matters  of  religion,  but  ordinarily  have  a  far  more  exten- 
sive acquaintance  and  influence  abroad,  than  private  Christians  in  common 
have. 

And  I  hope  that  such  as  are  convinced  that  it  is  their  duty  to  comply  with, 
and  encourage  this  design,  will  remember  that  we  ought  not  only  to  go  speedily 
to  pray  before  tlie  Lord,  and  to  seek  this  mercy,  but  also  to  go  constantly.  We 
should  unite  in  our  practice  those  two  things,  which  our  Saviour  unites  in  his 
precept,  pr<ii/wg  and  not  faintiDg.  If  we  should  continue  some  years,  and 
nothing  remarkable  in  Providence  should  appear,  as  though  God  heard  and 
answered,  we  should  act  very  unbecoming  believers,  if  we  should  therefore  begin 
to  be  disheartened,  and  grow  dull  and  slack,  in  our  seeking  of  God  so  great  a 
mercy.  It  is  very  apparent  from  the  word  of  God,  that  God  is  wont  often  to 
try  the  faith  and  patience  of  his  people,  when  crying  to  him  for  some  great  and 
important  mercy,  by  withholding  the  mercy  sought,  for  a  season,  and  not  only  so, 
but  at  first  to  cause  an  increase  of  dark  appearances ;  and  yet,  without  fai,\  it 
last,  to  succeed  those  who  continue  instant  in  prayer  with  all  perseverance,  and 
M-ill  not  let  God  go  except  he  blesses.  It  is  now  proposed  that  this  extraordi- 
nary united  prayer  shoukl  continue  for  seven  years,  from  November  1746.  Per- 
haps some  that  appear  forward  to  engage,  may  begin  to  think  the  time 
long,  before  the  seven  years  are  out ;  and  may  account  it  a  dull  story,  to  go  on, 
for  so  long  a  time,  praying  in  this  extraordinary  method,  while  all  yet  continues 
dark  and  dead,  without  any  dawnings  of  the  wished  for  light,  or  new  promising 
appearance  in  Providence  of  the  near  approach  of  the  desired  mercy.  But  let 
it  be  considered,  whether  if  will  not  be  a  poor  business,  if  our  faith  and  patience 
is  so  short-winded,  that  we  cannot  be  willing  to  wait  upon  God  one  seven  years, 
in  a  way  of  taking  this  little  pains,  in  seeking  a  mercy  so  infinitely  vast.  For 
my  part,  I  sincerely  wish  and  hope  that  there  may  not  be  an  end  of  extraordi- 
nary united  prayer,  among  God's  people,  for  the  effusions  of  the  blessed  Spirit, 
when  the  seven  years  are  ended  ;  but  that  it  will  be  continued,  either  in  this 
method,  or  some  other,  by  a  new  agreement,  that  will  be  entered  into,  with 
greater  engagedness,  and  more  abundant  alacrity,  than  this  is;  and  that 
extraordinary  united  prayer  for  such  a  mercy  will  be  further  propagated 
and  extended,  than  it  can  be  expected  to  be  in  one  seven  years.  But  yet 
at  the  same  time  I  hope  God's  people,  that  unite  in  this  agreement,  will 
see  some  tokens  for  good,  before  these  seven  years  are  out,  that  shall  give 
them  to  see,  that  God  has  not  said  to  the  seed  of  Jacob,  seek  ye  me  in 
vain  ;  and  shall  serve  greatly  to  animate  and  encourage  them  to  go  on  in 
united  prayers  for  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom,  with  increasing  fer- 
vency. But  whatever  our  hopes  may  be  in  this  respect,  we  must  be  conten* 
to  be  ignorant  of  the  times  and  seasons,  whicli  the  Father  hath  put  in 
his  own  power ;  and  must  be  willing  that  God  should  answer  prayer,  and 
fulfil  his  own  glorious  promises,  in  his  own  time  ;  remembering  such  instruc- 
tions, counsels  and  promises  of  the  word  of  God  as  these,  Psal.  xxvii.  14, 
"  Wait  on  the  Lord,  be  of  good   courage,  and   he  shall  strengthen  thine 


608  UNION  IN  PRAYER 

heart ;  wait,  I  say,  on  the  Lord."  Hab.  ii.  3,  4,  "  For  the  vision  is  yet  for 
an  ap])ointed  time;  but  in  the  end  it  shall  speak,  and  not  lie:  though  it 
tarry,  wait  for  it  ;  because  it  wall  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry."  Micah 
\-ii.7,  "  I  will  look  unto  the  Lord,  I  will  wait  for  the  God  of  my  salvation: 
my  God  will  hear  me."  Isa.  xxv.  8,  9,  "  God  will  wipe  away  tears  from 
off  all  faces,  and  the  rebuke  of  his  people  shall  he  take  away  from  off 
all  the  earth ;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  And  it  shall  be  said  in  that 
day,  Lo,  this  is  our  God  !  We  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us  : 
this  is  Jehovah !  We  have  waited  for  him,  we  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  hfs 
salvation."     Amen. 


CONCERNING  'THE 

PERSEVERANCE  OF    SAINTS. 


§  1.  There  is  just  the  same  reason  for  (hose  commands  of  earnest  care  and 
laborious  endeavors  for  perseverance,  and  threatenings  of  defection  that  are  in 
the  word  of  God,  notwithstanding  its  being  certain  that  all  that  have  true  grace 
shall  pei-severe,  as  there  is  for  earnest  enilcavors  after  godliness,  and  to  make 
our  calling  and  election  sure,  notwithstanding  all  tliat  are  elected,  shall  un- 
doubtedly be  saved.  For  as  the  case  with  respect  to  this  is  the  same,  decree  or 
no  decree,  it  is  so,  that  every  one  that  believes  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that 
believes  not  shall  be  damned.  They  that  will  not  live  godly  lives,  do  find  out 
for  themselves  that  they  are  not  elected  ;  they  that  will  live  godly  lives,  have 
found  out  for  themselves  that  they  are  elected.  So  it  is  here  :  he  that  to  his 
utmost  endeavors  to  persevere  in  ways  of  obedience,  finds  out  that  his  obedience 
and  righteousness  are  true  ;  and  he  that  docs  not,  discovers  that  his  is  false.  In 
tliis  respect,  it  is  all  one  whether  he  that  is  once  righteous  must  be  always  so  or 
DO.  There  is  not  at  all  the  less  diligence  necessary  for  that,  yea,  necessary  in  order 
to  salvation. 

§  2.  As  persons  are  commanded  and  counselled  to  repent  and  be  converted, 
though  it  is  already  determined  whether  they  shall  be  converted  or  no ;  after 
the  same  manner,  and  with  the  same  propriety,  persons  are  commanded  and 
counselled  to  perse\'ere,  although  by  their  being  already  converted,  it  is  certain 
they  shall  persevere.     By  their  resolutely  and  steadfastly  persevering  through  all 
dilficulties  and  opposition  and  trials,  they  obtain  an  evidence  of  the  truth  and 
soundness  of  their  conversion  ;  and  by  their  unstablencss  and  backsliding,  they 
procure  an  evidence  of  their  unsoundness  and  hypocrisy.     And  it  always  hap- 
pens, that  persons  who  have  the  most  need  of  being  cautioned  and  counselled 
against  falling  and  apostasy,  by  reason  of  the  weakness  of  their  grace,  have 
most  need  of  an  evidence  of  the  truth  of  their  grace.     And  those  that  have  the 
least  need  of  any  evidence,  by  reason  of  the  strength  and  liv*ily  exercise  of 
grace,  having  least  need  of  being  warned  against  falling,  they  are  least  in  danger 
of  it.     And  so  the  same  persons,  when  they  are  most  in  danger  of  falling,°by 
reason  of  the  languishing  of  their  graces,  their  ill-temper  and  workings  of  cor- 
ruption, have  most  need  of  evidence;    and,  when  in  least  need  of  care  and 
watchfulness  not  to  fall,  by  reason  of  the  strength  and  vigorous  actings  of  grace, 
they  have  least  need  of  evidence.     So  that  there  is  as  much  need  of  persons 
exercising  care  and  diligence  to  persevere  in  order  to  their  salvation,  as  there  is 
of  their  attention  and  care  to  repent  and  be  converted.     For  our  own  care  and 
diligence  is  as  much  the  proper  and  decreed  means  of  perseverance,  as  of  any 
thing  else ;  and  the  want  of  perseverance,  is  as  much  an  evidence  of  the  want 
of  true  conversion,  as  the  want  of  conversion  is  a  sign  of  the  want  of  election. 
And  labor  and  diligence  to  persevere,  is  as  rational  a  way  to  make  sure  of  the 
truth  of  grace,  as  they  are  to  make  sure  of  the  truth  of  election.     God's  wrath 
and  future  punishment  are  proposed  to  all  sorts  of  meuj  as  motives  to  a  universal 


510  PERSEVERANCE   OF  SAINIS 

and  constant  obedience,  not  only  to  the  wicked,  but  also  to  the  godly.  Indeed 
those  that  have  obtained  full  assurance  of  their  safe  estate,  are  not  capable  of 
this  motive,  and  they  have  no  need  of  it.  But  when  persons  are  most  capable 
of  the  fear  of  hell,  by  reason  of  their  want  of  assurance,  and  their  uncertainty 
whether  or  no  they  are  not  exposed  to  damnation  by  reason  of  the  weakness  of 
their  grace,  then  they  have  most  need  of  it. 

Coroll. — Here  we  may  observe,  that  it  is  not  the  Scripture  way  of  judging 
of  the  truth  of  grace,  to  be  determined  principally  by  the  method  and  steps  oi" 
the  first  work,  but  by  the  exercise  and  fruits  of  grace  in  a  holy  life. 

§  3.  Perseverance  in  faith  is,  in  one  sense,  the  condition  of  justification  , 
that  is,  the  promise  oi  acceptance  is  made  only  to  a  persevering  sort  of  faith  ^ 
and  the  proper  evidence  of  its  being  of  that  sort  is  actual  perseverance.  Not 
but  that  a  man  may  have  good  evidences  that  his  faith  is  of  that  sort,  before  he 
has  finished  a  perseverance,  yea,  the  first  time  that  he  exercises  such  a  faith,  if 
the  exercises  of  it  are  lively  and  vigorous.  But  when  the  beUever  has  those 
vigorous  exercises  of  faith,  by  which  he  has  clear  evidences  of  its  being  of  a 
persevering  kind,  he  evermore  feels  most  of  a  disposition  and  resolution  to  per- 
severe, and  most  of  a  spirit  of  dependence  upon  God  and  Christ  to  enable'him . 
so  to  do. 

§  4.  As  to  passages  of  Scripture  like  that,  Ezeklel  xviii.  24,  wherein  are 
declared  the  fatal  consequences  of  turning  or  falling  away  from  righteousness, 
they  do  not  at  all  argue  but  that  there  is  an  essential  difference,  in  the  very  na- 
ture of  the  righteousness  of  those  that  persevere,  and  the  righteousness  of  those 
that  fall  away.  The  one  is  of  a  lasting  sort,  the  otner  not ;  and  so,  falling  away 
or  holding  out,  are  in  those  places  respected  as  natural  fruits  or  discoveries  of 
the  nature  of  the  righteous  or  of  the  wicked.  If  a  man  that  had  a  prospect  of 
being  erelong  in  calamitous  circumstances,  of  being  poor,  and  the  object  of 
general  contempt,  and  should  make  this  declaration  concerning  his  friend,  or 
him  that  now  appeared  to  be  such,  that  if  his  friend  would  cleave  to  him  through 
all  his  circumstances,  he  would  receive  him  and  treat  him  ever  after  as  his  true 
friend,  but  otherwise  he  would  utterly  desert  him  as  a  false  friend  ;  this  would 
not  argue,  that  he  thought  there  was  no  difference  between  the  love  of  friend- 
ship that  was  persevering,  and  that  that  fails  when  it  is  tried :  but  only,  that 
those  difficulties  discover  the  difference,  and  show  whose  love  is  of  a  lasting 
sort,  and  whose  not.  The  promises  in  Scripture  are  commonly  made  to  the  signs 
of  grace ;  though  God  knows  whether  men  be  sincere  or  not,  without  the  signs 
whereby  men  know  it. 

§  5.  The  following  are  some  reasons  why  grace  to  persevere  is  promised  in 
the  covenant  of  graee.  1.  God  when  he  had  done  such  great  things  to  redeem 
men,  and  had  not  spared  his  own 'Son,  had  so  completely  provided  for  men's  re- 
demption in  the  dignity  of  the  person  of  the  Redeemer,  and  the  greatness  of  the 
things  that  he  did  and  suffered  to  magnify  his  grace  towards  poor  fallen  man  : 
I  say,  God,  when  he  had  thus  laid  out  himself  to  glorify  his  mercy  and  grace  in 
the  redemption  of  poor  fallen  men,  did  not  see  meet,  that  those  that  are  redeem- 
ed by  Christ,  should  be  redeemed  so  imperfectly,  as  still  to  have  the  work  of 
perseverance  left  in  their  own  hands,  which  they  had  been  found  already  insuf- 
ficient for  even  in  their  perfect  state,  and  are  now  less  sufficient  for  than  they 
were  before,  and  ten  times  more  liable  than  formerly  to  fall  away  and  not  to 
persevere,  if,  in  their  fallen,  broken  state,  with  their  imperfect  sanctification,  the 
care  of  the  matter  be  trusted  with  them.  Man,  though  redeemed  by  Christ,  so 
as  to  have  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  and  spiritual  life,  again  restored  in  a  degree , 
yet  is  left  a  very  poor,  piteous  creature,  because  all  is  suspended  on  his  perse- 


PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS.  511 

vcrance  as  it  was  at  first ;  and  the  care  of  that  affair  is  left  with  him  as  it  was 
then  ;  and  he  is  ten  times  more  likely  to  fall  away  than  he  was  then,  if  we 
consider  only  what  he  has  in  himself  to  preserve  him  from  it.  The  poor  crea- 
ture sees  his  own  insulHciency  to  stand  from  what  has  happened  in  time  past ; 
his  own  instability  has  hcen  his  undoing  already ;  and  now  he  is  vastly  more 
unstable  than  belbre.  Thoupjh  he  be  redeemed  to  spiritual  life,  yet  he  has  no 
remedy  provided  against  that  which  has  once  proved  his  ruin,  and  is  so  much 
more  likely  to  be  so  again.  The  more  considerate  and  wise  he  is,  the  more  will 
lie  be  sensible  of  his  own  insufficiency,  and  how  little  his  own  strength  is  to  be 
depended  on,  and  how  much  he  needs  God's  help  in  this  matter.  Yet  he  has 
nothing  to  trust  to  but  his  own  strength.  He  wants  some  person  that  is  to  be 
depended  on,  to  fly  to  lor  help;  but  there  is  none  provided.  God  in  his  provi- 
dence made  void  the  first  covenant,  to  make  way  lor  a  better  covenant,  one  that 
was  better  for  man.  It  was  the  will  of  God,  that  it  should  first  appear  by  the 
event,  wherein  the  fii-st  was  deficient,  or  wanting  what  man  needed,  which  was 
manifest  in  the  fall.  Therein  it  appeared,  that  the  great  thing  Avherein  the 
first  covenant  was  deficient,  was,  that  the  fulfilment  of  the  righteousness  of  the 
covenant,  and  man's  perseverance,  was  intrusted  with  man  himself,  with  noth- 
ing Ijctter  to  secure  it  than  his  own  strength.  And  therelbie,  God  introduces 
a  belter  covenant,  which  should  be  an  everlasting  covenant,  a  new  and  living 
way  ;  wherein  that  which  Avas  wanting  in  the  first  covenant  should  be  supplied, 
ami  a  remedy  should  be  provided  against  that,  which  under  the  first  covenant 
proved  man's  undoing,  viz.,  man's  own  weakness  and  instabihty  ;  by  a  Media- 
tor's being  given,  who  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever ;  who  cannot 
fail ;  who  should  undertake  for  his  people  ;  who  should  take  the  caieof  them  ; 
who  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  through  him  ;  and 
who  ever  lives  to  make  intercession  for  them.  God  did  not  see  it  fit  that  man 
should  be  trusted  to  stand  in  his  own  strength  a  second  time.  God  at  first  en- 
tered into  such  a  covenant  with  man,  wherein  he  was  left  to  stand  in  his  own 
strength,  to  the  end  that  the  event  might  show  the  weakness  and  instability  of 
man,  and  his  dependence  on  God.  But  when  the  event  has  once  proved  this, 
there  is  no  need  of  entering  into  another  covenant  of  the  same  tenor,  to  manifest 
it.  It  is  not  fit  in  a  covenant,  that  is  distinguished  from  the  first  covenant  as  a 
covenant  of  grace,  wherein  rill  is  of  mer-e,  free,  and  absolute  grace,  that  the  re- 
ward of  life  should  be  suspended  on  the  perseverance  oi'  man,  as  dependent  on 
the  strength  and  steadfastness  of  his  own  will.  It  is  a  covenant  of  works,  and 
not  a  covenant  of  grace,  that  suspends  eternal  life  on  what  is  the  fruit  of  a 
man's  own  strength.  Eternal  life  Avas  to  have  been  of  works  in  those  two 
respects,  viz.,  as  it  was  to  have  been  for  man's  own  righteousness,  and  as  it  was 
suspended  on  the  fruit  of  his  own  sti-ength.  For,  though  our  first  parent  depend- 
ed on  the  grace  of  God,  the  influences  of  his  Spirit  in  his  heart ;  yet  that  grace 
was  given  him  already,  and  dwelt  in  him  constantly,  and  without  interruption, 
in  such  a  degree  as  to  hold  him  above  any  lust  or  sinful  habit  or  principle. 
Eternal  life  was  not  merely  suspended  on  that  grace  that  was  given  him  and 
dwelt  in  him,  but  on  his  improvement  of  that  grace  which  he  already  had. 
For,  in  order  to  his  perseverance,  there  was  nothing  further  promised  beyond 
his  own  strength ;  no  extraoi'dinary  occasional  assistance  was  promised.  It 
was  not  promised  but  that  man  should  be  left  to  himself  as  he  was  (though 
God  did  not  oblige  himself  not  to  afford  extraordinary  assistance  on  occasion, 
as  doubtless  he  did  to  the  angels  who  stood).  But  the  new  covenant  is  of 
grace,  in  a  manner  distinguishing  from  the  old,  in  both  these  respects,  that  the 
reward  of  life  is  suspended  neither  on  his  own  strength  nor  worthiness.     It  pro- 


512  PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 

vides  something  above  either.  But  if  eternal  life  under  the  new  covenant  was 
suspended  on  man's  own  perseverance,  or  his  perseveringly  using  diligent  en- 
deavors to  stand  without  the  promise  of  any  thing  farther  to  ascertain  it  than 
his  own  strength,  it  would  herein  be  farther  from  being  worthy  to  be  called  a 
covenant  of  grace  than  the  first  covenant;  because  man's  strength  is  exceeding- 
ly less  than  it  v\^as  then,  and  he  is  under  far  less  advantages  to  persevere ;  per- 
severance is  much  more  difficult.  And  if  he  should  obtain  eternal  life  by  per- 
severance in  his  own  strength  now,  eternal  life  would,  with  respect  to  that,  be 
much  more  of  himself  than  it  would  have  been  by  the  first  covenant ;  because 
perseverance  now  would  be  a  much  greater  thing  than  under  those  circumstan-' 
ces  ;  and  he  has  but  an  exceeding  small  part  of  that  grace  dwelling  in  him,  to 
assist  him,  that  he  had  then ;  and  that  which  he  has,  does  not  dwell  in  him  in 
the  exercise  of  it  by  such  a  constant  law  as  grace  did  then,  but  is  put  into  ex- 
ercise by  the  Spirit  of  grace,  in  a  far  more  arbitrary  and  sovereign  way. 

2.  Again,  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  do  what  mere  man  failed  of.  He 
came  as  a  better  surety,  and  that  in  him  those  defects  might  be  supplied  that 
proved  to  be  in  our  first  surety,  and  that  we  might  have  a  remedy  for  that  mis- 
chief that  came  by  those  defects.  But  the  defect  of  our  first  surety  was,  that 
he  did  not  persevere.  He  wanted  steadfastness;  and  therefore  God  sent  us,  in 
the  next  surety,  one  that  could  not  fail,  that  should  surely  persevere.  But  this 
is  no  supply  of  that  defect  to  us,  if  the  reward  of  life  be  still  suspended  on  per- 
severance, v.'hich  has  nothing  greater  to  secure  it  still,  than  the  strength  of  mere 
man  ;  and  the  perseverance  of  oui'  second  surety  is  no  remed}''  against  the  like 
mischief,  which  came  by  failure  of  our  first  surety ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  we  are 
much  more  exposed  to  the  mischief  than  before.  The  perseverance  on  which 
life  was  suspended,  depended  then  indeed  on  the  strength  of  mere  man  ;  but 
now  it  is  suspended  on  the  strength  of  fallen  man. 

In  that  our  first  surety  did  not  persevere,  we  fell  in  and  with  him ;  fordoubtless, 
if  he  had  stood,  we  should  have  stood  with  him.  And  therefore  when  God  in 
mercy  has  given  us  a  better  surety  to  supply  the  defects  of  the  first,  a  surety  that 
might  stand  and  persevere,  and  one  that  has  actually  persevered  through  the 
greatest  imaginable  trials ;  doubtless  we  shall  stand  and  persevere  in  him.  After 
all  this,  eternal  life  will  not  be  suspended  on  our  perseverance  by  our  own  poor, 
feeble,  broken  strength.  Our  first  surety,  if  he  had  stood,  would  have  been 
brought  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  as  a  seal  of  a  confirmed  state  of  life  in  perse- 
vering and  everlasting  holiness  and  happiness;  and  he  would  have  ate  of  this 
tree  of  life  as  a  seal  of  persevering  confirmed  life,  not  only  for  himself,  but  as 
our  head.  As  when  he  ate  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  he  tasted 
as  our  head,  and  so  brought  death  on  himself  and  all  his  posterity  ;  so,  if  he  had 
persevered,  and  had  ate  of  the  tree  of  life,  he  would  have  tasted  of  that  as  our 
head,  and  therein  life  and  confirmed  holiness  would  have  been  sealed  to  him  and 
all  his  posterity.  But  Christ,  the  second  Adam,  acts  the  same  part  for  us  that 
the  first  Adam  was  to  have  done,  but  failed.  He  has  fulfilled  the  law,  and  has 
been  admitted  to  the  seals  of  confirmed  and  everlasting  life.  God,  as  a  testi- 
mony and  seal  of  his  acceptance  of  what  he  had  done  as  the  condition  of  life, 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  exalted  him  with  his  own  right  hand,  received  him 
up  into  glory,  and  gave  all  things  into  his  hands.  Thus  the  second  Adam  has 
persevered,  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  us  ;  and  has  been  sealed  to  confirmed 
and  persevering  and  eternal  life,  as  our  head ;  so  that  all  those  that  are  his,  and 
that  are  his  spiritual  posterity,  are  sealed  in  him  to  persevering  life.  Here  it 
will  be  in  vain  to  object,  that  persons  persevering  in  faith  and  holiness  is  the 
condition  of  their  being  admitted  to  the  state  of  Christ's  posterity,  or  to  a  right 


PERSEVERANCE   OF   SAINTS.  513 

in  him ;  and  that  none  are  aihnilted  as  such  till  tht-y  have  fust  persevered.  For 
this  is  as  much  as  to  say,  that  Christ  lias  no  church  in  this  world  ;  and  that  there 
are  none  on  this  side  the  grave,  that  are  admitted  as  his  children  or  people  ; 
because  they  have  not  yet  actually  persevered  to  the  end  of  life,  which  is  the 
condition  of  their  being  admitted  as  his  children  and  people  ;  which  is  contrary 
to  the  whole  Scripture. 

Christ  being  the  second  Adam,  and  having  finished  the  work  of  Adam  for 
us,  does  more  than  merely  to  redeem  or  bring  us  back  to  the  probationary  state 
of  Adam,  while  he  had  yet  Ids  work  to  finish,  knowing  his  eternal  life  uncei  tain, 
because  suspended  on  his  uncertain  perseverance.  That  alone  is  inconsistent 
with  Christ's  being  a  second  Adam,  and  having  undertaken  and  finished  the 
work  of  Adam  for  us.  For  if  Christ,  succeeding  in  Adam's  room,  has  done 
and  gone  through  the  work  that  Adam  was  to  have  done,  and  did  lliis  as  our 
representative  or  surety,  he  has  not  only  thereby  set  us,  that  are  in  him  and 
represented  by  him,  in  Adam's  probationary,  imcertain  slate,  having  the  finish- 
ing or  persevering  in  the  work  on  which  eternal  liie  was  suspended  yet  before 
him  and  uncertain,  or  in  the  state  that  Adam  was  in  on  this  side  a  state  of  con- 
firmed life ;  but  besides,  if  Christ  has  finished  the  work  of  Adam  for  us,  as  re- 
presenting us,  and  acting  in  our  stead,  then  doubtless  he  has  not  only  gone  through 
himself,  but  has  carried  us,  who  are  in  him,  and  are  representeil  by  him,  through 
the  work  of  Adam,  or  through  Adam's  working  probationary  state,  unto  that 
confirmed  state  that  Adam  should  have  arrived  at,  if  he  had  gone  throuo-h  his 
own  work. 

3.  That  the  saints  shall  surely  persevere,  will  necessarily  follow  from  this, 
that  they  have  already  performed  the  obedience  which  is  the  righteousness  by 
which  they  have  justification  unto  life ;  or  it  is  already  performed  for  them,  and 
imputed  to  them  :  for  that  supposes,  that  it  is  the  same  thing  in  the  sight  of  God 
as  if  tliey  had  performed  it.  Now,  when  the  creature  has  once  actually  performed 
and  finished  the  righteousness  of  the  lav/,  he  is  immediately  sealed  and  confirmed 
to  eternal  life.  There  is  nothing  to  keep  him  off  from  the  tree  of  life,  to  seal 
him  to  it  any  longer.  But  as  soon  as  ever  a  believer  has  Christ's  righteousness 
imputed  to  him,  he  has  virtually  finished  the  righteousness  of  the  law. 

It  is  evident  the  saints  shall  persevere,  because  they  are  already  justified. 
Adam  would  not  have  been  justified  till  he  had  fullillcd  and  done  liis  woi^.  If 
ne  had  stood,  he  would  not  have  been  tried  or  judged  in  order  to  his  justification 
till  then,  and  then  his  justification  would  have  been  a  confirmation.  It  would 
have  been  an  approving  of  him  as  having  done  his  work,  and  as  standing  en- 
titled to  his  reward.  A  servant  that  is  sent  out  about  a  piece  of  work,  is  not 
justified  by  his  master  till  he  has  done ;  and  then  the  master  views  the  Avork, 
and  seeing  it  to  be  done  according  to  his  order,  he  then  approves  and  justifies 
him  as  having  done  his  work,  and  being  now  entitled  to  the  promised  reward; 
and  his  title  to  his  reward  is  no  longer  suspended  on  any  thing  remaining.  So, 
Christ  having  done  our  work  for  us,  we  are  justified  as  soon  as  ever  we  believe 
in  him,  as  being,  through  what  he  has  accomplished  and  finished,  now  already 
actually  entitled  to  the  reward  of  life.  And  justification  carries  in  it  not  only- 
remission  of  sins,  but  also  a  being  adjudged  to  life,  or  accepted  as  entitled  by 
righteousness  to  the  reward  of  life;  as  is  evident,  becaase  believers  are  justified 
by  communion  with  Christ  in  his  justification,  which  he  received  when  he  was 
raised  from  the  dead.  But  that  justification  of  Christ  which  he  was  then  the 
subject  of,  did  most  certainly  imply  both  these  things,  viz.,  his  being  now  judged 
free  of  that  guilt  which  he  had  taken  upon  him,  and  also  his  having  now  fulfilled 
all  righteousness,  his  having  perfectly  obeyed  the  Father,  and  done  enough  to 

Vol  III.  65 


514  PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 

entitle  him  to  the  reward  of  life  as  our  head  and  surety ;  and  therefore  he  tnen 
had  eternal  life  given  him  as  our  head.  That  life  which  begim  when  he  was 
raised  from  the  dead,  was  eternal  life.  Christ  was  then  justified  in  the  same 
sense  that  Adam  would  have  been  justified,  if  he  had  finished  his  course  of  per- 
fect obedience ;  and  therefore  implies  in  it  confirmation  in  a  title  to  life,  as  that 
would  have  done ;  and  thus,  all  those  that  are  risen  with  Christ,  and  have  him 
for  their  surety,  and  so  are  justified  in  his  justification,  are  certainly  in  like  man- 
ner confirmed.  And  again,  that  a  believer's  justification  implies  not  only  a 
deliverance  from  the  wrath  of  God,  but  a  title  to  glory,  is  evident  by  Rom.  v. 
12,  where  the  apostle  mentions  both  these  as  joint  benefits  implied  in  justifica- 
tion :  "  Therefore,  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  Ga.1  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  By  whom  also  we  have  access  into  this  grace  wherein  we 
stand,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.^^  So,  remission  of  sins,  and 
mheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified,  are  mentioned  together  as  what  are 
jointly  obtained  by  faith  in  Christ:  Actsxxvi.  18,  "  That  they  may  receive  for- 
giveness of  sins,  and  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified,  through  faith 
that  is  in  me."  Both  these  are  undoubtedly  implied  in  that  passing  from  death 
unto  life,  which  Christ  speaks  of  as  the  fruit  of  faith,  and  which  he  opposes  to 
condemnation  :  John  v.  24,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  th;ft  heareth  my  word, 
and  beheveth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into 
condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life." 

To  suppose  that  a  right  to  life  is  suspended  on  our  own  perseverance,  Avhich 
is  ur^pertain,  and  has  nothing  more  sure  and  steadfast  to  secure  it  than  our  own 
good  wills  and  resolutions  (which  way  soever  we  suppose  it  to  be  dependent  on 
the  strength  of  our  resolutions  and  wills,  either  with  the  assistance,  or  in  the 
improvement  of  assistance,  or  in  seeking  assistance),  is  exceedingly  dissonant 
to  the  nature  and  design  of  the  gospel  scheme.  For,  if  it  were  so,  it  would  un- 
avoidably have  one  of  these  two  effects;  either,  1,  Exceedingly  to  deprive  the 
believer  of  the  comfort,  hope  and  joy  of  salvation;  which  would ie  very  con- 
trary to  God's  intention  in  the  scheme  of  man's  salvation,  which  is  to  lay  a 
foundation  for  man's  abundant  consolation  every  way,  and  to  make  the  ground 
of  our  peace  and  joy  in  all  respects  strong  and  sure :  or  else,  2,  He  must  depend 
much  on  himself,  and  the  ground  of  his  joy  and  hope  must  in  a  great  measure 
be  his  own  strength,  and  the  steadfastness  of  his  own  heart,  the  unchangeable- 
ness  of  his  own  resolutions,  &c.  ;  which  would  be  veiy  different  from  the  gos- 
pel scheme.  ^ 

§  6.  It  is  one  act  of  faith  to  commit  the  soul  to  Christ's  keeping  in  this  sense, 
viz.,  to  keep  it  from  falling.  The  believing  soul  is  convinced  of  its  own  weak- 
ness and  helplessness,  its  inability  to  resist  its  enemies,  its  insufficiency  to  keep 
itself,  and  so  commits  itself  to  Christ,  that  he  would  be  its  keeper.  The  apostle 
speaks  of  his  committing  his  soul  by  faith  to  Christ,  under  great  sufiflerings  and 
trials  of  his  perseverance :  2  Tim.  i.  12,  "  For  which  cause  also  I  suffer  these 
things.  Nevertheless,  I  am  not  ashamed  :  for  I  know  whom  I  have  believed, 
and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  to  him 
against  that  day."  And  we  are  commanded  to  commit  our  way  and  our  works 
unto  the  Lord,  Psalm  xxxvii.  5,  and  Prov.  xvi.  3.  Faith  depends  on  Christ 
for  all  good  that  we  need,  and  especially  good  of  this  kind,  which  is  of  such 
absolute  necessity  in  order  to  the  salvation  of  our  souls.  The  sum  of  the  good 
that  faith  looks  for,  is  tiie  Holy  Spirit.  It  looks  for  spiritual  and  eternal  life  ; 
for  perfect  holiness  in  heaven,  and  persevering  holiness  here.  For  the  just  shall 
live  by  faith. 

§  7.  It  seems  to  be  because  continuance  in  faith  is  necessary  to  continuance 


PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS.  515 

m  justification,  at  least  in  part,  that  (he  apostle  expresses  himself  as  he  does : 
Rom.  i.  17,  "  For  therein  the  righteousness  of  God  is  revealed  from  faith  unto 
faith;  as  it  is  written,  the  just  shall  live  by  faith."  Or,  the  righteousness  of 
God  is  revealed,  as  we  receive  it  and  have  the  benefit  of  it,  from  faith,  or  by 
faith  unto  faith.  For  it  is  by  faith  that  we  first  perceive  and  know  this  right- 
eousness, and  do  at  first  receive  and  embrace  it,  and  do  at  first  become  interested 
in  it :  and  being  once  interested  in  it,  we  have  the  continuance  of  faith  in  the 
future  persevering  exercises  of  it  made  sure  to  us,  which  is  necessar}-,  in  order 
to  a  suitable  continuance  of  a  justified  state.  And  faith  continuing,  our  interest 
in  God's  righteousness  continues,  and  wi-  are  continued  in  a  justified  state,  and 
shall  certainly  have  the  future  and  eternal  reward  of  righteousness.  And  thus 
that  is  fulfillal,  "  The  just  shall  live  by  faith."  Agreeable  to  that,  1  Pet.  i.  5, 
'*  We  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation."  And  also 
to  that,  Ileb.  x.  35 — 39,  "  Cast  not  away  therefore  your  confidence,  which  hath 
great  recompense  of  reward.  P'or  ye  have  need  of  patience,  that  after  ye  have 
done  the  will  of  God  ye  might  receive  the  promise.  For  yet  a  little  while,  and 
he  that  shall  come,  will  come,  and  will  not  tarr}'.  Now,  the  just  shall  live  by 
faith ;  but  if  any  man  draw  back,  ray  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him.  But 
we  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  unto  perdition,  but  of  them  that  believe  to 
the  saving  of  the  soul."  And  chap.  iii.  6,  14,  18,  19  ;  and  iv.  1,  11;  Heb.  vi. 
4,  11,  12  ;  and  the  former  part  of  the  15th  chapter  of  John,  "  Abide  in  me,  and 

1  in  you. — If  a  man  abide  not  in  me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch. — Continue 
ye  in  my  love. — If  ye  keep  my  commandments,  ye  shall  abide  in  my  love,  even 
as  I  have  kept  my  Father's  commandments,  and  abide  in  his  love."  It  was  im- 
possible that  Christ  should  not  continue  in  his  Father's  love.  He  was  entitled  to 
such  help  and  support  fiora  him,  as  should  be  effectual  to  uphold  him  in  obedi- 
ence to  his  Father.  And  yet  it  was  true,  that,  if  Christ  had  not  kept  his  Father's 
commandments,  he  could  not  have  continued  in  his  love.  He  would  have 
been  cast  out  of  favor.     See  Rom.  xi.  22;  Col.  i.  21,  22,  23;  1  Tim.  ii.  15; 

2  Tim.  iv.  7,  8 ;  Rom.  iv.  3 ;  compared  with  Gen.  xv.  6 ;  1  John  ii.  24,  25, 
26,  27,  28. 

§  8.  Perseverance  is  acknowledged  by  Calvinian  divines,  to  be  necessary  to 
salvation.  Yet  it  seems  to  me,  that  the  manner  in  which  it  is  necessary  has  not 
been  suflSciently  set  forth.  It  is  owned  to  be  necessary  as  a  sine  qua  nan :  and 
also  is  expressed  by  this,  that  though  it  is  not  that  by  which  we  first  come  to 
have  a  title  to  eternal  life,  yet  it  is  necessary  in  order  to  the  actual  possession 
of  it,  as  the  way  to  it ;  that  it  is  as  impossible  w^e  should  come  to  it  without 
perseverance,  as  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  to  go  to  a  city  or  town,  without 
travelling  throughout  the  road  that  leads  to  it.  But  we  are  really  saved  by 
perseverance  ;  so  that  salvation  has  a  dependence  on  perseverance,  as  that  which 
influences  in  the  afl'air,  so  as  to  render  it  congruous  that  we  should  be  saved. 
Faith  is  the  great  condition  of  salvation  :  it  is  that  by  which  we  are  justified 
and  saved,  as  it  is  what  renders  it  congruous  that  we  should  be  looked  upon  as 
having  a  title  to  salvation.  But  in  this  faith  on  which  salvation  thus  depends, 
the  perseverance  that  belongs  to  it  is  one  thing  that  is  really  a  fundamental 
ground  of  the  congruity  that  faith  gives  to  salvation.  Faith  is  that  which  ren- 
ders it  congruous  that  we  should  be  accepted  to  a  title  to  salvation  :  and  it  is  so 
on  the  account  of  certain  properties  in,  or  certain  things  that  belong  to  it :  and 
this  is  one  of  them,  viz.,  its  perseverance.  Without  this,  it  would  not  be  fit 
that  a  sinner  should  be  accepted  to  salvation.  Perseverance  indeed  comes  into 
consideration,  even  in  the  justification  of  a  sinner,  as  one  thing  on  which  the 
fitness  of  acceptance  to  life  depends.     For,  though  a  sinner  is  justified  in  his 


516  PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 

first  act  of  faith ;  yet  even  then,  in  that  act  of  justification,  God  has  respect 
to  perseverance  as  being  virtually  in  the  first  act.     And  it  is  looked  upon  as  if 
it  were  a  property  of  that  faith  by  which  the  sinner  is  then  justified.     God  has 
respect  to  continuance  in  iit'iih ;  and  the  sinner  is  justified  by  that,  as  though  iv 
already  were ;  because  by  divine  establishment  it  shall  follow  ;  and  so  it  is  ac- 
cepted, as  if  it  were  a  property  contained  in  the  faith  that  is  then  seen.     With- 
out this,  it  would  not  be  congruous  that  a  sinner  should  be  justified  at  his  first 
believino-;  but  it  would  be  needful  that  the  act  of  justification  should  be  sus- 
pended till  the  sinner  had  persevered   in  faith.     For  a  like  reason  that  it  is 
necessary  there  should  be  onei  act  of  faith  in  ord*^r  to  its  being  congruous  that  a 
person  should  be  saved,  it  is  also  necessary  that  there  should  be  perseverance 
in  faith.     Faith  gives  a  title  to  salvation,  as  it  gives  a  union  to  Christ,  or  is  in 
its  nature  an  actual  unition  of  the  soul  to  Chiist.     But  thei'e  is  the  same  reason 
why  it  is  necessary  that  the  union  between  Cluist  and  the  soul  should  remain  in 
order  to  salvation,  as  that  it  should  once  be,  or  that  it  should  be  begvur ;  for  it 
is  begun,  to  the  end  that  it  might  remain.     And  if  it  could  be  begun  without 
remaining,  the  beginning  would  be  in  vain.     The  soul  is  saved  no  otherwise 
than  by  union  with  Christ,  and  so  is  fitly  looked  upon  as  his.     It  is  saved  in 
him  J  and  in  order  to  that,  it  is  necessary  that  the  soul  now  be  in  him,  even 
when  salvation  is  actually  bestowed,  and  not  merely  that  it  should  once  have 
been  in  him.     In  order  to  its  being  now  saved,  it  must  now  be  one  of  Christ's ; 
and  in  order  to  being  fitly  or  congruously  looked  on  as  now  one  of  Christ's,  it 
is  necessary  it  should  now  be  united,  and  not  solely  that  it  should  be  remembered 
that  it  was  once  united  to  Christ.     And  there  is  the  same  reason  why  believing, 
or  the  quality  wherein  the  unition  consists,  should  remain,  in  order  to  the  union's 
remaining  ;  or  why  the  unition  should  once  be,  in  order  to  the  union's  once  be- 
ing.    The  first  act  of  faith  gives  a  title  to  salvation,  because  it  does  virtually 
trust  in  God  and  Christ  for  perseverance,  among  other  benefits,  and  gives  a  title 
to  this  benefit  with  others,  and  so  virtually  contains  perseverance  :  otherwise  it 
would  not  be  congruous  that  the  sinner  should  be  justified  in  the  first  act  of 
faith ;  and  therefore  God,  in  justifying  a  sinner,  even  in  the  first  act  of  faith, 
has  respect  to  the  congruity  between  justification  and  perseverance  of  faith. 
So  that  perseverance  is  necessary  to  salvation,  not  only  as  a  sine  qua  non,  or  as 
the  way  to  possession  ;  but  it  is  necessary  even  to  the  congruity  of  justification, 
and  that  not  the  less,  because  a  sinner  is  justified  in  his  first  act  of  believing,  or 
because  perseverance  is  promised  when  once  there  has  been  one  act  of  faith  ;  for 
God,  in  justifying  a  sinner,  or  at  least  all  which  in  justification  respects  a  future 
reward  has  respect  to  his  own  promise,  and  to  the  fitness  of  a  qualification  be- 
held as  yet  only  in  his  own  promise.     That  perseverance  is  thus  necessary  to 
salvation,  not  only  as  a  si7ie  qua  non,  but  by  reason  of  such  an  influence  and  de- 
pendence, seems  manifest  from  Scripture ;  as  particularly,  Heb.  x.  38,  39, 
"  Now  the  just  shall  live  by  faith.     But  if  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall 
have  no  pleasure  in  him.     But  we  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  unto  perdi- 
tion, but  of  them  that  believe  unto  the  saving  of  the  soul."    Rom.  xi.  20, "  Well, 
because  of  unbelief  they  were  broken  off.     But  thou  standest  by  faith.     Be  not 
high-minded,  but  fear."     John  xv.  7,  "  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  words  abide 
in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you."     Heb. 
iii.  14,  *'  For  we  are  made  partakers  of  Christ,  if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  our 
confidence  firm  unto  the  end."     Chap.  v.  12,  "  Be  ye  followers  of  them,  who 
through  faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promises." 

So  that  not  only  the  first  act  of  fa  th,  but  subsequent  acts  of  faith,  and  per- 
,  everance  in  faith,  do  justify  the  sinner  -,  and  that,  although  salvation  is  in  it- 


PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS.  517 

self  sure  and  certain  after  the  first  act.  For  the  way  in  which  the  first  act 
of  faitli  justifies,  is  not  by  making  the  futurition  of  salvation  certain  in  itself; 
for  that  IS  as  certain  in  itself  by\he  divine  decree,  before  (he  first  act  of  faith, 
as  afltMwards.  But  it  is  only  in  these  two  ways  that  any  act  of  ours  can  con- 
nect salvation  with  the  subject ;  1,  as  it  may  give  a  congruity ;  and  2,  ;ls  it 
gives  such  a  divine  manifestation  of  the  futurition  of  salvation  to  us,  that  we 
can  lay  hold  of  and  depend  on  tlie  cfivine  truth  and  faithfulness,  that  we  shall 
have  salvation.  Salvation  is  in  some  sense  the  sinner's  right,  before  he  believes. 
It  was  given  him  in  Christ,  before  the  world  was.  But  before  a  sinner  believes, 
he  is  not  actually  possessed  of  that  which  gives  the  congruity,  nor  has  he  any 
thing  fiom  Uod  that  he  can  lay  hold  of,  so  as  to  either  challenge  it,  or  on  good 
grounds  hope  tor  it.  He  cannot  be  said  to  have  any  right,  because  he  has  no 
congruity  ;  and  as  to  the  promise  made  to  Christ,  he  has  no  hold  of  that,  be- 
cause that  is  not  revealed  to  him.  If  God  had  declared  and  promised  to  the 
angels  tliat  such  a  man  should  be  saved ;  that  would  not  give  him  any  right  of 
his  own,  or  any  ground  of  challenge.  A  promise  is  a  manifestation  of  a  per- 
son's design  of  doing  some  good  to  another,  to  the  end  that  he  may  depend  on 
it,  and  rest  in  it.  The  certainty  in  him  arises  I'rora  the  manifestation  ;  and  the 
obligation  in  justice  to  him  arises  from  the  manifestation's  being  made  to  him, 
to  the  effect  that  he  might  depend  on  it.  And  therefore  subsequent  acts  of  faith 
may  be  said  to  give  a  sinner  a  title  to  salvation,  as  well  as  the  first.  For, 
from  what  has  been  said,  it  appears  that  the  congruity  arises  from  them,  as 
well  as  the  first;  they  in  like  manner  containing  the  nature  of  unition  to  Christ 
as  mediator;  and  they  may  have  as  great,  nay,  a  greater  hand  in  the  manifes- 
tation of  the  futurition  of  salvation  to  us  for  our  dependence,  than  the  first  act. 
For  our  knowledge  of  this  may  proceed  mainly  liom  after  acts,  and  from  a 
course  of  acts,  this  is  all  that  is  peculiar  to  the  first  act,  that  so  far  as  the  act 
is  plain,  it  gives  us  evidence  from  God,  for  our  dependence  ;  both  for  continued 
acts  of  faith,  and  also  the  salvation  that  is  connected  with  them.  So  that,  so 
far  as  this  act  is  plain  to  us,  we  can  challenge  both  these  as  our  rio"ht.  The 
Scripture  speaks  of  after  acts  of  faith  in  both  Abraham  and  Noah,  as  giving  a 
title  to  the  righteousness  which  is  the  matter  of  justification.  See  Rom.  iv.  3, 
Heb.  xi.  7. 

§  9.  The  doctrine  of  perseverance  is  manifest  from  the  nature  of  the  medi- 
ation of  Christ.  For  as  Christ  is  a  mediator  between  God  and  man,  to  recon- 
cile God  to  man,  and  man  to  God,  and  as  he  is  a  middle  person  between  both, 
and  has  the  nature  of  both,  so  he  undertakes  for  each,  and,  in  some  respect,  be- 
comes a  surety  for  each  with  the  other.  He  undertakes  and  becomes  a  surety 
for  man  to  Goil.  He  engages  lor  him,  that  the  law,  that  was  given  him,  shall 
be  answered :  and  that  justice,  with  respect  to  him,  shall  be  satisfied,  and  the 
honor  of  God's  majesty  vindicated.  So  he  undertakes  and  engages  for  the 
Father  with  man,  in  order  to  their  being  reconciled  to  God,  and  induced  to 
come  to  him,  to  love  him,  and  trust  confidently  in  him,  and  rest  quietly  in  him. 
He  undertakes  for  the  Father's  acceptance  and  favor,  John  xiv.  21,  "  He  that 
loveth  me  shall  be  loved  of  my  Father."  He  undertakes  that  the  Father  shall 
hear  and  answer  their  prayers.  He  becomes  surety  to  see  tliat  their  prayers 
are  answered :  John  xiv.  13,  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in  my 
name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son."  He  under- 
takes that  they  shall  have  all  necessary  supplies  of  grace  from  the  Father  ;  and 
he  engages  for  the  continuance  of  God's  presence  with  them,  and  the  contin- 
uance of  his  favor,  and  of  the  supplies  of  grace  necessary  to  uphold  and  preserve 
them,  and  keep  them  from  finally  perishing :  John  xiv.  16,  "  And  I  will  pray 


618  PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 

the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another  comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with 
you  for  ever."  And  v.  23,  "  If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words,  and 
my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  to  hhn,  and  make  our  abode  with 
him."  Christ  does  not  only  declare  that  God  will  give  us  needed  grace,  but 
he  himself  undertakes  to  see  it  done.  He  promises  that  he  will  bestow  it  from  the 
Father  :  John  xv.  26,  "  But  when  the  comforter  is  come,  whom  I  will  send 
you  from  the  Father."  It  was  necessary  that  some  one  should  thus  undertake 
for  God  with  man,  for  the  continuance  of  his  pardoning  and  sanctifying  grace, 
in  order  to  the  sinner's  being  fully  reconciled  to  God,  and  brought  fully  and 
quietly  to  rest  in  him  as  his  God :  otherwise  the  sinner,  conscious  of  his  own 
weakness  and  sinfulness,  could  have  no  quiet  rest  in  God,  for  fear  of  the  union's* 
being  broken  between  God  and  him,  ancl  for  fear  of  incurring  God's  displeasure 
and  wrath,  and  so  having  God  an  enemy  for  ever ;  which  man  in  himself,  ii 
his  fallen  state,  is  a  thousand  times  as  liable  to,  as  he  was  under  the  first  cove- 
nant. He  is  in  a  capacity  to  undertake  for  us,  and  be  surety  for  us,  with  the 
Father,  because  he  puts  himself  in  our  stead.  He  also  is  in  a  capacity  to 
undertake  for  the  Father,  and  be  surety  for  him  wdth  us,  because  the  Father 
hath  put  him  in  his  stead.  He  puts  himself  in  our  stead  as  priest,  and  answers 
for  us,  and  does  and  suffers  in  that  office  what  we  should  have  done  and  suffer- 
ed ;  and  God  puts  him  in  his  stead  as  king.  He  is  appointed  to  the  govern- 
ment of  the  world,  as  God's  vicegerent,  and  so,  in  that  office,  answers  for  God 
to  us,  and  does,  and  orders  and  bestows,  that  which  we  need  from  God.  He 
undertakes  for  us  in  things  that  are  expected  of  us  as  subjects,  because  he  puts 
himself  into  our  subjection.  He  appears  in  the  form  of  a  servant  for  us.  So 
he  undertakes  for  the  Father,  in  that  which  is  desired  and  hoped  for  of  him  as 
king :  for  the  Father  hath  put  him  into  his  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  has 
cormnitted  all  authority  and  power  unto  him.  He  is  in  a  capacity  to  undertake 
for  the  Father  with  us,  because  he  can  say,  as  in  John  xvi.  15,  "  All  things 
that  the  Father  hath  are  mine." 

§  10.  The  first  covenant  failed  of  bringing  man  to  the  glory  of  God,  through 
man's  instability,  whereby  he  failed  of  perseverance.  Man's  changeableness 
was  the  thing  wherein  it  was  weak.  It  was  weak  through  the  flesh.  But  God 
had  made  a  second  covenant  in  mercy  to  fallen  man,  that  in  the  way  of  this 
covenant  he  might  be  brought  to  the  glory  of  God,  which  he  failed  of  under 
the  other.  But  it  is  God's  manner,  in  things  that  he  appoints  and  constitutes, 
when  one  thing  fails  of  its  proper  end,  he  appoints  another  to  succeed  in  the 
room  of  it ;  to  introduce  that  the  second  time,  in  which  the  weaknesses  and  de- 
fects of  the  former  are  supplied,  and  which  never  shall  fail,  but  shall  surely 
reach  its  end,  and  so  shall  remain  as  that  which  needs  no  other  to  succeed  It. 
So  God  removed  the  first  dispensation  by  Moses,  Heb.  viii.  7 — 13  :  "  For  if  the 
first  covenant  had  been  faultless,  then  should  no  place  have  been  sought  for  the 
second.  For  finding  fault  with  them,  he  saith,  Behold  the  days  come,  saith 
the  Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with 
the  house  of  Judah,  not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their  fath- 
ers— because  they  continued  not  in  my  covenant;  and  I  regarded  them  not, 
saith  the  Lord.  For  this  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of 
Israel  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord  ;  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and 
write  them  in  their  hearts,  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to 
me  a  people.  And  they  shall  not  teach  every  man  his  neighbor,  &c — for  J 
will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteousnesses,  and  their  sins  and  iniquities  will  I 
remember  no  more.  In  that  he  saith,  a  new  covenant,  he  hath  made  the  first 
old.    Nov/  that  which  decayeth  and  waxeth  old,  is  ready  to  vanish  away."  S® 


PERSEVERANCE   OF  SAINTS.  519 

the  priesthood  of  the  order  of  Aaion  ceases,  because  of  the  weakness  and  in- 
sufficiency of  it  to  answer  the  ends  of  priesthood,  which  are,  to  reconcile  God 
to  man.  Therefore  Goil  introduces  another  priesthood,  of  the  order  of  Melchis- 
edec,  that  is  sufficient,  and  cannot  fail,  and  remains  for  ever:  lleb.  vii.  11,  12, 
"  If,  tlierefore,  perfection  were  by  the  Levitical  prieslliood  (for  under  it  the 
people  received  the  hiw),  what  iiirther  need  was  there  that  another  priest 
shoulil  arise,  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec,  and  not  be  called  after  the  order 
of  Aaron  ?  For  the  priesthood  being  changed,  there  is  made  of  necessity  a 
change  also  of  the  law."  Ver.  15,  IG,  17,  IS,  19,  "  After  the  similitude  of 
Melchisedec,  there  ariseth  another  priest,  who  is  maile,  not  after  the  law  of  a 
carnal  commandment,  but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life.  For  he  testifieth, 
Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever,  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec.  For  there  is  verily 
a  disannuHiiig  of  the  commandment  going  before,  for  the  weakness  and  unprof- 
itableness thereof.  For  tlie  law  maile  nothing  })erfect ;  but  the  bringinf^-  in  of 
a  better  hope  did." — What  the  law  failed  of,  being  weak  through"  the  flesh, 
Christ  performed  :  Rom.  viii.  3,  4,  "  For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it 
was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful 
flesh,  and  for  sin  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh  ;  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law 
might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  that  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit."  So 
the  old  heavens  and  earth  are  destroyed,  because  of  their  defects,  and  a  new 
heaven  and  earth  introduced,  that  are  to  remain  for  ever.  Heb.  xii.  26,  27,  28, 
"  But  now  hath  he  promised,  Yet  once  more  I  shake  not  the  earth  only,  but 
also  heaven.  And  this  word,  yd  once  more,  signifieth  the  removing  of  those 
things  that  are  shaken,  as  of  those  things  that  are  made,  that  those  things 
which  cannot  be  shaken  may  remain.  Wherefore  we,  receiving  a  kingdom 
which  cannot  be  removed,"  &c. — So  Moses,  the  first  leader  of  Israel,  failed  of 
bringing  them  into  Canaan  ;  but  Joshua,  the  second  leader,  did  not  fail.  The 
kingdom  of  Saul,  the  first  anointed  of  the  Lord,  did  not  continue;  but  the 
kingdom  of  the  second  anointed  remains  for  ever.  The  first  sanctuary,  that 
was  built  in  Israel,  was  a  movable  tabernacle,  and  therefoi-e  ready  to  vanish 
away,  or  be  removed  finally  ; — and  God  forsook  the  tabernacle  of  Shiloh. 
But  the  second  sanctuary  was  a  firm  building,  an  innnovable  temple,  which 
was  typically  an  everlasting  sanctuary,  and  that  which  God  would  never  for- 
sake, 2  Sam.  vii.  10,  11.  So  the  first  covenant  that  God  made  with  Adam, 
failed,  because  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  or  through  the  weakness  of  hu- 
man nature,  to  whose  strength  and  stability  the  keeping  was  intrusted.  There- 
fore God  introduces  another  better  covenant,  committetl  not  to  his  strength,  but 
to  the  strength  of  one  that  was  mighty  and  stable,  and  therefore  is  a  sure  and 
everlasting  covenant.  God  intrusted  the  affair  of  man's  happiness  on  a  weak 
foundation  at  first  to  show  man  that  that  foundation  was  weak,  and  not  to  be 
trusted  to,  that  he  might  trust  in  God  alone.  The  first  was  only  to  make  way 
for  the  second.  God  lighted  up  divine  light  in  man's  soul  at  the  first;  but  it 
remained  on  such  a  foundation,  that  Satan  found  means  to  extinguish  it;  and 
therefore,  when  God  lights  it  up  a  second  time,  it  is,  that  it  may  never  be  ex- 
tinguished. 

§  11.  Some  things  may  yet  remain,  that  are  properly  the  conditions  of 
salvation ;  on  which  salvation  may  be  so  suspended,  that  it  may  well  excite  to 
the  utmost  caution,  lest  we  should  come  short  of  eternal  life,  and  should  perish 
for  the  want  of  them,  after  it  is  already  become  imj^ossible  that  we  should  fail  of 
salvation.  For  the  condition  on  which  the  man  Christ  Jesus  was  to  obtain 
eternal  life,  was  his  doing  the  work  which  God  had  given  him  to  do  ;  his  per- 
forming perfect  persevering  obedience,  and  his  therein  conquering  Satan  and 


520  PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 

the  world,  and  all  opposition,  and  enduring  all  sufferings  that  he  met  with.— 
Therefore  Christ  used  the  utmost  diligence  to  do  this  work,  and  used  the  utmost 
caution  lest  he  should  fail  of  it;  and  prayed  with  strong  crying  and  tears,  and 
wrestled  with  God  in  a  bloody  sweat,  that  he  might  not  fail,  but  might  have 
God's  help  to  go  through,  so  that  he  might  not  fail.  Yet  it  was  impossible 
he  should  fail  of  eternal  life,  and  the  whole  reward  that  had  been  promised 
him.  The  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  was  not  only  certain  to  him,  but  he  had 
a  proper  title  to  it  as  God's  heir,  by  reason  of  his  relation  to  God  the  Father, 
as  beinf>-  his  only  begotten  Son.  It  was  impossibl'j  that  he  should  fail  in  the 
work  to  which  he  was  appointed,  as  God  had  promised  him  sufficient  and  effec- 
tual grace  and  help  to  persevere,  and  already  had  made  known  his  election  : 
Psal.  ex.  7,  "  He  shall  drink  of  the  brook  in  the  way,  therefore  shall  he  lift  up 
the  head."  Isaiah  xlii.  1,  "  Behold  my  Servant,  whom  I  uphold  ;  mine  Elect, 
in  whom  my  soul  delighteth.  I  have  put  my  Spirit  upon  him.  He  shall  bring 
forth  judgment  to  the  Gentiles."  Verse  4,  "  He  shall  not  fail  nor  be  discour- 
aged." And  verse  6,  "  I  the  Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteousness  :  I  will  hold 
thine  hand  and  keep  thee."  Isaiah  xli.  8,  "  But  thou  Israel  my  servant,  Jacob 
whom  I  have  chosen,  the  seed  of  Abraham  my  friend."  Verse  10,  "  Fear  thou 
not,  for  I  am  with  thee.  Be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God.  I  will  strengthen 
thee ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  haml  of  my  righteousness."  So  it 
was  in  effect  promised  in  the  revelations  that  were  made  to  Mary  and  Joseph, 
Zechariah,  &c.,  and  so  to  himself  in  answer  to  his  prayers,  by  a  voice  from 
heaven,  "  I  have  both  glorified  it,  and  will  glorify  it  again."  And  so  probably 
by  Moses  and  Ellas  in  the  Mount,  and  by  the  voice  from  heaven  there,  and  by 
the  angel  strengthening  him  in  answer  to  his  prayer  in  his  agony.  It  appears 
that  all  was  certain  beforehand,  by  God's  actually  saving  great  numbers  before- 
hand, on  the  ground  of  his  future  perseverance  in  his  work. 

§  12.  Grace  is  that  which  God  implants  in  the  heart  against  great  opposi- 
tion of  enemies,  great  opposition  from  the  corruption  of  the  heart,  and  from 
Satan  and  the  world.  Great  are  the  efforts  of  all  these  against  the  implanta- 
tion of  it,  and  they  all  labor  to  the  utmost  to  keep  it  out.  Seeing  therefore 
that  God  manifests  his  all-conquering  power  in  giving  grace  a  place  in  the  heart 
in  spite  of  those  enemies,  he  will  doubtless  maintain  it  there  against  their  uni- 
ted efforts  to  root  it  out.  He  that  has  so  gloriously  conquered  them  in  bringing 
in  grace,  will  not  at  last  suffer  himself  to  be  conquered,  by  their  expelling  that 
which  he  has  so  brought  in  by  his  mighty  power.  He  that  gloriously  subdued 
those  enemies  under  his  feet,  by  bringing  this  image  of  his  into  the  soul,  will 
not  suffer  this  image  of  his  finally  to  be  trampled  under  their  feet.  God  alone 
could  introduce  it.  It  was  what  he  undeitook  ;  and  it  was  wholly  his  work, 
and  doubtless  he  will  maintain  it.  He  will  not  forsake  the  work  of  his  own 
hands.  Where  he  has  begun  a  good  work,  he  will  carry  it  on  to  the  day  of 
Christ.  Grace  shall  endure  all  things,  and  shall  remain  under  all  things  ;  as  the 
expression  navra  vno^tifn  literally  signifies,  in  1  Cor.  xiii.  7. 

§  13.  The  Spirit  of  God  was  given  at  first,  but  was  lost.  God  gives  it  a 
second  time,  never  to  be  utterly  lost.  The  Spirit  is  given  in  another  mannei' 
than  he  was  then.  Then  indeed  he  was  communicated,  and  dwelt  in  their 
hearts.  But  this  communication  was  made  without  conveying  at  the  same  time 
any  proper  right  or  sure  title  to  it.  But  when  God  communicates  it  the  second 
time,  as  he  does  to  a  true  convert,  he  withal  gives  it  to  him  to  be  his  own  ;  he 
finally  makes  it  over  to  him  in  a  sure  covenant.  He  is  their  purchased  and 
promised  possession.  If  our  first  parents  had  had  a  right  to  the  Holy  Spirit  made 
over  to  them  at  first,  he  never  would  have  departed  iiom  them. 


PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS.  521 

Man,  in  his  first  estate,  had  no  benefit  at  all  properly  made  over  to  him ; 
for  God  makes  over  boru'firs  only  by  covenant:  ami  then  the  condition  of  the 
covenant  had  not  been  f'liililleil.  iiut  now,  man,  at  his  first  conversion,  is  justi- 
fied and  adopted  ;  he  is  received  as  a  ehilil  and  an  heir,  as  a  joint  heir  with 
Christ.  His  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  God 
is  theirs,  and  Christ  is  tluiis;  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  theirs:  and  all  things  are 
theirs.  Tiie  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the  sum  of  all  good,  is  their  inlieritance  ;  and 
that  little  of  it  that  they  have  in  this  life,  is  the  earnest  of  their  future  inherit- 
ance, td!  the  redumption  of  the  purchased  possession. 

Heaven  is  theirs  :  their  conversation  is  there.  They  are  citizens  of  that  city, 
and  of  the  household  of  God.  Christians  are  represented  as  being  come  already 
to  heaven,  to  Mount  Zion,  the  city  of  the  living  God  ;  to  an  innumerable  com- 
pany of  angels,  &c. — Heaven  is  the  proper  country  of  the  churcii.  1  hey  are 
raised  up  together  with  Christ,  and  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  jjlaces: 
Eph.  ii.  6,  "  They  are  blessed  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  ])laces." 
The  whole  tenor  of  the  gospel  shows,  that  Christians  liave  actually  a  lull  and 
final  right  made  over  to  them,  to  spiritual  and  heavenly  blessings. 

§  14.  That  the  saints  should  be  earnestly  exhorted  and  pressed  to  care  and 
caution,  and  earnest  endeavors  to  persevere,  is  most  reasonable;  and  it  cannot 
be  otherwise,  notwithstanding  their  having  an  absolute,  unchangeable  promise, 
that  they  shall  persevere.  For  still  perseverance  is  their  duty,  and  what  they 
are  to  do  in  obedience  to  God.  For  that  is  the  notion  of  perseverance,  their 
holding  out  in  the  way  of  God's  commandments.  But  if  it  were  absurd  to 
command  them  to  persevere,  as  the  work  they  have  to  do,  then  how  would  they 
do  it  in  obedience  to  him  ?  The  angels  in  heaven  are  confirmed,  and  it  is  pro- 
raised  unto  them  that  they  never  shall  sin  :  yet  it  is  proper  for  God  to  give  tliem 
commands,  though  in  so  doing  he  requires  the  improvement  of  their  caie  and 
endeavors  to  obey  and  fulfil  his  will  exactly.  It  is  not  obedience,  if  they  do 
not  take  care  and  endeavor  to  obey.  If  Ihey  should  cease  to  take  care,  that 
very  thing  would  prove  their  fall.  So,  in  this  case,  if  Christians  cease  to  take 
care  to  persevere,  that  very  thing  is  falling  away. 

§  15.  It  shows  the  infallible  perseverance  of  true  Christians,  that  the  spir- 
itual life  that  they  have,  is  as  partaking  with  Christ  in  liis  resurrection  life,  or  the 
life  that  he  has  received  as  risen  from  the  dead,  and  not  as  partaking  of  that  life 
which,  he  hved  before  his  death.  For  they  live  by  Christ's  living  in  them  : 
Gal.  ii.  20,  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ;  nevertheless  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me  :  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the 
faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me  :"  thai  is,  by 
the  life  that  he  has  received  since  his  resurrection,  and  by  his  communi<'aling  to 
them  that  lulness  which  he  received  when  he  rose  from  the  dead.  W  hen  he 
rose,  he  received  the  promise  of  the  Father,  the  Spirit  of  life  without  i.-casure, 
and  he  sheds  it  forth  on  believers:  the  oil  poured  on  the  risen  head  goes  down 
to  the  skirts  of  the  garments  ;  and  thus  Christ  lives  in  believers  by  liis  Sjiirit's 
dwelling  in  them.  Believers,  in  their  conversion,  are  said  to  be  risen  with  Christ : 
Col.  ii.  12,  1-3,  "  Ye  are  risen  with  him  through  the  faith  of  ihe  operation  of 
God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead.  And  you,  being  dead  in  your  sins  and 
the  uncircumcision  of  your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him."  And 
chap.  iii.  1,  "  If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,"  &c.  And  Eph.  ii.  5,  6,  "  Even 
when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  and  hath 
raised  us  up  together."  Rom.  v.  10,  "  For  if  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were 
reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled,  we  shall 
b-^  saved  by  his  hfe."     Phil.  iii.  10, 11,  "  That  I  may  know  him,  and  the  power 

Vol.  III.  66 


522  PERSEVERANCE  OF   SAINTS. 

of  his  resurrection."  Rom.  vi.  4,  5,  "  Therefore  we  are  buried  with  him  by 
baptism  unto  death,  that  hke  as  Christ  uas  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory 
of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life  ;" — and  so  on 
throughout  that  chapter.  This  spiritual  resurrection  and  life  is  procured  and  pur- 
chased for  Christ's  members,  by  Christ's  suffering  obedience,  in  the  same  manner 
as  his  own  resurrection  and  life  is  purchased  by  it.  And  they  receive  life  as 
united  to  him,  as  members  of  a  rising  Saviour,  and  as  being  married  in  their 
conversion  to  him  ;  as  in  the  beginning  of  the  7lh  chapter  of  Romans,  which  is 
a  continuation  of  that  forecited  discourse  in  the  6lh  chapter.  That  justification 
which  believers  have  at  their  conversion,  is  as  partaking  of  the  justification  that 
Christ  had  in  his  resurrection ;  and  so  all  the  benefits  that  believers  have,  their 
comfort  and  hope  and  joy  here,  and  their  eternal  life  hereafter,  are  as  partak- 
ing with  a  risen  Saviour.  We  are  begotten  again  to  a  lively  hope  by  the  re- 
surrection of  Christ  from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible.  See  Eph. 
i.  18,  19,  20,  21 :  "  The  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlightened,  that  ye 
may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calhng,  and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
his  inheritance  in  the  saints ;  and  wh.at  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power 
to  US-ward  who  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  which 
he  wrought  in  Christ  Jesus,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at 
his  own  right  hand  in  heavenly  places." 

Hence  it  follows,  that  the  saints  shall  surely  persevere  in  their  spiritual  life 
and  their  justified  state.  The  apostle  hence  argues,  in  the  6th  of  Romans,  that 
believers  are  finally  freed  from  sin,  and  shall  live  forever  with  Christ,  and  that 
sin  shall  no  more  have  dominion  over  thenr :  ver.  9,  "  Knowing  that  Christ  being 
raised  from  the  dead,  dieth  no  more ;  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him." 
Compared  with  ver.  5,  6,  7,  10,  14.  Christ's  resurrection  life  is  an  immortal, 
unfailing  life.  Rev.  i.  18,  "  I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead  ;  and  behold  I 
am  alive  for  evermore."  Hence  the  benefits  that  believers  receive,  in  being 
connected  and  risen  with  Christ,  are  sure  and  unfailing  mercies :  Acts  xiii.  34, 
"  And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  now  no  more  to  return 
to  corruption,  he  said  on  this  wise,  I  will  give  you  the  sure  mercies  of  David." 
This  is  the  living  bread,  and  hence  he  that  eats  thereof  shall  not  die,  but  shall 
live  forever:  John  vi.  50,  51.  The  saints  cannot  die,  for  their  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God,  who  is  risen  and  ascended,  and  is  with  God  in  glory  in  immortal 
life,  Col.iii.4. 

§  16.  The  perseverance  of  faith  is  necessary  to  a  congruity  to  salvation. 
For  it  is  implied  in  several  places  of  Scripture,  that  if  true  believers  should  fail 
in  persevering  in  faith,  they  would  fail  of  a  title  to  salvation,  or  of  a  state  of 
salvation,  and  woukl  be  in  a  lost  state :  John  xviii.  8,  9,  "  Jesus  answered,  I 
have  told  you  that  1  am  he.  If,  therefore,  ye  seek  me,  let  these  go  their  way : 
that  the  saying  might  be  fulfilled  which  he  spake,  '•  Of  them  which  thou  gavest 
me,  have  I  lost  none  :"  i.  e.,  Christ  took  care  that  they  might  go  away,  that 
they  misht  not  be  in  the  way  of  such  temptations  as  would  be  in  danger  of 
overthrowing  them,  so  that  they  should  not  persevere.  And  it  is  implied,  that 
if  they  were  overthrown,  and  should  not  persevere,  Christ  would  have  lost 
them  ;  the  saving  relation  that  they  stood  in  to  Christ  would  have  been  dissolv- 
ed. The  same  seems  fully  implied  in  Christ's  prayer  in  the  17th  chapter  of 
John.  ']"hus,  he  n)akes  use  not  only  of  their  having  received  God's  word,  and 
believed  that  God  had  sent  him,  but  their  having  kept  his  word,  as  a  good  plea 
for  their  title  to  that  favor  and  acceptance  of  the  Father,  which  he  asks  of  the 
Father  for  them  ;  as  ver.  6,  7,  8,  &c. — The  same  is  implied  in  the  11th  verse: 
"  Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me. 


PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS.  623 

that  they  may  be  one,  as  we  are."  Tliis  implies,  that  their  being  one,  or  their 
standing  in  a  saving  reUition  to  him,  unci  in  union  with  his  mystical  body,  de- 
pends on  the  perseverance  of  their  i'aith,  even  that  union  on  which  a  title  to 
all  spiritual  ami  saving  benelits  depends,  which  is  more  fully  spoken  of  in  tlie 
21st  and  following  verses.  Tiiis  perseverance  of  believers  seems  to  be  the 
benefit,  which  is  the  principal  subject  of  this  whole  prayer.  And  in  Luke  xxii. 
31,  32,  it  is  implied,  that  if  Peter's  faith  had  failed,  Satan  would  have  had  him : 
"  And  the  Lord  said,  Simon,  Simon,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he 
may  sift  you  as  wheat ;  but  I  have  prayed  lor  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  1 
Pet.  i.  5,  "  Who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  laith  unto  salvation." 
Where  it  seems  implied,  that  if  they  were  not  kept  through  faith,  or  if  their 
faith  did  not  persevere,  they  never  would  come  to  salvation.  So,  believer*^ 
being  overthrown  in  their  Jaith,  or  tlii'ir  not  knowing  Christ's  voice  and  follow 
ing  him,  is  called  a  being  plucked  out  of  Christ's  hand  ;  and  it  is  implied,  that 
the  consequence  would  be  their  ])('risliing.  It  also  seems  to  be  implied,  that 
their  possession  of  eternal  life  by  Christ's  gift,  depends  on  their  perseverance  : 
John  X.  27,  28,  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  1  know  them,  and  they  lollow 
me;  and  I  will  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither 
shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand."  And  in  the  15lh  chapter  of  John,  be- 
lievers persevering  in  faith  in  Christ,  or  their  abiding  in  him,  is  spoken  of  as 
necessary  to  the  continuance  of  the  saving  union  and  relation  that  is  between 
Christ  and  believers,  and  Christ's  abiding  in  them ;  as  ver.  4,  5,  "  iVbide  in  me, 
and  1  in  you. — I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches.  He  that  abideth  in  me,  and 
I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit."  And  in  the  6th  verse,  it  is 
spoken  of  as  the  necessary  consequence  of  their  not  abiding  in  Christ,  if  that 
were  possible ;  that  the  union  should  be  utterly  broken  between  Christ  and 
them,  and  that  damnation  should  be  the  consequence  :  "  If  a  man  abide  not 
in  me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is  withered,  and  men  gather  them,  and 
cast  them  into  the  lire,  and  they  are  burned."  And  in  the  7th  verse,  this  per- 
severance of  faith  is  spoken  of  as  the  necessary  means  of  the  success  of  faith  as 
expressed  in  prayer,  which  is  faith's  voice,  necessary  to  obtain  those  good  things 
which  faith  and  prayer  seek:  "  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  words  abide  in  you, 
ye  shall  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you."  And  in  the  9th  and 
10th  verses,  it  is  implied,  that  Christ's  acceptance  of  us,  and  favor  to  us  as  his, 
depends  on  our  perseverance  :  "  As  the  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved 
you.  Continue  ye  in  my  love.  If  ye  keep  my  commandments,  ye  shall  abide 
in  my  love,  even  as  I  have  kept  my  Father's  commandments,  and  abiile  in  his 
love."  So,  the  same  perseverance  is  spoken  of  as  necessary  to  our  continuing 
in  the  favor  and  grace  of  God.  "  Now,  when  the  congregation  was  broken  up, 
many  of  the  Jews  and  religious  proselytes  followed  Paul  and  Barnabas,  who, 
speaking  to  them,  persuaded  them  to  continue  in  the  grace  of  God."  And  so 
it  is  spoken  of  as  necessary  to  continuing  in  the  goodness  of  God  ;  and  a  being 
cut  ofT,  is  spoken  of  as  a  certain  consequence  of  the  contrary.  Rom.  xi.  22, 
'•'  Behold  therefore  the  goodness  and  severity  of  God  :  on  them  which  fell,  seve- 
rity ;  but  towards  thee  goodness,  if  thou  continue  in  his  goodness  :  otherwise, 
thou  also  shalt  be  cut  off."  That  expression,  of  standing  fast  in  the  Lord,  1 
Thess.  iii.  8,  and  Phil.  iv.  1,  implies  that  perseverance  is  necessary  to  a  contin- 
uing in  Christ,  or  in  a  saving  relation  to  him  ;  ai..l  more  j)lainly  still  in  1  John 
ii.  24,  "  Let  that  therefore  abide  in  you  which  you  have  heard  from  the  begin- 
ning. If  that  which  ye  have  heard  from  the  beginning  shall  remain  in  you,  ye 
also  shall  continue  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father."  See  1  Cor.  xv.  2,  and  2 
Tim.  iv  7,  8,  and  Heb.  xii.  28.     See  also  Jer.  iii.  19. 


524  PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 

§  17.  Christ  in  the  5th  of  Matthew,  33d  verse,  commands  those  who  have 
already  some  faith,  to  seek  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  the  apostle  distin- 
guishes from  our  own  righteousness;  yea,  the  words  imply,  he  directs  us  to  seek 
the  righteousness  of  God,  by  which  we  may  obtain  the  kingdom  of  God  :  "  Seek 
ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness."  Compare  this  with  verse 
30,  where  those  that  he  then  especially  directs  himself  to  in  this  counsel,  are 
spoken  of  as  having  already  some  faith.  See  also  Matt.  v.  1,  and  xiii.  14, 
15,  16. 

§  18.  Concerning  the  objection  from  Ezekiel :  God's  saying  in  Ezekiel 
xviii.  24,  "  If  the  righteous  shall  fall  from  his  righteousness  and  commit  ini- 
quity, all  his  righteousness  shall  not  be  remembered  ;  but  in  the  iniquity  which 
he  hath  done  shall  he  die,"  and  the  like ;  do  not  at  all  prove,  that  it  is  supposed 
to  be  possible  that  a  truly  righteous  man  should  fall  from  his  righteousness  3  any 
more  than  God's  saying,  Levit.  xviii.  4,  5,  "  Ye  shall  do  my  judgments  and 
keep  mine  ordinances,  to  walk  therein :  I  am  the  Lord  your  God  :  ye  shall 
therefoi'e  keep  my  statutes  and  my  judgments,  which  if  a  man  do,  he  shall  even 
live  in  them."  And  the  same,  verses  13  and  21.  And  to  the  same  purpose, 
chapter  xviii.  verse  22,  the  next  verse  but  one  before  that  from  whence  the 
observation  is  taken,  "  In  his  righteousness  that  he  hath  done,  shall  he  live." 
These  two  assertions  are  again  joined  together  in  Ezek.  xxxiii.  18,  19.  i  say, 
what  is  said  in  the  forementioned  places,  no  more  proves  it  to  be  possible  for  a 
truly  righteous  man  to  fall  from  righteousness,  so  as  to  die  in  his  iniquity,  than 
these  places  prove  that  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  do  these  things  required  in 
God's  statutes  and  judgments,  so  as  to  live  in  them,  by  the  express  sentence  of 
the  apostle,  when  speaking  of  those  very  passages  of  the  Old  Testament,  Rom. 
X.  5 :  "  For  Moses  described  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  that  the 
man  which  doeth  those  things,  shall  live  by  them."  Gal.  iii.  12,  "And  the 
law  is  not  of  faith  :  but,  the  man  that  doeth  them,  shall  live  in  them."  The 
truth  concerning  both  these  assertions  of  the  Old  Testament,  seems  to  be,  that 
they  are  proposed  to  us  as  signitying  and  containing  diverse  varieties,  and  for  a 
diverse  use  m  application  to  ourselves.  <• 

1.  For  wise  ends  they  are  proposed  to  us  as  supposing  something  that  is 
(though  not  in  itself  yet)  in  the  present  state  of  things  impossible,  to  declare 
the  certain  connection  of  the  impossible  things,  supposed  with  something  else. 
So  that  all  that  is  taught,  is  the  certain  connection  between  the  antecedent  and 
consequent ;  but  it  is  not  taught,  that  the  antecedent  shall  ever  be,  or  that  it  ever 
can  be.  So  the  Scripture,  in  saying  he  that  doeth  these  things  shall  live  in  them, 
does  not  design  to  teach  us,  that  in  the  present  state  of  things,  it  is  possible  for  us 
to  do  these  things  in  a  legal  sense  (in  which  sense  the  words  are  certainly  propo- 
sed, as  the  apostle  teaches)  ;  but  only  teaches  the  certain  connection  there  is  be- 
tween doing  these  things  and  living  in  them, for  wise  ends;  particularly  to  lead 
us,  by  such  a  legal  proposal,  to  see  our  utter  inability  to  obtain  life  by  our  own 
doings.  So  the  law  is  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ.  Especially  was  it 
proper  that  these  things  should  both  be  proposed  ;  the  one  to  be  earnestly  sought, 
though  impossible  to  be  obtained  ;  and  the  other  to  be  carefully  avoided,  though 
impossible  to  be  fallen  into,  under  the  Old  Testament,  when  the  impossibility  of 
either  the  one  or  the  other  was  not  so  clearly  and  fully  revealed,  as  now  under  the 
gospel.  So  also  the  Scripture,  in  saying  if  the  righteous  shall  fall  away  from  his 
righteousness,  he  shall  die  ;  does  not  teach  us,  that  in  the  present  state  of  things, 
since  the  fall,  it  is  possible  for  a  truly  righteous  man  to  fall  from  his  righteousness  j 
but  only  teaches  us  the  certain  connection  between  the  antecedent  and  the  conse- 
quent, for  wise  ends ;  and  particularly,  that  those  that  think  themselves  righteous. 


PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS.  525 

may  beware  of  falling  from  righteousness.  For  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose 
that  (^lorl  should  put  us  on  bewaring  ol  those  things  that  are  already  impossible, 
any  m()re  than  that  he  should  ilirect  us  to  seek  and  pray  for  those  things  that  are 
promised  and  certain. 

2.  In  another  way  both  these  things  are  proposed  more  evangelically,  as 
having  respect  to  that  doing  of  those  things,  and  that  falling  from  righteousness, 
that  are  possible  ;  viz.,  doing  those  things  in  an  evangehcal  and  beHeving  obe- 
dience, which  in  strictness  is  not  a  proper  doing  of  them;  and  a  falhng  from  a 
visible  and  external,  material  righteousness  or  godliness,  which  is  not  in  strict- 
ness a  proper  godliness.  Concerning  the  former  of  these,  viz.,  doing  these 
thin<j:s,  it  is  certain  both  senses  are  to  l)e  taken  into  view  ;  the  legal  one,  as  is 
evident  by  the  apostle;  and  the  evangelical  possible  one,  must  also  be  under- 
stooil,  as  is  plain  from  the  context  of  those  phices  of  the  (31(1  Testament.  And 
that  we  sliouhl  so  understand  the  latter,  is  equally  free  of  difiiculty  andobjeelion 

^  19.  With  respect  to  those  toxtc  in  EzeUiel,  that  speak  of  a  righteous 
man's  falling  away  from  his  righteousness,  the  doctrine  of  perseverance  was  not 
so  fully  revealed  under  that  dispensation.  It  was  of  service  to  the  godly  to 
make  them  wary ;  but  especially  to  those  who  M-cre  legally  righteous,  and 
trust (d  in  their  own  righteousness,  as  Ezekiel's  hearers  did  ;  to  convince  them 
of  this,  that  there  was  a  connection  between  the  antecedent,  falling  away,  and 
the  consequent,  the  dying  in  their  iniquity.  Gal.  i.  8,  "  If  an  angel  from  heaven 
preach  any  other  gospel  unto  you,  than  that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you, 
let  him  be  accursed.''  Which  does  not  suppose  it  possible  for  an  arifel  to 
preacii  another  gospel,  or  for  him  to  be  accursed  :  the  chapter  speaks  only  of 
God's  proceeding  with  men  as  a  Judge,  which  is  according  to  a  man's  works, 
or  the  evidences  of  his  heart  in  his  life;  which  is  evident  by  the  3Uth  verse 
of  the  iSth  chapter  of  Ezekiel :  *'  Therefore  I  will  judge  you,  0  house  of  Isra- 
el, every  one  according  to  his  ways,  saith  the  Lord  God."  When  it  is  said, 
"  If  the  righteous  turn  away  from  his  i  ighteousness,"  &c.,  it  is  not  supposed, 
hut  that  if  they  are  righteous  with  a  perfect  heart,  or  with  a  new  heart  and  new 
spirit,  they  would  not  turn  away  from  their  righteousnes-s  ;  for  this  is  often  spoken 
of  by  the  prophet  as  an  effectual  remedy  against  falling  away  from  righteous- 
ness. Jer.  xxxii.  39,  40,  "  And  I  will  give  them  one  heart  and  one  way,  that 
they  may  fear  me  for  ever,  for  the  good  of  them,  and  of  their  children  after  "tliem  ; 
and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away 
from  them,  to  do  them  good ;  but  I  will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they 
shall  not  depart  from  me."  And  it  is  so  spoken  of  once  and  again  by  this  very 
prophet,  chap.  xi.  17,  iS,  19,  20,  21,  and  chap,  xxxvi.  24,  25",  26,  27,  28,  29. 
Yea,  in  this  very  chapter,  after  he  had  been  declaring  the  danger  of  falling 
away  from  righteousness,  the  children  of  Israel  seem  to  be  exhorted  to  this  very 
thing  as  a  remedy  against  falling  away:  verse.  31,  "Cast  away  from  you  all 
yojr  transgressions,  whereby  ye  have  transgressed,  and  make  you  a  new  heart 
and  a  new  spirit;  for  why  will  ye  die,  0  house  of  Israel  ?"  They  needed  not 
only  to  turn  from  their  transgressions,  but  to  cast  them  away  utterly,  to  have 
finally  done  with  them,  and  to  make  them  a  new  heart ;  for  the  prophet  declares, 
that  iheir  old  heart  was  a  backsliding  heart,  bent  to  backslide,  as  the  prophet 
often  complains. 

The  new  heart  and  new  spirit  is  the  same  that  is  sometimes  called  a  right 
spirit ;  as  is  evident  by  Psal.  li.  10  :  "  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  0  God,  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  me."  But  a  right  spirit  is  a  steadfast  spirit,  as  oppo- 
site to  the  spirit  of  backsliders.  And  this  is  evidenl;  by  Psal.  Ixviii.  8,  '•'  A  gen- 
eration that  set  not  their  heart  aright,  and  whose  spirit  was  not  steadfast  with 


526  PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 

God  ;"  together  with  verse  37,  "  For  their  heart  wasnot  Wg-A^  with  him,  neither 
were  they  steadfast  in  his  covenant."  Want  of  perseverance  is  spoken  of  as  an 
evidence  of  a  hypocritical  profession,  Psah  cxix.  118. 

It  is  true,  that  the  phrase  a  righteous  man,  in  Scripture,  properly  denotes  a 
godly  man ;  as  do  also  the  words  saints,  and  disciples  or  brethren,  in  the  New 
Testament.  Yet  it  may  be  given  to  some  that  are  not  truly  godly  ;  because 
others  that  are  visibly  godly,  while  they  continue  to  do  the  matter  of  their  duty, 
thereby  obtain  the  denomination  of  righteous  men,  or  saints  or  godly,  and  are 
to  be  so  called  and  treated  by  men,  and  are  so  treated  in  many  respects  by  God, 
who  doth  take  them  and  deal  with  them  as  such,  till  they  prove  treacherous  to 
him,  and  till  their  unsoundness  appears  by  their  backsliding;  as  Christ  tieated 
Judas  for  a  long  time  as  a  disciple,  though  he  knew  him  even  then  to  be  a  devil. 
God  deals  with  men  in  these  matters,  in  some  respecis  after  the  manner  of  men. 
He  acts  as  though  he  took  them  for  saints,  and  treats  them  in  many  respects  as 
such;  as  though  he  trusted  to  the  appearance  they  make,  till  their  behavior 
manifests  them  to  others,  or  at  least  to  their  own  consciences,  to  be  otherwise ; 
and  then  God  appears,  and  acts  and  manifests  himself  as  though  he  were  disap- 
pointed. It  is  because  God  is  pleased  to  treat  mankind,  not  merely  according 
to  his  own  secret  knowledge,  but  in  his  judicial  proceedings  with  them  he 
treats  them  so,  that  his  justice  may  be  most  manifest  to  their  own  consciences, 
and  to  the  world.  Hence,  in  the  last  judgment,  he  will  proceed  by  evidence, 
and  will  judge  men  by  their  works. 

The  godly  themselves  were  really  exposed  to  die  in  their  iniquity,  i,  e.,  they 
were  hable  to  be  destroyed  by  God's  awful  judgments  in  this  world,  which  the 
prophet  has  a  special  respect  to,  having  an  eye  to  those  destroying  judgments 
that  God  had  lately  brought  on  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  which  ai-e  very  much 
the  subject  of  the  prophecy,  and  seem  to  have  given  occasion  for  it,  and  which 
the  Jews  had  respect  to  in  the  proverb  which  they  used,  and  which  gave  occa- 
sion to  what  is  said  in  this  chapter.  If  the  sinner  turned  from  his  outward 
wickedness,  unto  an  outward  righteousness  only,  he  would  save  his  soul  alive 
with  regard  to  those  outward  calamities ;  and  if  the  righteous  fall  away  out- 
wardly by  committing  some  grievous  sin,  and  getting  into  a  bad  way,  they 
exposed  themselves  to  die  by  this  their  iniquity  in  this  manner. 

This  might  be  of  use  to  deter  the  godly  from  falling  into  sin,  lest  they  should 
expose  themselves  to  be  destroyed  ;  for  though  the  prophet  has  not  respect 
solely  to  such  destruction,  yet  it  is  most  evident  he  has  respect  to  it,  and  was 
doubtless  understood  to  have  respect  to  it  by  his  hearers.  The  righteous  might 
outwardly  fall  away  for  a  time,  and  God  might  destroy  him  with  an  outward 
destruction  for  it. 

A  man  that  is  materially  righteous,  may  totally  and  utterly  fall  away ;  and 
if  he  doth  so,  he  shall  die  eternally.  And  a  man  that  is  truly  and  sincerely 
righteous,  may,  as  to  the  matter  of  his  righteousness,  for  a  time  fall  away,  and 
so  be  exposed  outwardly  and  temporally  to  die. 

§  20.  If  the  doctrine  of  faUing  from  grace  be  embraced,  it  would  have  a 
o-reat  tendency  to  prevent  an  act  of  faith  ;  for  if  so,  a  person,  if  he  should  ven- 
ture his  soul  on  Christ,  could  not  be  assured  that  Christ  would  save  him. 

§  21.  That  there  is  a  real  difference  between  them  that  fall  away,  and  them 
that  persevere,  even  before  they  fall  away,  is  evident  by  the  things  that  are  given 
as  a  reason  of  their  falling  away:  because  they  have  no  root  in  themselves; 
because  they  have  not  counted  the  cost,  and  because  they  have  no  oil  m  their 
vessels.  Those  that  have  no  root,  differ  from  those  that  have  root,  before  there 
be  the  effect  of  their  having  no  root    and  so  those  that  have  no  oil,  &c.     And 


PERSEVERANCE   OF  SAINTS.  527 

it  appears  again,  by  what  is  said,  John  ii.  23,  that  "when  Christ  was  at  Jerusa- 
lem at  the  passovcr,  on  the  feast  day,  many  beheved  in  his  name,  when  they 
saw  the  miracles  which  he  did.  But  Jesus  did  not  commit  himself  unto  them, 
because  he  knew  all  men,  and  needed  not  that  any  should  testify  of  man :  lor 
he  knew  what  was  in  man."  And  so  by  that,  "  They  went  out  from  us,  because 
they  were  not  of  us.  If  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  con- 
tinued with  us." 

§  22.  Objccfion.  But  it  is  in  the  same  chapter  said,  "  That  if  a  wicked 
man  turn  from  his  wickeihiess,  and  do  that  which  is  lawful  and  right,  he  shall 
live;"  where  doubtless  must  be  understood  by  "  doing  that  which  is  lawful  nnd 
right,"  sincere  and  gracious  righteousness,  because  there  is  a  promise  of  life. 
And  we  must  doubtless  understand  doing  that  which  is  lawful  and  right  here,  in 
the  same  sense  as_ before.  .'Inm-er.  We  may  understand  it  in  the  same  sense, 
for  an  external,  visible,  material  righteousness.  When  it  is  said,  if  he  turn  I'rom 
his  iniquity  and  do  that  which  is  lawful  and  right,  it  must  be  understood,  if  he 
continue  so  to  do,  and  do  not  turn  from  it  again.  According  to  the  schemes  of 
both  Arminians  and  Calvinists,  this  must  be  understood.  Whereby  the  objec- 
tion is  overthrown. 

Visible  Christians  are  in  Scripture  called  saints,  or  holy ;  which  is  equiva- 
lent to  the  calling  them  righteous.  The  Jews  are  called  a  holy  nation  ;  the 
land  is  a  land  of  uprightness  ;  when  only  visibility  is  intended. 

By  righteous,  sometimes  is  meant  only  innocent,  or  materially  righteous  in 
some  particular.  "  Wilt  thou  also  destroy  a  righteous  nation  ?"  Gen.  xx.  4, 
Exod.  xxiii.  7.  "  The  innocent  and  the  righteous,  slay  thou  not;"  Deut.  xxv.  1. 
"Ye  shall  justify  the  righteous,  and  condemn  the  wicked;"  1  Sam.  iv.  11. 
"  How  much  more,  when  wicked  men  have  slain  a  righteous  person  ?"  2  Kings 
X.  9.  By  the  righteous  man  that  the  prophet  Ezekiel  speaks  of,  he  certainty 
does  not  speak  in  so  limited  a  sense  as  to  mean  those  that  are  of  perfect  and  up- 
right hearts,  but  so  as  to  include  those  of  an  unsound  heart,  that  trust  in  their 
own  righteousness  to  commit  iniquity  ;  see  Ezek.  xxxiii.  13  ;  i.  e.,  those  whose 
motive  is  only  self-love,  and  their  own  safety,  and  so  trust  that  they  have  right- 
eousness enough  to  render  fhem  safe,  though  they  do  commit  sin. 

Those  that  are  only  restrained  from  committing  sin  by  fear,  and  are  ready 
to  embrace,  and  are  glad  of  opportunities  of  committing  sin  with  impunity; 
these  cannot  be  such  as  the  sincerely  righteous  are  often  described  to  be,  viz., 
such  as  love  God  with  all  their  hearts  and  souls;  that  love  the  way  of  his  com- 
mandments ;  that  choose  the  way  of  his  commands,  &c. 

The  reason  \vhy  some  do  not  persevere,  is,  that  there  is  not  now  a  right 
heart  in  them  ;  as  is  evident  by  Deut.  v.  29 :  "0  that  there  were  such  a  heart 
in  them,  that  they  would  fear  me  and  keep  my  commandments !"  &c. 

W^hen  it  is  said,  "  If  a  righteous  man  turn  from  his  righteousness,  and 
commit  iniquity,  his  righteousness  shall  not  be  remembered,  but  he  shall  die  in 
his  iniquity ;"  we  need  not,  according  to  the  Scripture  manner  of  expression, 
understand  any  thing,  but  his  seeming  righteousness,  or  the  righteousness  that 
he  seemeth  to  have.  Christ  often  has  in  his  mouth  such  an  aphorism  ;is  this, 
"  Whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  more  abundance; 
but  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  he  hath  ;"  which 
he  applies  to  that  apparent  godliness,  grace,  or  piety,  which  natural  men  have, 
as  is  evident  by  the  contexts,  and  the  occasions  of  his  using  this  aphorism ;  as 
Matt.  xiii.  12,  and  Matt.  xxv.  29,  and  Mark  iv.  25,  Luke  xix.  26.  This,  in 
another  place,  is  explained  thus,  "  Whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given ;  and 
whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  even  that  which  he  seemeth  to 


528  PERSEVERANCE  OF   SAINTS. 

have,"  Luke  vlii.  18.  A  being  a  righteous  riian,  does  not  commonly  signify 
to  be  one  that  is  truly  and  sincerely  godly.  And  so  is  believing  in  Christ  men- 
tioned frequently  as  the  distinguishing  character  of  one  that  is  truly  Christ's  dis- 
ciple. Yet  we  read  of  some  that  are  said  to  believe,  that,  even  at  that  very 
time,  are  spoken  of  as  wanting  something  necessary  to  make  them  true  disci- 
ples :  John  ii.  23,  24,  25,  "  Now  when  he  was  in  Jerusalem  at  the  passover,  in 
the  feast  day,  many  believed  in  his  name,  when  they  saw  the  miracles  which  he 
did.  Eut  Jesus  did  not  commit  himself  to  them,  because  he  knew  all  men ; 
and  needed  not  that  any  should  testify  of  men,  lor  he  knew  what  was  in  man," 
These  words  intimate,  that  though  they  believed,  yet  Christ  knew  that  they  had 
not  that  in  Ihem  then,  that  was  to  be  depended  on  for  perseverance  :  which  im- 
plies, that  if  they  were  true  believers,  of  a  right  principle,  their  perseverance 
might  be  depended  on.  And  we  are  elsewhere  told,  why  some  that  believe, 
endure  but  for  a  while,  and  do  not  persevere,  viz.,  because  they  have  no  root  in 
themselves.  So  that  all  those  that  do  not  persevere,  never  were  Christ's  disci- 
ples indeed.  John  viii.  3],  "  Then  said  Jesus  to  those  Jews  that  believed  on 
him.  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed."  So  that 
they  never  are  Christ's  disciples  indeed,  that  do  not  continue  in  his  word  ;  which 
is  agreeable  to  what  the  apostle  John  says,  "  They  went  out  from  us,  because 
they  were  not  of  us.  If  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued 
with  us." 

§  23.  That  there  is  an  essential  difference  between  the  faith  and  seeming 
grace  of  such  professors  as  fall  away,  and  such  as  persevere,  even  before  any 
distinction  appears  as  to  perseverance,  or  while  both  retain  then-  religion,  is 
exceedingly  manifest  by  John  vi.  64,  65,  "  But  there  are  some  of  you  that  be- 
lieve not.  For  Jesus  knew  from  the  beginning  who  they  were  that  believed 
not,  and  who  should  betray  him.  And  he  said.  Therefore  said  I  unto  you,  that 
no  man  can  come  unto  me,  except  it  were  given  unto  him  of  my  Father." 
And  verse  70,  "And  Jesus  answered  them.  Have  not  I  chosen  you  twelve,  and 
one  of  you  is  a  devil  ?"  Here,  before  Judas  had  fallen  away,  he  is  said  not  to 
believe,  and  to  be  a  devil.  Now  Judas  was  a  professing  disciple  and  a  dis- 
tinguished one.  He  was  a  visible  believer.  Christ  speaks  of  him  as  one  that 
had  forsaken  all  and  followed  him  in  the  regeneration,  as  is  evident  in  Matt. 
xix.  27,  28 ;  and  as  one  that  had  continued  with  Christ  in  his  temptations,  Luke 
xxii.  2S,  compared  Avith  verse  30.  There  were  great  appearances  of  true 
grace  in  him,  as  there  were  in  Ahitophel,  his  type,  with  whom  David  took  sweet 
counsel,  &c.  And  therefore,  as  a  righteous  man,  Christ  had  given  him  the  ex- 
traordinary gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  sent  him  forth  to  preach  the  gospel, 
and  heal  the  sick,  and  cast  out  devils. — Yet  he,  even  before  he  fell  away,  is 
said  not  to  believe,  but  to  be  then  a  devil ;  which  is  agreeable  to  what  the 
apostle  says  of  apostates,  "  They  went  out  from  us,  because  they  were  not  of 
us.    If  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us." 

§  24.  That  they  that  once  truly  believe  in  Christ,  never  fall  away  finally 
and  perish,  is  evident,  because  they  that  now  believe  not,  and  are  in  a  state  of 
condemnation,  are  spoken  of  as  those  that  never  have  believed :  John  iii.  18, 
"  Because  he  hath  not  beheved  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God." 
"Which  supposes,  that  none  of  those  that  have  beheved,  are  now  unbelievers,  or 
are  now  in  a  state  of  condemnation.  So  again,  those  that  shall  be  condemned 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  are  represented  as  those,  not  only  that  Christ  then  will 
know  not,  but  as  those  that  he  never  knew,  Matt,  vii,  23.  But  how  can  this 
"be  a  true  representation,  if  some  of  them  were  once  true  Christians,  and  so  were 
known  and  owned  by  Christ,  but  only  have  since  apostatized  ? 


PERSEVKIIANCE  Oi-'   SAINTS.  529 

§  25.  "  It  seems  manifest  by  the  Scriptures,  in  the  instances  of  the  greatest 
falls  and  defections  of  true  saints,  that  in  the  time  of  their  fall  true  grace  did 
not  utterly  cease  in  iheni.  '  Thouj^h  the  good  man  f';ill,  as  he  niay  seven  times, 
yet  he  riselh  up  again  ;'  Prov.  xxiv.  19.  '  Me  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down  ; 
for  the  Lord  upho  delh  him  with  his  hand,'  Psal.  xxxiii.  24.  Tiius  he  upheld 
the  Psalmist  in  a  sore  (enjptation,  which  had  almost  overset  him;  Psal.  Ixxiii. 
23.  Thus  David,  in  praying  Ciod,  after  his  notorious  i'all,  not  to  take  his  Holy 
Spirit  from  him,  virtually  owned,  that  he  never  had  totally  departed  iiom  him; 
Psal.  li.  11.  Thus  Pt4er  had  security  given  him  by  the  prayer  of  his  Lord  and 
Master,  that  his  faith  should  not  f;iil  ;  Luke  xxii.  32.  Thus  when  Solomon 
committed  iniquity,  God,  as  still  his  Father,  would  chasten  him  with  the  rod  of 
men,  but  never  sudl-r  his  mercy  to  depart  away  from  him  ;  2  Sam.  vii.  14,  15. 
And  the  same  gracious  provision  is  promised,  in  like  case,  to  all  the  spiritual 
seed  of  Christ ;  Psal.  Ixxxix.  30 — 35.  And  hence  so  many  jiromises  of  Glods 
healing  his  people's  backslidings."  Mr.  John  Hubbard,  in  Berry-street  Ser- 
mons, ser.  24. 

^  26.  "  The  same  reasons  hold  for  the  perseverance  of  all,  as  of  any,  who 
have  obtained  precious  faith  and  sanctification  ;  and  yet  doubtless  many  of  them 
actually  endure  to  the  end,  and  are  saved.  Were  it  indeed  left  to  believers  to 
preserve  themselves  (in  which  case  only  it  can  be  imagined  how  the  final  issue 
should  be  differenL  in  one  another),  the  consequence  may  well  be  presumed 
fatal  to  them  all.  But  the  Scripture  fixes  it  not  here,  but  in  the  power  of  God  ; 
1  Pet.  i.  5,  Jude  24, — on  their  relation  to  him,  and  on  his  special  knowledge, 
love  and  care,  of  them;  2  Tim.  ii.  19;  Rom.  viii.  31 — 39;  chap.  xi.  1,2. 
And  has  not  God  the  same  love  and  care  for  all  his  children  alike?  Has  he 
not  the  same  power  to  keep  one,  as  nmch  as  another  ?  And  is  it  not  our  heav- 
enly Father's  will,  that  not  one  even  of  the  little  ones  in  his  iamily  should  per- 
ish 1  Matt,  xviii.  14.  It  is  also  in  Jesus  Christ  that  they  are  preserved,  who 
are  effectually  called  ;  Jude  1.  And  has  he  not  the  same  affection  and  regard 
for  them  all,  ,as  the  dear  members  of  his  body,  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  the 
promised  reward  of  his  pouring  it  out  unto  death,  which  he  was  so  to  see  as  to  be 
satisfied  ?  Isa.  liii.  10.  And  would  he  be  satisfied  with  less  than  his  full  re- 
ward '{  Has  he  not  also  received  them  for  his  charge,  with  acknowledged 
instructions,  that  of  all  which  the  Father  hath  given  him  he  should  lose  nothing  ? 
John  vi.  39.  And  is  he  not  then  concerned  in  honor  and  faithfulness  to  employ 
that  full  power,  which  he  likewise  owns  to  be  given  him  for  that  end,  in  order 
actually  to  give  eternal  life  to  them  all  ?  John  xvii.  2.  Of  which  power  being 
really  and  successfully  so  exercised  his  intercession  is  a  proof.  For  as  this  is 
the  way  in  which  his  mediatorial  power  becomes  effectual ;  so  it  is  made  in 
common  for  such  as  truly  believe  on  him,  that  they  may  have  his  Spirit  to  abide 
in  them  for  ever,  and  be  praserved  safe  to  glory  ;  John  xiv.  16;  chap.  xvii. — 
"What  stronger  security  for  all  his  sheep  being  preserved  to  eternal  lile,  can 
words  contain,  than  those  which  he  utters  of  them,  "  I  give  unto  them  eternal 
life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand  '?" 
John  X.  28.  Here  the  end  is  ascertained  so  absolutely  and  universally,  as  to 
admit  of  no  exceptions,  no,  not  that  of  the  sheep's  wresting  themselves,  through 
their  own  perverseness  and  wandering  disposition,  out  of  his  hands.  The 
prevention  of  this  belongs  to  the  pastoral  care.  It  must  be  also  implied  in 
Christ's  guarding  his  sheep  against  the  assaults  of  others ;  since  there  is 
indeed  little  or  no  danger  of  any  thing  separating  them  from  him  without 
their  own  consent."     Ibid. 

^  27.  "  Let  us  not,  however,  through  a  vain  and  fond  expectation  of  per- 

VoL.  m.  67 


530  PERSEVERANCE   OF  SAINTS. 

severance,  as  a  promised  privilege,  disregard  all  the  coiT.mands  and  exhortations 
to  it,  as  a  duty  incumbent  on  us,  with  the  awful  tlireatenings  to  those  \vhodraw 
back.  The  true  use  of  these,  far  from  overthrowing  the  abundant  evidence 
we  have  for  the  doctrine,  is  this,  they  serve  as  a  proper  means,  in  a  way 
suitable  to  our  rational  nature,  for  God  to  fulfd  his  own  purpose  and  prom- 
ise."    Mr.  John  Hubbard,  in  the  Berry-street  Sermons,  ser.  24. 

§  28.  As  to  that  text,  Heb.  x.  29  :  ''  Of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  sup- 
pose ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  ot 
God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanctified, 
an  unholy  thing  ;  and  hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace  1"  "  There  is 
a  sanctification  to  (he  purifying  of  the  flesh,  and  a  sanctification  to  the  purifying 
of  the  conscience  from  dead  works,  to  serve  the  living  God  ;  Heb.  ix.  13,  }4. 
The  sanctification  external  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,  consisteth  in  the  man's 
separation  from  the  world,  and  dedication  unlo  God's  service,  by  calling  and 
covenant,  common  to  all  the  members  of  the  visible  church  ;  and  it  is  forcible 
thus  far,  as  to  bring  a  man  into  credit  and  estimation  as  a  saint  before  men,  and 
unto  the  common  privileges  of  the  church;  whereupon  as  men,  so  God  also, 
speaketh  unto  him,  and  of  him,  as  one  of  his  people,  and  dealeth  with  him,  in  his 
external  dispensation,  as  with  one  of  his  own  people.  In  this  sense,  all  the  congre- 
gation of  Israel,  and  every  one  of  them,  is  called  holy.  Yea,  Core  also,  and  his 
followers,  Num.  xvi.  3.  The  sanctification  internal,  by  renovation,  consisteth  in 
a  man's  separation  from  the  state  of  nature  to  the  state  of  grace ;  from  his  old 
conditions  to  be  a  new  creature  indeed.  By  this  latter  sort,  a  reprobate  cannot 
be  called  sanctified,  and  that  by  virtue  of  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  albeit  he 
should  not  get  any  farther  good  thereby.  Or  we  may  say  more  shortly,  there 
is  a  sanctification  by  consecration,  when  any  thing  is  devoted  or  dedicated  unto 
God,  and  a  sanctification  by  inhabitation  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  2  Cor.  vi.  17, 18. 
Of  the  former  sort,  the  censers  of  Corah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,  are  called  holy; 
and  the  reason  is  given,  because  they  oll'ered  them  before  the  Lord,  therefore — 
they  were  hallowed  ;  Num.  xvi.  38.  And  in  this  sense,  all  the  members  of 
the  visible  church,  even  such  as  afterwards  do  prove  apostates,  are  sanctified ; 
because  they  offered,  and  offer  themjselves,  unto  the  Lord.  That  this  is  the  true 
sense,  is  confirmed  by  its  being  called  the  blood  of  the  covenant ;  referring  to 
the  manner  of  sanctifying  the  people  of  old  by  the  blood  of  the  covenant ; 
sealing  them  as  a  people  externally  in  covenant  with  God,  as  the  blood 
of  Christ  in  baptism  in  like  manner  seals  visible  Chiistians,  as  externally 
God's  covenant  people. — Mr.  Dickson,  cited  by  Blake  on  the  Covcnaiit,  p.  242. 

§  29.  "  When  St.  Paul  kept  under  his  body  lest  he  should  be  a  castaway, 
1  Cor.  ix.  27,  he  did  no  otherwise  than  he  was  wont  to  do  in  temporal  concerns, 
in  cases  wherein  he  was  beforehand  certain  of  the  event.  So  he  sent  word  to  the 
chief  captain  of  the  Jews  lying  in  wait  to  kill  him,  lest  he  should  be  murdered  by 
them,  though  it  was  revealed  to  him  from  God,  but  the  very  night  before,  that 
he  should  live  to  see  Rome  ;  Acts  xxiii.  12 — 21.  So  he  would  not  allow  the 
sailors  to  leave  the  ship,"  &c.     Bellamy's  True  Religion,  Disc.  L  Inference  9. 

§30.  1  John  iii.  6,  "Whoever  sinneth,  hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known 
him."  This  could  not  he  true,  if  it  might  be  so  that  a  man  that  lias  truly  seen 
him,  and  known  him,  might  finally  fall  away  to  sin. 

§  31.  Objection,  from  Scripture  cautions  against  falling  away,  lest  it  should 
issue  in  damnation. 

God  had  been  pleased  to  connect  eternal  life  with  eating  the  fruit  of  the 
tree  of  life  ;  and  therefore,  although  it  was  utterly  impossible  that  Adam  should 
have  eternal  life  in  himself,  after  he  had  fallen,  as  God's  peremptory  declara- 


PERSEVI-RANCE  OF  SAINTS.  531 

tion  and  uiialtcrable  cnnstltiition  lind  made  it  impossible  ;  yet  we  arc  told,  that 
alter  the  tall,  God  placed  elKiubiins  and  a  llaminr;  sword  to  keep  the  way  of 
the  tree  of  life,  lest  the  man  should  put  forth  his  hand,  and  take  and  eat  ot  the 
Iruit  of  the  tree,  and  live  forever.  So  God  has  connected  damnation  with 
livinu^  in  allowed  sin,  and  being  overcome  by  sin,  and  brought  under  its  power. 
.And  therefore,  although  it  be  in)possible  that  men,  after  they  are  once  truly 
converted,  shoulil  ever  perish,  yet  they  are  warned  against  falling  away  and 
yielding  to  the  power  of  sin,  lest  they  should  perish  j  and  the  Apostle' Paul 
kcytt  under  his  body,  lest  he  should  be  a  rastaway. 

«^  32.  .As  to  the  objections  from  such  hypothetical  propositions  as  those, 
Heb.  X.  27,  &c.,  "  If  we  sin  wilfully,  alter  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth  ;"  Heb.  vi.  4,  &c.,  "For  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once 
enlightened,  if  they  fall  away,"  &c.  Such  hypothetical  propositions  maybe 
true,  when  one  or  both  parts  of  it  are  impossible,  as  the  truth  of  such  a  propo- 
sition consists  in  the  connection  of  the  antecedent  and  consequent ;  as  when 
our  Lord  said  to  the  Jews,  "  If  I  should  say,  I  know  him  not,  I  should  be  a  liar 
like  unto  you."     See  GiU  against  Whiihy,  Vol.  I.  pa!2;e  271. 

§  33.  Objection.  That  we  arc  required  to  take  cakk  and  to  pray  that  we 
may  persevere.  It  was  impossible  for  Christ  to  fail  under  his  trials  ;  and  yet 
how  evident  is  it  that  he  used  means,  endeavors,  care,  labor,  and  earnest  pray- 
ers, that  he  might  persevere  1 

§  34.  Inquny.  Whether  an  absolute  promise  of  perseverance  does  consist 
with  counsels  and  exhortations  to  endeavor,  and  care  to  persevere. 
In  answer  to  this,  I  would  lay  down  the  following  positions. 
Posifion  I.  Things  that  it  is  proper  for  us  to  seek  by  earnest  and  impor- 
tunate prayer,  it  is  projier  for  us  to  use  means  and  labor  and  care  for.  The 
reason  is  plain:  prayer  is  one  kind  of  seeking  the  thing  ;  it  is  using  means,  and 
one  way  of  laboring  for  it,  taking  care  to  obtain  it,  and  pursuing  after  it. 

There  are  many  instances  of  prayer,  and  commands  to  pray  for  things  pro- 
mised. Christ  on  earth  prayed  for  things  promised  ;  and  he  continually  inter- 
cedes in  heaven  for  things  promised. 

Position  II.  That  which  it  is  proper  persons  should  use  endeavors,  means, 
and  care  for,  they  are  properly  exhorted  to  use  means  and  endeavors  for. 

Position  III.  That  which  is  proper  for  another  to  use  means,  labors  and 
(care  for,  that  he  may  obtain  it,  though  he  knows  it  is  certainly  promised,  it  is 
proper  that  we  should  use  means,  &c.,  to  obtain  for  ourselves,  though  it  is 
promised. 

But  Christ  used  means,  endeavors,  labor,  &c.,  for  the  salvation  of  sinoerelj 
good  men,  though  it  be  promised. 

§  35.  That  Christian  precept,  which  forbids  anxiety  in  Christians,  is  a  de- 
monstration of  the  doctrine  of  perseverance  :  "  Be  careful  for  nothing,  but  in 
every  thing,  by  prayer  and  supplication  with  thanksgiving,  let  your  request  be 
made  known  to  Goil." 

§  36.  When  Satan  earnestly  strove  again  to  enslave  and  destroy  the  Jews, 
after  their  return  from  their  captivity,  it  was  given  as  a  reason  why  he  should 
be  disappointed  and  the  people  surely  preserved,  that  they  were  as  a  brand 
plucked  out  of  the  fire,  Zech.  iii.  1,  2;  so  they  that  are  redeemed  by  Christ 
from  bondage  and  captivity  to  sin  and  Satan,  are  as  brands  plucked  out  of  tho 
fire,  in  a  far  more  eminent  manner.  Because  Christ  has  not  only  completed  aa 
atonement  for  sin,  but  also,  a  righteousness  for  us  as  our  surety,  and  is  openly 
justified  and  confirmed  by  God  the  Father,  the  Judge  of  all ;  therefore  thic 
apostle  expresses  himself  as  he  does,  Heb.  xiii.  20,  "  Now  the  God  of  peccr^ 


532  PERSEVERANCE   OF  SAINTS. 

that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every 
good  work,  to  do  his  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  pleasing  in  his  sight, 
through  Jesus  Christ." 

§  37.  Christ  labored,  fought,  took  care,  denied  himself,  and  suffered  for  the 
salvation  of  sincerely  good  men  ;  which  yet  had  been  before  abundantly  pro- 
mised to  him,  and  promised  to  men  in  the  Old  Testament;  and  Christ  himself 
had  promised  it.  The  Scripture  represents,  tha:  Christ  ran  a  race  to  win  a 
prize,  and  endured  the  cross  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him. 

§  38.  That  a  truly  good  man  will  not  backslide,  is  evident  from  Prov.  xiv, 
14 :  "  The  backslider  in  heart  shall  be  filled  with  his  own  way ;  and  a  good 
man  shall  be  satisfied  from  himself"  Here  is  a  plain  opposition,  both  in  the 
subject  and  predicate  of  this  proposition  ;  which  plainly  shows  it  to  be  incom- 
patible to  a  good  man,  that  he  should  be  a  backslider. 

§39.  The  doctrine  of  perseverance  was  in  no  measure  so  clearly  revealed 
under  the  Old  Testament ;  and  therefore  it  was  much  more  proper  for  God  to 
insist  on  the  evils  of  apostasy,  if  it  should  be,  as  in  EzekieL  God  treated  men 
then  according  to  the  revelation  he  gave  them,  and  the  dispensation  they  were 
under;  as  he  more  frequently  exhibited  the  terms  of  the  covenant  of  works, 
saying,  "  He  that  doeth  them  shall  live  in  them :"  but  not  because  any  could 
obtain  life  in  this  w^ay  ;  nor  does  his  so  saying  suppose  it  possible.  No  more 
does  the  threatening  denounced  to  the  apostasy  of  the  righteous,  any  more  sup- 
pose the  thing  threatened  possible,  than  this  promise  supposes  the  thing  to 
H^hich  the  promise  is  made  to  be  possible.  God's  threatening  something  on 
such  a  condition,  does  no  more  imply  the  condition  possible,  than  his  promising 
something  on  such  a  condition,  supposes  the  condition  possible.  The  apostle 
threatened  those  that  were  about  to  flee  out  of  the  ship,  that  if  they  fled  out,  they 
should  not  be  saved  ;  and  yet  it  had  been  revealed  to  him,  that  they  should  all 
be  saved. 

§  40.  If  it  were  left  to  the  freedom  of  men's  own  will,  whether  men  should 
perscA'ere,  in  the  sense  that  the  Arminians  suppose  ;  i.  e.,  to  a  will  not  deter- 
mined by  God,  but  self-determined,  then  it  would  be  absurd  to  pray  to  God  that 
we  may  persevere  ;  that  he  would  keep  us  from  falling,  and  that  he  would 
uphold  our  goings  in  his  paths,  &c. 

§  41.  If  grace  implanted  in  the  heart  be  not  an  infallible  sign  that  a  man 
shall  have  eternal  life,  how  is  the  Spirit  of  God  an  earnest  of  glory,  when  a 
man  may  have  the  Spirit,  and  yet  have  no  assurance,  that  he  shall  be  glorified  1 
For  every  one  who  has  the  grace  of  God  implanted  in  his  heart,  has  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  in  his  sanctifying  influences. 


REASONS  AGAINST  DR.  WATTS'S  NOTION 


PllE-EXISTEi\CE  OF  CHRIST'S  HUMAN  SOUL. 


1.  Goo's  manner  with  all  cicalurcs,  is,  to  appoint  them  a  trial,  before  he 
admits  them  to  glory  and  confirmed  happiness.  Especially  may  this  bo  ex- 
pected before  such  honor  and  glory  as  the  creating  of  the  world,  and  other 
things  which  Dr.  Watts  ascribes  to  Christ's  human  soul. 

2.  U  the  pre-existing  soul  of  Christ  created  the  world,  then,  doubtless,  he 
upholds  and  governs  it.  The  same  Son  of  God  that  did  one,  does  the  other. 
He  created  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist.  And  if  so,  how  was  his 
dominion  confined  to  the  Jewish  nation,  before  liis  incarnation,  but  extends  to 
all  nations  since  1  Besides,  there  are  many  things  ascribed  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment to  the  Son  of  God,  in  those  veiy  places,  which  Dr.  Watts  himself  supposes 
to  speak  of  him,  that  imply  his  government  of  the  whole  world,  and  all  nations. 
The  same  person  that  is  spoken  of  as  King  of  Israel,  is  represented  as  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  world. 

3.  According  to  this  scheme,  the  greatest  of  the  works  of  the  Son  in  his 
created  nature,  implying  the  greatest  exaltation,  was  his  first  work  of  all ;  viz., 
his  creating  all  things,  all  worlds,  all  things  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they 
may  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  jnincipalities,  or  powers:  and  this  before  ever 
he  had  any  trial  at  all  of  his  obedience,  &,c.  At  least,  this  work  seems  much 
greater  than  judging  the  world  at  the  Last  Day ;  which  the  Scripture  often 
speaks  of  as  one  of  the  highest  parts  of  his  exaltation,  which  he  has  in  reward 
for  his  obedience  and  sullerings :  and  Dr.  Watts  hhnself  supposes  his  honors, 
since  his  humiliation,  to  be  much  greater  than  before. 

4.  The  Scripture  represents  the  visible  dominion  of  Christ  over  the  world  as 
a  complex  Pei-son  ;  or  his  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father,  and  gov- 
erning the  world  as  the  Father's  vicegerent,  as  a  new  thing,  after  his  ascension. 
But  by  Dr.  Watls's  scheme,  it  cannot  be  so. 

5.  Satan  or  Lucifer,  before  his  tail,  was  the  Morning  Star,  the  Covering 
Cherub,  the  highest  and  brightest  of  all  creatures. 

6.  On  this  scheme,  it  will  follow,  that  the  covenant  of  redemption  was 
'nade  with  a  person  that  was  not  sui  juris,  and  not  at  lilx?rty  to  act  his  own 
mere  good  pleasure,  with  respect  to  undertaking  to  die  for  sinners ;  but  was 
obliged  to  comply,  on  the  first  intimation  that  it  would  be  well-pleasing  to  God, 
and  a  thing  that  he  chose. 

7.  According  to  that  scheme,  the  man  Christ  Jesus  was  not  properly  the 
son  of  the  Virgin,  and  so  the  son  of  man.  To  be  the  son  of  a  woman,  is  to  re- 
ceive being  in  both  soul  and  body,  in  consequence  of  a  conception  in  her  womb. 
The  soul  is  the  principal  part  of  the  man  ;  and  sonship  implies  derivation  of  the 
soul  as  well  as  the  body,  by  conception.  Not  that  the  soul  is  a  part  of  the 
mother,  as  the  body  is.  Though  the  soul  is  no  part  of  the  mother,  and  be  im- 
mediately given  by  God,  yet  that  hinders  not  its  being  derived  by  conception ; 
it  being  consequent  on  it,  according  to  a  law  of  nature.     It  is  agreeable  to  0 


534  PRE-EXISTENCE   OE 

law  of  nature,  that  where  a  perfect  human  body  is  conceived  in  the  womb  of  a 
woman,  and  properly  nourished  and  increased,  a  human  soul  should  come  into 
being :  and  conception  may  as  properly  be  the  cause  whence  it  is  derived,  as 
many  other  natural  effects  are  derived  from  natural  causes  and  antecedents. 
For  it  is  the  power  of  God  which  produces  these  etiects,  tliough  it  be  according 
to  an  established  law.  The  soul  being  so  much  the  principal  part  of  man,  a 
derivation  of  the  soul  by  conception,  is  the  chief  thing  impUed  in  a  man's  being 
the  son  of  a  woman. 

8.  According  to  what  seems  to  be  Dr.  Watts's  scheme,  the  Son  of  God  is 
no  distinct  divine  Peison  from  the  Father.  So  far  as  he  is  a  divine  Person,  he  is 
the  same  Person  with  the  Father.  So  that  in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  the 
Father  covenants  with  himself,  and  he  takes  satisfaction  of  himself,  &c.  Unless 
you  will  say,  that  one  nature  covenanted  with  the  other  ;  the  two  natures  in  the 
same  peison  covenanted  together,  and  one  nature  in  the  same  person,  took  satis- 
faction of  the  other  nature  in  the  same  person.  But  how  does  this  confound  our 
minds,  instead  of  helping  our  ideas,  or  making  them  more  easy  and  intelligible  I 

9.  The  Son  of  God,  as  a  distinct  Person,  was  from  eternity.  It  is  said,  Mic. 
V.  2,  "  His  goings  forth  were  of  old,  from  everlasting."  So  Prov.  viii.  23,  "  I 
was  set  up  from  everlasting,  from  the  beginning,  or  ever  the  earth  was."  So  he 
is  called,  Isa.  ix.  6,  "  The  everlasting  Father."  I  know  of  no  expressions  used 
in  Scripture,  more  strong,  to  signify  the  eternity  of  the  Father  himself. 

10.  Dr.  Walts  supposes  the  world  to  be  made  by  the  pre-existent  soul  of 
Christ;  and  thinks  it  may  properly  be  so  said,  though  the  knowledge  and 
power  of  this  pre-existent  soul  could  not  extend  to  the  most  minute  parts,  every 
atom,  &c. — But  it  is  evidently  the  design  of  the  Scripture  to  assure  us  that 
Christ  made  all  things  whatever  in  the  absolute  universality.  John  i.  3,  "  All 
things  were  made  by  him,  and  without  him  was  not  any  thing  made  tliat  was 
made."  Col.  i.  16, 17,  "  For  by  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven, 
and  that  are  in  the  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones,  or 
dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers  ;  all  things  were  created  by  him,  and 
for  him ;  and  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist."  Now,  if 
we  suppose  matter  to  be  infinitely  divisible,  it  will  follow,  that  let  his  wisdom 
and  power  be  as  great  as  they  will,  if  finite,  but  a  few  of  those  individual  things 
that  are  made  were  the  effects  of  his  power  and  wisdom  :  yea,  that  the  number 
of  the  things  that  were  made  by  him,  are  so  few,  that  they  bear  no  proportion 
to  others,  that  did  not  immediately  fall  under  his  notice;  or  that  of  the  things 
that  are  made,  there  are  ten  thousand  times,  yea  infinitely  more,  not  made  by 
him,  than  are  made  by  him : — and  so,  but  infinitely  few  of  their  circumstances 
are  ordered  by  his  wisdom. 

11.  It  is  said,  Heb.  ii.  8,  "  Thou  hast  put  all  things  in  subjection  under  his 
feet.  For  in  that  he  put  all  in  subjection  under  him,  he  left  nothing  that  is  not 
Tjut  under  him."  Here  it  is  represented,  that  God  the  Father  has  put  every  in- 
dividual thing  under  the  power  and  government  of  another  person,  distinct  from 
himself.  But  this  cannot  be  true  of  the  human  soul  of  Christ,  as  it  must  be  ac- 
cording to  Dr.  Watts's  scheme,  let  the  powers  of  that  be  never  so  great,  if  they 
are  not  infinite.-  For  things  and  circumstances,  and  dependencies  and  conse- 
quences of  things  in  the  world,  are  infinite  in  number  ;  and  therefore  a  finite 
understanding  and  power  cannot  extend  to  them :  yea,  it  can  extend  to  but  an 
infinitely  small  part  of  the  whole  number  of  individuals,  and  their  circumstances 
and  consequences.  Indeed,  in  order  to  the  disposal  of  a  few  things  \f\  their 
motions  ami  successive  changes,  to  a  certain  precise  issue,  there  is  need  of  in- 
finite exactness,  and  so  need  of  infinite  power  and  wisdom. 


CHRIST'S  IIUMAis   SOUL.  535 

12.  The  work  of  creation,  and  so  the  work  of  upholding  all  things  in  be- 
ing, can,  in  no  sense,  l)e  jiroperly  said  to  be  the  \voik  ol' any  created  nature.  If 
the  created  natur*;  givi-s  lorth  the  word,  as  Jo^^liua  did,  wlien  he  said,  "  Sun, 
stand  thou  still  ;"  yet  it  is  not  that  created  nature  that  does  it :  that  beini;-  that 
depends  himself  on  creating  power,  does  not  properly  do  any  thing  towards 
creation,  as  Joshua  did  nothing  towards  stopping  the  sun  in  his  course.  So  that 
it  cannot  be  true  in  Dr.  Watts's  scheme,  that  that  Son  of  God,  who  is  a  distinct 
Person  from  God  the  Father,  did  at  all,  in  any  manner  of  propriety,  create  the 
world,  nor  does  he  uphold  it  or  govern  it.  Nor  can  those  things  that  Christ  often 
says  of  himself,  be  tiue;  as,  "The  Father  worketh  hilherlo,  and  I  work." — 
"  "Whatsoever  the  Father  doth,  those  doth  the  Son  likewise,"  John  v.  17,  19  ; 
it  being  very  evident,  that  the  works  of  creating  and  ujiholding  and  governing 
the  world  are  ascrihed  to  the  Son,  as  a  distinct  Person  from  the  Father. 

13.  It  is  one  benefit  or  privilege  of  the  Person  of  Ciirist,  when  spoken  of 
as  distinct  from  the  Father,  to  have  the  Spirit  of  God  under  him,  to  lie  at  his 
disj^osal,  and  to  be  his  Messenger ;  which  is  infinitely  too  much  ibr  any  creature  : 
John  XV.  26 ;  xvi.  7,  13,  14  ;  and  Acts  ii.  33. 

14.  Not  only  is  the  word  Elo/iiin  in  the  plural  number,  but  it  is  joined  to  a 
verb  of  the  plural  number,  in  Gen.  xx.  13.  When  God  caused  me  to  icander 
from  my  Father^s  house.  The  word  HUhgnu,  caused  to  wander,  is  in  the 
^)lural  number.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  use  of  plural  verbs,  adjectives  and 
,ironouns,  in  Gen.  i.  26  ;  iii.  22 ;  xi.  7.  See  other  instances  in  Gen.  xxxv.  7  ; 
Exodus  xxxii.  4,  compared  with  Neh.  ix.  18  ;  Isaiah  xvi.  6. 

The  very  tVequent  joining  of  the  w  ord  Eloliim,  a  word  in  the  plural  number, 
with  the  word  J<  hova/t,  a  word  in  the  singular  number  (as  may  be  seen  in  places 
referred  to  in  the  English  Concordance,  under  the  words.  Lord  God,  Lord  his  God, 
Lord  my  God,  Lord  our  God,  Lord  their  God,  Lord  thy  God,  Lord  your  God), 
seems  to  be  a  significant  indication  of  the  union  of  several  divine  persons  in  one 
essence.  The  word  Jehovah  signifies  as  much  as  the  word  Essence,  and  is  the 
proper  name  of  God  with  regard  to  his  self-existent,  eternal,  all-sufficient,  per- 
fect, and  immutable  Essence.  Moses  seems  to  have  regard  to  something  re- 
markable in  thus  calling  Elohlm,  the  plural,  so  often  by  the  singular  name, 
Jehovah  ;  especially  in  (hat  remark,  which  he  makes  fi)rthe  special  observation 
of  God's  people  Israel,  in  Deut.  vi.  4,  '•  Hear,  0  Israel,  tin;  Lord  our  God  is  one 
Lord."  In  the  original,  it  is  Jehovah  Elohenii  Jehovah  Ehadh  ;  the  more  pro- 
per translation  of  which  is,  Jehovah  our  God  is  one  Jehovah.  The  verb  is,  is 
understood,  and  properly  inserted  between  Jehovah  Elohenn  nm]  Jehovah  Ehadh, 
thus  Jehovah  Eluheiru  is  Jehovah  Ehadh;  which,  if  most  literally  transhited,  is 
thus,  Jehovah  Our  divine  Persons  is  one  Jehovah :  as  though  Moses,  in  this  re- 
mark, had  a  particular  reference  to  the  word  Elohim  being  in  the  plural  number, 
and  would  guard  the  people  against  imagining  from  thence  that  there  was  a 
jdurality  of  E.ssences  or  Beings,  among  whom  they  were  to  divide  their  affec- 
tions and  respect. 

A  faither  confirmation  that  the  name  Elohim  when  used  as  the  name  of  the 
True  God,  signifies  some  plurality,  is,  that  this  same  name  is  connnonly,  all 
over  the  Hebrew  Biljle,  used  to  signify  the  gods  of  the  Heathens,  when  many 
gods  are  spoken  of.  See  those  places  in  the  Hebrew  Bible,  which  are  referred 
to  in  the  English  Concordance,  under  the  word  Gods. 

In  Exodus  XX.  2,  3,  when  it  is  said  in  the  third  verse,  "  Thou  shalt  have  no 
other  gods  before  me,"'  the  word  is  the  same  as  in  (he  Ibregoing  verse,  where 
it  is  said,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of 
Eg}'pt."     It  is  Elohim  in  both  verses  :  I  am  the  Jehovah,  thy  Elohim:  thou 


536  PRE-EXISTENCE  ETC. 

shalt  have  no  other  Elolmn.  Yet  the  latter  Elohimk  joined  with  an  adjective 
of  the  phu-al  number;  which  seems  naturally  to  lead  the  children  of  Israel,  to 
whom  God  spake  these  words,  to  suppose  a  plurality  in  the  Elohim  which 
hrouoht  them  out  of  Egypt,  implied  in  the  name  Jehovah.  Psalm  Iviii.  11, 
"  Verily  there  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth  ;  Elohim  Shophdim:  which 
literally  is,  Elohim,  judges  (in  the  plural  number).  See  the  evident  distinction 
made  between  Jehovah  sending,  and  Jehovah  seyit  to  the  people,  and  dwelling 
in  the  midst  of  them,  in  Zech."  ii.  8,  9,  10,  11,  and  iv.  8,  9,  11 :  "  For  thus 
saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  After  the  glory  hath  he  sent  me  unto  the  nations  which 
spoiled  you  :  for  he  that  toucheth  you,  toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye." 

"  For  behold,  I  will  shake  mine  hand  upon  them,  and  they  shall  be  a  spoil 
to  their  servants :  and  ye  shall  know  that  the  Lord  of  Hosts  hath  sent  me." 

"  Sing  and  rejoice,  0  daughter  of  Zion  :  for,  lo,  1  come,  and  I  will  dwell  in 
the  midst  of  thee,  saith  the  Lord." 

"  And  many  nations  shall  be  joined  to  the  Lord  in  that  day,  and  shall  be 
my  people  :  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  thee,  and  thou  shalt  know  that«the 
Lord  of  Hosts  hath  sent  me  unto  thee." 

"  Moreover  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me,  saying,  The  hands  of  Zerub- 
babel  have  laid  the  foundation  of  this  house  ;  his  hands  shall  also  finish  it ;  anft 
thou  shalt  know  that  the  Lord  of  Hosts  hath  sent  me  unto  you." 

"  Then  answered  I,  and  said  unto  him,  What  are  these  two  olive  trees  upon 
the  right  side  of  the  candlestick,  and  upon  the  left  side  thereof  V 

Joshua  xxiv.  19,  "  And  Joshua  said  unto  the  people,  Ye  cannot  serve  Jeho- 
vah :  for  he  is  a  Holy  God,  Elohim  Kedhoshim."  He  is  the  Holy  Gods.  Not 
only  is  the  word  Elohim  properly  plural,  the  very  same  that  is  used,  verse  15, 
the  gods  which  your  father's  served,  &c. — but  the  adjective  Holy  is  plural.  A 
plural  substantive  and  adjective  are  used  here  concerning  the  True  God,  just  in 
the  same  manner  as  in  1  Sam.  iv.  8,  "  Who  shall  deliver  us  out  of  the  hands  of 
these  mighty  Gods."  And  in  Dan.  iv.  8,  "  In  whom  is  the  Spirit  of  the  Holy 
Gods."  So  ver.  9,  18,  and  chap.  v.  11.  That  the  plural  number  should  thus  be 
used  with  the  epithet  Holy,  agrees  well  with  the  ck^xology  of  the  angels,  Holy, 
Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  of  Hosts,"  &c,,  Isaiah  vi.,  and  Rev.  iv. 

It  is  an  argument,  that  the  Jews  of  old  understood  that  there  were  several 
persons  in  theGodhead,  and  particularly,  that  when  the  cherubim,  in  the  6th 
of  Isaiah,  cried  "  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  of  Hosts,"  they  had  respect  to  three 
persons  :  that  the  seventy  interpreters,  in  several  places,  where  the  Lloly  One 
of  Israel  is  spoken  of,  use  the  plural  number  ;  as  in  Isaiah  xli.  16, "  Thou  shalt 
glory  in  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  :"  in  the  LXX.  it  is,  tvcfQai'dr^otj^  £v  rdig  ayioic 
JaQaijl.  Isaiah  Ix.  14,  "  The  Zion  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel ;"  it  is  cmv  (qiav 
Jagaiil  So  Jer.  li.  5,  "  Filled  with  sin  against  the  Holy  One  of  Israel :"  unoa 
zap  aymv  laomX. 


MYSTERIES   OF   SCRIPTURE. 


1.  If  we  seek  for  any  thing  in  the  dark  by  so  low  a  faculty  of  discernin|Tj 
as  the  sense  of  feeling',  or  by  the  sense  of  seeing  with  a  Him  light,  sometimes 
we  cannot  find  it ;  thougli  it  be  there,  it  seems  to  us  to  be  impossible  that  it 
should  be  tliere.  But  yet,  when  a  clear  light  comes  to  shine  into  the  place,  and 
we  discern  by  a  better  faculty,  viz.,  of  sight,  or  the  same  faculty  in  a  clearer 
manner,  the  thing  appears  very  plain  to  us.  So,  doubtless,  many  truths  will 
hereafter  appear  plain,  when  we  come  to  look  on  them  by  the  bright  lio-ht  of 
heaven,  that  now  are  involved  in  mystery  and  darkness. 

2.  How  are  we  ready  to  trust  to  the  determinations  of  a  man,  that  is  uni- 
versally reputed  a  man  of  great  genius,  of  vast  penetration  and  insight  into 
things,  if  he  be  positive  in  any  thing  that  appears  to  us  very  mysterious,  and  is 
quite  contrary  to  what  we  thought  ourselves  clear  and  ceilain  in  before  ?  How 
are  we  ready  in  such  a  case  to  suspect  ourselves;  especially  if  it  be  a  matter 
wherein  he  has  been  very  much  versed ;  has  had  much  more  occasion  to  look  into 
It  than  we  ;  and  has  been  under  greater  advantages  to  know  the  truth  ?  How 
much  more  still,  if  one  should  be  positive  in  it,  as  a  thing  that  he  had  clearly 
and  undoubtedly  seen  to  be  true,  if  he  were  still  often  times  greater  genius,  and 
of  a  niore  penetrating  insight  into  things,  than  any  that  ever  have  appeared  ? 
And,  in  matters  of  fact,  if  some  person  whom  we  had  long  known,  that  was  a 
person  of  great  judgment  and  discretion,  justice,  integrity  and  fidelity,  and  had 
always  been  universally  so  reputed  by  others,  should  declare  to  us,  that  lie  had 
seen  and  known  that  to  be  true  whicii  appeared  to  us  very  strange  and  mvsteri- 
ous,  and  concerning  which  we  could  not  see  how  it  was  possible  that  it  should 
be  ;  how,  in  such  a  case,  should  we  be  ready  almost  to  suspect  our  own  faculties, 
and  to  give  credit  to  such  a  testimony,  in  that  which,  if  he  had  not  positively 
asserted  it,  and  persisted  in  it,  wc  should  have  looked  upon  as  perfectly  incredi- 
ble, and  absurd  to  be  supposed  ? 

3.  From  that  text,  John  iii.  12,  "If  I  have  told  you  earthly  thintrs,  and  ye 
believe  not,  how  shall  ye  believe,  if  I  tell  you  of  heavenly  things  1"  several 
things  are  manifest  concerning  mysteries  in  religion.  (J.)  That  there  are  mys- 
teries in  religion,  or  that  there  are  things  contained  in  those  doctrines  that  Chiist 
came  into  the  world  to  teach,  which  are  not  only  so  far  above  human  compre- 
hension, that  men  cannot  easily  apprehend  all  that  is  to  be  understood  concerning 
them  ;  but  which  are  dilFicult  to  the  understanding,  in  that  sense,  that  they  are 
diihcult  to  be  received  by  the  judgment  or  beliet":  "  Mow  shall  ye  believe,  if  I 
teil  you  of  heavenly  things  ?"  Difficult,  upon  the  same  account  that  the  doc- 
trine of  the  new  birth  was  difficult  to  Nicodemus,  because  it  was  so  strange, 
and  seemingly  impossible.  (2.)  We  may  from  the  words  infer,  that  the  more 
persons  or  beings  are,  in  themselves,  and  in  their  own  nature,  above  us  ;  the 
more  that  the  doctrines  or  truths  concerning  them  are  m\'?;terious  to  us,  above 
our  comprehension,  and  difficult  to  our  belief;  the  more  do  those  things  that 
are  really  true  concerning  thein,  contain  seeming  inconsistencies  and  impossibili- 
ties. For  Christ,  in  the  preceding  verses,  had  been  speaking  of  something  that 
is  true  concerning  man,  being  of  the  same  nature,  an  inhabitant  of  the  same  world 
with  ourselves ;  which,  therefore,  Chi'ist  calls  an  earthly  thing.     And  this  seemed 


538  MYSTERIES  OF   SCRIPTURE. 

very  mysterious  and  impossible,  and  to  contain  great  seeming  inconsistencies. 
He  says,  "  How  can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old  V  This  seemed  to  be  a 
contradiction.  And  after  Christ  had  somewhat  explained  himself,  still  the  doc- 
trine seemed  strange  and  impossible  ;  v.  9,  "  How  can  these  things  be  ?"  Nic- 
odemus  still  looked  upon  it  incredible  ;  and,  on  that  account,  did  not  believe  it 
at  that  time,  as  is  implied  in  these  words  of  Christ ;  "If  1  have  told  you  earthly 
things,  and  ye  believe  not."  But  Christ  here  plainly  signifies,  that  he  had  other 
truths  to  teach  that  were  not  about  man,  an  earthly  inhabitant,  but  about  a 
person  vastly  above  man,  even  about  himself,  v.'ho  is  ft  om  heaven,  and  in  heaven, 
as  in  the  next  verse :  "  And  no  man  hath  ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  he  that 
came  down  from  heaven  ;  even  the  Son  of  man  which  is  in  heaven."  Which, 
therefore,  it  would  be  most  reasonable  to  suppose,  should  be  much  more  difficult 
to  men's  understanding  and  judgment,  seeming  to  contain  greater  impossibilities 
and  inconsistencies ;  as  he  then  proceeds  immediately  to  declare  to  him  a 
heavenly  thing,  as  he  calls  it,  viz.,  that  Christ,  a  heavenly  and  divine  person, 
should  die,ver.  14,  15.  Such  a  mysteiious  doctrine,  so  strange,  and  seemingly 
inconsistent  and  impossible,  that  a  divine  person  should  die,  is  more  strange  than 
that  men  should  be  born  again.  Hence,  when  divines  aigue,  from  the  mystevi- 
ous  nature  of  many  things  here  below,  with  which  we  are  daily  conversant,  that 
it  would  be  very  unreasonable  to  suppose  but  that  there  should  be  things  con- 
cerning God  which  are  much  more  mysterious  ;  and  that,  theiefore,  it  is  unrea- 
sonable to  object  against  the  tiuth  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Trinity,  Incarnation, 
&c., — they  ai-gue  justly,  because  they  argue  as  Christ  argued. 

4.  "  The  wiser  heathens  were  sensible,  that  the  things  of  the  gods  are  so  high 
above  us,  that  no  other  is  to  be  expected,  than  that  what  appertains  to  them 
should  appear  exceedingly  mysterious  and  wonderful  to  us ;  and  that  it  is 
therefore  unreasonable  to  disbelieve  what  we  are  taught  concerning  them  on 
that  account.  This  is  fully  expressed  by  that  great  symbol  of  Pythagoras,  viz., 
'  Concerning  the  gods,  disbelieve  nothing  wonderful,  nor  yet  concerning  divine 
things.''  This,  says  Jamblicus,  declarelh  the  superlative  excellency  of  God's 
instructing  us,  and  puts  us  in  mind,  that  we  ought  not  to  estiniate  the  divine 
power  by  our  own  judgment.  The  Pythagoreans  stretched  this  rule  beyond  the 
line  of  divine  revelation,  to  the  belief  of  every  oriental  tradition."  Gale's  Court 
ofth(  Gentiles,^.  2,  b.  2,  c.  8,  p.  190. 

5.  It  is  not  necessary  that  persons  should  have  clear  ideas  of  the  things  that 
are  the  subject  of  a  proposition,  in  order  to  their  being  rationally  convinced  of 
the  truth  of  the  proposition.  There  are  many  truths  of  which  mathematicians 
are  convinced  by  strict  demonstration,  concerning  many  kinds  of  quantities,  as, 
surd  quantities  and  fluxions ;  but  concerning  which  they  have  no  clear  ideas. 

6.  Supposing  that  mankind  in  general  were  a  species  of  far  less  capacity 
than  they  are;  so  much  less,  that,  v»'hen  men  are  come  to  full  ripeness  of  judg- 
ment and  capacity,  they  arrived  no  higher  than  that  degree  to  which  children 
generally  arrive  at  seven  years  of  age;  and  supposing  a  revelation  to  be  made 
to  mankind,  in  such  a  state  and  degree  of  capacity,  of  many  such  propositions  in 
philosophy  as  are  now  looked  upon  as  undoubted  truths ;  and  let  us  suppose, 
at  the  same  time,  the  same  degree  of  pride  and  self-confidence  as  there  is  now; 
what  cavilling  and  objecting,  &c.,  would  there  be! 

Or,  supposing  a  revelation  of  these  philosophical  truths  had  been  made  to 
mankind,  with  their  present  degree  of  natural  capacity,  in  some  ancient  gener- 
ation ;  suppose  that  which  was  in  Joshua's  time ;  in  that  degree  of  accquired 
knowledge  and  learning  which  the  world  had  arrivf  d  at  then,  how  incredible 
•would  those  truths  have  seemed ! 


MYSTERIES  OF  SCRIPTURE.  539 

7.  If  tilings,  which  I'act  and  expcriencii  make  certain,  such  as  the  miseries 
infants  .sometimes  are  the  subjects  of  in  this  worhl,  &c.,ha(l  been  exliibitecl  only 
in  a  revelation  of  things  in  an  unseen  stale,  they  would  be  as  much  disputed  as 
the  Trinily  and  other  mysteri.'s  revealed  in  the  liible. 

8.  Tiiere  is  nothing  iinpos-ible  or  absurd  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Incamation 
of  Christ.  If  God  can  join  a  buly  and  a  rational  soul  together,  which  are  of 
natures  so  heterogeneous  and  opposite,  that  they  cannot,  ol  themselves,  act  one 
upon  another;  may  he  not  be  able  to  join  two  spirits  together,  which  are  of 
natures  more  similar  ?  And,  if  so,  he  may,  for  aught  we  know  to  the  contrary, 
join  the  soul  or  spirit -of  a  man  to  himself.  Mad  reason  been  so  clear  in  it,  that 
a  God  cannot  be  incarnate,  as  many  pretend,  it  could  never  have  suffered  such  a 
notion  to  gain  ground,  and  possess  the  minds  of  so  many  nations:  nay,  and  of 
Julian  himself,  who  says  that  "  Jupi'er  begat  Escula[)ius  out  of  his  own  proper 
substance,  and  sent  him  down  to  Epiiiaurus,  to  heal  ilie  distempers  of  mankind." 
Reason  did  not  hinder  Spinosa,  Blount,  and  many  other  modern  philosophers 
from  asserting,  tiiat  God  may  have  a  body  ;  or  rather  that  the  universe,  or  the 
matter  of  the  universe,  is  God,  Many  nations  believed  the  incarnation  of  Jupi- 
ter himself.  Reason,  instead  of  being  utterly  averse  to  the  notion  of  a  divine 
incarnation,  hath  easily  enough  admitted  that  notion,  and  suffered  it  to  pass 
almost  without  contradiction,  among  the  most  philosophical  nations  of  the 
world. 

9.  "  In  thinking  of  God's  raising  so  many  myriads  of  spirits,  and  such  pro- 
digious masses  of  matter  out  of  nothing,  we  are  lost  and  astonished,  as  much  as 
in  the  contemplation  of  the  Trinity.  We  can  follow  God  but  one  or  two  steps 
in  his  lowest  and  plainest  works,  till  all  becomes  mystery  and  matter  of  amaze- 
ment to  us.  How,  then,  shall  we  comprehend  Himself?  How,  shall  we  un- 
derstand His  nature,  or  account  for  His  actions  7  In  that  he  contains  what  is 
infinitely  more  Inconceivable  than  all  the  wonders  of  his  creation  put  together." 
Deism  Revealed,  Edit.  2,  Vol.  II.  p.  93,94. 

Those  that  deny  the  Trinity,  because  of  the  mysteriousness  of  it,  and  its 
seeming  inconsistence,  yet,  generally  own  God's  certain  prescience  of  men's 
free  actions,  Avhich  they  suppose  to  be  free  in  such  a  sense,  as  not  to 
be  necessary. — So  that  we  may  do,  or  may  not  do,  that  which  God  cer- 
tainly foresees.  "  They  also  hold,  that  such  a  freedom  without  necessity, 
is  necessary  to  morality ;  and  that  virtue  and  goodness  consist  in  any  one's 
doing  good  when  he  might  do  evil.  And  yet  they  suppose  that  God  acts 
according  to  the  eternal  law  of  nature  and  reason,  and  that  it  is  impossible  that 
he  should  transgress  that  law,  and  do  evil ;  because  that  would  be  a  contra- 
diction to  his  own  nature,  which  is  infinitely  and  unchangeably  virtuous.  Now 
this  seems  a  flat  contradiction.  To  say,  that  the  Infinite  goodness  of  God's  na- 
ture makes  it  utterly  impossible  for  God  to  do  evil,  is  exactly  the  same  as  to 
say,  he  is  under  a  natural  necessity  not  to  do  evil.  And  to  say  he  is  morally 
free,  is  to  say,  he  may  do  evil.  Therefore  the  necessity  and  freedom  in  this 
case  being  both  moral,  the  contradiction  is  flat  and  plain ;  and  amounts  to  this, 
that  God,  in  respect  to  good  and  evil  actions,  is  both  a  necessary  and  free 
agent.  Dr.  Clark,  in  his  treatise  on  the  Attributes,  labors  to  get  clear  of  this 
contradiction  upon  these  principles  of  liberty,  but  without  success ;  and  leaves 
it  just  where  all  men  who  hold  the  same  principles,  must  be  forced  to  leave  it. 

"  Therefore,  they  hold  such  mysteries  in  resj»ect  to  Deity,  that  are  even  hard- 
er to  be  conceived  of,  or  properly  expressed  and  explained,  than  the  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity. 

"  When  we  talk  of  God,  who  is  infinite  and  incomprehensible,  it  is  natural 


540  MYSTERIES  OF   SCRIPTURE. 

to  run  into  notions  and  terms  which  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  reconcile.  And 
in  lower  matters,  that  are  more  within  our  knowledge  and  comprehension,  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  keep  ourselves  clear  of  them.  To  say  that  a  curve  line, 
settino-  out  from  a  point  within  a  hair's  breadth  of  a  right  line,  shall  run  towards 
that  right  line  as  swift  as  thought,  and  yet  never  be  able  to  touch  it,  seems  contra- 
ry to  common  sense  ;  and  were  it  not  clearly  demonstrated  in  the  conchoid  of 
Nechomedcs,  could  never  be  believed.  Matter  is  infinitely  divisible  ;  and  there- 
fore a  cubical  inch  of  gokl  may  be  divided  into  an  infinity  of  parts;  and  there 
can  be  no  number  greater  than  that  which  contains  an  infinity.  Yet  another 
cubical  inch  of  gold  may  be  infinitely  divided  also ;  and  therefore,  the  parts  of 
both  cubes  must  be  more  numerous  than  the  parts  of  one  only.  Here  is  a  pal- 
pable contrariety  of  ideas,  and  a  flat  contradiction  of  terras.  We  are  confound- 
ed and  lost  in  the  consideration  of  infinites  ;  and  surely  most  of  all,  in  the  consider- 
ation of  that  Infinite  of  injinites.  We  justly  admire  that  saying  of  the  philosopher, 
that  God  is  a  being  ^vhose  ceidrc  is  everywhere,  and  circumference  nowhere,  as 
one  of  the  noblest  and  most  exalted  flights  of  human  understanding ;  and  yet, 
not  only  the  terms  are  absurd  and  contradictory,  but  the  very  ideas  that  consti- 
tute it,  when  considered  attentively,  are  repugnant  to  one  another.  Space  and 
duration  are  mysterious  abysses  in  which  our  thoughts  are  confounded  with  de- 
monstrable propositions,  to  all  sense  and  reason  flatly  contradictory  to  one  an- 
other. Any  two  points  of  time,  though  never  so  distant,  are  exactly  in  the 
middle  of  eternity.  The  remotest  points  of  space  that  can  be  imagined  or  sup- 
posed, are  each  of  them  precisely  in  the  centre  of  infinite  space."  Beism  Re- 
vealed, Vol.  II.  p.  109,  110,  111. 

Here  might  have  been  added  the  mysteries  of  God'S  eternal  duration,  it 
beino"  without  succession,  present,  before  and  after,  all  at  once :  Vitce  intermin- 
ahilis  tola  siimd  et  jKrfecta  possessio.  See  the  nature  of  the  human  soul  on  this 
head. 

10.  To  reject  every  thing  but  what  we  can  first  see  to  be  agreeable  to  our 
reason,  tends,  by  degrees,  to  bring  every  thing  relating  not  only  to  revealed  re- 
ligion, but  even  natural  religion,  into  doubt ;  to  make  all  its  doctrines  appear 
with  dim  evidence,  like  a  shadow,  or  the  ideas  of  a  dream,  till  they  are  all  neglect- 
ed as  worthy  of  no  regard.  It  tends  to  make  men  doubt  of  the  several  attributes 
of  God,  and  so,  in  every  respect,  to  doubt  what  kind  of  being  God  is ;  and  to 
make  men  doubt  about  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  about  the  duties  of  religion, 
prayer,  and  giving  thanks,  social  worship,  &c.  It  will  tend  at  last,  to  make 
men  esteem  the  science  of  religion  as  of  no  value,  and  so  totally  neglect  it ;  and 
from  step  to  step  it  will  lead  to  skepticism,  atheism,  ignorance,  and  at  length  to 
barbarity,  &c. 

1 1.  Concerning  common  sense,  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  common  inclina- 
tion, or  the  common  dictates  of  inclination  are  often  called  common  sense. 
Wlren  any  thing  is  shocking  to  the  common  dispositions  or  inclinations  of  men, 
that  is  called  a  contradicting  of  common  sense.  So,  the  doctrine  of  the  extreme 
and  everlasting  torments  of  hell,  being  contrary  to  men's  common  folly  and  stu- 
pidity, is  often  called  contrary  to  common  sense.  Men,  through  stupidity  are 
insensible  of  the  great  evil  of  sin ;  and  so  the  punishment  of  sin  threatened  in 
the  word  of  God  disagrees  with  this  insensibility,  and  is  said  to  be  contradic- 
tory to  common  sense.  In  this  case,  that  turn  of  mind  which  arises  from  a  wick- 
ed disposition,  goes  for  common  sense. 

"  We  ouo-ht  never  to  deny,  because  we  cannot  conceive.  If  this  were  not 
so,  then  a  man  born  blind  would  reason  right  when  he  forms  this  syllogism,. 
'  We  know  the  figure  of  bodies  only  by  handling  them ;  but  it  is  impossible  to 


MYSTKRIES   OF  SCRIPTURE.  541 

handle  theiu  at  a  great  distance  ;  therefort;  it  is  iinjiossible  to  know  IIkj  i'vruvc 
of  tar  distant  bodies.'  To  undeceive  the  blind  man,  we  may  prove  to  liim  that 
this  is  so,  tVom  the  concurrent  testimony  of  all  who  surround  iiim.  But  we  can 
never  make  him  perceive  how  this  is  so.  It  is  therefore  a  fundamental  maxim 
in  all  true  philosophy,  that  many  thint^s  may  be  incomprehensible,  and  yet  de- 
monstj"able;  tliat  though  seeing  clearly  be  a  sullicient  reason  for  adirming,  yet, 
not  Sr'eing  at  all,  can  never  be  a  reason  for  denying."  Ramsay's  Philosophical 
Principles  of  Religion,  Vol.  I.  p.  22,  23. 

1:2.  One  method  used  to  explode  every  thing  that  is  in  the  least  difficult  to 
the  understanding,  out  of  religion,  is  to  ridicule  all  distinctions  in  religion.  The 
unreasonableness  of  this  may  appear  from  what  Mr.  Locke  observes  concerning 
discf.ning  and  judgment.  Hum.  Underst.,  Book  11.  chap.  2  :  "  Accurately  dis- 
criminating ideas  one  from  another,  is  of  that  consuiuence  to  the  other  know- 
ledge of  the  mind,  that,  so  far  as  this  faculty  is  in  itself  dull,  or  not  rightly  made 
asi;  of,  for  distinguishing  one  thing  from  another,  so  far  our  notions  are  con- 
fused, and  our  reason  and  judgment  disturbed  or  misled.  If  in  having  ideas  in 
the  memory  ready  at  hand,  consists  quickness  of  parts  ;  in  this  ol'  having  them 
uncoiifused,  and  being  able  nicely  to  distinguish  one  thing  from  another,  where 
there  is  but  the  least  difference,  consists  in  a  great  measure  the  exactness  of 
judgment,  and  clearness  of  reason,  which  is  to  be  observed  in  one  man  above 
another.  Judgment  lies  in  separating  carefully  one  from  another,  ideas  wherein 
can  be  found  the  least  difference,  thereby  to  avoid  being  misled  by  similitude, 
and  by  athnity  to  take  one  thing  for  another." 

So  Dr.  Turnbull  in  his  Principles  of  Moral  Philosophy,  Part  I.  chap.  3,  p. 
91 :  *•  Judgment  is  rightly  said  to  lie  in  nicely  distinguishing  the  disagreements 
and  variances  or  differences  of  ideas  ;  those  especially  which  lie  more  remote 
from  common  observation,  and  are  not  generally  adverted  to.  The  man  of 
judgment  or  discretion  (lor  so  discretion  properly  signifies)  may  be  defined  to  be 
one  who  has  a  particular  aptitude  to  descry  differences  of  all  kinds  between  ob- 
jects, even  the  most  hidden  and  remote  from  vulgar  eyes." 

13.  If  any  respect  to  the  Divine  Being  is  of  importance,  then  speculative 
points  are  of  importance  ;  for  the  only  way  whereby  we  know  what  he  is,  is 
by  speculation.  He  is  a  speculative  being  in  that  sense.  If  our  doctrines  con- 
cerning him  are  not  right,  it  will  not  be  that  Being,  but  some  other,  that  we 
liave  respect  for.  So  it  may  be  said  concerning  our  res])ect  for  Christ.  If  our 
doctrines  concerning  him,  concerning  his  divinity,  for  instance,  are  false,  we  have 
not  respect  for  the  Christ  of  whom  the  Scriptures  speak,  but  for  an  imaginary 
person,  infinitely  diverse.  When  it  is  said  by  some  that  the  only  fundamental 
article  of  faith  is,  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah;  if  thereby  be  meant,  that  a  person 
called  by  that  name,  or  that  lived  at  such  a  time  or  place,  was  the  Messiah; 
that  name  not  implying  any  properties  or  qualities  of  his  person,  the  doctrine  is 
exceedingly  unreasonable  ;  for  surely  the  name  and  the  place  are  not  of  so  great 
importance  as  some  other  things  essential  in  his  person,  and  have  not  so  great 
concern  in  the  identity  of  the  object  of  our  ideas  and  respect,  as  the  person  the 
gospel  reveals.  If  that  Jesus  the  gospel  tells  us  of  be  a  divine  person,  then  to 
suppose  a  Jesus  that  is  a  mere  man,  makes  the  object  of  our  ideas  and  regard 
infinitely  more  diverse  from  the  gospel  Jesus,  than  to  have  a  different  name,  and 
to  suppose  him  to  be  of  a  different  time  and  place.  It  is  one  great  reason  why 
speculative  points  are  thought  to  be  of  so  little  importance,  that  the  modern  re- 
ligion consists  so  little  in  respect  to  the  Divine  Being,  and  almost  wholly  in 
benevolence  to  men. 

14.  Concerning  this  which  If  often  said  by  some,  that  all  things  that  are 


542  MYSTERIES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 

necessary  to  salvation  are  plain  and  clear,  let  us  consider  how  and  in  what  sense 
this  is  true,  and  in  what  sense  it  is  not  true.  1st.  It  is  true  that  all  things  that 
are  necessary  to  salvation  are  clearly  and  plainly  revealed.  But  it  does  not 
follow,  that  they  shall  appear  to  be  plainly  revealed  to  all  men.  Nothing,  no 
divine  thing,  can  have  evidence  sufficient  to  appear  evident  to  all  men,  however 
great  their  prejudices  are,  and  however  perverse  their  dispositions.  2dly.  If 
thereby  is  meant  that  all  things  necessary  to  be  believed  are  easily  comprehended, 
there  is  no  reason  in  such  an  assertion,  nor  is  it  true. 

Some  late  writers  insist,  that,  for  a  thing  to  be  revealed,  and  yet  remain 
mystei  ious,  is  a  contradiction ;  that  it  is  as  much  as  to  say,  a  thing  is  revealed, 
and  yet  hid.  I  answer  :  the  thing  revealed  is  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  :  so 
that  the  tiuth  of  it  no  longer  remains  hid,  though  many  things  concerning  the 
manner  may  be  so.  Yet  many  tilings  concerning  the  nature  of  the  things  re- 
vealed may  be  clear,  though  many  things  concerning  the  nature  of  the  same 
thino-s  may  remain  hid.  God  requires  us  to  understand  no  more  than  is  intelli- 
gibly revealed.  That  which  is  not  distinctly  revealed,  we  aie  not  required  dis- 
tinctly to  understand.  It  may  be  necessary  for  us  to  know  a  thing  in  part,  and 
yet  not  necessary  to  knov/  it  perfectly. 

15.  The  importance  of  all  Chrislian  doctrines  whatsoever,  will  natuiallybe 
denied,  in  consequence  of  denying  that  one  great  doctrine  of  the  necessity  of 
Christ's  satisfaction  to  divine  justice,  and  maintaining  those  doctrines  that  estab- 
lish men's  own  righteousness,  as  that  on  which,  and  for  which,  they  are  accepted 
of  God.  For  that  great  Christian  doctrine  of  Christ's  satisfaction,  his  vicarious 
sufferings  and  righteousness,  by  which  he  offered  an  infinite  price  to  God  for  our 
pardon  and  acceptance  to  eternal  favor  and  happiness,  is  what  all  evangelical 
doctrines,  all  doctrines  beside  the  truths  of  natural  religion,  have  relation  to ; 
and  they  are  of  little  importance,  comparatively,  any  other  way  than  as  (hey 
have  respect  to  that.  This  is,  as  it  were,  the  centre  and  hinge  of  all  doctrines 
of  pure  revelation. 

16.  Indeed,  the  Papists,  who  are  very  far  from  having  such  a  notion  of 
that  evano-elical  faith,  which  is  the  special  condition  of  salvation  in  opposition 
to  workSj'and  have  forsaken  the  evangelical  notion  of  true  saving  religion,  yet, 
with  fiery  zeal,  insist  on  the  profession  of  a  great  number  of  doctrines,  and  sev- 
eral of  the  doctrines  of  pure  revelation,  as  the  Trinity,  &c.  But  this  in  them 
flows  not  from  any  regard  to  their  influence  in  internal  saving  religion,  but  from 
quite  another  view,  i.  e.,  to  uphold  their  tyranny.  These  are  the  doctrines 
which  liave  been  handed  down  among  them  by  their  church  from  ancient  tra- 
dition; and  to  m-aintain  the  credit  of  the  infallibility,  and  divine  authority  and 
dominion  of  their  hierai'chy,  over  men's  faith,  they  must  be  zealous  against  any 
that  presume  to  deny  Christ's  doctrines,  because  they  look  upon  it  as  an  infringe- 
ment on  the  high  authority  they  claim.  And  some  Protestants  have  a  zeal  for 
doctrines  from  like  views ;  doctrines  that  indeed  they  have  no  great  value  for 
in  themselves  considered. 

17.  That  It  is  not  alone  sufficient  to  believe  that  one  article,  that  a  person  of 
the  name  of  Jesus  came  from  God  to  reveal  his  will  to  man,  without  knowing 
or  determining  what  he  was,  or  concerning  his  nature  and  qualities,  is  evident 
from  this,  that  it  is  often  spoken  of  as  necessary  to  know  Christ.  It  is  said, 
''  This  is  eternal  life,  to  know  thee,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent." 

18.  There  are  two  things  especially  that  make  modern  fashionable  divines 
look  on  doctrines  of  revealed  religion  of  little  importance.  One  is,  their  mistake 
about  the  conditions  of  salvation  ;  another  is,  their  mistake  about  the  nature  of 
true  virtue,  placing  it  chiefly,  and  most  essentially,  in  benevolence  to  men,  and 


MYSTERIES  OF  SCRIPTURE,  543 

so  little  In  respect  to  God  and  Christ.  If  Christian  virtue  consists  very  much  in 
a  proper  respect  to  Christ,  then  certainly  it  is  of  great  importance  to  know 
what  sort  of  person  he  is,  at  least,  as  to  that  particuhir  wherein  his  excellency 
or  worthiness  of  regard  consists,  \vhich  is  surely  his  divinity,  if  he  be  a  divine 
person.  Another  thing  on  which  a  projit-r  respect  to  him  (kj)t.iids,  is  his  relation 
to  us,  and  our  dependence  upon  him  ;  which  surely  chiefly  depends  on  his  satis- 
faction and  merits  tor  us,  if  he  has  satisfied  and  merited  for  us.  The  reasons  or 
grounds  of  the  love  anti  honor  to  Christ  required  of  us,  consist  chiefly  in  two 
things:  1,  in  what  he  is:  and  2,  in  what  he  has  done  for  us.  Therefore, 
with  regard  to  the  latter,  it  concerns  us  greatly  to  know,  at  least  as  to  the  prin- 
cipal things,  what  they  are.  And  if  he  has  satisfied  for  our  sins  ;  if  he  has  suf- 
fered in  our  stead  ;  if  he  has  truly  purchased  eternal  life  and  happiness  for  us ; 
if  he  has  redeemed  us  from  an  extremely  and  perfectly  sinful,  miserable,  helpless 
state,  a  state  wherein  we  deserved  no  mercy,  but  eternal  misery  without  mercy  ; 
then  these  are  principal  things. 

Another  reason  why  fioctrines  are  thought  to  be  of  little  importance,  is  a 
notion  of  .^mct'nY^  wherein  true  virtue  consists,  as  what  maybe  prior  to  any 
means  of  it  that  God  grants  ;  as  if  it  was  what  every  man  had  in  his  |)ower, 
antecedently  to  all  means;  and  so  the  means  are  looked  upon  as  of  liltlc  im- 
portance. But  the  absurdity  of  this  may  be  easily  manifested.  If  it  be  inde- 
pendent of  all  means,  then  it  (jiay  be  independent  of  natural  information,  or  of 
the  truths  of  the  light  of  nature,  as  well  as  of  revealed  religion;  and  men  may 
sincerely  regard  and  honor  they  know  not  what.  The  truths  of  natural  religion, 
wherein  Christians  difler  from  the  most  ignorant,  brutish,  and  deluded  idolaters, 
the  most  savage  aud  cruel  of  the  heathen  nations,  may  be  of  little  importance. 
And  the  reason  why  tlu'y  have  this  notion  of  sincerity  antecedent  to  means,  and 
so  independent  on  means  is,  that  they  have  a  notion  that  sincerity  is  independent 
on  God,  any  otherwise  than  as  they  depend  on  him  for  their  creation.  They  con- 
ceive it  to  be  independent  on  his  sovereign  will  and  pleasure.  If  they,were  sensible 
that  they  depend  on  God  to  give  it  according  to  his  pleasure,  it  would  be  easy  and 
natural  "to  acknowledge,  that  God  gives  it  in  his  own  way,  and  by  his  own  means. 

19.  If  any  article  of  faith  at  all  concerning  Jesus  Christ  be  of  importance, 
it  must  be  of  importance  to  know  or  believe  something  concerning  his  peison  ; 
who  he  is,  and  what  he  was  ;  what  sort  of  a  person  or  being  he  was.  And  if 
any  thing  concerning  him  be  of  importance  to  be  known  and  believed,  it  must 
be  something  wherein  his  excellency  or  worthiness  of  regard  consists  :  for  noth- 
ing can  be  of  importance  to  be  known  or  believed  about  him,  but  in  order  to 
some  regard  or  respect  of  heart.  But  most  certainly,  if  any  thing  of  his  excel- 
lency and  dignity  be  of  importance  to  be  known  or  believed,  it  must  be  of  im- 
portance at  least  to  know  so  much  about  him,  as  to  know  whether  he  be  God 
or  a  mere  creature;  for  herein  lies  the  greatest  difference,  as  to  dignity,  that 
possibly  can  be.  This  diflference  is  infinite.  If  it  be  of  importance  to  know 
how  worthy  he  is,  then  it  doubtless  is  of  importance  that  we  should  not  be  ig- 
norant of,  and  deny,  as  it  were,  all  his  dignity,  or  so  much  of  it,  that  what 
remains  shall  be  absolutely  as  nothing  to  that  which  is  denied.  It  is  of  impor- 
tance that  we  love  Christ,  or  have  respect  to  him  as  one  that  is  excellent,  and 
worthy  of  esteem  and  love.  The  apostle  says,  "  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema  maranatha."  And  doubtless,  true  love  to 
Christ  is  in  some  respect  suitable  to  the  worthiness  and  excellency  of  his  per- 
son. Therefore  it  is  of  importance  to  believe,  and  not  to  deny  those  doctrines 
which  exhibit  his  worthiness.  It  is  of  importance  that  we  do  not  in  ctTect  deny 
the  whole  of  his  worthiness. 


544  MYSTERIES   OF   SCRIPTURE. 

20.  How  many  things  were  believed  by  the  ancient  philosophers  about  di- 
vine malters,  even  tlie  most  rational  of  them  more  mysterious  than  the  doctrine 
of  the  Tjinity,  chiefly  because  such  things  were  handed  to  them  by  the  Phoe- 
nicians, Egyptians,  Chaldeans,  or  Persians,  or  on  the  authority  of  some  great 
master!  Yet  these  things  were  imbibed  without  much  difiicully,  the  incom-, 
prehensibleness  of  the  doctrines  being  no  objection  to  their  receiving  them. 

21.  There  are  things  evidently  true  concernhig  the  nature  of  our  own  souls, 
that  seem  strange  paradoxes,  and  are  seeming  contradictions  ;  as,  that  our  souls 
are  in  no  place,  and  yet  have  a  being;  or,  if  they  are  supposed  to  be  in  a  place, 
that  yet  they  are  not  confined  to  place,  and  limited  to  certain  space;  or,  if  ihcy 
be,  that  they  are  not  of  a  certain  figure  ;  or,  if  they  are  figurate,  that  their  pro- 
perties, faculties,  and  acts,  should  or  should  not  be  so  too. 

22.  If  many  things  we  all  see  and  know  of  the  mortality  of  mankind,  the 
extreme  sufferings  of  infants,  and  other  things  innumerable  in  the  state  of  the 
world  of  mankind,  were  only  matter  of  doctrine  which  Me  had  no  notice  of  any 
other  May  than  by  revelation,  and  not  by  fact  and  experience ;  have  w^e  not 
reason  to  think,  from  M'hat  M'e  see  of  the  temper  of  this  age,  that  they  M'ould  be 
exceedingly  quairelled  with,  objected  mightily  against,  as  inconsistent  Mith 
God's  moral  pei  i'ections,  not  tending  to  amiable  ideas  of  the  Godhead,  &c.  &c. 

23.  The  definition  of  a  mystery,  according  to  Stapfervs,  Theo.  Polem.  p 
263,  and  858,  is  this:  a  mystery  \s  a  religious  doctrine,  M'hich  must  be  n;ia(le 
knoM'n  by  immediate  revelation,  and  cannot  be  known  and  demonstrated  from 
the  principles  of  reason,  but  is  above  reason,  and  M'hich  in  this  M'hole  univeise 
has  nothing  like  itself,  but  differs  from  all  those  truths  M'hich  M'e  discover  in  this 
system  of  the  M'orld. 

Ibid.  p.  859.  It  appears  from  the  definition,  that  M'hatever  is  known  by  di- 
vine re\elation,  and  is  not  certain  from  the  principles  of  reason,  is  a  mystery , 
otherwise  it  could  not  be  said  to  be  revealed. 

Revelation  cannot  be  conceived  of  Mithout  mysteries  ;  and  mysteries  are  the 
first  thing  M'hich  M'e  conceive  concerning  revelation  ;  for  no  revelation  can  be 
conceived  M'ithout  mysteries,  and  therefore  they  constitute  the  sum  and  essence 
of  revelation. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  that  we  ought  to  distinguish  betM'een  those  things  M'hich 

were  M'ritten  in  the  sacred  books  by  the  immediate  inspiration  of  the  Holy 

Spirit,  and  those  M'hich  Mere  only  committed  to  writing  by  the  direction  of  the 

Holy  Spirit.     To  the  former  class  belong  all  the  mysteries  of  salvation,  or  all 

those  things  which  respect  the  means  of  our  deliverance  taught  in  the  gospel, 

which  could  not  be  knoM-n  from  the  principles  of  reason,  and  therefore  must  be 

revealed.     But  to  the  other  class  those  things  belong,  which  either  are  already 

known  from  natural  religion,  but  are  of  service  to  inculcate  duty  on   man,  and 

to  demonstrate  the  necessity  of  a  revelation  of  the  means  of  salvation ;  or  are 

Histories,  useful  to  illustrate   and   to  assure  us  of  the  doctrines  revealed,  and 

M'hich  point  out  the  various  degrees  of  revelation,  the  different  dispensations  of 

salvation,  and  the  various  modes  of  governing  the  church  of  God ;  all  which 

are  necessary  to  be  known  in  the  further  explanation  of  mysteries. 

Mysteries  constitute  the  criterion  of  divine  revelation  :  so  absurdly  (b  they 
act,  who  allow  a  revelation  and  deny  mysteries;  or  deny  revelation  for  this 
reason,  that  it  contains  mysteries.  What  the  sum  and  essence  o^'  revelation  or 
of  revealed  religion,  are,  is  plain  from  the  end  of  it,  which  is  this,  to  point  out 
to  sinful  men  the  means  of  obtaining  salvation,  and  of  recovering  the  divine 
favor.  But  this  means  is,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  and  most  perfect  cause 
of  salvation,  to  be  received  by  a  true  faith.     This  doctrine,  however,  is  a  mys- 


MYSTERIES  OF  SCRIPTURE,  545 

tery  of  godliness  manifestly  great;  1  Tim.  iii.  IG.  And  thus  that  great  myste- 
ry constitutes  the  sum  and  t-ssence  of  revelation.  The  essence  of  icvealtil  re- 
ligion consists  in  this,  that  men  by  a  true  laith  receive  this  docliine,  w liicii  the 
apostle  calls  a  mystery  manilVslly  great.  'I'herefore  the  knowledge  of  the 
greatest  mystery  belongs  to  the  very  essence  of  the  religion  of  a  sinner. 

How  absurd  do  many  of  the  doctrines  of  mathematicians  and  astrono- 
mers appear  to  ignorant  men,  vvhen  they  cannot  see  the  reason  of  those  doc- 
trines, although  tiiey  are  most  true  and  evident,  so  tiiat  not  the  least  duuLt  con- 
cerning them  can  remain  in  the  mind  of  a  thorough  mathematician  ?  Ibid.  torn. 
iii.  p.  560. 

Since,  in  religion,  there  are  some  primary  truths,  and  others  more  remote, 
which  are  deduced  from  the  former  by  reasoning,  and  so  are  secondary,  and 
these  last  may  not  be  known,  though  the  primary  are  known,  but  wiien  once 
they  are  known  they  cannot  be  denied  ;  it  follows  that  those  articles  which 
constitute  religion,  and  so  are  fundamental,  are  to  be  distinguished  into  primary 
and  secondary.  The  primary  are  those  of  which  a  man  cannot  be  ignorant, 
consistently  with  tiue  religion  and  his  own  salvation;  and  they  are  necessary 
with  a  necessity  of  means.  The  secondary  are  those  of  which  a  man  may  be 
ignorant,  consistently  with  his  resting  upon  the  foundation  of  true  religion,  and 
with  his  own  salvation  ;  and  those  are  necessary  with  a  necessity  of  command. 
Therefore,  to  the  same  man,  certain  doctrines  may  be  now  fundamental,  which 
were  not  fundamental  to  him  before  he  knew  them.  Ibid.  tom.  i.  p.  524,  524. 
Joh.  Chr.  Kirchmrjerm,  in  his  Dissert,  concerning  fundamental  articles, 
says,  "They  may  be  either  reduced  to  fewer,  or  extended  to  more;  as  oltcn 
one  article  may  include  the  rest,  and  so  all  may  be  reduced  to  that  one ;  and  on 
the  other  hand,  that  one,  according  to  the  various  truths  contained  in  it,  may  be 
divided  into  several.  Therefore,  authors  do  not  contradict  theniselves,  who  re- 
duce all  fundamental  articles  to  one  :  for  they  cannot  well  be  determined  by 
their  number;  because  as  many  fundamental  truths  are  contained  in  one  funda- 
mental truth,  as  there  are  essential  properties  belonging  to  the  truths  thus  con- 
tained. Therefore  the  holy  Scripture  often  sums  up  all  fundamental  articles  in 
one,  as  in  John  xvii.  3  :  "  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent."  Sometimes  it  distin- 
guishes them  into  several ;  as  in  1  Tim.  i.  5 :  "  Now  the  end  of  the  command- 
ment is  charity,  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good  conscience,  and  of  faith  un- 
feigned."    Ibid,  tom,  i.  p.  528. 

On  account  of  the  various  degrees  of  men's  capacities,  and  the  various  cir- 
cumstances of  the  times  in  which  they  live,  one  man  may  know  truths  which 
another  cannot  know.  Whence  it  follows  that  the  very  same  articles  are  not 
fundamental  to  all  men  ;  but  accordingly  as  revelation  hath  been  more  or  less 
complete,  according  to  the  several  dispensations  under  which  men  have  lived, 
their  various  natural  abilities,  and  their  various  modes  and  circumstances  of 
living,  different  articles  are,  and  have  been,  fundamental  to  diflerent  men.  This 
is  very  plain  from  the  dififereiit  degrees  of  knowledge  before  and  since  the 
coming  of  Christ ;  for  before  his  coming,  many  truths  lay  hid,  which  are  now 
set  in  the  most  clear  light :  and  the  instance  of  the  apostles,  abundantly  shows 
the  truth  of  what  I  have  now  advanced  ;  who,  although  they  were  already  in 
a  state  of  grace,  and  their  salvation  was  secured,  yet  for  some  time  were  igno- 
rant of  the  necessity  of  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ,  and  of  the  true  nature 
of  his  kingdom.  Whereas,  he  who  now  does  not  acknowledge,  or  perhaps  de- 
nies, the  necessity  of  Christ's  death,  is  by  all  means  to  be  considered  as  in  a 
fundamental  error.  Therefore,  as  a  man  hath  received  of  God  greater  or  less 
Vol..  III.  69 


546  MYSTERIES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 

natural  abilities,  so  let  the  number  of  articles  to  which  he  shall  give  his  asst 
be  greater  or  smaller ;  and  as  revelation  hath  been  made  or  information  hath 
been  given,  to  a  man,  more  clearly  or  obscurely,  in  the  same  proportion  is  more 
or  less  required  of  him.  Therefore,  in  our  own  case,  we  ought  to  be  cautious 
of  even  the  smallest  errors,  and  to  aim  at  the  highest  degree  of  knowledge  in 
divine  truths.  In  the  case  of  others  we  ought  to  judge  concerning  them  with 
the  greatest  prudence,  mildness,  and  benevolence.  Hence  we  see,  that  a  cer- 
tain precise  number  of  articles,  which  shall  be  necessary  and  fundamental  to 
every  man,  cannot  be  determined.     Ibid.  p.  531. 

If  one  single  article  of  faith  be  so  comprehensive,  that  in  it  are  involved  all 
things  necessary  to  salvation,  a  man  is  not  to  be  condemned  as  a  latjtudinarian, 
or  as  indifferent  to  all  other  doctrines,  because  he  says  that  one  article  only  is 
fundamental.  For  instance,  that  by  the  grace  of  the  Triune  God,  Jesus,  the 
true  and  eternal  God,  having  assumed  the  human  nature,  became,  through  his 
satisfaction  for  sin,  by  his  sufferings  and  death,  the  only  and  most  perfect  cause 
of  our  salvation ;  who,  therefore,  together  with  the  w^hole  sacred  Trinity,  is,  in 
tne  way  of  self-denial,  to  be  sought,  loved  and  worshipped.     Ibid.  p.  532 


OBSERVATIONS 


PARTICULAR  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 


Genesis  ii.  1. — "  Thus  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  finished,  and  all  the 
host  of  them."  This  argues  that  the  angels  belong  to  the  Mosaic  creation, 
who  are  so  often  spoken  of  as  God's  host,  and  as  the  hosts  of  heaven. 

Genksis  iv.  23,  24. — "And  Lamech  said  unto  his  wives,  Adah  and  Zillah, 
I  have  slain  a  man  to  my  wounding,"  &c.  The  probable  design  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  relating  this,  is  to  show  the  great  increase  of  the  depravity  and  cor- 
ruption of  the  world,  or  of  Cain's  posterity  and  those  that  adhered  to  them. — 
This  is  shown  in  the  particular  instance  of  Lamech,  the  chief  man  of  Cain's 
posterity,  in  his  day.  Lamech  had  been  guilty  of  murdering  some  man  that 
he  had  a  quarrel  with.  And  he  justifies  himself  in  it,  and  endeavors  to  satisfy 
his  wives  that  he  shall  escape  with  impunity,  from  the  instance  of  Cain,  whose 
life  God  spared,  and  even  took  special  care  that  no  man  should  kill  him,  making 
the  declaration,  that  if  any  man  killed  him,  vengeance  should  be  taken  of  him 
seven-fold,  though  the  man  he  slew  was  his  brother,  and  a  righteous  man,  and 
had  done  him  no  injury.  But  the  man  he  had  slain  in  or  for  his  wounding  (as 
the  words  are  interpreted  by  some  learned  men,  see  Pool's  Synopsis  in  Loc), 
i.  e.,  the  man  he  had  slain  had  injured  or  wounded  him.  Therefore,  if  Cain 
should  be  avenged  seven-fold,  doubtless  he  seventy- and-seven-fold.  By  this 
speech  to  his  wives,  he  shows  his  impenitence  and  presumption,  and  great  insen- 
sibility. When  Cain  had  slain  his  brother  his  conscience  greatly  troubled  him. 
But  Lamech  with  great  obduracy  shakes  off  all  remorse,  and  as  it  were  bids 
defiance  to  all  fear  and  trouble  about  the  matter. 

Genp:sis  iv.  26. — "  And  to  Seth,  to  him  also  was  born  a  son,  and  he  called 
"his  name  Enos.  Then  men  began  to  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord."  The 
right  translation  probably  is,  Then  began  men  to  call  by  the  name  of  the  Lord^ 
or  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  i.  e.,  then  they  began  to  call  themselves,  and  their 
children  by,  or  in  his  name:  signifying  that  then  the  people  of  God,  of  whom 
Seth  was  the  principal  man,  and  as  it  were  their  head,  leader,  and  chief  priest, 
being  with  his  posterity  appointed  another  seed  (seed  or  generation  of  God) 
instead  of  Abel ;  I  say,  then  the  people  of  God  began  openly  to  separate  them- 
selves from  the  wicked  apostate  world  of  the  posterity  of  Cain,  and  those  that 
joined  with  them  ;  and  began  to  appear  in  a  visibly  distinct  societ)',  being  called 
the  children  of  God,  when  the  other  were  called  the  children  of  men. 

The  children  and  posterity  were  looked  upon  as  being  in  the  name  of  the 
father,  and  upholding  his  name.  See  Numb,  xxvii.  4  ;  Deut.  ix.  14,  and 
XXV.  7;  1  Sam.  xxiv.  21;  2  Sam.  xviii.  18;  Ruth  iv.  5;  Job  xviii,  17; 
Tsai.  xiv.  22 ;  Gen.  xlviii.  16,  compared  with  Numb.  vL  27.  On  the  birth 
of  Enos  it  probably  first  began  to  be  a  custom  for  parents  openly  to  dedicate 
their  children  to  God,  and  call   them  by  his  name,  and  as  it  were  insert  them 


548  OBSERVATIONS  UPON 

into  his  name,  by  bringing  them  to  the  place  of  public  worship  ;  the  transaction 
being  personal,  by  the  parents'  solemn  declaration  and  covenant,  attended  with 
prayer  and  sacrifice. 

Genesis  ix.  26. — "  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Shem."  By  Jehovah,  the 
God  of  Shem,  seems  especially  meant  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  of  his  posterity, 
and  eminently  his  seed.  The  blessing  here  pronounced  on  Japhet,  is  on  his 
posterity.  And  the  curse  of  Canaan  respects  his  posterity.  Therefore  it  is 
reasonable  to  understand  the  blessing  of  Shem  to  be  also  on  his  posterity. 

Genesis  xxix.  20. — "  And  Jacob  served  seven  years  for  Rachel,  and  they 
seemed  unto  him  but  a  few  days,  for  the  love  he  had  to  her."  Jacob  was  a  type 
of  Christ,  in  his  obtaining  his  Vvife  by  a  ser\itude,  and  in  his  servitude's  seem- 
ing so  light  to  him,  and  his  going  so  cheerfully  through  it,  for  the  love  where- 
with he  loved  her.  That  Jacob  might  enjoy  his  beloved  Rachel,  was  the  joy 
set  before  him  ;  for  which  he  despised  the  ditliculty  of  his  servitude.  So,  that 
Christ  might  redeem  his  church  and  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  and  blessed 
church,  to  dwell  with  him  in  gloiy  for  ever,  was  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him, 
for  which  he  endured  the  cross  and  despised  the  shame. 

Genesis  xlv. — Joseph's  making  himself  known  to  his  brethren.  It  is  with- 
out all  doubt  that  one  thing  signified  by  Joseph's  being  hated  of  his  brethren, 
with  a  mortal  hatred,  their  intending  to  kill  him,  and  selling  him  to  the  Gentiles, 
was  the  rejection  of  Christ  by  the  Jews  his  brethren,  his  being  hated,  and  envied, 
and  slain  by  them,  and  delivered  up  to  the  Gentiles ;  see  Psal.  Ixix.  6,  Matt.  xx. 
19.  So  Joseph's  brethren  being  brought  to  repentance,  and  Joseph's  being 
made  known  to  them,  their  being  reconciled  and  received  with  great  joy,  repre- 
sents the  future  conversion  of  the  Jews,  their  being  brought  to  repentance  after 
having  rejected  and  crucified  Christ,  and  the  great  joy  and  gladness  there  shall 
be  on  that  occasion.  This  affair  was  much  taken  notice  of  by  Pharaoh  and  his 
servants,  and  was  very  pleasing  to  them.  So  the  coming  in  of  the  Jews  will  be 
life  from  the  dead  to  the  Gentiles. 

Deut.  viii.  4. — "Thy  raiment  waxed  not  old  upon  thee,  neither  did  thy  foot 
swell  these  forty  years."  This  was  probably  a  type  of  the  desirableness  of  the 
clothing  of  the  spiritual  Israel,  in  their  journey  through  the  wilderness  of  this 
world  towards  the  heavenly  Canaan.  The  saints'  grace  or  righteousness  is  often 
represented  as  this  clothing.  [Neither  did  thy  foot  swell.]  If  their  feet  had 
swollen  they  would  not  have  been  able  to  proceed  any  farther.  But  the  right- 
eous shall  be  enabled  to  hold  on  his  way ;  and  God  will  keep  the  feet  of  his 
saints,  and  establish  their  goings.  This  seems  to  be  the  chief  reason  why  this 
is  remarked,  viz.,  because  it  was  a  type.  For  in  itself  it  seems  no  very  extra- 
ordinary thing,  that  their  foot  did  not  swell.  For  they  lay  still  most  of  the  time ; 
and  when  they  travelled  it  is  probable  it  was  not  by  long  journeys,  but  as  the 
women  and  children  could  bear. 

Deut.  xxxii.  2. — "  My  doctrine  shall  drop  as  the  rain ;  my  speech  shall  dis- 
til as  the  dew,  as  the  small  rain  upon  the  tender  herb,  and  as  the  showers  upon 
the  grass."  God  here  speaks  to  the  people  quite  in  a  different  manner  from 
what  he  did  at  Mount  Sinai,  when  he  spake  to  them  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire. 
God's  word  then  was  like  thunder  and  lightning  and  devouring  fire,  threatening 
to  overbear  and  consume  so  frail  and  tender  a  creature  as  man,  who  is  like  the 
grass  and  flower  of  the  field.  God's  voice  now  is  gentle.  It  is  heard  in  pleas- 
ant song.  Instead  of  being  like  lightning  to  destroy  and  consume,  it  is  like  the 
gentle  showers,  and  refreshing  dew  on  the  tender  grass,  revealing,  not  his  wi-ath, 
but  his  great  mercy,  in  a  manner  adapted  to  men's  tender  frame.  In  this  song 
is  much  of  the  glorious  gospel.     Even  the  warnings  and  threatenings  that  are 


PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE.  549 

m  it,  are  HelivcrtMl  in  an  cvanfrelical  manner,  much  in  the  same  way  that  they 
were  dtlivered  in  tlie  mild  hiiip^ua<Te  of  the  glorious  Messiah.  All  the  songs  of 
the  Scripture  are  the  voice  of  the  gospel.  The  glorious  things  of  the  gospel 
are  their  foundation  and  subject  matter ;  and  therefore  in  them  God's  word  drops 
as  the  rain. 

DcuT.  xxxiii.  8. — "  And  of  Levi  he  said,  Let  thy  urim  and  thythummim.be 
with  thy  holy  one,  whom  thoii  didst  prove  at  Massah,  and  with  whom  thou 
didst  strive  at  the  waters  of  Meribah."  Here  Christ  is  evidently  called  Levi's 
holy  one.  Aaron,  the  high  priest  of  that  tribe,  was  Levi's  holy  one  in  some 
sense.  But  it  was  not  Aaron,  but  Christ,  that  was  tempted  at  Massaii  and 
Meribah  (1  Cor.  x.  9).  Moses  also  was  of  that  tribe,  and  might  be  called  their 
holy  one  ;  but  neither  was  he  the  person  there  tempted.  Both  Moses  and  Aaron 
rather  concurred  with  the  people  in  tempting.  Numb.  xx.  10 — 13.  Christ, 
the  great  antitype  of  Moses  and  Aaron,  the  true  high  priest,  that  was  the  sub- 
stance and  end  of  all  the  ancient  sacrifices  and  offerings,  anrl  of  all  the  peculiar 
ministrations  of  the  high  priest  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  according  to  Jer,  xxxiii. 
17 — 22,  may  well  be  called  Levi's  holy  one.  For  it  is  there  represented  as  the 
great  honor  and  privilege  of  Levi,  that  his  priesthood  was  to  be  upheld  and  com- 
pleted in  Christ.  All  the  honor  and  privilege  that  there  ever  was  in  having  the 
priesthood  of  his  tribe,  arose  from  the  relation  of  that  priesthood  to  Christ,  the 
glorious  things  which  he  should  accomplish  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  and  the 
eternal  benefits  he  should  procure.  Therefore  this  is  properly  mentioned  in  the 
blessing  uttered  by  Moses  with  respect  to  this  tribe.  The  priesthood  was  not  a 
vain  thing,  but  of  unspeakable  value,  as  it  stood  in  relation  to  the  priesthood  of 
Christ,  and  was  to  be  brought  to  its  infinitely  glorious  and  interesting  effect  in 
him.  It  was  by  the  Urim  and  the  Thummim  that  the  high  priest  was  especially 
furnished  to  make  intercession  for  the  people,  and  to  reveal  the  mind  and  will 
of  God  to  them.  The  Urim  and  Thuramim  had  their  principal  importance,  as 
they  were  typical,  and  represented  the  perfection,  and  merit,  the  light  and  glory, 
there  are  in  Christ. 

2  Sam.  xv. — Absalom  seems  to  have  been  a  type  of  Antichrist.  He  was 
the  son  of  Davitl ;  as  the  man  of  sin  was  originally  a  Christian  bishop,  one  of 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  who  in  a  peculiar  manner  are  Christ's  sons.  Absa- 
lom was  David's  son  by  Maacah,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Geshur,  the  only  wife 
that  he  had  that  was  a  Gentile.  So  Popery  is  a  mixture  of  Christianity  with 
Heathenism.  Absalom  was  the  son  of  a  Heathen  mother,  or  one  that  had  been  a 
Heathen.  So  the  Papistical  church  is  the  daughter  of  old  Heathen  Rome. 
Absalom  usurped  his  father's  authority  over  his  kingdom,  his  city  Jerusalem, 
and  over  his  house.  So  the  pope  usurps  the  authority  of  Christ,  sets  himself  up 
to  be  king  in  his  kingdom,  and  takes  possession  of  the  church,  the  true  spiritual 
Jerusalem,  sitting  in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself  that  he  is  God.  Ab- 
salom was  a  person  of  great  beauty,  and  was  admired,  and  praised  by  the  peo- 
ple for  his  beauty.  So  it  has  been  with  the  pope.  Whereas  Christ  appeared 
in  a  mean  and  low  conr'ition,  without  any  external  splendor,  and  when  the  peo- 
ple saw  him  there  was  no  beauty  in  him  wherefore  they  should  desire  him ; 
Antichrist  appears  in  threat  external  pomp  and  glory,  decked  with  gold  and  silver 
and  precious  stones,  fine  linen  and  scarlet,  which  all  the  world  has  admired  and 
■wondered  after,  saying,  Who  is  like  unto  the  beast  ?  Absalom  cloaked  his  rebel- 
lion and  usurpation  with  a  pretence  of  religion.  Like  Antichrist,  he  said  to  his 
father,  chap.  xv.  ver.  7,  8,  "  Let  me  go  and  pay  my  vow  which  I  have  vowed," 
&c.  Afealom  drove  David,  and  those  that  adhered  to  him,  out  of  Jerusalem. 
So  Antichrist  casts  out  of  the  church  all  the  true  and  faithful  followers  of  Christ. 


550  OBSERVATIONS  UPON 

David  went  away  into  the  wilderness,  and  all  his  faithful  subjects  went  with 
him,  wherever  he  went.  Which  is  agreeable  to  what  is  represented  to  be  the 
spirit  and  practice  of  the  true  followers  of  Christ  in  the  time  of  Antichrist,  Rev. 
xix.  4.     "  These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth." 

1  Kings  xix.  19,  20. — "  So  he  departed  thence  and  found  Elisha,"  &c.  The 
truth  with  respect  to  what  is  related  in  these  veises  probably  was  thus.  Elijah 
was  directed  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  cast  his  mantle  upon  Elisha.  But  Elijah 
had  not  the  design  of  God  fully  made  known  to  him  ;  supposing  it  to  be  intended 
as  a  sign  that  Elisha  should  be  prophet  after  him,  agreeable  to  what  God  had 
said  to  him  at  Mount  Sinai.  But  God  had  a  farther  meaning  in  it,  which  was 
intimated  by  his  Spirit,  which  went  with  Elijah's  mantle  as  it  passed  over  to 
Elisha ;  viz.,  that  he  should  immediately  forsake  all,  and  devote  himself  to  the 
performance  of  the  business  of  a  prophet,  Elisha,  supposing  that  Elijah  had 
this  design  of  God  made  known  to  him,  and  had  been  directed  to  cast  his  man- 
tle on  him,  with  this  view,  has  at  first  some  reluctance,  and  desires  of  Elijah 
that,  by  his  prayers,  he  would  obtain  leave  of  God  for  him  to  go  first  and  kiss 
his  father  and  mother.  Elijah,  surprised  at  this  request,  as  was  natural,  suppo- 
sing him  thus  ignorant,  says,  Go  back ;  for  what  have  I  done  that  should  hinder 
it  ?  However,  Elisha,  who  understood  the  mind  of  God,  soon  recovers  from  his 
reluctance,  and  went  no  further  back  than  his  oxen ;  and  took  them  and  the 
instruments,  and  offered  up  all  to  God,  signifying  by  this  action,  his  full  consent 
to  make  a  sacrifice  of  all  his  worldly  possessions  to  the  great  and  infinitely  im- 
portant concerns  of  his  ministry. 

2  Chron.  v.  12,  13,  14. — When  the  priests  and  Levites  were  as  one  to 
make  one  sound,  in  praising  God  with  singing  and  instruments  of  music,  say- 
ing, He  is  good,  for*  his  mercy  endureth  forever,  then  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
came  and  filled  the  house.  So,  when  it  shall  come  to  that  in  the  latter  days, 
that  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  shall  generally  be  united  in  preaching  the  true 
doctrines  of  it,  those  doctrines  that  are  in  a  peculiar  manner  evangelical,  by 
which  is  manifested  the  glory  of  God's  eternal  mercy  ;  free,  sovereign,  and  ina- 
mutable  grace,  through  Christ  Jesus,  and  shall  be  united  in  affection,  and  act  in 
union,  as  fellow  laborers  and  fellow  helpers,  then  shall  the  glory  of  God  remark- 
ably appear  ;  the  Spirit  of  God,  a  spirit  of  light,  holiness  and  joy,  shall  descend 
from  heaven  in  a  very  new  and  glorious  manner,  and  remarkable  success  attend 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel  everywhere ;  and  then  shall  be  the  proper  com- 
mencement of  the  church's  rest,  peace  and  glory  upon  earth.  The  peaceful 
reign  of  Solomon,  in  the  possession  of  unparalleled  wisdom,  riches  and  glory, 
after  the  militant  and  tumultuous  reign  of  David,  is  evidently  typical  of  the 
peaceful,  joyous,  and  glorious  reign  of  Christ  in  the  latter  day  :  and  God's 
dwelling  in  the  temple,  as  the  settled  place  of  his  rest,  after  removing  to  and 
fro  in  a  tabernacle,  is  typical  of  the  glorious  manner  of  his  dwelling  with  his 
church  in  the  latter  day,  as  compared  with  preceding  times.  The  largeness  of 
the  temple  compared  with  the  tabernacle,  represents  the  vast  increase  of  the 
church ;  and  the  cloud  of  glory  filling  the  temple,  represents  the  filling  of  ihe 
whole  earth  with  God's  glory. 

PsAL.  Ixxxii.  8. — "  Arise,  O  God,  judge  the  earth,  for  thou  shalt  inherit  all 
nations."  The  design  of  these  words,  in  their  connection  with  the  foregoing 
verses,  confirms,  that  the  princes  of  Israel  are  there  called  gods,  and  sons  of 
God,  with  reference  to  Christ,  the  true  King  of  Israel,  and  as  being  types  of 
him.  The  three  verses  in  their  connection  import  thus  much  :  God  has  given 
these  princes  and  judges  the  name  of  gods  or  sons  of  God,  as  they  are  exalted  to 
the  place  of  kings  and  saviours  of  his  people,  who  are  God's  heritage  or  king- 


PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE.  551 

donij  hut  they  die  like  men  ;  whereby  it  appears,  that  they  are  no  gods,  nor  are 
the  true  .ions  of  God  ;  but  ivere  mat,  and  no  more  than  images  and  s/iadows  of 
him.  But  oh  !  that  he  icho  is  truly  (iod,  who  is  indeed  the  Son  of  God,  the 
true  king,  judge  and  saviour  of  God's  people,  the  antitype  of  these,  would  come 
and  reign,  not  only  over  the  land  of  Israel,  but  over  the  whole  earth  ;  when 
God's  Israel  shall  f  II  the  earth,  and  all  7iatio7is  shall  be  God^s  people.  It  is  ob- 
servable that  wlieu  it  is  said  in  this  verse,  "  Arise,  O  God,"  the  word  God  is  Elo- 
him,  the  same  that  is  used  verse  6th,  "  I  have  said  ye  are  gods."  They  were 
called  Elohim  ;  but  Christ  is  the  true  Elohim  ;  just  as  the  manna  in  the  wilder- 
ness was  called  bread,  but  Christ  is  the  true  bread  froju  heaven. 

PsAi.Ms  Ixxiii.  4. — "  There  are  no  bands  in  their  death."  In  the  original 
the  words  are,  Eiri,  chartzabbutli  Lemolham,"  which  might  more  properly 
have  been  rendered,  their  death  hath  no  bands  ;  the  Hebrew  of  the  Latin  verb 
sum,  with  the  prefix  Lamed,  being  used  for  have.  The  meaning  seems  to  be, 
that  they  appear  lo  be  at  liberty  from  death,  as  though  they  were  out  of  his 
reach.  Their  death  is  here  represented  as  a  person  that  is  indeed  their  enemy, 
or  an  officer  of  vengeance,  that  they  greatly  deserve  to  be  delivered  up  to,  and 
that  has  a  commission  against  them,  and  would  fain  seize  them,  and  make  them 
his  prisoners,  but  has  no  bands  to  bind  them.  They  live  long,  and  live  without 
the  fears  of  death,  which  are,  as  it  were,  the  bands  of  death.  That  this  is  the 
meaning  is  confirmed  by  the  following  words  of  the  sentence :  "  But  theur 
strength  is  firm." 

Jer.  xxxi.  32. — "  Not  according  to  the  covenant  which  I  made  with  their 
fathers,  in  the  day  that  I  took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt."  That  covenant  was,  as  it  were,  founded  in  the  redemption  out  of 
Egypt.  Therefore  when  God  made  it  with  the  people,  he  prefaced  it  thus :  "  I 
am  the  Lord  thy  God  which  brought  thee  out  ot  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  out  of 
the  house  of  bondage."  It  is  hence  natural  to  suppose,  that  the  covenant  of 
which  the  prophet  here  speaks,  Mould  not  be  one  ibunded  on  that  redemption ; 
but  on  some  other,  far  better  and  more  glorious  redemption. 

Zech.  xiv.  4. — "  And  his  feet  shall  stand  that  day  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
which  is  before  Jerusalem,  on  the  east,  and  the  Mount  of  Olives  shall  cleave  in 
the  midst  thereof  towards  the  east,  and  towards  the  west,  and  there  shall  be  a 
very  great  valley,"  &c.  The  mountains  were  lound  about  Jerusalem  like  a 
wall ;  of  which  Mount  Olivt-t  was  the  chief.  This  stood  on  the  east,  between 
Jerusalem  and  the  greatest  Gentile  nations ;  those  nations  that  were  the 
most  malignant  and  formidable  enemies  of  Israel.  The  dividing  of  this  moun- 
tain under  the  feet  of  Zion's  Redeemer,  and  making  such  a  wide  valley  or  plain 
on  the  east  of  Jerusalem,  whereby  there  would  be  any  easy  access  for  the  Gen- 
tile nations,  signifies  the  breaking  down  of  the  partition  wall  between  the 
church  of  God,  and  those  that  are  without,  and  afar  off;  and  that  remarkable 
removing  of  obstacles  signified  by  God's  causing  that  every  mountain  and  hill 
should  be  brought  low  ;  and  the  drying  up  of  the  river  Euphrates,  that  the  way 
of  the  icings  of  the  east  might  be  prepared.  The  mountain's  being  thus  divided, 
by  Christ's  treading  on  it,  significantly  and  beautifully  represents  tlie  ease  with 
which,  in  the  exercise  of  his  sovereign  and  mighty  power,  he  overcomes  the 
"itrongest  and  proudest  enemies  that  oppose  the  salvation  of  his  elect;  agreeably 
to  what  is  said  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  this  book,  verse  7th,  "  Who  art  thou, 
O  great  mountain  !  Before  Zerubbabel  thou  shalt  become  a  plain."  And  chap, 
viii.  6,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  if  it  be  marvellous  in  the  eyes  of  the 
remnant  of  this  people  in  these  days,  should  it  also  be  marvellous  in  my  eyes, 
saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts  ]"  The  opening  made  through  the  mountains  here  is 


652  OBSERVATIONS  UPON 

represented  as  very  wide,  to  signify  the  abundant  grace,  and  free  and  open  ac- 
cess for  vast  multitudes ;  agreeably  to  Isa.  Ix.  1  i,  and  Rev.  xxi.  25. 

Matt.  xii.  30,  "  He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me."  The  true  reason 
of  Christ's  making  this  observation  in  this  place,  where  he  is  reproving  the 
Pharisees  for  saying,  that  he  cast  out  devils  by  Beelzebub,  is  this  :  these  Phar- 
isees had,  till  now,  appeared  to  exercise  that  kind  of  prudence,  falsely  so  called, 
which  is  commonly  to  be  seen  among  those,  who  count  themselves  wise  and 
great  men,  and  think  it  becomes  them  to  let  matters  of  religion  much  alone, 
and  not  to  appear  forward  and  zealous,  or  give  out  their  thoughts  freely.  When, 
in  view  of  the  miracles  which  Christ  Mrought,  the  multitude  were  affected,  and 
some  appeared  zealous  to  follow  him  ;  when  the  esteem  that  he  gained  among 
the  people  was  so  great  that  they  apprehended  themselves  in  danger  of  having 
their  glory  eclipsed,  and  of  losing  thy  respect  of  the  people,  and  their  authority 
over  them,  the  Pharisees  coukl  keep  silence  no  longer.  They  openly  showed 
what  was  in  their  heaits  before ;  a  fixed  enmity  against  Christ,  and  that  truly 
they  never  had  been  indifferent  as  they  appeared. 

Hkb.  X.  37. — "  For  yet  a  little  v,'hile,  and  he  that  shall  come,  will  come, 
and  will  not  tarry."  It  cannot  be  justly  inferred  from  these  words,  that  the 
apostle  expected  Christ's  last  coming  to  judgment  in  that  generation.  All  that 
could  reasonably  be  understood  by  them  is,  that  the  time  of  their  sufferings  was 
short,  and  it  would  be  but  a  little  season  before  they  would  be  wholly  delivered 
from  all  their  enemies,  and  should  receive  the  recompense  of  the  reward  they 
hoped  for.  This  appears  by  the  context,  and  also  by  the  obvious  meaning  of 
the  place  referred  to  in  the  Old  Testament.  If  this  and  the  next  verse  be  com- 
pared with  Hab.  ii.  2,  3,  4,  it  will  be  manifest  that  the  apostle  refers  to  what  is 
there  said.  The  vision  is  for  an  appointed  time,  but  in  the  end  it  shall  speak 
and  not  lie  ;  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it,  because  it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not 
tarry.  Behold  his  soul  which  is  lifted  up  is  not  upright  in  him  ;  but  the  just 
shall  live  by  his  faith.  The  thing  that  it  is  there  said  will  come  and  will  not 
tarry,  is  God's  people's  deliverance  from  the  oppression  of  their  enemies,  espe- 
cially from  the  Babylonish  captivity  ;  as  appears  by  the  context. 

JohN  V.  27. — "  And  hath  given  him  authority  to  execute  judgment  also,  be- 
cause he  is  the  Son  of  Man."  Christ  is  the  more  fitted  to  be  the  judge  of  men,  for 
his  being  himself  a  man,  one  of  the  same  race,  having  the  same  faculties,  senses 
and  organs,  living  in  the  same  world  under  the  same  law,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
same  temptations.  It  tends  to  confirm  the  faith  of  the  saints  that  their  near 
kinsman  and  elder  brother  performed  obedience  for  them,  and  wrought  out  the 
righteousness  that  they  depend  upon  for  justification  in  the  judgment,  and  also 
suffered  from  the  same  unrighteous  enemies ;  this  tends  to  encourage  and  con- 
firm their  faith  that  he  will  vindicate  them  in  the  judgment,  and  plead  their 
righteous  cause  against  their  unrighteous  enemies. 

RoM.  viii.  23. — "  And  not  only  they,  but  ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the 
adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body."  The  apostle  had  been  repre- 
senting, in  the  preceding  verses,  that  the  whole  creation  was,  as  it  were,  in  a 
state  of  travail,  to  bring  to  the  birth,  i.  e.,  to  bring  the  children  of  God  into  a 
state  of  liberty,  happiness  and  glory.  This  in  verse  19,  he  calls  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  sons  of  God,  alluding  to  children's  being  brought  forth  to  the  light 
when  they  are  born.  This  was  to  have  its  highest  fulfilment  at  the  resurrection, 
when  they  shall  be  born  from  the  grave,  and  manifested  in  the  most  public 
manner  in  the  proper  glory  of  God's  children,  and  shall  receive  the  most  public 
testimonies  of  God's  fatherly  love.     Even  in  this  present  state,  Christians,  by 


PASSAGES   OF   SCRIPTURE.  553 

receiving  the  spirit,  Avliich  is  a  filial  spirit,  a  spirit  of  adoption,  are  brougl.t  forth, 
as  the  sons  of  God,  and  have  the  Hberty  ami  priviU-ges  of  God's  children  iji 
part.  Yet  it  is  but  in  part.  They  have  only  the  first  fruits  of  the  spirit  of  adop- 
tion ;  and  they  tlieaiselvos  therefore  join  with  the  creation  around  them,  groan- 
ing within  themselves,  waiting  for  the  most  glorious,  the  ultimate  and  perfect 
manifestation  of  the  sons  of  (JotI,  when  they  shall  be  born  from  the  grave. 

Ei'Hi  s.  i.  18. — "  The  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints."  It  appears  to 
me  the  true  sense  of  this  passage  is,  his  inheritance  in  heaven.  Tn  the  Greek  it 
it,  fy  TO/,'  ayioi.;,  which  might  have  been  literally  translated,  in  the  holy  places; 
which  if  we  suppose  the  apostle  means  heaven,  would  have  been  very  agreeable 
to  his  way  of  speaking.  Jn  the  next  verse  but  one,  where  he  evidently  means 
in  heaven,  he  expresses  it  thus,  tv  enovQarioi^,  in  the  high.  So  in  chap. 
ii.  6,  3,  10.  In  Heb.  i.  3,  he  expresses  it  thus,  sv  vipr^Xmg,  in  the  high.  The  same 
is  expressed  in  Luke  ii.  14,  ev  vwi^oi^-,  in  the  highest.  If  it  may  thus  be  called 
the  heavenly,  the  high,  and  the  highest,  it  may  as  properly  be  called  the  holy. 
The  land  of  Canaan  was  calleil  the  holy  land,  and  the  city  Jerusalem  the  holy 
city ;  mount  Zion  the  holy  mountain,  and  the  temple  the  holy  place.  And 
heaven  is  eminently  the  holy  land,  the  holy  city,  mountain  and  temple. 

Rom.  vii.  25. — '•  With  the  mind  I  myself  serve  the  law  of  God,  but  with  the 
flesh  the  law  of  sin."  This  Mr.  Locke  paraphrases  thus  :  "  To  comfort  myselt 
therefore,  as  that  state  requires,  for  my  deliverance  from  death,  I  myself,  with 
full  purpose,  and  sincere  endeavors  of  mind,  give  up  myself  to  obey  the  law  of 
God  ;  though  my  carnal  inclinations  are  enslaved,  and  have  a  constant  tendency 
to  sin.  This  is  all  I  can  do,  and  this  is  all,  I  being  under  grace,  that  is  required 
of  me,  and  through  Clu-ist  will  be  accepted."  In  his  notes  he  observes,  "  I  my- 
self is  in  the  original,  ^/iTo,-  tyco,  i.  e.  (says  Mr.  Locke),  I  the  man,  with  all  my 
full  resolution  of  mind,  ^ivzo^'  and  tyco  might  both  have  been  spared,  if  noth- 
ing more  had  been  meant  here  than  the  nominative  case  to  dnvlnvco,^'  sec  note, 
verse  20.  He  observes  again  on  the  words,  "  or  Otho  ayw,  I  would  not,  I  in  the 
Greek  is  very  emphatical,  as  is  obvious,  and  denotes  the  man,  in  that  part  where- 
in he  is  chiefly  to  be  counted  himself,  and  therefore  with  the  like  emphasis,  verse 
25.  is  called  Avto^  tym,  I  my  own  self."  The  apostle  would  doubtless  inti- 
mate that  when  he,  the  saint,  was  himself,  and  acted  himself,  he  served  the  law 
of  God  ;  and  when  he  served  the  law  of  sin,  he  was  as  it  were  not  himself,  but 
led  captive  by  an  enemy.  That  is  agreeable  to  verses  17,  20,  and  22.  These 
things  plainly  show  that  the  apostle  speaks  in  the  name  of  a  saint,  and  not  in 
the  name  of  a  wicked  man. 

Vol.  IIL  70 


THEOLOGICAL  aUESTIONS. 


1.  How  does  it  appear  that  something  has  existed  from  eternity  ? 

2.  How  does  it  appear  that  this  earth  and  the  visible  system  are  not  from 
eternity  ? 

3.  How  does  it  appear  that  the  existence  of  man  is  derived  and  dependent? 

4.  How  do  you  prove  the  natural  perfections  of  God,  viz.,  his  intelligence, 
infinite  power,  foreknowledge  and  immutability  ? 

5.  How  do  you  prove  his  moral  perfections,  that  he  is  a  friend  of  virtue,  or 
absolutely  holy,  true,  just  and  good  ? 

6.  How  do  you  prove  that  the  Scriptures  are  a  revelation  from  God  ?    And 
what  are  the  evidences,  internal  and  external  1 

7.  How  do  you  prove  the  divine  mission  of  Christ  1 

8.  How  do  you  prove  the  divinity  of  Christ  ? 

9.  How  do  you  prove  the  personality  and  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghost? 

10.  How  do  you  prove  that  the  persons  in  the  Trinity  are  one  God  ? 

11.  Whence  arose  the  Manichean  notion  of  two  Gods,  and  how  is  it  con- 
futed ? 

12.  "Whence  arose  the  polytheism  of  the  Pagans,  and  how  confuted  ? 

13.  "Whence  was  it  that  the  knowledge  of  the  one  true  God,  in  whicli 
Noah  was  instructed,  was  not  preserved  among  his  posterity  in  all  ages  ? 

14.  Why  are  not  mankind  in  all  ages  (their  internal  faculties  and  external 
advantages  being  sufficient)  united  in  right  sentiments  of  the  one  true  God  ? 

15.  W^ere  the  moral  character  of  God  and  the   moral  law  understood  and 
loved,  would  there  be  any  objections  against  revealed  religion  ? 

16.  What  is  the  true  idea  of  God's  decrees  ? 

17.  How  do  you  prove  absolute  and  particular  election  ? 

18.  Did  God  decree  the  existence  of  sin  ? 

19.  Why  did  God  decree  sin  ? 

20.  In  what  sense  did  he  introduce  sin  into  the  universe? 

21.  How  do  you  reconcile  this  with  the  holiness  and  goodness  of  God? 

22.  What  is  necessary  to  constitute  a  moral  agent  ? 

23.  Are  men  moral  and  free  agents  ? 

24.  What  is  the  difference  between  natural  and  moral  power  and  inability  ? 

25.  How  is  absolute  moral  necessity,  or  inability,  consistent  with  the  free 
agency  of  men  ? 

26.  How  is  the  doctrine  of  universal,  absolute  decrees,  consistent  with  the 
free  agency  of  men  ? 

27.  How  do  you  prove  a  universal  and  special  providence  ? 

28.  What  is  the  covenant  of  redemption  ? 

29.  If  man  was  created  in  original     righteousness,  how  is  that  consistent 
with  moral  agency  ?  It  being  said  tliat  a  necessary  holiness  is  no  holiness. 

30.  What  was   tlie  constitution   under    which    Adam  in  innocency  was 
placed  ? 

31.  Was  Adam  under  the  same  necessity  of  falhng  that  we  are  of  sinning  ? 


THEOLOGICAL  QUESTIONS.  565 

32.  Are   all   intelligencies  bound  to   love   God   supremely,  sinners  and 
devils  ? 

33.  Is  the  law  holy,  just  and  good,  and  how  is  it  proved  ? 

34.  Are  they,  who  are  under  its  curse,  bound  to  delight  in  it  ? 

35.  How  great  is  the  demerit  of  sin  ? 

36.  Are  the  torments  of  hell  eternal  ? 

37.  How  do  you  reconcile  them  with  the  justice  and  infinite  goodness  of 
God? 

3S.  How  do  you  reconcile  thorn  with  those  texts  which  say  Christ  died  for 
all  men,  that  God  will  not  that  any  should  perish  ? 

39.  How  does  it  appear  that  human  nature  is  originally  depraved  1 

40.  Whence  comes  that  depravity  ? 

41.  How  is  it  proved  to  be  total  ? 

42.  What  is  the  covenant  of  grace  ? 

43.  Are  the  law  and  gospel  inconsistent  with  each  other  ? 

44.  Why  was  an  atonement,  and  one  so  precious  as  the  blood  of  Christ 
necessary  ? 

45.  In  what  manner  did  Christ  atone  for  sin  1 

46.  To  whom  doth  it  belong  to  provide  an  atonement,  God,  or  the  sinner  ? 

47.  Did  Christ  redeem  all  men  alike,  elect  and  nonelect  ? 

48  Can  the  offer  of  the  gospel  be  made  in  sincerity  to  the  nonelect  ? 

49.  How  is  redemption  applied  ? 

50.  What  is  the  office  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  work  of  redemption  ? 

51.  What  is  regeneration  ? 

52.  Whence  arises  the  necessity  of  it  1 

53.  What  is  true  love  to  God  1 

54.  What  is  true  benevolence  to  men  ? 

55.  W^hat  is  true  repentance,  and  how  distmguished  from  legal  ? 

56.  What  is  true  faith  ? 

57.  What  is  pardon  and  justification  ?'^What  is  their  foundation,  and  what 
is  the  influence  of  faith  therein  ? 

58.  How  are  full  satisfaction  and  free  pardon  consistent  ? 

59.  Is  the  sinner  forgiven  before  he  repents  1 

60.  Is  sanctifying  grace  needful  at  all   to  any  man,  unless  with  respect  to 
that  which  is  his  duty,  and  in  neglect  of  which  he  would  be  Avithout  excuse  ? 

61.  What  is  the  sum  of  man's  duty,  and  what  the  effect   produced  by  the 
sanctifying  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ? 

62.  Can  that  holy  volition  in  us,  which  is  the  effect  of  divine  power,  be 
wholly  our  act,  or  our  duty  1 

63.  How  is  it  proved  that  unbehef  is  sin,  and  that  all  errors  in  moral  mat- 
ters are  of  a  criminal  nature  ? 

64.  Will  the  wicked   Heathens,  Jews,  infidels,  and  errorists  of  every  kind, 
be  without  excuse  at  the  day  of  judgment  1 

65.  What  is  the  essence  of  true  virtue,  or  holiness  ? 

66.  Is  there  no  virtue  in  the  exercise  of  natural  conscience,  the  moral  sense, 
natural  compassion  and  generosity  ? 

67.  Is  not  self-love  the  root  of  all  virtue  ? 

68.  Do  not  the  unregenerate  desire  to  be   regenerated,  and  can  they  not 
properly  pray  for  regenerating  grace  ? 

69.  Do  they  not  desire  the  heavenly  happiness  ? 

70.  What  is  the  utmost  the  unregenerate  do  in  the  use  of  the  means  of 


556  THEOLOGICAL  QUESTIONS. 

71.  Is  any  duty  done  by  thera  therein  ? 

72.  Do  they  grow  better  in  the  use  of  means  1 

73.  To  what  are  they  to  be  exhorted  ? 

74.  What  is  the  real  advantage  of  the  assiduous  use  of  means  to  the  unre- 
generate  ? 

75.  How  do  you  prove  that  the  institution  of  the   Sabbath  is  of  perpetual 
obhgation  'i 

76.  How  is  it  that  the  Sabbath  is  changed  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day 
of  the  week  ? 

77.  How  do  you  prove  that  pubhc  worship  is  to  be  celebrated  on   the 
Sabbath?  '  _  ... 

78.  What  is  the  foundation  of  the  duty  of  prayer,  since  God  is  omniscient 
and  immutable  1 

79.  How  do  you  prove  that  family  prayer  is  a  duty  1 

80.  To  whom  are  the  promises  of  the  gospel  made,  to  the  regenerate,  or 
unregenerate  1 

81.  Are  no  encouragements  given  to  the  unregenerate  1 

82.  How  do  you  prove  the  saints'  perseverance  1 
S3.  What  is  "the  nature  of  a  Christian  church  ? 

84.  Who  are  fit  for  communion  therein  1 

85.  What  is  the  nature  and  import  of  baptism  ? 

86.  How  do  you  prove  infant  baptism  1 

87.  What  is  "the  nature  of  the  Lord's  Supper? 

88.  What  are  the  rules  and  end  of  church  discipline  ? 
89  What  is  the  character  of  a  good  minister  of  Christ  ? 
90.  In  what  does  the  happiness  of  heaven  consist  ? 


SIX   OCCASIONAL  SERMONS 


SERMON    I. 


THE  CHURCH  S  MARRIAOE  TO  HER  SONS,  AiND  TO  HER  OOD. 

Igaiam  Ixii.  4,  5.— Thy  land  shuU  be  marrind.     For  as  a  young  man  marrieth  a  »irgin,  so  shall  lliy  soni 
marry  thee  :  and  us  the  bridegroom  rejoiccth  over  llic  bride,  so  shall  thy  God  rejoice  over  thee. 

In  the  midst  of  many  blessed  promises  that  God  makes  to  his  church  in  this 
and  the  precedini^  and  following  chapters,  of  advancement  to  a  state  of  great 
peace,  comfort,  honor  and  joy,  after  long  continued  ailliction,  we  have  the  sura 
of  all  contained  in  these  two  verses.  In  the  4th  verse  God  says  to  his  church, 
•'Thou  shalt  no  more  be  termed  Forsaken;  neither  shall  thy  land  anymore 
be  termed  Desolate  :  but  thou  shalt  be  called  Ileplizibah,  and  thy  land,  Beulah  : 
for  the  Lord  delighteth  in  thee,  and  thy  land  shall  be  married."  When  it  is 
said,  "  Thy  land  shall  be  married,"  we  are,  by  thy  land,  to  understand  "  the 
body  of  thy  people,  thy  whole  race  ;"  the  land,  by  a  metonymy  very  usual  in 
Scripture,  being  put  for  the  people  that  inliabit  the  land. 

The  5th  verse  explains  how  this  that  is  promised  in  the  last  words  of  verse 
4,  should  be  accomplished  in  two  things,  viz.,  in  being  married  to  her  sons,  and 
married  to  her  God. 

1.  It  is  promised  that  she  should  be  married  to  her  sons,  or  that  her  sons 
should  marry  her  :  "  For  as  a  young  man  marrieth  a  virgin,  so  shall  thy  sons  marry 
thee."  Or,  as  the  words  might  have  been  more  literally  translated  from  the 
original:  "  As  a  youn^  man  is  married  to  a  virgin,  so  shall  thy  sons  be  married 
to  thee."  Some  by  this  understand  a  promise,  that  the  posterity  of  the  capti- 
vated Jews  should  return  again  from  Babylon  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  should 
be,  as  it  were,  married  or  wedded  to  their  own  land  ;  i.  e.,  they  should  be  re- 
united to  their  own  land,  and  should  have  great  comfort  and  joy  in  it,  as  a  young 
man  in  a  virgin  that  he  marries.  But  their  thus  interpreting  the  words  seems 
to  be  througli  inadvertence;  not  carefully  observing  the  words  themselves,  how 
that  when  it  is  said,  "  So  shall  thy  sons  marry  thee,"  God  does  not  direct  his 
speech  to  the  land  itself,  but  to  the  church  whose  land  it  was  ;  the  pronoun  thee 
being  applied  to  the  same  mystical  person  in  this  former  part  of  the  verse,  as  in 
the  words  immediately  following  in  the  latter  part  of  the  same  sentence,  "  And 
as  the  bridegroom  rejoiccth  over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy  God  rejoice  over  thee." 
It  is  the  church,  and  not  the  hills  and  valleys  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  that  is 
God's  bi  ide,  or  the  Lamb's  wife.  It  is  also  manifest,  that  when  God  says,  "  So 
shall  thy  sons  marry  thee,"  he  continues  to  speak  to  her  to  whom  he  had  spo- 
ken in  the  three  preceding  verses ;  but  there  it  is  not  the  ground  or  soil  of  the 
land  of  Canaan,  but  the  church,  that  he  speaks  to  when  he  says,  "  The  Gentiles 
shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy  glory :  and  thou  shalt  be  called  by 
a  new  name,  which  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  shall  name.  Thou  shalt  also  be  a 
crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy 
God.  Thou  shalt  no  more  be  termed  Forsaken,"  &c.  And  to  represent  the 
land  itself  as  a  bride,  and  the  subject  of  espousals  and  marriage,  would  be  a 
figure  of  speech  very  unnatural,  and  not  known  in  Scripture;  but  for  the  church 
of  God  to  be  thus  represented  is  very  usual  throughout  the  Scripture  from  the 

•  Preached  at  the  instalment  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Duel,  as  pastor  of  the  church  and  congregation 
at  East-Hampton,  on  Long-Island,  September  19,  1746. 


660  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

beginning  to  the  end  of  the  Bible,  And  then  it  is  manifest  that  the  return  of 
the  Jews  to  the  land  of  Canaan  from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  is  not  the  event 
mainly  intended  by  the  prophecy  of  which  these  words  are  a  part.  The  time 
of  that  return  was  not  the  time  when  that  was  fulfilled  in  the  2d  verse  of  this 
chapter,  "  And  the  Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy  glory  : 
and  thou  shalt  be  called  by  a  new  name,  which  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  shall 
name."  That  was  not  the  time  spoken  of  in  the  two  preceding  chapters,  with 
which  this  chapter  is  one  continued  prophecy.  That  was  not  the  time  spoken 
of  in  the  last  words  of  the  foregoing  chapter,  when  the  Lord  would  cause  right- 
eousness and  praise  to  spring  forth  before  all  nations :  nor  was  it  the  time  spo- 
ken of  in  the  5th,  6th,  and  9th  verses  of  that  chapter,  when  "  strangers  should 
stand  and  feed  the  flocks  of  God's  people,  and  the  sons  of  the  alien  should  be 
their  ploughmen,  and  vine  dressers  ;  but  they  should  be  named  the  priests  of 
the  Lord,  and  men  should  call  them  the  ministers  of  God ;  when  they  should 
eat  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles,  and  in  their  glory  boast  themselves,  and  their  seed 
should  be  known  among  the  Gentiles,  and  their  offspring  among  the  people;  and 
all  that  should  see  them  should  acknowledge  them,  that  they  are  the  seed 
which  the  Lord  halh  blessed."  Nor  was  that  the  time  spoken  of  in  the  chap- 
ter preceding  that,  "  when  the  abundance  of  the  sea  should  be  converted  mito 
the  church  ;  when  the  isles  should  wait  for  God,  and  the  ships  of  Tarshish  to 
bring  her  sons  from  far,  and  their  silver  and  gold  with  them  ;  when  the  forces 
of  the  Gentiles  and  their  icings  should  be  brought ;  when  the  church  should 
suck  the  milk  of  the  Gentiles,  and  suck  the  breast  of  kings  ;  and  when  that 
nation  and  kingdom  that  would  not  serve  her  should  perish  and  be  utterly  wast- 
ed :  and  when  the  sun  should  be  no  more  her  light  by  day,  neither  for  bright- 
ness should  the  moon  give  light  unto  her,  but  the  Lord  should  be  unto  her  an 
everlasting  light,  and  her  God  her  glory  ;  and  her  sun  should  no  more  go  down, 
nor  her  moon  withdraw  itself,  because  the  Lord  should  be  her  everlasting  light, 
and  the  days  of  her  mourning  should  be  ended."  These  things  manifestly  have 
respect  to  the  Christian  church  in  her  most  perfect  and  glorious  state  on  earth 
in  the  last  ages  of  the  world ;  when  the  church  should  be  so  far  from  being  con- 
fined to  the  land  of  Canaan,  that  she  should  fill  the  whole  earth,  and  all  lands 
should  be  alike  holy. 

So  that  the  children  of  Israel's  being  wedded  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  being 
manifestly  not  the  meaning  of  these  words  in  the  text,  "  As  a  young  man  raar- 
rieth  a  virgin,  so  shall  thy  sons  marry  thee,"  as  some  suppose ;  I  choose  rather, 
with  others,  to  understand  the  words  of  the  church's  union  with  her  faithftil 
pastors,  and  the  great  benefits  she  should  receive  from  them.  God's  ministers, 
though  they  are  set  to  be  the  instructors,  guides,  and  fathers  of  God's  people,  yet 
are  also  the  sons  of  the  church:  Amos  il.  II,  "I  raised  up  of  your  sons  for  pro- 
phets, and  of  your  young  men  for  Nazarites."  Such  as  these,  when  faithful, 
are  those  precious  sons  of  Zion  comparable  to  fine  gold  spoken  of.  Lam.  iv.  2  ; 
spoken  of  again,  verse  7  :  "  Her  Nazarites  were  purer  than  snow,  they  were 
whiter  than  milk.'*  And  as  he  that  marries  a  young  virgin  becomes  the  guide 
of  her  youth  ;  so  these  sons  of  Zion  are  represented  as  taking  her  by  the  hand 
as  her  guide  :  Isai.  li.  18,  "  There  is  none  to  guide  her  among  all  the  sons  whom 
she  hath  brought  forth  :  neither  is  there  any  that  taketh  her  by  the  hand  of  all 
the  sons  that  she  hath  brought  up."  That  by  these  sons  of  the  church  is 
meant  ministers  of  the  gospel,  is  confirmed  by  the  next  verse  to  the  text:  "  I 
have  set  watchmen  upon  thy  walls,  0  Jerusalem." 

That  the  sons  of  the  church  should  be  married  to  her  as  a  young  man  to  a 
virgin,  is  a  mystery  or  paradox  not  unlike  many  others  held  forth  in  the  word 


TO  HER  SONS.  6(J1 

of  God,  concerning  llie  relation  between  Christ  anil  his  people,  and  their  i ela- 
tion to  him  and  to  one  another  ;  such  as  that  Christ  is  David's  Lord  and  )et  his 
son,  and  both  the  root  and  ofTspring  of  David  ;  that  Christ  is  a  son  born  and  a 
child  given,  and  yet  the  everlahling  Father ;  that  the  church  is  Christ's  mother, 
as  she  is  represented.  Cant.  iii.  11,  and  viii.  1 — and  yet  that  she  is  his  sjiouse, 
his  sister,  and  his  child  ;  that  believers  are  Christ's  mother,  and  yet  his  sister 
and  brother  ;  and  that  ministers  are  the  sons  of  the  church,  and  yet  that  they  ai'e 
her  fathers,  as  the  apostle  speaks  of  himself,  as  the  father  of  the  menibeis  of 
the  church  of  Corinth,  and  also  the  mother  of  the  Galatians,  travailing  in  birth 
with  them,  Gal.  iv.  19. 

2,  The  second  and  chief  fulfilment  here  spoken  of,  of  that  promise  of  tlie 
church's  being  married,  is  in  her  being  married  to  Christ.  "  And  as  the  bride- 
groom rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy  God  rejoice  over  thee."  N(U  that 
Ave  are  to  understand  that  the  church  has  many  husbands,  or  that  Christ  is  one 
husband,  and  ministers  are  other  husbands  that  she  hath  ;  for  thougli  niini.stei-s 
are  here  spoken  of  as  being  married  to  the  clun  ch,  yet  it  is  not  as  being  liis  fel- 
lows or  competitors,  or  as  liusbands  of  the  church  standing  in  a  conjugal  i ela- 
tion to  his  bride  in  any  wise  parallel  with  his:  for  the  church  has  but  one  hus- 
band ;  she  is  not  an  adulteress,  but  a  virgin,  that  is  devoted  wholly  to  the  Lamb, 
and  follows  him  whithersoever  he  goes.  But  ministers  espouse  the  cli'uch  en- 
tirely as  Christ's  ambassadors,  as  representing  him  and  standing  in  his  stead, 
being  sent  forth  by  him  to  be  married  to  her  in  his  name,  that  by  this  means 
she  may  be  married  to  him.  As  when  a  prince  marries  a  foreign  lady  by  proxy, 
the  prince's  ambassador  marries  her,  but  not  in  his  own  name,  but  in  the  name 
of  his  master,  that  he  may  be  the  instrument  of  bringing  her  into  a  true  conju- 
gal relation  to  him.  This  is  agreeable  to  what  the  apostle  says,  2  Cor.  xi.  2  : 
"I  am  jealous  over  you  with  a  godly  jealousy ;  for  I  have  espoused  you  to  one 
husband,  that  I  may  present  you  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ."  Here  tlie  apos- 
tle represents  himself  as  being,  as  it  were,  the  husband  of  the  cliurch  of  Corinth  ; 
for  it  is  the  husband  that  is  jealous  when  the  wife  commits  adultery  ;  and  yet 
he  speaks  of  himself  as  having  es]ioused  them  not  in  his  own  name,  but  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  and  lor  him  and  him  only,  and  as  his  ambassador,  sent  forth  to 
bring  them  home  a  chaste  virgin  to  him.  Ministers  are  in  the  text  represented 
as  married  to  the  church  in  the  same  sense  that  elsewhere  they  are  represented 
as  fathers  of  the  church  :  the  church  has  but  one  father,  even  God,  and  minis- 
ters arc  fathei-s  as  his  ambassadors  ;  so  the  church  has  but  one  shepherd.  John 
X.  16,  "  There  shall  be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd  ;"  but  yet  minislei-s,  as  Christ's 
ambassadors,  are  often  called  the  church's  shepherds  or  pastors.  The  cliurch 
has  but  one  Saviour ;  but  yet  ministers,  as  his  ambassadors  and  instruments, 
are  called  her  saviours.  1  Tim.  iv.  16,  "  In  doing  this  thou  shalt  both  save 
thyself  and  them  that  hear  thee."  Obad.  21,  "  And  saviours  shall  come  upon 
Mount  Zion."  The  church  has  but  one  priest ;  but  yet  in  Isai.  Ixvi.  21, 
speaking  of  the  ministers  of  the  Gentile  nations,  it  is  said,  '•  I  will  take  of  them 
for  priests  and  Levites."  The  church  has  but  one  Judge,  for  the  Father  halh 
committed  all  jtulgment  to  the  Son  ;  yet  Christ  tells  his  apostles,  that  they  shall 
sit  on  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 

When  the  text  speaks  first  of  ministers  marrying  the  chiuch,  and  then  of 
Christ's  rejoicing  over  her  as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride ;  the  for- 
mer is  manifestly  spoken  of  as  being  in  order  to  the  latter,  even  in  order  to  the 
joy  and  happiness  that  the  church  siiall  have  in  her  true  bridegroom.  The 
preaching  of  the  gospel  is  in  this  context  spoken  of  three  times  agoing,  as  the 
great  means  of  bringing  abcui  the  prosperity  and  joy  of  the  tnurch  ',  that  is 

Vol.  m.  71 


562  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

foretold  ;  once  in  the  first  verse,  "  For  Zlon's  sake  will  I  not  hold  my  peace, 
and  for  Jerusalem's  sake  1  will  not  rest,  until  the  righteousness  thereof  go  forth 
as  brightness,  and  the  salvation  thereof  as  a  lamp  that  burneth ;"  and  then 
again  in  the  text,  and  lastly  in  the  two  following  verses,  "I  have  set  watchmen 
upon  thy  walls,  O  Jerusalem,  which  shall  never  hold  their  peace  day  nor  night : 
ye  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord,  keep  not  silence;  and  give  him  no  rest,  fill 
he  establish,  and  till  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  earth," 

The  text  thus  opened  affords  these  two  propositions  proper  for  our  consid- 
eration on  the  solemn  occasion  of  this  day. 

I.  The  uniting  of  faithful  ministers  with  Christ's  people  in  the  ministerial 
office,  when  done  in  a  due  manner,  is  like  a  young  man's  marrying  a  virgin. 

II.  This  union  of  ministers  with  the  people  of  Christ  is  in  order  to  their  be- 
ing brought  to  the  blessedness  of  a  more  glorious  union,  in  which  Christ  shall 
rejoice  over  them,  as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride. 

I.  The  uniting  of  a  faithful  minister  with  Christ's  people  in  the  ministerial 
office,  when  done  in  a  due  manner,  is  like  a  young  man's  marrying  a  virgin. 

I  say,  the  uniting  of  a  faithful  minister  with  Christ's  people,  and  in  a  due 
manner :  for  we  must  suppose  that  the  promise  God  makes  to  the  church  in  the 
text,  relates  to  such  ministers,  and  such  a  manner  of  union  with  the  church  ; 
"because  this  is  promised  to  the  church  as  a  part  of  her  latter  day  glory,  and  as  a 
benefit  that  should  be  granted  her  by  God,  as  the  fruit  of  his  great  love  to  her, 
and  an  instance  of  her  great  spiritual  prosperity  and  happiness  in  her  purest  and 
most  excellent  state  on  earth.  But  it  would  be  no  such  instance  of  God's  great 
favor  and  the  church's  happiness,  to  have  unfaithful  ministers  entering  into 
office  in  an  undue  and  improper  manner.  They  are  evidently  faithful  ministers 
that  are  spoken  of  in  the  next  verse,  where  the  same  are  doubtless  spoken  of  as 
in  the  text,  "  I  have  set  watchmen  on  thy  walls,  0  Jerusalem,  which  shall  never 
hold  their  peace  day  nor  night."  And  they  are  those  that  shall  be  introduced 
into  the  ministry  at  a  time  of  its  extraordinary  purity,  order,  and  beauty,  where- 
in (as  is  said  in  the  first,  second,  and  third  verses)  her  righteousness  should  go 
forth  as  brightness,  and  the  Gentiles  should  see  her  righteousness,  and  all  kings 
her  glory,  and  she  should  be  a  crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  a 
royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  her  God. 

When  I  speak  of  the  uniting  of  a  faithful  minister  with  Christ's  people  in  a 
due  manner,  I  do  not  mean  a  due  manner  only  with  regard  to  external  order  ; 
but  its  being  truly  done  in  a  holy  manner,  with  sincere,  upright  aims  and 
intentions,  with  a  right  disposition,  and  proper  frames  of  mind  in  those  that  are 
concerned ;  and  particularly  in  the  minister  that  takes  the  office,  and  God's 
people  to  whom  he  is  united,  each  exercising  in  this  affair  a  proper  regard  to 
God  and  one  another. 

Such  a  uniting  of  a  faithful  minister  with  the  people  of  God  in  the  minis- 
terial office,  is  in  some  respect  like  a  young  man's  marrying  a  virgin. 

1.  When  a  duly  qualified  person  is  properly  invested  with  the  ministerial 
character,  and  does  in  a  due  manner  take  upon  him  the  sacred  work  and  office 
of  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  he  does,  in  some  sense,  espouse  the  church  of  Christ 
in  general :  for  though  he  do  not  properly  stand  in  a  pastoral  relation  to  the 
whole  church  of  Christ  through  the  earth,  and  is  far  from  becoming  a  universal 
pastor;  yet  thenceforward  he  has  a  different  concern  with  the  church  of  Christ 
in  general,  and  its  interests  and  welfare,  than  other  persons  have  that  are  laymen, 
and  should  be  regarded  otherwise  by  all  the  members  of  the  Christian  church. 
Wherever  he  is  providentially  called  to  preach  the  word  of  God,  or  minister  iii 
toly  things,  he  ought  to  be  received  as  a  minister  of  Christ,  and  the  messenger 


TO  HER  SONS.  563 

of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  tc  tliein.  And  every  one  that  takes  on  hira  the  office  of  a 
minister  of  Christ  as  he  ought  to  do,  espouses  the  church  of  Christ,  as  he 
espouses  the  interest  of  the  church  in  a  manner  that  is  peculiar.  He  is  under 
obligations,  as  a  minister  of  the  Christian  .liurch,  beyond  other  men,  to  love  the 
church,  as  Christ,  her  true  bridegroom,  hath  loved  her,  and  to  prefer  Jerusalem 
above  his  chief  joy,  and  to  imitate  Ciirist,  the  great  shepherd  and  bishop  of 
souls  and  husband  of  the  church,  in  his  care  and  tender  concern  for  the  church's 
welfare,  and  earnest  and  constant  labors  to  promote  it,  as  he  has  opportunity. 
And  as  he,  in  taking  ofnce,  devotes  himself  to  the  service  of  Christ  in  his 
church  ;  so  he  gives  himself  to  the  cluircii,  to  be  hers,  in  that  love,  tender  care, 
constant  endeavor,  and  earnest  lit])or  for  her  provision,  comfort,  and  welfare, 
that  is  proper  to  his  office,  as  a  minister  of  the  church  of  Christ,  by  the  permis- 
sion of  divine  Providence,  as  long  as  he  lives  ;  as  a  young  man  gives  himself 
to  a  virgin  when  he  marries  her.  And  the  church  of  Christ  in  general,  as 
constituted  of  true  saints  through  the  world,  (though  they  do  not  deliver  up  them- 
selves to  any  one  particular  minister,  as  universal  pastor,  yet)  do  cleave  to,  and 
embrace  the  ministry  of  the  church  with  endeared  affisction  and  high  honor, 
aod  esteem,  for  Cinist's  sake  ;  and  do  joyfully  commit  and  subject  themselves 
to  them  to  cleave  to,  honor,  and  help  them,  to  be  guided  by  them  and  obey 
them  so  long  as  in  the  world ;  as  the  bride  doth  in  marriage  cleave  and  deliver 
up  herself  to  her  husband.  And  the  ministry  in  general,  or  the  whole  number 
of  faithful  ministers,  being  all  united  in  the  same  work  as  fellow  laborers,  and 
conspiring  to  the  same  design  as  fellow  helpers  to  the  grace  of  God,  may  be 
considered  as  one  mystical  person,  that  espouses  the  church  as  a  young  man 
espouses  a  virgin.  As  the  many  elders  of  the  church  of  Ephesus  are  repre- 
sented as  one  mystical  person.  Rev.  ii.  1,  and  all  called  the  angel  of  the  church 
of  Ephesus;  and  as  the  faithful  ministers  of  Christ  in  general,  all  over  the 
world,  seem  to  be  represented  as  one  mystical  person,  and  called  an  angel : 
Rev.  xiv.  6,  "  And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the 
everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth,  and  to  every 
nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people."     But, 

2.  INIore  especially  is  the  uniting  of  a  faithful  minister  with  a  particular 
Christian  people,  as  their  pastor,  when  done  in  a  due  manner,  like  a  young 
man's  marrying  a  virgin. 

It  is  so  with  respect  to  the  union  itself,  the  concomitants  of  the  union,  and 
the  fruits  of  it. 

(1.)  The  union  itself  is,  in  several  respects,  like  that  which  is  between  a 
young  man  and  a  virgin  whom  he  marries. 

It  is  so  with  respect  to  mutual  regard  and  affection.  A  faithful  minister, 
that  is  in  a  Christian  manner  united  to  a  Christian  people  as  their  pastor,  has 
his  heart  united  to  them  in  the  most  ardent  and  tender  affection :  and  they,  on 
the  other  hand,  have  their  hearts  united  to  him,  esteeming  him  verj'  highly  in 
love  for  his  works'  sake,  and  receiving  hira  with  honor  and  reverence,  and 
willingly  subjecting  themselves  to  him,  and  committing  themselves  to  his  care, 
as  being,  under  Christ,  their  head  and  guide. 

And  such  a  pastor  and  people  are  like  a  young  man  and  virgin  united  in 
marriage,  with  respect  to  the  purity  of  their  regard  one  to  another.  The  young 
man  gives  himself  to  his  bride  in  purity,  as  undebauched  by  meretricious  em- 
braces ;  and  she  also  presents  herself  to  him  a  chaste  virgin.  So  in  such  a  union 
of  a  minister  and  people  as  Ave  are  speaking  of,  the  parties  united  are  pure  and 
holy  in  their  affection  and  regard  one  to  another.  The  minister's  heart  is  united 
to  the  people,  not  for  filthy  lucre,  or  any  worldly  advantage,  but  with  a  pure 


564  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

benevolence  to  them,  and  desire  of  their  spiritual  welfare  and  prosperity,  and 
complacence  in  them  as  the  children  of  God  and  followers  of  Christ  Jesus. 
And,  on  the  other  hand,  they  love  and  honor  him  with  a  holy  affection  and 
esteem ;  and  not  merely  as  having  their  admiration  raised,  and  their  carnal 
affections  moved  hy  having  their  ears  tickled,  and  their  cuiiosity,  and  other 
fleshly  principles,  gratified  by  a  florid  eloquence,  and  the  excellency  of  speech 
and  man's  wisdom  ;  but  receiving  him  as  the  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 
coming  to  them  on  a  divine  and  infinitely  important  errand,  and  with  those  holy 
qualifications  that  resemble  the  viitues  of  the  Lamb  of  God. 

And  as  the  bridegroom  and  bride  give  themselves  (o  each  other  in  covenant; 
so  it  is  in  that  union  we  are  speaking  of  between  a  faithful  pastor  and  a  Christian 
people.  The  minister,  by  solemn  vows,  devotes  himself  to  the  people,  to  im- 
prove his  time  and  strength,  and  spend  and  be  spent  for  them,  so  long  as  God 
in  his  providence  shall  continue  the  union:  and  ihey,  on  the  other  hand,  in  a 
holy  covenant  commit  the  care  of  tiieir  souls  to  him,  and  subject  themselves 
to  him. 

(2.)  The  union  between  a  faithful  minister  and  a  Christian  people,  that  we 
are  speaking  of,  is  like  that  between  a  young  man  and  virgin  in  their  marriage, 
with  respect  to  the  concomitants  of  it. 

When  such  a  minister  and  such  a  people  are  thus  united,  it  is  attended  with 
great  joy.  The  minister  joyfully  devoting  himself  to  the  service  of  his  Lord  in 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  as  a  work  that  he  delights  in  ;  and  also  joyfully  i  nit- 
ing  himself  to  the  society  of  the  saints  that  he  is  set  over,  as  having  compla- 
cence in  them,  for  his  dear  Lord's  sake,  whose  people  they  are;  and  willingly 
and  joyfully,  on  Christ's  call,  undertaking  the  labors  and  difficulties  of  the  ser- 
vice of  their  souls.  And  they,  on  the  other  hand,  joyfully  receiving  him  as  a 
precious  gift  of  their  ascending  Redeemer.  Thus  a  faithful  minister  and  a  Chris- 
tian people  are  each  other's  joy  :  Rom.  xv.  3.2,  "  That  I  may  come  unto  you 
with  joy  by  the  will  of  God,  and  may  with  you  be  refreshed."  2  Cor.  i.  14, 
"As  you  have  acknowledged  us  in  part,  that  we  are  your  rejoicing,  even  as  ye 
are  ours." 

Another  concomitant  of  this  union,  wherein  it  resembles  that  which  becomes 
a  young  man  and  virgin  united  in  marriage,  is  mutual  helpfulness,  and  a  con- 
stant care  and  endeavor  to  promote  each  other's  good  and  comfort.  The  min- 
ister earnestly  and  continually  seeks  the  profit  and  comfort  of  the  souls  of  his 
people,  and  to  guard  and  defend  them  from  every  thing  that  might  annoy  them, 
and  studies  and  labors  to  promote  their  spiritual  peace  and  prosperity.  They, 
on  the  other  hand,  make  it  their  constant  care  to  promote  his  comfort,  to  make 
the  burden  of  his  great  and  difficult  work  easy,  to  avoid  those  things  that  might 
add  to  the  difficulty  of  it,  and  that  might  justly  be  grievous  to  his  heart ;  and 
do  what  in  them  lies  to  encourage  liis  heart,  and  strengthen  his  hand  in  his 
work;  and  are  ready  to  say  to  him,  when  called  to  exert  himself  in  the  more 
difficult  parts  of  his  work,  as  the  people  of  old  to  Ezra  the  priest,  when  they 
saw  him  bowed  down  under  the  burden  of  a  difficult  affair :  Ezra  x.  4,  "  Arise, 
for  this  matter  belongeth  to  thee  :  we  also  will  be  with  thee  :  be  of  good  cou- 
rage, and  do  it."  They  spare  no  pains  nor  cost  to  make  their  pastor's  out  ward 
circumstances  easy  and  comfortable,  and  free  from  pinching  necessities  and  dis- 
tracting cares,  and  to  put  him  under  the  best  advantages  to  follow  his  great 
work  fully  and  successfully. 

Such  a  pastor  and  people,  as  it  is  between  a  couple  happily  united  in  a  con- 
jugal relation,  have  a  mutual  sympathy  with  each  other,  a  fellow  feeling  of  each 
others'  burdens  and  calamities,  and  a  communion  in  each  other's  prosperity  and 


TO  HER  SONS.  565 

Joy.  When  the  people  suffer  in  their  spiritual  interests,  the  pastor  suffers  :  he 
IS  aflrutfd  when  he  sees  their  souls  in  trouble  and  darkness  :  he  feels  jheir 
wounds  ;  and  he  looks  on  their  prosperity  and  comfort  as  his  own.  2  Cor.  xi. 
29,  "  Who  is  weak,  and  1  am  not  weak  '?  Who  is  offended,  and  I  burn  not  V* 
2  Cor.  vii.  13,  *'  We  were  comforted  in  your  comfort."  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  people  feel  their  pastor's  burdens,  and  rejoice  in  his  prosperity  and 
consolations  ;  see  Phil.  iv.  14,  and  2  Cor.  ii.  3. 

(3.)  This  union  is  like  that  which  is  between  a  young  man  and  a  virgin  in 
its  liiiits. 

One  fruit  of  it  is  mutual  benefit  :  they  become  meet-helps  one  for  another. 
The  people  receive  great  benefit  by  the  minister,  as  he  is  their  teacher  to  com- 
municate spiritual  instructions  and  counsels  to  tliem,  and  is  set  to  watch  over 
them  to  delend  them  from  those  enemies  and  calamities  they  are  liable  to ;  and 
so  is,  under  Christ,  to  be  both  their  guide  and  guard,  as  the  husband  is  of  the 
wife.  And  as  the  husband  provides  the  wife  with  food  and  clothing  ;  so  the 
pastor,  as  Christ's  stewanl,  makes  provision  for  his  people,  and  brings  forth  out 
of  his  treasure  things  new  and  old,  gives  every  one  his  portion  of  meat  in  due 
season,  and  is  made  the  instrument  of  spiritually  clothing  and  adorning  their 
souls.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  the  minister  receives  benefit  from  the  people, 
and  thfV  minister  greatly  to  his  spiiitual  good  by  that  holy  converse  to  which 
their  union  to  him  as  his  flock  leads  them.  The  conjugal  relation  leads  the 
persons  united  therein  to  the  most  intimate  acquaintance  and  conversation  with 
each  other;  so  the  union  there  is  between  a  faithful  pastor  and  a  Christian  peo- 
ple, leads  them  to  intimate  conversation  about  things  of  a  spiritual  nature  :  it 
leads  the  people  most  freely  and  fully  to  open  the  case  of  their  souls  to  the  pas- 
tor, and  leads  him  to  deal  most  freely,  closely,  and  thoroughly  with  them  in 
things  pertaining  thereto.  And  this  conversation  not  only  tends  to  their  benefit, 
but  also  greatly  to  his. 

And  the  pastor  receives  benefit  from  the  people  outwardly,  as  they  talfc 
care  of  and  order  his  outward  accommodations  for  his  support  and  comfort,  and 
do,  as  it  were,  spread  and  serve  his  table  for  him. 

Another  fruit  of  this  union,  wherein  it  resembles  the  conjugal  union,  is  a 
spiritual  offspring.  There  is  wont  to  arise  from  the  union  of  such  a  pastor  and 
people,  a  spiritual  race  of  the  children  of  the  congregation  that  aie  new-born. 
These  new-born  children  of  God  arc  in  the  Scripture  represented  both  as  the 
children  of  ministers,  as  those  that  have  begotten  them  through  the  gospel,  and 
also  as  the  children  of  the  church,  who  is  represented  as  their  mother  that  hath 
brought  them  forth,  and  at  whose  breasts  they  are  nourished;  as  in  Isaiah  liv. 
1,  and  Ixvi.  11,  Gal.  iv.  26,  1  Pet.  ii.  2,  and  many  other  places. 

Having  thus  briefly  shown  how  the  uniting  of  faithful  ministers  with 
Christ's  people  in  the  ministerial  office,  when  done  in  a  due  manner,  is  like  a 
young  man's  marrying  a  virgin, 

I  proceed  now  to  the 

II.  Pkohosition,  viz.,  that  this  union  of  ministers  with  the  people  of  Christ, 
is  in  order  to  their  being  brought  to  the  blessedness  of  a  more  glorious  union,  in 
which  Christ  shall  rejoice  over  them  as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride. 

1.  The  saints  are,  and  shall  be  the  subjects  of  this  blessedness.  Of  all  the 
many  vp.rious  kinds  of  union  of  sensible  and  temporal  things  that  are  used  in 
Scripture  to  represent  the  relation  there  is  between  Christ  and  his  church ;  that 
which  is  between  bridegroom  and  bride,  or  husband  and  wife,  is  much  the  most 
frequently  made  use  of  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  The  Holy  Ghost 
seems  to  take  a  peculiar  de-light  in  this,  as  a  similitude  fit  to  represent  the  strict, 


f,66  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

intimate,  and  blessed  union  that  is  between  Christ  and  his  saints.  The  apostle 
intimates,  that  one  end  why  God  appointed  marriage,  and  established  so  near  a 
relation  as  that  between  husband  and  wife,  was,  that  it  might  be  a  type  of  the 
union  that  is  between  Christ  and  his  church,  in  Eph.  v.  30,  31,  32  :  "  For  we 
are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones.  For  this  cause  shall  a 
man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and  shall  be  joined  to  his  wife  ;  and  they  two 
shall  be  one  flesh." — For  this  cause,  i.  e.,  because  we  are  raeralDers  of  Christ's 
body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones  :  for  this  cause,  God  appointed  that  man  and 
wife  should  be  so  joined  together  as  to  be  one  flesh,  to  represent  this  high 
and  blessed  union  between  Christ  and  his  church  :  the  apostle  explains  himself 
in  the  next  words,  "  This  is  a  great  mystery,  but  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and 
the  church."  This  institution  of  marriage,  and  making  the  man  and  his  wife 
one  flesh,  is  a  great  mystery;  i.  e.,  it  contains  in  it  a  great  mystery;  that  is,  a 
great  and  glorious  mystery  hid  in  the  design  of  it :  and  the  apostle  tells  us  what 
that  glorious  mystery  is :  "  1  speak  concerning  Christ  and  the  church ;"  as  much 
as  to  say,  the  mystery  I  speak  of,  is  that  blessed  union  that  is  between  Christ  and 
his  church,  which  I  spoke  of  before. 

This  union  is  a  blessed  union  indeed ;  of  which  that  between  a  faithful 
minister  and  a  Christian  people  is  but  a  shadow.  Ministers  are  not  the  proper 
husbands  of  the  church,  though  their  union  to  God's  people,  as  Christ's  ambas- 
sadors, in  several  respects  resembles  the  conjugal  relation  :  but  Christ  is  the 
true  husband  of  the  church,  to  whom  the  souls  of  the  saints  are  espoused  indeed, 
and  to  whom  they  are  united  as  his  flesh  and  his  bones,  yea,  and  one  spirit ;  to 
whom  they  have  given  themselves  in  an  everlasting  covenant,  and  whom  alone 
they  cleave  to,  love,  honor,  obey,  and  trust  in,  as  their  spiritual  husband,  whom 
alone  they  reserve  themselves  for  as  chaste  virgins,  and  whom  they  follow 
whithersoever  he  goeth.  There  are  many  ministers  in  the  church  of  Christ, 
and  there  may  be  several  pastors  of  one  particular  church  :  but  the  church  has 
but  one  husband,  all  others  are  rejected  and  despised  in  comparison  of  him ;  he 
is  among  the  sons  as  the  apple  tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood ;  they  all  are 
barren  and  worthless,  he  only  is  the  fruitful  tree ;  and  therefore,  leaving  all 
others,  the  church  betakes  herself  to  him  alone,  and  sits  under  his  shadow  with 
great  delight,  and  his  fruit  is  sweet  to  her  taste  ;  she  takes  up  her  full  and  entire 
rest  in  him,  desiring  no  other.  The  relation  between  a  minister  and  people  shall 
be  dissolved,  and  may  be  dissolved  before  death  :  but  the  union  between^hrist 
and  his  church  shall  never  be  dissolved,  neither  before  death  nor  by  death,  but 
shall  endure  through  all  eternity :  "  The  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills 
be  removed  ;  but  Christ's  conjugal  love  and  kindness  shall  not  depart  from  his 
church ;  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  his  peace,  the  marriage  covenant,  be  re- 
moved," Isa.  liv.  10. — The  union  between  a  faithful  minister  and  a  Christian 
people  is  but  a  partial  resemblance  even  of  the  marriage  union,  it  is  like  mar- 
riage only  in  some  particulars  :  but  with  respect  to  the  union  between  Christ 
and  his  church,  marriage  is  but  a  partial  resemblance,  yea,  a  faint  shadow  of 
that :  every  thing  that  is  desirable  and  excellent  in  the  union  between  an  earthly 
bridegroom  and  bride,  is  to  be  fcimd  in  the  union  between  Christ  and  his  church ; 
and  that  in  an  infinitely  greater  perfection  and  more  glorious  manner :  there  is 
infinitely  more  to  be  found  in  it  than  ever  was  found  between  the  happiest 
couple  in  a  conjugal  relation ;  or  could  be  found  if  the  bride  and  bridegroom 
had  not  only  the  innocence  of  Adam  and  Eve,  but  the  perfection  of  angels. 

Christ  and  his  saints,  standing  in  such  a  relation  as  this  one  to  another,  the 
saints  must  needs  be  unspeakably  happy.  Their  mutual  joy  in  each  other  is 
answerable  to  the  nearness  of  their  relation  and  strictness  of  their  union.    Christ 


TO  HER  SONS.  567 

rejoices  over  the  church  as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  .ind  she 
rejoices  in  him  as  the  bride  rejoices  in  tlie  bridegroom.  My  text  has  respect  to 
the  mutual  joy  that  Christ  and  his  chur(;h  should  have  in  each  other.  For 
though  the  joy  ol"  Christ  over  his  church  only  is  mentioned,  yet  it  is  evident  that 
this  is  here  j;poken  of  and  promised  as  the  great  happiness  of  the  church,  and 
therefore  supposes  her  jo)  in  him. 

The  mutual  joy  ol  Christ  and  his  church  is  like  that  of  bridegroom  and 
britie,  in  that  they  rejoice  in  each  other,  as  those  that  they  have  chosen  above 
others,  for  their  nearest,  most  intimate,  and  everlasting  liiends  and  companions. 
The  church  is  Christ's  chosen :  Isaiah  xli.  9,  "  1  have  chosen  thee,  and  not  cast 
thee  away  :"  chap,  xlviii.  10,  "  1  have  chosen  thee,  in  the  furiiace  of  afiliclion." 
How  often  are  God's  saints  called  his  elect  or  chosen  ones  ?  lie  has  chosen 
them,  not  to  be  mere  servants,  but  frientis  :  John  xv.  15,  "  I  call  you  not  ser- 
vants, but  I  have  called  you  friends."  And  though  Christ  be  the  Lord  of  glory, 
inlinitely  above  men  and  angels,  yet  he  has  chosen  the  elect  to  be  his  compan- 
ions ;  and  has  taken  upon  him  tlieir  nature ;  and  so  in  some  respect,  as  it  were, 
levelled  himself  with  them,  that  he  might  be  their  brother  and  companion. 
Christ  as  well  as  David,  calls  the  saints  his  brethren  and  companions  :  Psalm 
cxxii.  8,  "  For  my  brethren  and  companions'  sake  I  will  now  say.  Peace  be 
within  thee."  So  in  the  book  of  Canticles,  he  calls  his  church  his  sister  and 
spouse.  Christ  hath  loved  and  chosen  his  church  as  his  peculiar  frienti,  above 
others  :  Psalm  cxxxv.  4,  "  The  Lord  hath  chosen  Jacob  unto  himself,  and  Israel 
for  his  peculiar  treasure."  As  the  bridegroom  chooses  the  bride  for  his  peculiar 
friend,  above  all  others  in  the  world,  so  Christ  has  chosen  his  church  for  a 
peculiar  nearness  to  him,  as  his  flesh  and  his  bone,  and  the  high  honor  and  dig- 
nity of  espousals  above  all  others,  rather  than  the  fallen  angels,yea,  rather  than 
the  elect  angels.  For  verily,  in  this  respect,  "  he  taketh  not  hold  of  angels, 
but  he  taketh  hold  of  the  seed  of  Abraham ;"  as  the  words  are  in  the  oi  iginal, 
in  Ileb.  ii.  16.  He  has  chosen  his  church  above  the  rest  of  mankind,  above  all 
the  Heathen  nations,  and  those  that  are  without  the  visible  church,  and  above 
all  other  professing  Christians :  Cant.  vi.  9,  "  JNly  dove,  my  undefiled  is  but 
one ;  she  is  the  only  one  of  her  mother,  she  is  the  choice  one  of  her  that  bare 
her."  Thus  Christ  rejoices  over  his  church,  as  obtaining  in  her  that  which  he 
has  chosen  above  all  the  rest  of  the  creation,  and  as  sweetly  resting  in  his 
choice.  Psal.  cxxxii.  13,  14,  "  The  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion ;  he  hath  desired 
it.     This  is  my  rest  lorever." 

On  the  other  hand,  the  church  chooses  Christ  above  all  others :  he  is  in  her 
eyes  the  chief  among  ten  thousands,  fairer  than  the  sons  of  men :  she  rejects 
the  suit  of  all  his  rivals  for  his  sake  ;  her  heart  relinquishes  the  whole  world  : 
he  is  her  pearl  of  great  price,  for  which  she  parts  with  all;  and  rejoices  in  him, 
as  the  choice  and  rest  of  her  soul, 

Christ  and  his  church,  like  the  bridegroom  and  bride,  rejoice  in  each  other, 
as  having  a  special  propriety  in  each  other.  All  things  arc  Christ's ;  but  he 
has  a  special  propriety  in  his  church.  There  is  nothing  in  heaven  or  earth, 
anjong  all  the  creatures,  that  is  his,  in  that  high  and  excellent  manner  that  the 
church  is  his  :  they  are  often  called  his  portion  and  inheritance ;  they  are  said, 
Rev.  xiv.  4,  "  to  be  the  first  fruits  to  God  and  the  Lamb."  As  of  old,  tlie  first 
fruit  was  that  part  of  the  harvest  that  belonged  to  God,  and  was  to  be  offered 
to  him  ;  so  the  saints  are  the  first  fruits  of  God's  creatures,  being  that  part 
which  is  in  a  peculiar  manner  Christ's  portion,  above  ail  the  rest  of  the  creation. 
James  i.  IS,  "  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  by  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  should 
be  a  kind  of  first  fruits  of  his  creatures."     And  Christ  rejoices  in  his  church,  as 


568  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

in  that  which  is  pecuharly  his:  Isai.  Ixv.  19,  "  I  will  rejoice  in  Jerusalem,  and 
joy  in  my  people."  The  church  has  also  a  peculiar  propriety  in  Christ:  though 
other  Ihi'iio-s  are  hers,  yet  nothing  is  hers  in  that  manner  that  her  spiiitual  bride- 
groom is  hers  :  as  great  and  glorious  as  he  is,  yet  he,  with  all  his  dignity  and 
glory,  is  hers  ;  all  is  wholly  given  to  her,  to  be  fully  possessed  and  enjoyed  by 
her,  to  the  utmost  degree  that  she  is  capable  of:  therefore  we  have  her  so  often 
saying  in  the  language  of  exultation  and  triumph,  "  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I 
am  his,"  in  the  book  of  Cantic'es,  chap  ii.  16,  and  vi.  3,  and  vii.  10. 

Christ  and  his  church,  like  the  bridegroom  and  bride,  rejoice  in  each  other, 
as  those  that  are  the  objects  of  each  other's  most  tender  and  ardent  love.  The 
love  of  Christ  to  his  church  is  altogether  unparalleled :  the  height  and  depth 
and  lenglh  and  bre.idth  of  it  pass  knowledge  ;  for  he  loved  the  church,  and 
gave  himself  for  it ;  and  his  love  to  her  proved  stronger  than  death.  And  on 
the  oihpr  liand,  she  loves  him  with  a  supreme  afftsction :  nothing  stands  in  com- 
petiliori  with  him  in  her  heart :  she  loves  him  with  all  her  heart :  her  whole 
soul  is  oilered  up  to  him  in  the  flame  of  love.  And  Christ  rejoices  and  has 
sweet  rest  and  delight  in  his  love  to  the  church.  Zeph.  iii.  17,  "  The  Lord 
thy  God  in  the  midst  of  thee  is  mighty  :  he  will  save  :  he  will  rejoice  over  thee 
with  joy  :  he  will  rest  in  his  love  :  he  will  joy  over  thee  with  singing."  So 
the  church,  in  the  exercises  of  her  love  to  Christ  rejoices  WMth  unspeakable  joy. 
1  Pet.  i.  7,  8,  "  Jesus  Christ ;  whom,  having  not  seen,  ye  love  :  in  whom,  (hough 
now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of 
glory." 

Christ  and  his  church  rejoice  in  each  other's  beauty.  The  church  rejoices 
in  C!u-ist's  divine  beauty  and  glory.  She,  as  it  were,  sweetly  solaces  herself  in 
the  light  of  the  glory  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  ;  and  the  saints  say  one  to  an- 
other, as  in  Isai.  ii.  5,  "  0  house  of  Jacob,  come  ye,  let  us  walk  in  the  light  of 
the  Lord."  The  perfections  and  virtues  of  Christ  are  as  a  perfumed  ointment 
to  the  church,  that  make  his  very  name  to  be  to  her  as  ointment  poured  forth. 
Cant.  i.  3,  "  Because  of  the  savor  of  thy  good  oinments,  thy  name  is  as  oint- 
ment poured  forth,  therefore  do  the  virgins  love  thee."  And  Christ  delights 
and  rejoices  in  the  beauty  of  the  church,  and  the  beauty  which  he  hath  put  upon 
her:  her  Chrislian  graces  are  ornaments  of  great  price  in  his  sight,  1  l*et.  iii. 
4.  And  he  is  spoken  of  as  greatly  desiring  her  beauty,  Psal.  xlv.  11,  Yea,  he 
himself  speaks  of  his  heart  as  ravished  with  her  beauty.  Cant.  iv.  9,  "  Thou 
hast  ravished  my  heart,  my  sister,  my  spouse  ;  thou  hast  ravished  my  heart  with 
one  of  thine  eyes,  with  one  chain  of  thy  neck." 

Christ  and  his  church,  as  the  bridegroom  and  bride,  rejoice  in  each  other's 
love.  Wine  is  spoken  of,  Psal.  civ.  15,  as  that  which  maketh  glad  man's  heart : 
but  the  church  of  Christ  is  spoken  of  as  rejoicing  in  the  love  of  Christ,  as  that 
which  is  more  pleasant  and  refreshing  than  wine.  Cant.  i.  4,"  The  king  hath 
brought  me  into  his  chambers :  we  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  thee,  we  will  re- 
member thy  love  more  than  wine."  So  on  the  other  hand,  Christ  speaks  of 
the  church's  love  as  far  better  to  him  than  wine.  Cant,  iv,  10,  "  How  fair  is 
thy  love,  my  sister,  my  spouse!  How  much  better  is  thy  love  than  wine !" 

Christ  and  his  church  rejoice  in  communion  with  each  other,  as  in  being 
united  in  their  happiness,  and  having  fellowship  and  a  joint  participation  in 
each  other's  good  :  as  the  bridegroom  and  bride  rejoice  together  at  the  wedding 
feast,  and  as  thenceforward  they  are  joint  partakers  of  each  other's  comforts  and 
joys.  Rev,  iii.  20,  "  If  any  man  hear  my  voice,  9nd  open  the  door,  I  will  come 
m  to  him,  and  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me."  The  church  has  fellowship 
with  Christ  in  his  own  happinesS;  and  his  di\ine  entertainments;  his  joy  is  ful- 


TO  HER  SONS.  569 

filleil  in  her,  John  xv,  11,  and  xvii.  13.  She  sees  light  in  his  lla]it ;  and  she 
is  made  to  drink  at  the  river  of  his  own  pleasures,  Psal.  xxxvi.8,9.  And  Christ 
brings  her  to  eat  and  drirdc  at  his  own  table,  to  lake  her  fill  of  his  own  enter- 
tainments. Cant.  V.  l,"Eat,  0  friends,  drink,  yea,  drink  abundanlly,  0  be- 
loved." And  he,  on  the  other  liand,  has  fellowship  with  her ;  he  feasts  with 
her;  her  joys  are  his  ;  and  lie  rejoices  in  that  entertainment  that  slie  provides 
for  him.  So  Christ  is  said  to  feed  among  the  lilies,  Cant.  ii.  16,  an(lcha[).  vii.  13; 
she  speaks  of  all  manner  of  pleasant  Iruils,  new  and  old,  which  she  had  laid  up 
for  him  ;  and  sa}^  to  him,  chap.  iv.  16,  "  Let  my  beloved  come  into  his  garden, 
and  eat  his  pleasant  fruit."  And  he  makes  answer  in  the  next  verse, "  1  am 
come  into  my  garden,  my  si.>ter,  my  spouse ;  I  have  gathered  my  myrrh  with  my 
spice,  I  have  eaten  my  honey-comb  with  my  honey,  I  have  drunk  my  wine  with 
my  milk." 

And  lastly,  Christ  and  his  church,  as  the  bridegroom  and  bride,  rejoice  in 
conversing  with  each  other.  The  words  of  Clirist,  by  which  he  converses  with 
his  church,  are  most  sweet  to  her ;  and  therefore  s!ie  says  of  him,  Cant.  v.  16, 
"  His  mouth  is  most  sweet."  And  on  the  other  hand,  he  says  of  her,  chap.  ii. 
14,  "  Let  me  hear  thy  voice  ;  for  sweet  is  thy  voice."  And  chap.  iv.  11,  "' lliy 
lips,  0  my  spouse,  drop  as  the  honey-comb:  honey  and  milk  are  under  thy 
tongue." 

Christ  rejoices  over  his  saints  as  the  bridegroom  over  the  bride  at  all  times: 
but  there  are  some  seasons  wherein  he  doth  so  more  especially.  Such  a  season 
is  the  time  of  the  soul's  conversion  ;  when  the  good  shepherd  finds  his  lost 
sheep,  then  he  brings  it  home  rejoicing,  and  calls  together  his  friends  and  neio-h- 
bors,  saying,  Rejoice  with  me.  The  day  of  a  sinner's  conversion  is  the  dayof 
Christ's  espousals ;  and  so  eminently  the  day  of  his  rejoicing.  Canticles  iii. 
11,  "  Go  forth,  O  ye  daughters  of  Zion,  and  behold  king  Solomon  with  the 
crown  wherewith  his  mother  crowned  him  in  the  day  of  his  esj)ousals,  and  in 
the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart."  And  it  is  oftentimes  remarkably  the  day 
of  the  saints'  lejoicing  in  Christ:  for  then  God  turns  again  the  captivity  of  his 
elect  people,  and,  as  it  were,  fills  their  mouth  with  laughter,  and  their  tongue 
^vith  singing;  as  in  Psal.  cxxvi.  at  the  beginning.  We  read  of  the  jailer,  that 
when  he  was  converted,  he  rejoiced,  believing  in  God,  with  all  his  house,"  Acts 
xvi.  34. 

And  there  are  other  seasons  of  special  communion  of  the  saints  with  Christ, 
wherein  Christ  doth  in  an  especial  manner  rejoice  over  his  saints,  and  as  their 
bridegroom  brings  them  into  his  chambers,  that  they  also  may  be  glad  and  re- 
joice in  him,  Cant.  i.  4. 

But  the  time  wherein  this  mutual  rejoicing  of  Christ  and  his  saints  Avill  be 
in  its  perfection,  is  the  time  of  the  saints'  glorification  with  Christ  in  heaven; 
for  that  is  the  proper  time  of  the  saints'  entering  in  with  the  bridegroom  into 
the  marriage,  Matt.  xxv.  10.  The  saints'  conversion  is  rather  like  the  betroth- 
ing of  the  intended  bride  to  her  bridegroom  before  they  come  together  ;  but  the 
lime  of  the  saints'  glorification  is  the  time  when  that  shall  be  i'ulfilled  in  Psal. 
xlv.  15,  "  With  gladness  and  rejoicing  shall  they  be  brought;  they  shall  enter 
into  the  king's  palace."  That  is  the  time  when  those  that  Christ  loved,  and 
gave  himseli  for,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  thern,  as  with  the  washing 
of  water  by  the  word,  shall  be  presented  to  him  in  glory,  not  having  spot,  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing.  The  time  wherein  the  church  shall  be  brought  to 
the  full  enjoyment  of  her  bridegroom,  having  all  tears  wiped  away  from  her 
eyes;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  distance  or  absence.  She  shall  then  be 
brought  to  the  entertainments  of  an  eternal  wedding  feast,  and  to  dwell  eternally 

Vol.  IU.  72 


i)70  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

with  her  bridegroom ;  yea,  to  dwell  eternally  in  his  embraces.  Then  Christ 
will  give  her  his  loves  ;  and  she  shall  drink  her  fill,  yea,  she  shall  swim  in  the 
ocean  of  his  love. 

And  as  there  are  various  seasons  wherein  Christ  and  particular  saints  do 
more  especially  rejoice  in  each  other ;  so  there  are  also  certain  seasons  wherein 
Christ  iloth  more  especially  rejoice  over  his  church  collectively  taken.  Such  a 
season  is  a  time  of  remarkable  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God  :  it  is  a  time  of 
the  espousal  of  many  souls  to  Christ;  and  so  a  time  of  much  of  the  joy  of  es- 
pousals :  and  also  it  is  a  time  v^fherein  Chiist  is  wont  more  especially  to  visit 
his  saints  with  his  loving-kindness,  and  to  bring  them  near  to  himself,  and  es- 
pecially to  refresh  their  hearts  with  divine  communications  :  on  which  account, 
such  a  time  becomes  a  time  of  great  joy  to  the  church  of  Christ.  So  when  the 
Spirit  of  God  was  so  wonderfully  poured  out  on  the  city  of  Samaria,  with  (he 
preaching  of  Philip,  we  read  that  there  was  great  joy  in  that  eity,  Acts  viii.  8. 
And  the  time  of  that  wonderful  effusion  of  the  Spirit  at  Jerusalem,  begun  at  the 
feast  of  Pentecost,  was  a  lime  of  holy  feasting  and  rejoicing,  and  a  kind  of  a 
wedding  day  to  the  church  of  Christ ;  wherein  "  they  continuing  daily,  with 
one  accord,  in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did  eat  their 
meat  with  gladness,  and  singleness  of  heart,"  as  Acts  ii.  46. 

But  more  especially  is  the  time  of  that  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  in  the  latter  days,  so  often  foretold  in  the  Scriptures,  represented  as  the 
time  of  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb,  and  of  the  rejoicing  of  Christ  and  his  church 
in  each  other,  as  the  bridegroom  and  the  bride.  This  is  the  time  prophesied  of 
in  our  text  and  context ;  and  this  is  the  time  foretold  in  Isai.  Ixv.  19,  "  1  will 
rejoice  in  Jerusalem,  and  joy  in  ray  people  ;  and  the  voice  of  weeping  shall  na 
more  be  heard  in  her,  nor  the  voice  of  crying."  This  is  the  time  spoken  of 
Rev.  xix.  6,  7,  8,  9,  where  the  apostle  John  tells  us,  he  "  heard  as  it  were  the 
voice  of  a  great  multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice 
of  mighty  thunderings,  saying,  Alleluia  :  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reign- 
eth.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to  him  ;  for  the  marriage  of 
the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready."  And  adds,  "  To  her 
was  granted,  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white ;  for  the 
fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed 
are  they  which  are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb." 

But  above  all,  the  time  of  Christ's  last  coming,  is  the  time  of  the  consum- 
mation of  the  church's  marriage  with  the  Lamb,  and  the  time  of  the  complete 
and  most  perfect  joy  of  the  wedding.  In  that  resurrection  morning,  when  the 
Sun  of  righteousness  shall  appear  in  our  heavens,  shining  in  all  his  brightness 
and  glory,  he  will  come  forth  as  a  bridegroom ;  he  shall  come  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father,  with  all  his  holy  angels.  And  at  that  glorious  appearing  of  the  great 
God,  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  shall  the  whole  elect  church,  complete  as 
to  every  individual  member,  and  each  member  with  the  whole  man,  both  body 
and  soul,  and  both  in  perfect  glory,  ascend  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,  to 
be  thenceforth  forever  with  the  Lord.  That  will  be  a  joyful  meeting  of  this 
glorious  bridegroom  and  bride  indeed.  Tlien  the  bridegroom  will  appear  in 
all  his  glory  without  any  veil :  and  then  the  saints  will  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in 
the  kingdom  of  their  Father,  and  at  the  right  hand  of  their  Redeemer;  and  then 
the  church  will  appear  as  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife.  It  is  the  stale  of  the 
church  after  the  resurrection,  that  is  spoken  of.  Rev.  xxi.  2 :  "  And  I  John  saw" 
the  holy  city,  new  Jerusalem,  corning  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared 
as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband."  And  verse  9,  "  Come  hither,  I  will  show 
thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife."     Then  will  come  the  time,  when  Christ  will 


TO  HER  SONS.  571 

sweetly  invite  his  spouse  to  enter  in  with  him  inio  the  palace  of  his  glory,  which 
he  had  been  preparing  for  her  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  and  "sliall,  as 
it  were,  take  her  by  ihe  hand,  and  li-ad  her  in  with  him  :  and  this  glorious 
bridegroom  and  bride  shall,  wilh  all  their  shining  ornaments,  ascend  up  to- 
gether into  the  heaven  of  heavens;  the  whole  multitude  of  glorious  angels 
waiting  upon  thern  :  and  this  son  and  daughter  of  God  shall,  in  their  unUed 
glory  and  joy,  present  themselves  together  before  the  Father ;  when  Christ 
shall  say,  "  Here  am  I,  and  the  children  which  thou  hast  given  me  :"  and  they 
both  shall,  in  that  relation  and  union,  together  receive  the  Father's  blessing  ;  and 
shall  thenceforward  rejoice  together,  in  consummate,  uninterrupted,  immutable, 
and  everlasting  glory,  in  ti)e  love  and  embraces  of  each  other,  and  joint  enjoy- 
ment of  the  love  of  the  Father. 

2.  That  foreraentloned  union  of  faithful  ministers  with  the  people  of  Christ, 
is  in  order  to  this  blessedness. 

1.  It  is  only  with  reference  to  Christ,  as  the  true  bridegroom  of  his  church, 
that  there  is  any  union  between  a  faithful  minister  and  a  Ciiristian  people,  that 
is  like  that  of  a  bridegroom  and  bride. 

As  I  observed  before,  a  faithful  minister  espouses  a  Christian  people,  not  in 
his  own  name,  but  as  Christ's  ambassador.  He  espouses  them,  that  in  their 
being  espoused  to  him,  they  may  be  espoused  to  Christ ;  and  not  that  the  church 
may  commit  adulter)-  with  him.  It  is  for  his  sake  that  he  loves  her,  with  a 
tender  conjugal  affection,  as  she  is  the  spouse  of  Christ,  and  as  he,  as  the 
minister  of  Christ,  has  his  heart  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  as 
Abraham's  faithful  servant,  that  was  sent  to  fetch  a  wife  for  his  master's  son, 
was  captivated  with  Rebekah's  beauty  and  virtue ;  but  not  with  reference  to  a 
union  with  himself,  but  with  his  master  Isaac.  It  was  for  his  sake  he  loved  her, 
and  it  was  for  him  that  he  desired  her,  and  set  his  heart  upon  her,  that  she 
might  be  Isaac's  wife.  And  it  was  for  this  that  he  greatly  rejoiced  over  her, 
and  for  this  he  wooed  her,  and  for  this  he  obtained  her,  and  she  was  for  a  sea- 
son united  to  him  ;  but  it  was  but  as  a  fellow  traveller,  that  by  him  she  might 
be  brought  to  Isaac  in  the  land  of  Canaan ;  and  for  this  he  adorned  her  with 
ornaments  of  gold  ;  it  was  to  prepare  her  for  Isaac's  embraces.  All  that  tender 
care  which  a  faithful  minister  takes  of  his  people  as  a  kind  of  spiritual  husband, 
to  provide  for  them,  to  lead  and  feed  them,  and  comfort  them,  is  not  as  looking 
upon  them  as  his  ov/n  bride,  but  his  master's. 

And  on  the  other  hand,  the  people  receive  him,  and  unite  themselves  to  him 
in  covenant,  and  honor  him  and  subject  themselves  to  him,  and  obey  him,  only 
for  Christ's  sake,  and  as  one  that  represents  him,  and  acts  in  his  name  towards 
them.  All  this  love,  and  honor,  and  submission,  is  ultimately  referred  to  Christ. 
Thus  the  apostle  says.  Gal.  iv.  14,  "Ye  received  me  as  an  angel,  or  messenger 
of  God,  even  as  Christ  Jesus."  And  the  children  that  are  brought  forth  in 
consequence  of  the  union  of  the  pastor  and  people,  are  not  properly  the  minis- 
ter's children,  but  the  children  of  Christ ;  they  are  not  born  of  man,  but  of 
God. 

2.  The  things  that  appertain  to  that  forementioned  union  of  a  faithful 
minister  and  Christian  people,  are  the  principal  appointed  means  of  bringing 
the  church  to  that  blessedness  that  has  been  spoken  of.  As  Abraham's  servant, 
and  the  part  he  acted  as  Isaac's  agent  towards  Rebekah,  were  the  principal 
means  of  his  being  brought  to  enjoy  the  benefits  of  her  conjugal  relation  to 
Isaac.  Ministei-s  are  sent  to  woo  the  souls  of  men  for  Christ :  2  Cor.  v.  20, 
"  We  are  then  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us; 
we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."     We  read  in  Matt. 


572  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

xxii.  of  a  certain  liing,  that  made  a  marriage  for  his  son,  and  sent  forth  his  ser- 
vants to  invite  and  bring  in  the  guests.  It  is  ministers  that  are  these  servants. 
The  labors  of  faithful  ministers  are  the  principal  means  God  is  wont  to  make 
use  of  for  the  conversion  of  the  children  of  the  church,  and  so  of  their  espousals 
unto  Christ.  I  have  espoused  you  to  one  husband,  says  the  apostle,  2  Cor.  xi. 
2.  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  by  faitliful  ministers,  is  the  principal  means 
that  God  makes  use  of  for  the  exhibiting  Christ  and  his  love  and  beraefits  to  his 
elect  people,  and  the  chief  means  of  their  being  sanctified,  and  so  fitted  to  enjoy 
their  spirit ual  bridegroom.  Christ  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it, 
that  he  n:iight  sanctity  and  cleanse  it,  as  by  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word, 
i.  e.,  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  so  might  present  it  to  himself,  a  glori- 
ous church.  The  labors  of  faithful  ministers  are  ordinarily  the  principal  means 
of  the  joy  of  the  saints  in  Christ  Jesus,  in  their  fellowship  with  their  spiritual 
bridegroom  in  this  world  :  2  Cor.  i.  24,  "  We  are  helpers  of  your  joy,"  They 
are  the  instruments  that  God  makes  use  of  for  the  bringing  up  the  church,  as  it 
were,  from  her  childhood,  till  she  is  fit  for  her  marriage  with  the  Lord  of  glory  ; 
as  Mordecai  brought  up  Hadassah,  orEst:her,  whereby  she  was  fitted  to  be  queen 
in  Ahasuenis's  court.  God  pniifies  the  church  under  their  hand,  as  Esther,  to 
fit  her  for  her  marriage  with  the  king,  was  committed  to  the  custody  of  llagai 
the  keeper  of  the  women,  to  be  purified  six  months  with  oil  of  myrrh,  and  six 
months  with  sweet  odors.  They  are  made  the  instruments  of  clothing  the  church 
in  her  wedding  garments,  that  fine  linen,  clean  and  white,  and  adorning  her  for 
her  husband  ;  as  Abraham's  servant  adorned  Rebekah  with  golden  earrings  and 
bracelets.  Faithful  ministers  are  made  the  instruments  of  leading  the  people  ot 
God  in  the  way  to  heaven,  conducting  them  to  the  glorious  presence  of  the 
bridegroom,  to  the  consummate  joys  of  her  marriage  with  the  Lamb;  as  Abra- 
ham's servant  conducted  Rebekah  from  Padan-aram  to  Canaan,  and  presented 
her  to  Isaac,  and  delivered  her  into  his  embraces.  For  it  is  the  ofiEice  of  minis- 
ters, not  only  to  espouse  the  church  to  her  husband,  but  to  present  her  a  chaste 
virgin  to  Christ. 

I  would  now  conclude  this  discourse  with  some  exhortations,  agreeable  to 
what  has  been  said.     And, 

1.  The  exhortation  may  be  to  all  that  are  called  to  the  work  of  the  gospel 
ministry.  Let  us  who  are  honored  by  the  glorious  bridegroom  of  the  church, 
to  be  employed  as  his  ministers,  to  so  high  a  purpose,  as  has  been  represented, 
be  engaged  and  induced  by  what  has  been  observed,  to  faithfulness  in  our  great 
work  ;  that  we  may  be,  and  act  towards  Christ's  people  that  are  committed  to 
our  care,  as  those  that  are  united  to  them  in  holy  espousals,  for  Christ's  sake, 
and  in  order  to  their  being  brought  to  the  unspeakable  blessedness  of  that  more 
glorious  union  with  the  Lamb  of  God,  in  which  he  shall  rejoice  over  them,  as 
the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride.  Let  us  see  to  it  that  our  hearts  are 
united  to  them,  as  a  young  man  to  a  virgin  that  he  marries,  in  the  most  ardent 
and  tender  affection ;  and  that  our  regard  to  them  be  pure  and  uncorrupt,  that 
it  may  be  a  regard  to  them,  and  not  to  what  they  have,  or  any  worldly  advan- 
tages we  hope  to  gain  of  them.  And  let  us  behave  ourselves  as  those  that  are 
devoted  to  their  good ;  being  willing  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  them  ;  joyfully 
undertaking  and  enduring  the  labor  and  self-denial  that  is  requisite  in  order  to 
a  thorough  fulfilling  the  ministry  that  we  have  received  ;  continually  and  ear- 
nestly endeavoring  to  promote  the  prosperity  and  salvation  of  the  souls  conimit- 
t'cd  to  our  care  ;  and,  as  those  that  are  their  bone  and  their  flesh,  looking  on  their 
calamities  and  their  prosperity  as  our  own  ;  feeling  their  spiritual  wounds  and 
griefs,  and  refreshed  with  their  consolations ;  and  spending  our  \Yhole  lives  ia 


TO  HER  SONS.  573 

iliiigf  nt  care  and  endeavor  tr*  provide  for,  nouricili,  and  instruct  our  people,  as 
the  intended  spouse  ol"  Clirist,  yet  in  her  minority,  that  we  n)ay  form  lar  mind 
and  behavior,  and  bring  her  up  lor  him,  and  that  we  may  cleanse  her,  us  with 
the  washing  of  water  by  the  word,  and  purify  her  as  willi  sweet  odors,  and 
clothed  in  such  raiment  as  may  become  Christ's  bride  ;  tliat  wlien  tlie  appointed 
wediling  day  conies,  we  may  have  done  our  work  as  Christ's  messengers  ;  and 
may  then  be  ready  to  present  Christ's  S[)ouse  to  him,  a  ciiasle  virgin,  }>ro[)erly 
educateil  and  formed,  and  suitably  adorned  for  her  marriage  with  the  Lamb; 
that  he  may  then  present  hei  to  himself,  a  glorious  chmrh,  not  having  >pot,  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  sucli  thing,  and  may  receive  her  into  his  eternal  embraces,  in 
perfect  purity,  beauty,  and  glory. 

Here  1  would  mention  three  or  four  things  teniling  to  excite  us  to  this 
lidelity. 

1.  We  ought  to  consider  iiow  much  Christ  has  done  to  obtain  tliat  joy  that 
has  been  spoken  of,  in  order  to  which  we  have  been  called  to  the  woik  of  the 
ministry,  viz.,  that  wlierein  Christ  rejoices  over  his  church,  as  the  bridegroom 
rejoiceth  over  the  bride. 

The  creation  of  the  world  seems  to  have  been  especially  for  this  end,  that  the 
eternal  Son  of  God  might  obtain  a  spouse  towards  whom  he  might  fully  exercise 
the  infinite  benevolence  of  iiis  nature,  and  to  whom  he  might,  as  it  were,  open 
and  pour  forth  all  that  immense  fountain  of  condescension,  love,  and  grace  that 
Avas  in  his  heart,  and  that  in  this  way  God  might  be  glorified.  Doubtless  the 
work  of  creation  is  subordinate  to  the  work  of  redemption:  that  is  called  the 
creation  of  the  new  heavens  and  new  earth,  and  is  represented  as  so  much  more 
excellent  than  the  old,  that  that,  in  comparison  of  it,  is  not  worthy  to  be  men- 
tioned, or  come  into  mind. 

But  Christ  has  done  greater  things  than  to  create  the  world,  to  obtain  his 
bride  and  the  joy  of  his  espousals  with  her:  for  he  w- as  incarnate,  and  became 
man  for  this  end;  which  was  a  greater  thing  than  his  creating  the  worhl.  For 
the  Creator  to  make  the  creature  was  a  great  thing ;  but  for  him  to  become  a 
creature  was  a  greater  thing.  And  he  did  a  much  greater  thing  still  to  obtain 
this  joy ;  in  that  for  this  he  laid  down  his  life,  and  suffered  even  the  death  of 
the  cross  :  for  this  he  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death  ;  and  lie  that  is  the  Lord 
of  the  universe,  God  over  all  blessed  for  evermore,  offered  up  himself  a  sacrifice, 
in  both  body  and  soul,  in  the  (lames  of  divine  wrath.  Christ  obtains  his  elect 
spouse  by  conquest;  for  she  was  a  captive  in  the  hands  of  dreadful  enemies; 
and  her  Redeemer  came  into  the  world  to  conquer  these  enemies,  and  rescue 
her  out  of  their  hands  that  she  might  be  his  bride :  and  he  came  and  encountered 
these  enemies  in  the  greatest  battle  that  ever  was  beheld  hymen  or  angels:  he 
fought  wiih  })rincipalities  and  powers;  he  fought  alone  with  th-e  powers  of 
darkness,  ami  all  the  armies  of  hell ;  yea,  he  conflicted  with  the  infinileiy  more 
dreadful  wrath  of  God,  and  overcame  in  this  great  battle;  and  thus  he  obtained 
liis  spouse.  Let  us  consider  at  how  great  a  price  Christ  purchased  this  spouse  : 
he  did  not  redeem  her  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gokl,  but  with  his 
own  precious  blood  ;  yea,  he  gave  himself  for  her.  When  he  olfered  up  him- 
self to  God  in  those  extreme  labors  and  sufferings,  this  was  the  joy  that  was 
set  before  him,  that  made  him  cheerfully  to  endure  the  cross,  and  despise  the 
pain  and  shame  in  comparison  of  this  joy  ;  even  that  rejoicing  over  his  church, 
as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride  that  the  Father  had  promised  him, 
and  that  he  expected  when  he  should  present  her  to  himself  in  perfect  beauty 
and  blessedness. 

The  jfl-ospect  of  this  was  what  supported  him  in  the  midst  of  the  dismal 


574  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

prospect  of  his  sufferings,  at  which  his  soul  was  troubled  ;  as  appears  hy  the 
account  we  have,  John  xii.  27  :  "  Now  is  my  soul  troubled  ;  and  what  shall  1 
say  ?  Father,  save  me  from  this  hour :  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour." 
These  words  show  the  conflict  and  distress  of  Christ's  holy  soul  in  the  view  of 
his  approaching  sufferings.  But  in  the  midst  of  his  trouble,  he  was  refreshed 
with  the  joyful  prospect  of  the  success  of  those  sufferings,  in  bringing  home  his 
elect  cliurch  to  himself,  signified  by  a  voice  from  heaven,  and  promised  by  the 
Father:  on  which  he  says,  in  the  language  of  triumph,  verse  31,  32,  "  Now  is 
the  judgment  of  this  world  :  now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out. 
And  1,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  will  draw  al!  men  unto  me." 

And  ministers  of  the  gospel  are  appointed  to  be  the  instruments  of  bringing 
this  to  pass;  the  instruments  of  bringing  home  his  elect  spouse  to  him,  and  her 
becoming  his  bride ;  and  the  instruments  of  her  sanctifying  and  cleansing  by 
the  word,  that  she  might  be  meet  to  be  presented  to  him  on  the  future  glorious 
wedding  day.  How  great  a  motive  then  is  here  to  induce  us  that  are  called  to 
be  these  instruments,  to  be  faithful  in  our  work,  and  most  willingly  labor  and 
suffer,  that  Christ  may  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied  ?  Shall 
Christ  do  such  great  things,  and  go  through  such  great  labors  and  sufferings 
to  obtain  this  joy,  and  then  honor  us  sinful  worms,  so  as  to  employ  us  as  his 
ministers  and  instruments  to  bring  this  joy  to  pass ;  and  shall  we  be  loth  to 
labor,  and  backward  to  deny  ourselves  for  this  end  1 

2.  Let  us  consider  how  much  the  manner  in  which  Christ  employs  us  in  this 
great  business  has  to  engage  us  to  a  faithful  performance  of  it.  We  are  sent 
forth  as  his  servants  ;  but  it  is  as  highly  dignified  servants,  as  stewards  of  his 
household,  as  Abraham's  servant;  and  as  his  ambassadors,  to  stand  in  his 
stead,  and  in  his  name,  and  represent  his  person  in  so  great  an  affair  as  that  of 
his  espousals  with  the  eternally  beloved  of  his  soul.  Christ  employs  us  not  as 
mere  servants,  but  as  friends  of  the  bridegroom  ;  agreeable  to  the  style  in  which 
John  the  Baptist  speaks  of  himself,  John  iii.  29,  in  which  he  probably  alludes 
to  an  ancient  custom  among  the  Jews  at  their  nuptial  solemnities,  at  which  one 
of  the  guests  that  was  most  honored  and  next  in  dignity  to  the  bridegroom,  was 
styled  the  friend  of  the  bridegroom. 

There  is  not  an  angel  in  heaven,  of  how  high  an  order  soever,  but  what 
looks  on  himself  honored  by  the  Son  of  God  and  Lord  of  glory,  in  being  em- 
ployed by  him  as  his  minister  in  the  high  affair  of  his  espousals  with  his  blessed 
bride.  But  we  are  not  only  thus  honored,  but  such  an  honor  as  this  has  Christ 
put  upon  us,  that  his  spouse  should  in  some  sort  be  ours ;  that  we  should  marry, 
as  a  young  man  marries  a  virgin,  the  same  mystical  person  that  he  himself  will 
rejoice  over,  as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride ;  that  we  should  be  his 
ministers  to  treat  and  transact  for  him  with  his  dear  spouse,  that  he  might  obtain 
this  joy  ;  and  to  transact  in  such  a  manner  with  her  as  in  our  treaty  with  her, 
to  be  married  to  her  in  his  name,  and  sustain  an  image  of  his  own  endearing  re- 
lation to  her ;  and  that  she  should  receive  us,  in  some  sort,  as  himself,  and  her 
heart  be  united  to  us  in  esteem,  honor,  and  affection,  as  those  that  represent 
him ;  and  that  Christ's  and  the  church's  children  should  be  ours,  and  that  the 
same  that  is  the  fruit  of  the  travail  of  Christ's  soul  should  be  also  the  fruit  of  the 
travail  of  our  souls ;  as  the  apostle  speaks  of  himself  as  travailing  in  birth  with 
his  hearers.  Gal.  iv.  19.  The  reason  why  Christ  puts  such  honor  on  faithful 
ministers,  even  above  the  angels  themselves,  is,  because  they  are  of  his  beloved 
church,  they  are  select  members  of  his  dear  spouse,  and  Christ  esteems  nothing 
too  much  for  her,  no  honor  too  great  for  her.  Therefore  Jesus  Christ,  the  King 
of  angels  and  men,  does  as  it  were  cause  it  to  be  proclaimed  concerning  faithful 


TO  HER  SONS.  575 

ministers,  as  Ahasucrus  did  concerning  him  tliat  brought  up  Esther,  his  beloved 
queen;  "  Thus  shall  it  be  done  to  the  man  that  the  king  delights  to  honor." 

And  seeing  Christ  hath  so  honored  us,  that  our  relation  to  his  people  imi- 
tates his  ;  surely  our  alFection  to  them  shoidd  resemble  his,  and  \ve  should  imi- 
tate him  in  seeking  their  salvation,  spiritual  peace,  and  happiness,  as  Christ 
sought  it.  Our  tender  care,  labors,  self-denial,  and  readiness  to  suffer  for  their 
happiness,  should  imitate  Avhat  hath  appeared  in  him,  that  hath  purchased  them 
M'ith  his  own  blood. 

3.  Let  it  be  considered,  that  if  we  faithfully  acquit  ourselves  in  our  office, 
in  the  manner  that  hath  been  represented,  we  shall  surely  hereafter  be  ])arta- 
kers  of  the  joy,  when  the  bridegroom  and  bride  shall  rejoice  in  each  other  in 
perfect  and  eternal  glory. 

God  once  gave  forth  a  particular  command,  with  special  solemnity,  that  it 
should  be  written  for  the  notice  of  all  professing  Christians  throunh  all  ages, 
that  tliey  are  happy  and  blessed  indeed,  who  are  called  to  the  niarriage  sujiper 
of  the  Lamb :  Rev.  xix.  9,  "  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  they 
which  are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  And  he  saith  unto  me, 
These  are  the  true  sayings  of  God.''  But  if  we  are  faithful  in  our  work,  we 
shall  surely  be  the  subjects  of  that  blessedness ;  we  shall  be  partakers  of  the 
joy  of  the  bridegroom  and  bride,  not  merely  as  friends  and  neighbors  that  are 
invited  to  be  occasional  guests,  but  as  members  of  the  one  and  the  other.  We 
shall  be  partakers  with  the  church,  the  blessed  bride,  in  her  joy  in  the  bride- 
groom, not  only  as  friends  and  mmisters  to  the  church,  but  as  members  of  prin- 
cipal dignity ;  as  the  eye,  the  car,  the  hand,  are  principal  members  of  the  body. 
Faithful  ministers  in  the  church  Avill  hereafter  be  a  part  of  the  church  that 
shall  receive  distinguished  glory  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just,  which,  above  all 
other  times,  may  be  looked  on  as  the  church's  wedding  day  :  Dan.  xii.  2,  3, 
"  Many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dusl  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  ever- 
lasting life  ;  and  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
ment, and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever." 
They  are  elders  that  are  represented  as  that  part  of  the  cluirch  triumphant  that 
sit  next  to  the  throne  of  God  :  Rev.  iv.  4,  "  And  round  about  the  throne  were 
four  and  twenty  seats  ;  and  upon  the  seats  1  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting, 
clothed  in  white  raiment ;  and  they  had  on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold." 

And  we  shall  also  be  partakers  of  the  joy  of  the  bridegroom  in  liis  rejoicing 
over  his  bride.  W^e,  as  the  special  friends  of  the  bridegroom,  shall  stand  by 
the  bridegroom,  and  hear  him  express  his  joy  on  that  day,  and  rejoice  greatly 
because  of  the  iDridegroom's  voice ;  as  John  the  Baptist  said  of  himself,  John  iii. 
29  :  "  He  that  hath  the  bride  is  the  bridegroom  :  but  the  friend  of  the  bride- 
groom, which  standeth  and  hearcth  him,  rejoiccth  greatly  because  of  the  bride- 
groom's voice."  Christ,  in  reward  for  our  faithful  service,  in  winning  and  es- 
pousing his  bride  to  him,  and  bringing  her  up  from  her  minority,  and  adorning 
her  for  him,  will  then  call  us  to  partake  with  him  in  the  joy  of  his  marriage. 
And  she  that  will  then  be  his  joy,  shall  also  be  our  crown  of  rejoicing.  1  Thess. 
ii.  19,  "  What  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing?  Are  not  ye  in  the 
presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming  ?"  What  a  joyful  meeting  had 
Christ  and  his  disciples  together,  when  the  disciples  returned  to  their  Master, 
after  the  faithful  and  successful  performance  of  their  appointed  service,  when 
Christ  sent  them  forth  to  preach  the  gospel :  Lid^ex.  17,  "  And  the  seventy  re- 
turned with  joy,  saying.  Lord,  even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us  through  thy 
name."  Here  we  see  how  they  rejoice :  the  next  words  show  how  Christ  also 
rejoiced  on  that  occasion  :  "  And  he  said  unto  them,  I  beheld  Satan  as  light- 


576  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

nlng  fall  from  heaven."  And  in  the  next  verse  but  two,  we  are  told  that, "  m 
that  hour  Jesus  rejoiced  in  spirit,  and  said,  1  thank  thee,  0  Father,  Lord  of  heav- 
en and  earth,  that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast 
revealed  them  unto  babes."  So  if  we  faithfully  acquit  ouiselves,  we  siiall  ano- 
ther day  return  to  him  with  joy  ;  and  we  shall  rejoice  with  him  and  he  with  us. 
Then  will  be  the  day  when  Chiist, that  has  sown  in  tears  and  in  blood,  and  we 
that  have  reaped  the  fruits  of  his  labors  and  sutltirings,  shall  rejoice  together 
agreeable  to  John  iv.  35,  36,  37.  And  that  will  be  a  happy  meeting  indeed, 
W'hen  Christ  and  his  lovely  and  blessed  bride,  and  faithful  ministers  that  have 
been  the  instruments  of  wooing  and  winning  her  heart  to  him,  and  adorning  her 
for  him,  and  presenting  her  to  hin:!,  shall  all  rejoice  together. 

4.  Further  to  stir  us  up  to  faitlifulness  in  the  great  business  that  is  appoint- 
ed us,  in  order  to  the  mutual  joy  of  this  bridegroom  and  bride,  let  us  considei 
what  reason  we  have  to  hope  that  the  time  is  approaching  when  this  joy  shall 
be  to  a  glorious  degree  fulfilled  on  earth,  far  beyond  whatever  yet  has  been  j  I 
mean  the  time  of  the  church's  latter  day  glory.  This  is  what  the  words  of  our 
text  have  a  more  direct  respect  to  ;  and  this  is  what  is  prophesied  of  in  Hos.  ii. 
19,  20  :  "And  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  forever,  yea,  I  will  betroth  thee  untc 
me  in  righteousness,  and  in  judgment,  and  in  loving-kindness,  and  in  raeicies. 
1  will  even  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  faithfulness,  and  thou  shalt  know  the  Lord." 
And  this  is  what  is  especially  intended  by  the  mari'iage  of  the  Lamb,  in  Ptev.  xix. 

We  are  sure  this  day  will  come :  and  we  have  many  reasons  to  think  that  it 
is  approaching  ;  from  the  fulfilment  of  almost  every  thing  that  the  prophecies 
speak  of  as  preceding  it,  and  their  having  been  fulfilled  now  of  a  long  time  ; 
and  from  the  general  earnest  expectations  of  the  church  of  God,  and  the  best  of 
her  ministers  and  members,  and  the  late  extraordinary  things  that  have  appear- 
ed in  the  church  of  God,  and  appertaining  to  the  state  of  religion,  and  the  pre- 
sent aspects  of  Divine  Providence,  which  the  time  will  not  allov/  me  largely  to 
insist  upon. 

As  the  happiness  of  that  day  will  have  a  great  resemblance  of  the  glory  and 
joy  of  the  eternal  wedding  day  of  the  church  after  the  resurrection  of  the  just ; 
so  will  the  privileges  that  faithful  ministers  shall  be  the  subjects  of  at  that  time, 
much  resemble  the  blessed  privileges  that  they  shall  enjoy,  as  partaking  with 
the  bridegroom  and  bride,  in  their  honor  and  happiness,  in  eternal  glory.  This 
is  the  time  especially  intended  in  the  text,  wherein  it  is  said,  "  as  a  young  man 
marrieth  a  virgin,  so  shall  thy  sons  marry  thee."  And  it  is  after  in  the  pro- 
phecies spoken  of  as  a  great  part  of  the  glory  of  that  time,  that  then  the  church 
should  be  so  well  supplied  with  faithful  ministers.  So  in  the  next  verse  to  the 
text,  "  I  have  set  watchmen  on  thy  walls,  0  Jerusalem,  that  shall  never  hold 
their  peace,  day  nor  night."  So,  in  Isai.  xxx.  20,  21,  "  Thy  teachers  shall  not 
be  removed  into  a  corner  any  more,  but  ihine  eyes  shall  see  thy  teachers;  and 
thine  ears  shall  hear  a  word  behind  thee,  saying.  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it, 
when  ye  turn  to  the  right  hand,  and  when  ye  turn  to  the  left."  Jer.  iii.  15, 
"  And  1  will  give  you  pastors  according  to  mine  heart,  which  shall  feed  you 
with  knowledge  and  understanding."  And  chap,  xxiii.  4,  "  And  I  will  set  up 
shepherds  over  them,  which  shall  feed  thenj."  And  the  great  privilege  and  joy 
of  faithful  ministers  at  that  day  is  foretold  in  Isai,  Iii.  9  :  "  Thy  watchmen  shall 
lift  up  the  voice,  with  the  voice  together  shall  they  sing :  for  they  shall  see  eye  to 
eye,  when  the  Lord  shall  bring  again  Zion." 

And  as  that  day  must  needs  be  approaching,  and  we  ourselves  have  lately 
seen  some  things  that  we  have  reason  to  hope  are  forerunners  of  it ;  certainly  it 
should  strongly  excite  us  to  endeavor  to  be  such  pastors  as  God  has  promised  to 


TO  HER  SONS.  577 

bless  his  church  with  at  that  time ;  that  if  any  of  us  should  live  to  see  the  dawn- 
ing of  that  glorious  Jay,  we  .night  share  in  the  blcsseilness  of  it,  and  then  be 
called,  as  the  friends  of  the  bridegroom,  to  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb, 
and  partake  of  that  joy  in  which  heaven  and  earth,  angels  and  saints,  and  Christ 
and  his  church,  shall  be  united  at  that  time. 

But  here  I  would  apply  the  exhortation  in  a  few  words  to  that  minister  of 
Christ,  who  above  all  otliers  is  cone  eriietl  in  the  solemnity  of  this  day,  who  is 
now  to  be  united  to,  and  set  over  this  people  as  their  pastor. 

You  have  now  heard,  Reverend  Sir,  the  great  importance,  and  high  ends  of 
the  ofHce  of  an  evangelical   pastor,  and  the  glorious   privileges  of  such  as   are 
faithful  in  this  office,  imperfectly  represented.     May  God  grant  that  your  union 
with  tliis  people,  this  da}',  as  their  pastor,  may  be  such,  that  God's  people  here 
may  have  the  great  promise  God  makes  to  h^s  church  in  the  text,  now  fulfilled 
unto  them.     May  you  now,  as  one  of  the  precious  sons  of  Zion,  take  this  part 
of  Christ's  church  by  the  hand,  in  the  name  of  your  great  Master,  the  glorious 
bridegroom,  with  a  heart  devoted   unto  him  with  true  adoration  and  supreme 
affection,  and  for  his  sake  knit  to  this  ])eople,  in  a  spiritual  and  pure  love,  and 
as  it  were  a  conjugal  tenderness  ;  ardently  desiring  that  great  happiness  for  them, 
which  you  have  now  heard  Christ  has  chosen  his  church  unto,  and  has  shed  his 
blood  to  obtain  for  her;  being  yourself  ready  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  them; 
remembering  the  great  errand  on  which  Christ  sends  you  to  them,  viz.,  to  woo 
and  win  their  hearis,  and  espouse  their  souls  to  him,  and   to  bring  up  his  elect 
spouse,  and  to  fit  and  adorn  her  for  his  embraces;  that  you  may  in  du(-  time 
present  her  a  chaste  virgin  to  him,  for  him  to  rejoice  over,  as  the  bridegroom 
rejoiceth  over  the  bride.     How  honorable  is  this  business  that  Christ  employs 
you  in!     And  how  joyfully  should  you  perform  it !     When  Abraham's  faithful 
servant  was  sent  to  take  a  wife  for  his  master's  son,  how  engaged  was  he  in  the 
business ;  and  how  joyful  was  he  when  he  succeeded  !     With  what  joy  did  he 
bow  his  head  and  worship,  and  bless  the  Lord  God  of  his  master,  for  his  mercy 
and  his  tiuth  in  making  his  way  prosperous  !     And  what  a  joyful  meeting  may 
we  conclude  he  had  with   Isaac,  when  he  met  him  in  the  field,  by  the  well  of 
Lahai-roi,  and  there  presented  his  beauteous  Rebekah  to  him,  and  told  him  all 
things  that  he  had  done!    But  this  was  but  a  shadov/  of  that  joy  that  you  shall 
have,  if  you  imitate  his  fidelity,  in  the  day  when  you  shall  meet  your  glorious 
Master,  and  present  Christ's  church  in  this  place,  as  a  chaste  and  beautiful  vir- 
gin unto  him. 

We  trust,  dear  sir,  that  you  will  esteem  it  a  most  blessed  employment,  to 
spend  your  time  and  skill  in  adorning  Christ's  bride  for  her  marriage  with  the 
Lamb,  and  that  it  is  work  that  you  will  do  with  delitiht ;  and  that  you  will 
take  heed  that  the  ornaments  you  put  upon  her  are  of  the  right  sort,  what  shall 
be  indeed  beautiful  and  precious  in  the  eyes  of  the  bridegroom,  that  she  may 
be  all  glorious  within,  and  her  clothing  of  wrought  gold ;  that  on  the  weddirg 
day,  she  may  stand  on  the  King's  right  hand  in  gold  of  Ophir. 

The  joyful  day  is  cominsr,  when  the  spouse  of  Christ  shall  be  led  in  unto  the 
King  with  raiment  of  needle-work;  and  angels  and  faithful  ministers  will  be 
the  sen-ants  that  shall  lead  her  in.  And  you,  sir,  if  you  are  faithful  in  the 
charge  that  is  now  to  be  committed  to  you,  shall  be  joined  with  glorious  angels 
in  that  honorable  and  joyful  service ;  but  with  this  difference,  that  you  shall 
have  the  higher  privilege.  Angels  and  faithful  ministers  shall  be  together  in 
bringing  in  Christ's  bride  into  his  palace,  and  presenting  her  to  him  :  but  faith- 
ful ministers  shall  have  a  much  higher  participation  of  the  joy  of  that  occasion: 
they  shall  have  a  greater  and  more  immediate  participation  with  the  bride  in 

73 


578  CHURCH'S  MARRIAGE 

her  joy  ;  for  they  shall  not  only  be  ministers  to  the  church  as  the  angels  are, 
but  parts  of  the  church,  principal  members  of  the  bride.  And  as  such,  at  the 
same  time  that  angels  do  the  part  of  ministering  spirits  to  the  bride,  when  they 
conduct  her  to  tlie  bridegroom,  they  shall  also  do  the  part  of  ministering  spirits 
to  faithful  ministers.  And  they  shall  also  ha\'e  a  higher  participation  with  the 
bridegroom  than  the  angels,  in  his  rejoicing  at  that  time  ;  for  they  shall  be 
nearer  to  him  than  they ;  for  they  are  also  his  members,  and  are  those  that  are 
honored  as  the  principal  instruments  of  espousing  the  saints  to  him,  and  fitting 
them  for  the  enjoyment  of  him ;  and  therefore  they  will  be  more  the  crown  of 
rejoicing  of  faithful  ministers,  than  of  the  angels  of  heaven. 

So  great,  dear  sir,  is  tiie  honor  and  joy  that  is  set  before  you,  to  engage 
you  to  faithfulness  in  your  pastoral  care  of  this  people ;  so  glorious  the  prize 
that  Christ  has  set  up  to  engage  you  to  run  the  race  that  is  set  before  you. 

I  would  now  conclude  with  a  few  words  to  the  people  of  this  congregation, 
whose  souls  are  now  to  be  committed  to  the  care  of  that  minister  of  Christ, 
whom  they  have  chosen  as  their  pastor. 

Let  me  take  occasion,  dear  brethren,  from  what  has  been  said,  to  exhort  you, 
not  forgetting  the  respect,  honor,  and  reverence,  that  will  ever  be  due  from  you 
to  your  former  pastor,  that  has  served  you  so  long  in  that  work,  but  by  reason 
of  age  and  growing  infirmities,  and  the  prospect  of  his  place  being  so  happily 
supplied  by  a  successor,  has  seen  meet  to  relinquish  the  burden  of  the  pastoral 
charge  over  you :  I  say.  let  me  exhort  you  (not  forgetting  due  respect  to  him 
as  a  father)  to  perform  the  duties  that  belong  to  you,  in  your  part  of  that  rela- 
tion and  union,  now  to  be  established  between  you  and  your  elect  pastor :  to 
receive  him  as  the  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  one  that  in  his  office  repre- 
sents the  glorious  bridegroom  of  the  church,  to  love  and  honor  him,  and  wil- 
lingly submit  yourselves  to  him,  as  a  virgin  when  married  to  a  husband.  Surely 
the  feet  of  that  messenger  should  be  beautiful,  that  comes  to  you  on  such  a 
blessed  errand  as  that  which  you  have  heard,  to  espouse  you  to  the  eternal  Son 
of  God,  and  to  fit  you  for,  and  lead  you  to  him  as  your  bridegroom.  Yonr 
chosen  pastor  comes  to  you  on  this  errand,  and  he  comes  in  the  name  of  the 
bridegroom,  so  empowered  by  him,  and  representing  him,  that  in  receiving  him, 
you  will  receive  Christ,  and  in  rejecting  him,  you  will  reject  Christ, 

Be  exhorted  to  treat  your  pastor  as  the  beautiful  and  virtuous  Rebekah 
treated  Abraham's  servant :  she  most  charitably  and  hospitably  entertained  him, 
provided  lodging  and  food  for  him  and  his  company,  and  took  care  that  he 
should  be  comfortably  entertained  and  supplied  in  all  respects,  while  he  continu- 
ed in  his  embassy ;  and  that  was  the  note  or  mark  of  distinction  which  God 
himself  gave  him,  by  which  he  should  know  the  true  spouse  of  Isaac  from  all 
others  of  the  daughters  of  the  city.  Therefore  in  this  respect  approve  your- 
selves as  the  true  spouse  of  Christ,  by  giving  kind  entertainment  to  your  minis- 
ter that  comes  to  espouse  you  to  the  antitype  of  Isaac.  Provide  for  his  out- 
ward subsistence  and  comfort,  with  the  like  cheerfulness  that  Rebekah  did  for 
Abraham's  servant.  You  have  an  account  of  her  alacrity  and  liberahty  in  sup- 
plying him,  in  Gen.  xxiv.  18,  19,  20,  and  25.  Say  as  her  brother  did,  verse 
31,  *«  Come  in,  thou  blessed  of  the  Lord." 

Thus  you  should  entertain  your  pastor.  But  this  is  not  that  wherein  your 
duty  towards  him  chiefly  lies:  the  main  thing  is  to  comply  with  him  in  his  great 
errand,  and  to  yield  to  the  suit  that  he  makes  to  you  in  the  name  of  Christ,  to 
go  to  be  his  bride.  In  this  you  should  be  like  Rebekah  :  she  was,  from  what 
she  heard  of  Isaac,  and  God's  covenant  with  him,  and  blessing  upon  him,  from 
the  mouth  of  Abraham's  servant,  willing  forever  to  forsake  her  own  country. 


TO  HER  SONS.  679 

ami  her  father's  house,  to  go  into  a  country  she  had  never  seen,  to  be  Isaac's 
wife,  whom  also  she  never  saw.  After  she  had  heard  what  the  servant  had  to 
say,  and  her  old  friends  had  a  mind  she  should  put  off  the  affair  for  the  present, 
but  it  was  insisted  on  that  she  should  go  immediately,  and  she  was  inquired  of, 
"  whether  she  would  go  with  this  man,"  she  said,  "  I  will  go."  And  she  left 
her  kindred,  and  followed  the  man  through  all  that  long  journey,  till  he  had 
brought  her  unto  Isaac,  and  they  three  had  that  joyful  meeting  in  Canaan.  If 
you  will  this  day  receive  your  pastor  in  that  union  that  is  now  to  be  established 
between  him  and  you.  it  will  be  a  joyful  day  in  this  place,  and  the  joy  will  be 
like  the  joy  of  espousals,  as  when  a  young  man  marries  a  virgin  ;  and  it  will  not 
only  be  a  joyful  day  in  East  Hampton,  but  it  will  doubtless  be  a  joyful  day  in 
heaven,  on  your  account.  And  your  joy  will  be  a  faint  resemblance,  and  a 
forerunner  of  that  future  joy,  when  Christ  shall  rejoice  over  you  as  the  bride- 
groom rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  in  heavenly  glory. 

And  if  your  pastor  be  faithful  in  his  office,  and  you  hearken  and  yield  to 
him  in  that  great  errand  on  which  Christ  sends  him  to  you,  the  time  will  come, 
wherein  you  and  your  pastor  will  be  each  other's  crown  of  rejoicing,  and  where- 
in Christ,  and  he,  and  you,  shall  all  meet  together  at  the  glorious  marriage  of 
the  Lamb,  and  shall  rejoice  in  and  over  one  another,  with  perfect,  uninterrupted, 
never  ending  and  never  fading  joy. 


SERMON  II.* 

THE   TRUE  EXCELLENCY  OF  A  GOSPEL  MINISTER. 

John  v.  35. —  He  vv;is  a  burning  and  a  shining  light. 

That  discourse  of  our  blessed  Saviour  we  have  an  account  of  in  this  chaptei 
from  the  17th  verse  to  the  end,  was  occasioned  by  the  Jews'  murmuring  against 
hira,  and  persecuting  him  for  his  heahng  the  impotent  man  at  the  pool  of  Be- 
thesda,  and  bidding  him  take  up  his  bed  and  walk  on  the  Sabbath  day.  Christ 
largely  vindicates  himself  in  this  discourse,  by  asserting  his  fellowship  with  God 
the  Father  in  nature  and  operations,  and  theieby  implicitly  showing  liimself  to 
be  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  and  by  declaring  to  the  Jews  that  God  the  Father,, 
and  he  with  hira,  did  work  hitherto,  or  even  to  this  time ;  i.  e.,  although  it  be 
said  that  God  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from  all  his  works,  yet  indeed  God 
continues  to  Avork  hitherto,  even  to  this  very  day,  with  respect  to  his  greatest 
work,  the  work  of  redemption,  or  new  creation,  which  he  carries  on  by  Jesus 
Christ,  his  Son.  Pursuant  to  the  designs  of  which  work  was  his  showing  mercy 
to  fallen  men  by  healing  their  diseases,  and  delivering  then)  from  the  calamities 
they  brought  on  themselves  by  sin.  This  great  woik  of  redemption,  God  car- 
ries on  from  the  begirming  of  the  world  to  this  time ;  and  his  rest  from  it  will 
not  come  till  the  resurrection,  which  Christ  speaks  of  in  the  21si  and  following 
verses  :  the  finishing  of  this  redemption  as  to  its  procurement,  being  in  his  own 
resurrection  ;  and  as  to  the  application,  in  the  general  resurrection  and  eternal 
judgment,  spoken  of  from  verse  20  to  verse  -30.  So  that  notwithstanding  both 
the  rest  on  the  seventh  day,  and  also  the  rest  that  Joshua  gave  the  children  of 
Israel,  in  Canaan  ;  yet  the  great  rest  of  the  Redeemer  from  his  work,  and  so  of 
his  people  with  him  and  in  him,  yet  remains,  as  the  apo.slle  observes,  Heb. 
chap.  iv.  This  will  be  at  the  resurrection  and  general  judgment;  which  Christ 
here  teaches  the  Jews,  was  to  be  brought  to  pass  by  ihe  Son  of  God,  by  the 
Father's  appointment,  and  so  the  works  of  God  to  be  finished  by  him. 

And  inasmuch  as  this  vindication  was  so  far  from  satisfying  the  Jews,  that 
iit  did  but  further  enrage  them,  because  hereby  he  made  himself  equal  with 
God,  Christ  therefore  lefers  them  to  the  witness  of  John  the  Baptist;  whose 
testimony  they  must  acquiesce  in,  or  else  be  inconsistent  with  themselves ;  be- 
cause they  had  generally  acknowledgeil  John  to  be  a  great  prophet,  and  seemed 
for  a  while  mightily  ati'ected  and  taken  with  it,  that  God,  after  so  long  a  with- 
holding the  spirit  of  prophecy,  had  raised  up  so  great  a  prophet  among  them — 
and  it  is  concerning  him  that  Christ  speaks  in  this  verse  wherein  is  the  text  : 
"  He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light ;  and  ye  were  willing  for  a  season  to 
rejoice  in  his  light." 

In  order  to  a  right  understanding  and  improvement  of  the  words  of  the  text^ 
we  may  observe, 

1.  What  Christ  here  takes  notice  of  in  John,  and  declares  concerning  him, 
viz.,  that  he  was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light.  He  was  a  light  to  the  church 
of  Israel,  to  reveal  the  mind  and  will  of  God  to  them,  after  a  long  continued 

♦  Preached  at  Pelham,  August  .30,  1744,  at  the  ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Robert  Al>ercrombie  tc 
the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  in  that  phice. 


THE  TRUE   EXCELLENCY   OF  A   GOSPEL  MINISTER.  581 

Jark  seasoi.,  and  aftt  r  they  hail  been  destitute  of  any  prophet  to  instruct  thera, 
for  some  agci  :  he  arose  on  Israel,  as  the  morninp;  star,  the  forerunner  of  the 
sun  of  righteousness,  to  introduce  the  day-spring,  or  dawning  of  the  gospel-day, 
to  give  light  to  tliem  tiiat  till  then  had  sat  in  the  darkness  of  perfect  niaht, 
which  was  the  slnidow  of  death;  to  give  them  (he  knowledge  of  salvation  ;  as 
Zacharias  his  father  declares  at  his  circumcision,  Luke  i.  7G — 79 :  "  And  thou 
child  shalt  be  called  the  Prophet  of  the  Highest;  for  thou  shalt  go  before  the 
face  of  the  Lord,  to  prepare  his  ways  ;  to  give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his 
people,  by  the  remis-sion  of  their  sins,  through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God  ; 
whereby  the  day-spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  us,  to  give  light  to  them  that 
sit  in  darkness,  and  in  the  shadow  of  death,  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of 
peace." 

And  he  was  a  burning  light,  as  he  was  full  of  a  spirit  of  fervent  piety  and 
holiness,  being  fdled  with  the  Holy  (Ihost  from  his  molhcr\s  womb,  bavin*''  his 
heart  warmed  and  inflamed  with  a  great  love  to  Christ,  hcingihai  friend  of  the 
bridegroom,  that  stood  and  heard  him,  and  rejoiced  greatly  because  of  the  bridc- 
groovi's  voice  ;  and  was  glad  that  Christ  increased,  though  he  decreased,  John 
iii.  29,  30.  And  was  animated  with  a  holy  zeal  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  : 
he  came  in  this  respect,  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias;  as  Elias  was  zealous 
in  bearing  testimony  against  the  corruption,  apostacies,  and  idolatries  of 
Israel  in  his  day,  so  was  John  the  Baptist  in  testifying  against  the  wickedness 
of  the  Jews  in  his  day:  as  Elias  zealously  reproved  the  sins  of  all  sorts  of  per- 
sons in  Israel,  not  only  the  sins  of  the  common  people,  but  of  their  great  ones, 
Ahab,  Ahaziah,  and  Jezebel,  and  their  lalse  prophets  ;  with  what  zeal  did 
John  the  Baptist  reprove  all  sorts  of  persons,  not  only  the  publicans  and  sol- 
diers, but  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducres,  telling  them  plainly  that  they  were  a 
generation  of  vipers,  and  rebuked  the  wickedness  of  Herod  in  his  most  beloved 
lust,  though  Herod  sought  his  life  for  it,  as  Ahab  and  Aliaziah  did  Elijah's.  As 
Elias  was  much  in  warning  the  people  of  God's  approaching  judgments,  de- 
nouncing God's  awful  wrath  against  Ahab,  Jezebel  and  Ahaziah,  and  the  pro- 
phets of  Baal,  and  (he  people  in  general :  so  was  John  the  Baptist,  much  in 
warning  the  people  to  fly  from  the  wrath  to  come,  telling  them  in  the  most 
awakening  manner,  that  the  "  axe  was  laid  at  the  root  of  the  tree,  and  that 
every  tree  that  brought  not  forth  good  fruit  should  be  hewn  down  and  cast 
into  the  fire,  and  that  he  that  came  after  him  had  his  fan  in  his  hand,  and  that 
he  would  thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into  the  garner,  and 
burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquenchal)le  fire." 

John  the  Baptist  was  not  only  a  burning,  but  a  shining  light :  he  was  so  in 
his  doctrine,  having  more  of  the  gospel  in  his  preaching  than  the  former  pro- 
phets, or  at  least  the  gospel  exhibited  with  greater  light  and  clearness,  more 
plainly  pointing  forth  the  person  that  was  to  be  the  great  Redeemer,  and  de- 
claring his  errand  into  the  world,  to  take  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  as  a  Lamb 
offered  in  sacrifice  to  God,  and  the  necessity  that  all,  even  the  most  strictly 
moral  and  religious,  stood  in  of  him,  being  by  nature  a  generation  of  vipers ; 
and  the  spiritual  nature  of  his  kingdom,  consisting  not  in  circumcision,  or 
outward  baptism,  or  any  other  external  performance  or  privileges,  but  in  the 
powerful  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  their  hearts,  a  being  baptized  ivith  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  ivitJi  fire. 

In  this  clearness  with  "which  he  gave  knowledge  of  salvation  to  God's 
people,  John  was  a  bright  light,  and  among  them  that  had  been  bom  of  women 
there  had  not  ariien  a  greater  than  he.  In  this  brightness  this  harbinger  of 
the  gospel-day  excelled  all  the  other  prophets,  as  the  morning  star  reflects 


582  THE  TRUE  EXCELLENCY 

more  of  the  light  of  the  sun  than  any  other  star,  and  is  the  brightest  of  all  the 
stars. 

He  also  shone  bright  in  his  conversation,  and  his  eminent  mortification  and 
renunciation  of  the  enjoyments  of  the  world  ;  his  great  diligence  and  laborious- 
ness  in  his  work,  his  impartiality  in  it,  declaring  the  mind  and  will  of  God  to 
all  sorts  without  distinction ;  his  great  humility,  rejoicing  in  the  increase  of  the 
honor  of  Christ,  though  his  honor  was  diminished,  as  the  brightness  of  the  mor- 
ning star  diminishes,  as  the  light  of  the  sun  increases  ;  and  in  his  faithfulness 
and  courage,  still  declaring  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  though  it  cost  him  his' 
own  life.     Thus  his  light  shone  before  men. 

2.  We  may  observe  to  what  purpose  Christ  declares  these  things  of  John 
in  the  text,  viz.,  to  show  how  gieat  and  excellent  a  person  he  was,  and  worthy 
that  the  Jews  should  regard  his  testimony  :  great  are  the  things  which  Christ 
elsewhere  says  of  John  the  Baptist,  as  in  Matt.  xi.  7 — 14.  He  speaks  of  him 
as  a  'prophet;  and  more  than  a  prophet  ;  and  one,  than  whom  there  had  not 
risen  a  greater  among  them  that  had  been  horn  of  women.  He  observed  how 
great  and  excellent  a  light  he  was  in  the  text,  to  show  the  Jews  how  inexcusa- 
ble they  were  in  not  receiving  the  testimony  he  had  given  of  him  ;  as  you  may 
see,  verses  31,  32,  33. 

Therefore  that  which  I  would  observe  from  the  text  to  be  the  subject  of  m^ 
present  discourse  is  this : 

It  is  the  excellency  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel  to  be  both  a  burning  and  a 
shining  light. 

Thus  we  see  it  is  in  Christ's  esteem,  the  great  prophet  of  God,  and  light  of 
the  world,  head  of  the  church,  and  Lord  of  the  harvest,  and  the  great  Lord  and 
master  whose  messengers  all  ministers  of  the  gospel  are. 

John  the  Baptist  was  a  minister  of  the  gospel ;  and  he  was  so  more  emi- 
nently than  the  ancient  prophets ;  for  though  God  at  sundry  times,  and  in  di- 
vers manners,  spake  the  gospel  by  them ;  yet  John  the  Baptist  was  a  great 
minister  of  the  gospel  in  a  manner  distinguished  from  them  :  he  is  reckoned  ii) 
Scripture  the  first  that  introduced  the  gospel  day,  after  the  law  and  the  prophets : 
Luke  vi.  16,  "  The  law  and  the  prophets  were  until  John ;  since  that  time  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  preached."  And  his  preaching  is  called  the  beginning  of 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  Mark  i.  1.  He  came  on  that  errand, 
to  give  knowledge  of  salvation  to  God's  people,  through  the  remission  of  their 
sins  (as  his  father  Zacharias  observes,  Luke  i.  77) ;  and  to  preach  these  glad 
tidings,  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  at  hand. 

John  being  thus  eminently  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  a  burning  and 
shining  light,  being  taken  notice  of  by  Christ  as  his  great  excellency,  we  may 
justly  hence  observe,  that  herein  consists  the  proper  excellency  of  m.inisters  of 
the  gospel. 

I  would,  by  divine  assistance,  handle  the  subject  m  the  following  method. 

L  I  would  show  that  Christ's  design,  in  the  appointment  of  the  order 
and  office  of  ministers  of  the  gospel  is,  that  they  may  be  lights  to  the  souls  of 
men. 

n.  I  would  show  what  is  implied  in  their  being  burning  lights. 

in.  I  would  show  what  is  implied  in  their  being  shining  lights. 

IV.  I  would  show  that  it  is  the  proper  excellency  of  ministers  of  the  gospel 
to  have  these  things  united  in  them,  to  be  both  burning  and  shining  lights. 

V.  I  would  apply  these  things  to  all  that  Christ  has  called  to  the  work  ot 
the  gospel  ministry,  showing  how  much  it  concerns  them  earnestly  to  endeavor 
that  they  may  be  burning  and  shining  lights. 


OF  A  GOSPEL   MINISTER  583 

VI.  Show  what  ministers  of  the  gospel  ought  to  do  that  they  mny  be  so. 

VII.  Say  somelhing  bridly  concerning  the  duty  of  a  people  that  are  under 
the  care  of  a  gospel  minister,  ci)rresi)onikiil  to  those  things  that  C'luist  has 
taught  us  concerning  the  end  and  excellency  of  a  gospel  minister. 

I.  I  would  observe  that  Ciirist's  design  in  the  appointment  of  the  order 
and  office  of  ministers  of  the  gospel  was  that  they  ujight  be  lights  to  the  souls 
of  men. 

Satan's  kingdom  is  a  kingdom  of  daikness;  the  devils  are  the  rulers  of  the 
darkness  of  this  world.  But  Christ's  kingdom  is  a  kingdom  of  light ;  the  de- 
signs of  his  kingdom  are  carried  on  by  light ;  his  people  arc  not  (if'  the  night, 
nor  of  darkness,  but  are  fhc  children  of  the  light,  as  they  are  the  childien  of 
God,  who  is  the  Father  of  lights _  and  as  it  were  a  boundless  fountain  of  infinite- 
ly pure  and  bright  light,  1  John  i.  5,  James  i.  17. 

]\Ian  by  the  fall  extinguished  that  divine  light  that  shone  in  this  Avorld  in  its 
first  estate.  The  Scripture  represents  the  wickedness  of  man  as  reducino-  the 
world  to  that  state  wherein  it  was  when  it  was  yet  w'ithout  form  and  void,  and 
«Iarkness  filled  it.  Jer.  iv.  22,  23,  "  For  my  people  is  foolish,  thev  have  not 
known  me:  they  are  sottish  children  ;  and  they  have  none  understanding  :  they 
are  wise  to  do  evil ;  but  to  do  good  they  have  no  knowledge.  I  beheld  the 
earth,  and  lo,  it  was  without  form  and  void ;  and  the  heavens,  and  they  had  no 
light."  But  God  in  infinite  mercy  has  made  glorious  provision  for  the  restora- 
tion of  light  to  this  fallen  dark  world  ;  he  has  sent  him  w  ho  is  the  brightness 
of  his  own  glory,  into  the  world,  lo  be  the  light  of  the  world.  "  He  is  the  true 
light  that  Hghteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,"  i.  e.,  every 
man  in  the  world  that  ever  has  any  true  light.  But  in  his  wisdom  and  mercy, 
he  is  pleased  to  convey  his  light  to  men  by  means  ami  instruments  ;  and  has 
sent  forth  his  messengers,  and  appointed  ministers  in  his  church  to  be  subordi- 
nate lights,  and  to  shine  with  the  communications  of  his  light,  and  to  reflect  the 
beams  of  his  glory  on  the  souls  of  men. 

There  is  an  analogy  between  the  divine  constitution  and  disposition  of  things 
in  the  natural  and  in  the  spiritual  world.  The  wise  Creator  has  not  left  the 
natural  world  without  light ;  but  in  this  our  solar  system  has  set  one  great  light, 
immensely  exceeding  all  the  rest,  shining  perpetually  with  a  transcendent  fulness 
and  strength,  to  enlighten  the  whole  ;  and  he  hath  appointed  other  lesser,  sub- 
ordinate or  dependent  lights,  that  shine  with  the  communications  and  reflections 
of  something  of  his  brightness.  So  it  is  in  the  spiritual  'World ;  there  God 
hath  appointed  Jesus  Christ  as  a  Sun  of  righteousness:  the  Church  of  God  has 
not  the  sun  lo  be  her  light  by  day  ;  nor  for  brightness,  does  the  moon  give  light 
to  her,  but  the  Lord  is  her  everlasting  light,  and  her  God  her  glory.  The  new 
Jerusalem  has  no  need  of  the  sun,  nor  the  moon;  for  the  Lamb  is  the  light 
thereof.  And  the  ministers  of  Christ  are,  as  it  were,  the  stars  that  encompass 
this  glorious  fountain  of  light,  to  receive  and  reflect  his  beams,  and  give  light 
to  the  souls  of  men.  As  Christ  therefore  is  in  Scripture  called  the  sun,  so  are 
his  ministers  called  .stars.  So  are  the  twelve  apostles,  the  chief  ministers  of  the 
Christian  church,  called.  Rev.  xii.  1  :  "  And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in 
heaven,  a  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon 
her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars."  And  so  are  the  ordinary  ministers  of  the 
gospel  called,  Ptcv.  i.  16:  "  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars."  And 
verse  20,  "  The  mystery  of  the  seven  stars  which  thou  sawest  in  my  right  hand 
and  the  seven  golden  candle.sticks  ;  the  seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the  seven 
churches."  Here  also  ininisters  of  the  gospel  are  implicitly  compared  to  those 
lamps  that  enlightened   the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  upon  the  tops  of  the  golden 


584  THE  TRUE  EXCELLENCY 

candlesticks  ;  and  more  expressly  in  Zech.  iv.  2  :  "  I  have  looked,  and  behold  a 
candlestick,  all  of  gold,  with  a  bowl  upon  the  top  of  it,  and  his  seven  lamps 
thereon.'* 

These  lamps  have  all  their  oil  from  Christ,  and  are  enkindled  by  his  flames, 
and  shine  by  his  beams  ;  and  being  thus  dependent  on  him,  they  are  near  to 
him,  and  held  in  his  right  hand,  that  they  may  receive  light  from  him.  to  com- 
municate to  others. 

The  use  of  a  light  is  threefold  ;  to  discover,  to  refresh,  and  to  direct. 
The  first  use  of  a  light  is  to  discover  things,  or  make  them  manifest.  With- 
out light  nothing  is  to  be  seen.  Eph.  v.  13,  "  Whatsoever  doth  make  manifest 
is  liciit."  Ministers  are  set  to  be  lights  to  the  souls  of  men  in  this  respect,  as 
they  are  to  be  the  means  of  imparting  divine  truth  to  them,  and  bringing  into 
their  view  the  most  glorious  and  excellent  objects,  and  of  leading  them  to,  and 
assisting  them  in  the  contemplation  of  those  things  that  angels  desire  to  look 
into  ;  the  means  of  their  obtaining  that  knowledge  is  infinitely  more  important 
and  more  excellent  and  useful,  than  that  of  the  greatest  statesmen  or  philosophers, 
even  that  which  is  spiritual  and  divine  :  they  are  set  to  be  the  means  of  bring- 
ino-  men  out  of  darkness  into  God's  marvellous  light,  and  of  bringing  them  to 
the  infinite  fountain  of  light,  that  in  his  light  they  may  see  light :  they  are  set 
to  instruct  m&n,  and  impart  to  them  that  knowledge  by  which  they  may  know 
God  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  to  know  is  life  eternal. 

Another  use  of  light  is  to  refresh  and  delight  the  beholders.  Darkness  is 
dismal  :  the  light  is  sweet,  and  a  pleasant  thing  it  is  to  behold  the  sun.  Light 
is  refreshing  to  those  who  have  long  satin  darkness:  they  therefore  that  watch 
and  keep  awake  through  a  dark  night,  long  and  wait  for  the  light  of  the  morn- 
ing; and  the  wise  man  observes,  Prov.  xv.  30,  that  "  the  light  of  the  eyes  re- 
joiceth  the  heart."  Spiritual  light  is  especially  refreshing  and  joyful.  Psalm 
xcvii.  11,  "  Lifht  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the  upright  in 
heart."  They  that  see  the  light  of  Christ,  the  star  that  hath  arisen  out  of  Jacob, 
are  refreshed  and  do  rejoice,  as  the  wise  men  that  saw  the  star  that  showed 
them  where  Christ  was :  Matt.  ii.  10,  "  And  when  they  saw  the  star,  they  re- 
joiced W' ith  exceeding  great  joy." 

Ministers  are  set  in  the  church  of  God  to  be  the  instruments  of  this  comfort 
and  refreshment  to  the  souls  of  men,  to  be  the  instruments  of  leading  souls  to 
the  God  of  all  consolation,  and  fountain  of  their  happiness  :  they  are  sent  as 
Christ  was,  and  as  co-workers  with  him,  to  preach  good  lidings  to  the  meek,  to 
bind  up  the  broken  hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  open- 
ing of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound,  and  to  comfort  all  that  mourn  :  they 
are  to  lead  those  that  "  labor,  and  are  heavy  laden"  to  their  true  rest,  and  to 
speak  a  word  in  season  to  him  that  is  weary  :  they  are  set  to  be  ministers  of 
the  consolation  and  joy  of  the  saints.  2  Cor.  i.  24,  "  We  have  not  dominion 
over  your  faith  ;  but  are  helpers  of  your  joy." 

The  third  use  of  light  is  to  direct.  'Tis  by  light  that  we  see  where  to  go  : 
"  he  that  walks  in  darkness  knows  not  whither  he  goes,"  and  is  in  danger  of 
stumbling  and  falling  into  mischief.  'Tis  by  light  that  men  see  what  to  do,  and 
are  enabled  to  work  ;  in  the  night,  Christ  tells  us  no  man  can  work.  Minis- 
ters are  set  to  be  lights  to  men's  souls  in  this  respect  also  ;  as  Zacharias  ob- 
serves of  John  the  Baptist,  Luke  i.  79,  "  To  guide  our  feet  in  the  way  of  peace." 
Ministers  have  the  record  of  God  committed  to  them  that  they  may  hold  that 
forth,  which  God  has  given  to  be  to  man  as  a  light  shining  in  a  dark  place,  to 
guide  them  in  the  way  through  this  dark  world,  to  regions  of  eternal  light 
Ministers  are  set  to  be  the  instruments  of  conveying  to  men  that  true  wisdom 


OF  A  GOSPEL  MINISTER  585 

spoken  of,  job  28,  "  wliich  cannot  be  o^otten  for  {^old,  nor  shall  silvor  be  weiofh- 
vd  for  the  price  thereof;  which  cannot  be  valued  with  the  gold  of  0[)liir,  with 
the  precious  onyx,  or  the  sapphire." 

I  proceed  now  to  the 

I!.  Thini^  proposed,  viz.,  to  show  what  is  implied  in  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel's being  a  burnitii'   lic^ht. 

There  are  these  two  things  that  seem  naturally  to  be  understood  by  this  ex- 
pression, viz.,  th;it  his  lu-art  be  tilled  with  much  of  the  holy  ardor  of  a  spirit  of 
true  piety  ;  ami  that  he  be  fervent  and  zealous  in  his  administrations. 

1.  That  his  heait  be  full  of  much  of  the  holy  ardor  of  a  spirit  of  true  piet'V. 
Wo  read  of  the  power  of  godliness.  True  grace  is  no  dull,  inactive,  inefTpctual 
principle  ;  it  is  a  powerful  thing  ;  there  is  an  exceeding  energy  in  it ;  and  the 
reason  is,  that  God  is  in  it;  it  is  a  divine  principle,  a  participation  of  the  divine  na- 
ture, and  a  communication  of  divine  life,  of  the  life  of  a  risen  Saviour,  who  exerts 
himself  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life.  They  that 
have  true  grace  in  them,  thei/  live  ;  but  not  by  their  own  life ;  htd  Chri'it  lives 
ill  them:  his  Holy  Spirit  becomes  in  them  a  living  principle  and  spring  of  di- 
v\ne  life :  the  energy  and  power  of  which  is  in  Scripture  compared  to  fire. 
Matt.  iii.  11  :  "I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water;  but  he  that  cometh  after  me 
is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear ;  he  shall  baptize  you 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  fire."  True  piety  is  not  a  thing  remaining  only 
in  the  head,  or  consisting  in  any  speculative  knowledge  or  opinions,  or  outward 
morality,  or  forms  of  religion  ;  it  reaches  the  heart,  is  chiefly  seated  there,  and 
burns  tliere.  There  is  a  holy  ardor  in  every  thing  that  belongs  to  true  grace : 
true  faith  is  an  ardent  thing,  and  so  is  true  repentance ;  there  is  a  holy  power 
and  ardor  in  true  spiritual  comfort  and  joy  ;  yea,  even  in  true  Christian  humil- 
ity, submission  and  meekness.  The  reason  is,  that  divine  love  or  charity  is  the 
sum  of  all  true  grace,  which  is  a  holy  flame  enkindled  in  the  soul  :  it  is  by  this 
therefore  especially,  that  a  minister  of  the  gospel  is  a  buriiino;  light :  a  minister 
that  is  so,  has  his  soul  enkindled  with  the  heavenly  flame ;  his  heart  burns  with 
love  to  Christ,  and  fervent  desires  of  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom  and  glory ; 
and  also  with  ardent  love  to  the  souls  of  men,  anrl  desires  for  their  salvation. 

2.  The  inward  holy  ardor  ofhissoul  isexercised  and  manifested  in  his  being 
zedom  and  fervent  in  his  administrations :  for  he  is  a  burning  light  ;  which 
implies  that  his  spiritual  heat  and  holy  ardor  is  not  for  himself  only,  but  is  com- 
municative, and  for  the  benefit  of  others  :  he  is  ardent,  as  he  is  a  light,  or  in  the 
performance  of  the  duties  of  that  office  wherein  he  is  set  to  be  a  light  in  the 
church  of  Christ.  His  fervent  zeal,  which  has  its  foundation  and  spring  in  that 
holy  and  powerful  flame  of  love  to  God  and  man,  that  is  in  his  heart,  appears 
in  the  fervency  of  his  prayers  to  God,  for  and  with  his  people  ;  and  in  the  ear- 
nestness and  power  with  which  he  preaches  the  word  of  God,  declares  to  sin- 
ners their  misery,  and  warns  them  to  fly  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  reproves, 
and  testifies  against  all  ungodliness;  and  the  unfeigned  earnestness  and  com- 
passion with  which  he  invites  the  weary  and  heavy  laden  to  their  Saviour;  and 
the  fervent  love  with  which  he  counsels  and  comforts  the  saints;  and  the  holy 
zeal,  courage  and  steadfastness,  with  which  he  maintains  the  exercise  of  disci- 
pline in  the  house  of  God,  notwithstanding  all  the  opposition  he  meets  with  in  that 
difficult  part  of  the  ministerial  work  ;  and  in  the  diligence  and  earnestness  with 
which  he  attends  every  duty  of  his  ministerial  function,  whether  public  or  private. 

But  I  hasten  to  the 

III  Thing  proposed  in  the  handling  of  this  subject,  viz.,  to  show  what  is 
implied  in  a  minister's  being  a  shining  light. 

Vol.  m.  74 


686  THE  TRUE  EXCELLENCY 

There  are  three  things  that  seem  to  be  naturally  signified  by  it. 

1.  That  he  be  pure,  clear,  and  fall  in  his  doctrine.  A  minister  is  set  to  be 
a  light  to  men's  souls,  by  teaching,  or  doctrine:  and  if  he  be  a  shining  light  in 
this  respect,  the  light  of  his  doctrine  must  be  bright  and  full ;  it  must  be  pure 
without  mixture  of  darkness  :  and  therefore  he  must  be  sound  in  the  faith,  not 
one  that  is  of  a  reprobate  mind  ;  in  doctrine  he  must  show  micorruptness  ;  oth- 
erwise his  light  will  be  darkness  :  he  must  not  lead  his  people  into  errors,  but 
teach  them  the  truth  only,  guiding  their  feet  into  the  way  of  peace,  and  lead- 
ing them  in  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord. 

He  must  be  one  that  is  able  to  teach,  not  one  that  is  raw,  ignorant,  or  un- 
learned, and  but  little  versed  in  the  things  that  he  is  to  teach  others  ;  not  a  no- 
vice, or  one  that  is  unskilful  in  the  word  of  righteousness  ;  he  must  be  one 
that  is  well  studied  in  divinity,  well  acquainted  with  the  written  word  of  God, 
mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  and  able  to  instruct  and  convince  gainsayers. 

And  in  order  to  be  a  shining  light  he  must  be  one  that  really  knows  what 
religion  is,  one  that  is  truly  acquainted  with  that  Saviour  and  way  of  salvation, 
that  he  is  to  teach  to  others,  that  he  may  smak  the  things  thai  he  knows,  and 
testify  the  things  that  he  has  seen,  and  not  be  a  blind  leader  of  the  blind  :  he 
must  be  one  that  is  acquainted  with  experimental  religion,  and  not  ignorant  of 
the  inward  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  nor  of  Satan's  devices  ;  able  to  guide 
souls  under  their  particular  difficulties.  Thus  he  must  be  a  scribe  well  instruct- 
ed in  things  that  pertain  to  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  one  thai  brings  forth  out  of 
his  treasures,  things  new  and  old. 

And  in  order  to  his  being  a  shining  light,h\s  doctrine  must  he  full,  he  must 
not  only  be  able  to  teach,  but  apt  to  teach,  ready  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  and 
them  that  are  out  of  the  way,  and  diligent  in  teaching,  in  public  and  private ; 
and  careful  and  faithful  to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  and  not  keep 
back  any  thing  that  may  be  profitable  to  his  hearers. 

Also  his  being  a  shining  light  implies  that  his  instructions  arc  clear  and 
plain,  accommodated  to  the  capacity  of  his  hearers,  and  tending  to  convey  light 
to  their  understandings. 

2.  Another  thing  requisite  in  order  to  a  minister's  being  a  shining  light,  is 
that  he  be  discreet  in  all  his  administrations.  The  fervent  zeal  that  thus  should 
animate  and  actuate  him  in  his  administrations  should  be  regulated  by  discre- 
tion :  he  should  not  only  be  knowing,  and  able  to  communicate  knowledge  and 
formed  to  do  it;  but  also  wise,  and  know  how  to  conduct  himself  in  the  house 
of  God,  as  a  wise  builder,  and  a  wise  steward.  And  as  he  is  one  that  God  hath 
sent  forth  to  labor  in  his  field,  and  committed  the  care  of  his  vineyard  to,  so  he 
should  conduct  himself  there  as  one  whom  his  God  doth  instruct  to  discretion : 
he  should  not  only  be  as  harmless  as  a  dove,  but  as  wise  as  a  serpent ;  showing 
himself  a  workman  that  needs  not  to  he  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of 
truth  ;  and  one  that  knows  how  to  govern  the  church  of  God,  and  to  walk  invds- 
dom  towards  those  that  are  without. 

3.  Another  thing  implied  in  a  minister's  being  a  shining  light,  is  that  he 
shines  in  his  conversation :  if  he  shines  never  so  much  in  his  doctrine  and  ad- 
ministrations in  the  house  of  God,  yet  if  there  be  not  an  answerable  brightness 
in  his  conversation,  it  will  have  a  tendency  to  render  all  ineffectual.  Christ,  in 
Matt.  v.  14,  15,  16,  says  to  his  disciples  (having  undoubtedly  a  special  respect 
to  those  of  them  that  were  to  be  sent  forth  to  preach  the  gospel),  "  Ye  are  the 
light  of  the  world  : — men  do  not  light  a  candle,  and  put  it  under  a  bushel,  but 
on  a  candlestick,  and  it  giveth  light  unto  all  that  are  in  the  house."  And  how 
does  Christ  direct  them  to  give  light  to  others  ?  "Let your  light,"  says  he,  "  so 


OF   A  GOSPEL  MINISTER.  587 

shine  before  raen,  that  others  seeing  your  good  works,  may  ploiify  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven."  And  he  tells  the  same  disciples  attain,  John  xv,  8,"  Here- 
in is  my  Father  glorified,  (hat  ye  bear  inucli  fiuit."  And  how  should  (licy  bring 
forth  i'luil?  Christ  tells  them,  verse  10,"  If  ye  keepniy  commandments,  ye  shal? 
abide  in  my  love,"  and  verse  J4,  "  Ye  are  my  friends  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  com- 
mand you." 

God  sent  his  Son  into  the  world  to  be  the  light  of  the  world  these  two  ways, 
viz.,  by  revealing  his  mind  ami  will  to  the  world,  and  also  by  S(  tting  the  world 
a  perfect  example.  So  ministeis  are  set  to  be  lights,  not  only  as  teachers,  but 
as  ensamples  to  the  flock,  1  Peter  v.  3. 

The  same  things  that  ministers  recommend  to  their  hearers  in  their  doctnne, 
they  should  also  show  them  an  exnniple  of  in  their  practice.  Thus  the  apostle 
says  to  Timothy,  1  Tim.  iv.  11,  "  Tluse  things  command  and  teach  ;"  and  then 
adds  in  the  next  verse,  "  Be  thou  ;m  example  of  the  believers,  in  word,  in  con- 
versation, in  charity,  in  spirit,  in  faith,  in  purity."  So  he  directs  Titus,  in  his 
teaching,  to  recommend  sobriety,  gravity,  temperance,  patience,  and  other  vir- 
tues, in  the  beginning  of  the  2(\  chapter  of  Titus.  But  then  adds  in  the  7th 
verse,  "  In  all  things  showing  thyself  a  pattern  of  good  works." 

We  see  in  natural  bodies,  that  when  heat  is  raised  in  them  to  a  high  degree, 
at  length  they  begin  to  shine:  an.l,  as  I  observed  before,  a  principle  of  true 
grace  in  the  soul  is  like  an  inward  heat,  a  holy  ardor  of  a  heavenly  fire  enkin- 
dled in  the  soul :  this  in  ministers  of  the  gospel  ought  to  be  to  that  degree,  as  to 
shine  forth  brightly  in  all  their  conversation  ;  and  there  should  as  it  were  be  a 
light  about  them  wherever  they  go,  exhibiting  to  all  that  behold  them,  the 
amiable,  delightful  image  of  the  beauty  and  brightness  of  their  glorious  master. 

I  proceed  to  the 

IV.  Thing  proposed,  which  is  to  show  that  the  excellency  of  a  minister  of 
the  gospel  consists  in  his  being  thus  both  a  burning  and  a  shining  light. 

This  is  manifest  in  two  things  : 

1.  Herein  his  ministiy  is  acceptable  and  amiable  in  the  sight  of  God  and 
men. 

When  light  and  heat  are  thus  united  in  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  it  shows 
that  each  is  genuine,  and  of  a  right  kind,  and  that  both  are  divine.  Divine 
light  is  attended  with  heat  5  and  so,  on  the  other  hand,  a  truly  divine  and  holy 
heat  and  ardor  is  ever  accompanied  with  light. 

It  is  the  glory  of  the  sun  that  such  a  bright  and  glorious  light,  and  such  a 
powerful,  refreshing,  vivifying  heat,  are  both  together  diffused  from  that  lumi- 
nary. When  there  is  light  in  a  minister,  consisting  in  human  learning,  great 
speculative  knowledge  and  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  W'ithout  a  spiritual  warmth 
and  ardor  in  his  heart,  and  a  holy  zeal  in  his  ministrations,  his  light  is  like  the 
light  of  an  ignis  faiuus,  and  some  kinds  of  putrifying  carcasses  that  shine  in  the 
dark,  though  they  are  of  a  stinking  savor.  And  if  on  the  other  hand  a  minister 
has  warmth  and  zeal,  without  light,  his  heat  has  nothing  excellent  in  it,  but  is 
rather  to  be  abhorred  ;  being  like  the  heat  of  the  bottomless  pit ;  where,  though 
the  fire  be  great,  yet  there  is  no  light.  To  be  hot  in  this  manner,  and  not  light- 
some, is  to  be  like  an  angel  of  darkness.  But  ministers  by  having  light  and 
heat  united  in  them,  will  be  like  the  angels  of  light;  which  for  their  light  and 
brightness  are  called  morning  stars.  Job  xxviii.  7,  "  When  the  morning  stars 
sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy,"  And  because  of 
that  holy  ardor  of  divine  love  and  zeal  with  which  they  burn,  they  are  com- 
pared to  a  flaming  fire  :  Psal.  civ.  4,  "  Who  maketh  his  angels  spirits,  and  his 
ministers  a  flaming  fire,"  and  are  therefore  called  seraphims,  which  is  a  word 


588  THE  TRUE  EXCELLENCY 

that  is  derived  from  a  root  that  signifies  to  hum.  So  that  by  ministers  of  the 
gospel  being  burning  and  shining  lights,  the  angels  of  the  churches  will  become 
like  the  angels  of  heaven,  and  those  stars  held  in  the  right  hand  of  Christ  here 
below,  will  be  like  those  morning  stars  above,  and  which  is  much  more,  hereby 
ministers  will  be  like  their  glorious  Lord  and  Master  ;  who  is  not  only  the 
Master  of  ministers  ot  the  gospel,  but  is  the  head  and  Lord  of  the  glorious  an- 
gels, whom  they  adore,  and  who  communicates  to  them  the  brightness  in  which 
they  shine,  and  the  flame  with  which  they  burn,  and  is  the  glorious  luminary 
and  suu  of  the  heavenly  world,  from  whence  all  the  inhabitants  of  that  world 
have  their  light  and  life,  and  all  their  glory.  Tn  this  Sun  of  righteousness  is 
that  light,  whose  brightness  is  such  that  the  light  of  the  sun  in  the  firmament 
in  comparison  of  it  is  as  darkness,  yea,  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair  :  for  he  is  the 
infinite  brightness  of  God's  glory  ;  and  of  him  it  is  said,  Isai.  xxiv.  23,  "  Then 
the  moon  shall  be  confounded,  and  the  sun  ashamed,  when  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
shall  reign  in  Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem,  before  his  ancients,  gloriously.'- 
And  accompanying  this  bright  light  in  him,  is  the  infinitely  intense  flame  of 
love.  There  is  no  love  to  be  compared  to  his ;  nor  ever  was  love  both  to  God 
and  man  so  manifested,  as  has  been  in  what  Christ  has  done  and  suffered  ;  for 
herein  was  love!  Ministers,  by  being  burning  and  shining  lights,  become  the 
sons  of  God,  of  whom  we  read  that  he  is  light,  and  that  he  is  love.  1  John  i. 
5, "  This  then  is  the  message  which  we  have  heard  of  him,  and  declare  unto 
you,  that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all."  And  chap.  iv.  16, 
"  And  we  have  known  and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  to  us :  God  is  love, 
and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him." 

Therefore  it  must  needs  be  that  ministers,  by  being  burning  and  shining 
lights,  are  acceptable  and  amiable  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  he  delights  in  his  own 
image  and  in  the  image  of  his  Son  :  and  hereby  also  they  will  be  honorable 
and  amiable  in  the  sight  of  men,  all  such  as  have  any  sense  of  that  which  is 
truly  excellent  and  beautiful ;  and  it  is  the  way  to  have  their  ministry  pleasant 
and  delightful  to  those  of  this  character  that  sit  under  it. 

2.  Herein  a  minister  of  the  gospel  will  be  likely  to  answer  the  ends  of  his 
ministry  :  by  this  means  his  ministry  will  not  only  be  amiable,  but  profitable. 
If  a  minister  has  light  without  heat,  and  entertains  his  auditory  with  learned 
discourses,  without  a  savor  of  the  power  of  godliness,  or  any  appearance  of 
fervency  of  spirit,  and  zeal  for  God  and  the  good  of  souls,  he  may  gratify  itch- 
ing ears,  and  fill  the  heads  of  his  people  with  empty  notions;  but  it  willnot  be 
very  likely  to  reach  their  hearts,  or  save  their  souls.  And  if,  on  the  other 
hand,  he  be  driven  on  with  a  fierce  and  intemperate  zeal,  and  vehement  heat, 
without  light,  he  will  be  likely  to  kindle  the  like  unhallowed  flame  in  his  peo- 
ple, and  to  fire  their  corrupt  passions  and  affections ;  but  will  make  them  never 
the  better,  nor  lead  them  a  step  towards  heaven,  but  drive  them  apace  the 
other  way. 

But  if  he  approves  himself  in  his  ministry,  as  both  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light.  Ibis  will  be  the  way  to  promote  true  Christianity  amongst  his  people,  and 
to  make  them  both  wise,  good,  and  cause  religion  to  flourish  among  them  in 
the  purity  and  beauty  of  it. 

When  divine  light  and  heat  attend  each  other  in  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
their  light  will  be  like  the  beams  of  the  sun,  that  do  not  only  convey  light,  but 
give  life ;  and  converts  will  be  likely  to  spring  up  under  their  ministry,  as  the 
grass  and  plants  of  the  field  under  the  influence  of  the  sun ;  and  the  souls  of  the 
saints  will  be  likely  to  grow,  and  appear  beautiful  as  the  lily,  and  to  revive  as 
the  corn,  and  grow  as  the  vine,  and  their  scent  to  he  as  the  wine  of  Lebanon  ;  and 


OF  A  GOSPEL   RILMSTKR.  589 

their  lij^ht  will  be  like  the  light  of  Christ,  which  is  the  light  of  life,  John 
nii.  12. 

If  the  sun  should  shine  upon  the  earth,  with  the  same  brightness  that  it  doth 
now,  vt*t  if  it  were  without  any  heat,  it  would  give  life  to  nothing ;  the  world 
woukl  I)L-  a  desolate  wilderness,  with  nothing  growing  in  it;  the  death  of  every 
living  thing  must  be  the  consequence;  ami  the  sun's  light  could  be  of  no  service 
to  us,  but  to  cause  us  lo  see  our  own  and  others'  misery,  without  being  able  to 
help  ourselves  or  them.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  sun  difl'used  the  same  heat 
that  now  it  does,  but  the  world  was  destitute  at  the  same  time  of  any  light,  it 
would  be  equally  imserviceable :  mankind  having  no  light  to  guiile  ihem  in 
their  business,  in  tilling  the  field,  or  gathering  the  produce  of  the  earth,  we 
should  be  like  the  Egyptians  in  the  three  days'  darkness,  who  saw  not  one  ano- 
ther, nor  rose  from  their  places  :  and  thus  also  death  would  be  the  unavoiilable 
consequence.  But  by  light  and  heat  accompanying  one  another,  the  whole 
face  of  the  earth  becomes  fruitlul,  and  is  adorned,  and  all  things  are  quickened 
and  lliHirisli,  and  mankind  enjoy  both  lite  and  condbrt. 

I  proceed  to  the 

V.  Thing  proposed  in  handling  the  doctrine,  to  apply  these  things  to  all 
here  present,  that  Christ  has  called  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  observ- 
ing ho  >v  nmch  it  concerns  such  to  endeavor  to  be  burning  and  shining  lights. 

Our  office  and  work  is  most  honorable,  in  that  we  are  set  by  Christ  to  be 
lights  or  luminaries  in  the  spiritual  world.  Light  is  the  most  glorious  thing  in  the 
mattiial  worlil,and  there  are,  it  may  be,  no  parts  of  the  natural  world  that  have 
so  great  an  imagt?  of  the  goodness  of  God,  as  the  lights  or  luminaries  of  heaven  ; 
and  especially  the  sun,  who  is  constantly  communicating  liis  benign  influence 
to  enlighten,  quicken  and  rcfre>h  the  world  by  his  beams ;  which  is  probably 
the  reason  that  the  worship  of  the  sun  was  (as  is  supposed)  the  lirst  idolatry 
that  mankind  fell  into.  But  so  are  ministers  honored  by  their  great  Lord  and 
Master,  that  they  are  set  to  be  that  to  men's  souls,  that  the  lights  of  heaven  are 
to  their  bodies  ;  and  that  they  might  be  the  instruments  and  vehicles  of  God's 
greatest  goodness,  and  the  most  precious  fruits  of  his  eternal  love  to  them,  and 
means  of  that  life,  and  refreshment  and  joy,  that  are  spiritual  and  eternal,  and 
infinitely  more  precious  than  any  benefit  received  by  the  benign  beams  of  the 
sun  in  the  firmament.  And  we  shall  be  likely  indeed  to  be  the  instruments  of 
those  unspeakable  benefits  to  the  souls  of  our  fellow  creatures,  if  we  have  those 
qualifications,  which  have  been  shown  to  be  the  true  and  proper  excellency  of 
ministers  of  the  gospel.  Herein  our  glory  will  answer  the  honorable  station 
Christ  has  set  us  in.  And  hereby  our  ministry  will  be  likely  to  be  as  beneticial 
as  our  office  is  honorable:  we  shall  be  like  Christ,  and  shall  shine  with  his 
beams;  Christ  will  live  in  us,  and  be  seen  in  his  life  arid  beauty  in  our  ministry, 
and  in  our  conversation,  and  we  shall  be  most  likely  to  be  the  means  of  bringing 
others  to  him,  and  of  their  receiving  of  his  light,  and  being  made  partakers  of 
his  life,  and  having  his  joy  fulfilled  in  them.  And  this  will  be  the  way  for  u$ 
hereaitcr  to  be  as  much  advanced  and  distinguished  in  our  reward,  as  we  are 
honoreil  in  the  office  and  business  we  are  called  to  here.  In  this  way,  those 
whom  Christ  has  set  to  be  lights  in  his  church,  and  to  be  stars  in  the  spiritual 
world  here,  shall  be  lights  also  in  the  church  triumphant,  and  shine  as  stars 
forever  in  heaven.  Daniel  xii.  3,  "  And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the 
brigh'ness  of  the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the 
stars  (brever  and  ever." 

But  if  we  fail  of  the  proper  excellency  of  ministers  of  the  gospel,  we  shall 
act  be  in  the  sight  of  God  the  more  worthy  or  honorable  for  our  high  office,  but 


590  THE  TRUE  EXCELLENCY 

the  more  abominable  and  inexcusable ;  our  wickedness  being  aggravated  by 
God's  great  goodness  and  condescension  to  us,  and  the  peculiar  obligations  that 
he  laid  upon  us ;  and  instead  of  being  eminently  beneficial  and  great  blessings, 
as  lights  to  reflect  the  beams  of  Christ's  glory  and  love,  we  shall  be  so  much 
the  more  hurtful  and  pernicious,  for  our  being  in  such  a  station  ;  and  so  shall 
be  likely  hereafter  to  suffer  a  so  much  more  dreadful  punishment.  The  devils 
in  hell  are  so  much  the  more  odious  to  God,  and  more  the  objects  of  his  wrath, 
because  he  set  them  in  the  dignity  and  glory  of  angels,  the  excellency  of  which 
state  they  aie  fallen  from.  And  it  is  likely  that  those  in  hell  that  will  be  near- 
est to  the  fallen  angels,  in  their  state  of  misery,  will  be  those  that  Christ  once 
set  to  be  angels  of  the  churches,  but  through  their  unfaithfulness,  failed  of  their 
proper  excellency  and  end. 

Here  I  would  apply  myself  in  a  few  words  to  the  person  whose  intended 
ordination,  this  day,  to  the  great  work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  is  the  occasion  of 
this  discourse. 

You  have  now,  dear  sir,  heard  something  of  the  nature  and  design  of  that 
office  to  which  you  are  this  day,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  to  be  solemnly  set  apart. 
You  are  therein  called  to  be  a  light  to  the  souls  of  men,  a  lamp  in  God's  tem- 
ple, and  a  star  in  the  spiritual  world.  And  you  have  heard  wherein,  in  Christ's 
esteem,  consists  the  proper  excellency  of  one  in  that  office,  and  how  in  this  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  becomes  like  his  glorious  master,  and  glorifies  him,  and 
is  likely  to  be  the  instrument  of  the  salvation  and  happiness  of  the  souls  of  men, 
and  to  receive  a  glorious  reward  from  the  hands  of  God. 

These,  sir,  are  the  motives  that  your  are  to  be  influenced  by,  to  endeavor  to 
be  a  burning  and  a  shining  light  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  As  to  the  things 
of  this  world,  you  are  not  to  expect  outward  ease,  pleasure  and  plenty  :  nor  are 
you  to  depend  on  the  friendship  and  respect  of  men  ;  but  should  prepare  to  en- 
dure hardness,  as  one  that  is  going  forth  as  a  soldier  to  war.  But  they  are 
higher  things  than  these,  more  excellent  benefits  than  the  world  can  affisrd,  that 
Christ  offers  to  those  that  approve  themselves  to  him  in  this  work. 

God  in  his  providence  has  brought  you  far  from  your  native  land,  and  from 
your  friends  and  acquaintance  there ;  but  you  will  have  reason  notwithstanding 
to  acknowledge  the  good  hand  of  his  providence  towards  you,  if  he  is  pleased 
to  make  you  a  burning  and  shining  light  in  this  part  of  his  church,  and  by  the 
influence  of  your  light  and  heat  (or  rather  by  his  divine  influence,  with  your 
ministry)  to  cause  this  wilderness  to  bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose,  and  give  it 
the  excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon,  and  to  cause  you  to  shine  in  the  midst  of 
this  people  with  Avarm  and  lightsome,  quickening  and  comforting  beams,  caus- 
ing their  souls  to  flourish,  rejoice  and  bear  fruit  like  a  garden  of  pleasant  fruits, 
under  the  beams  of  the  sun. 

By  this  means  you  will  be  to  their  souls  the  vehicle  of  the  influences  and 
blessings  of  the  heavenly  world,  which  is  a  world  of  light  and  love,  shall  be 
ever  held  in  Christ's  right  hand,  and  shall  be  terrible  to  the  powers  of  darkness; 
and  shall  see  more  and  more  of  the  light  of  Christ's  glory  and  grace  in  this 
place,  with  you  and  this  people,  and  shall  hereafter  not  only  shine  yourself,  as 
the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  but  shall  meet  with  them  in  glory  also,  who 
shall  shine  there  around  you,  as  a  bright  constellation  in  the  highest  heaven  j. 
where  they  shall  be  your  everlasting  crown  of  rejoicing. 

But  r  hasten  to  the 

VI.  Thing  proposed,  which  was  to  show  what  course  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel ought  to  take,  or  what  things  they  should  do,  that  they  may  be  burning  and 
shining  lights. 


OF  A  GOSPEL  MINISTER.  591 

And  here  I  shall  but  just  mention  things,  without  enlarging. 
And  in  order  to  this,  ministers  should  be  ililigent  in  their  studies,  and  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry  to  wliich  they  are  called  ;  giving  themselves  wholly  to  it  j 
taking  heed  to  themselves,  that  their  hearts  be  not  engaged,  and  their  minds 
swallowed  up,  and  their  time  consumed,  in  pursuits  after  the  profits  and  vain- 
glory of  the  world. 

And  particularly,  ministers  should  be  very  conversant  with  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures; making  it  very  much  their  business,wilh  the  utmost  diligence  and  strict- 
ness, to  search  those  hcly  writings :  for  they  are  as  it  were  tiie  beams  of  the  light 
of  the  sun  of  righteousness ;  they  are  the  light  by  which  ministers  must  be  enlight- 
ened, and  the  light  they  are  to  hold  forth  to  their  hearers ;  and  they  are  the  fire 
whence  their  hearts  and  the  hearts  of  their  hearers  must  be  enkindled. 

They  should  earnestly  seek  after  much  of  the  spiritual  knowledge  of  Christ, 
and  that  they  may  live  in  the  clear  views  of  his  glory.  For  by  this  means  they 
will  be  changed  into  the  image  of  the  same  glory  and  brightness,  and  will 
come  to  their  people  as  Moses  came  down  to  the  congregation  of  Israkl,  after 
he  had  seen  God's  back  parts  in  the  mount,  with  his  face  shining.  If  the  light 
of  Christ's  glory  shines  upon  them,  it  will  be  the  way  for  them  to  shine  with  the 
same  kind  of  light  on  their  hearers,  and  to  reflect  the  same  beams,  which  liave 
heat,  as  well  as  brightness.  The  light  of  the  knowleilge  of  the  glory  of  God 
in  the  fa'^e  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  treasure  the  apostle  speaks  of,  that  ministers 
have,  as  in  earthen  vessels :  2.  Cor.  iv.  6,  7,  "  For  God,  who  commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  into  your  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  we  have 
this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels."  This  was  probably  typified  of  old,  by  the  burn- 
ing lightsandlaraps  which  Gideon's  soldiers  had  in  one  han^in  earthen  pitchers, 
while  they  held  a  trumpet  in  the  other,  with  which  they  sounded  (typifying 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel).  And  thus  with  the  sounds  of  these  trumpets,  and 
these  burning  lights  or  earthen  vessels,  they  overcame  the,"einemies  of  God  and 
his  people.  ,'^' 

Ministers,  in  order  to  their  being  burning  and  shining  lights,  should  walk 
closely  with  God,  and  keep  near  to  Christ ;  that  they  may  ever  be  enlightened 
and  enkindled  by  him.  And  they  should  be  much  in  seeking  God,  and  con- 
versing with  him  by  prayer,  who  is  the  fountain  of  light  and  love :  and  know- 
ing their  own  emptiness  and  helplessness  should  be  ever  dependent  on  Christ ; 
being  sensible  with  Jeuemiah  that  they  are  children,  should  sit  as  children  at 
Christ's  feet  to  hear  his  word,  and  be  instructed  by  him;  and  being  sensible 
•with  Isaiah  that  they  are  men  of  unclean  lips,  should  seek  that  their  lips  may 
be,  as  it  were,  touched  with  a  live  coal  fi-ora  the  altar,  as  it  were  by  the  bright 
and  burning  seraphim. 
I  come  now  to  the 

VII.  And  last  thing  proposed,  to  say  something  very  briefly  concernmg  the 
duties  of  a  people  that  are  under  the  care  of  a  minister  corresponding  with 
these  things  that  Christ  has  taught  us  ccncerning  the  nature  and  end  of 
this  sacred  ofBce.  And  here  I  would  have  a  special  respect  to  the  people  of 
God  in  this  place,  who  are  about  to  have  the  care  of  their  souls  committed  to 
him,  that  is  now  solemnly  to  be  set  apart  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

If  it  be,  as  you  have  heard,  the  proper  excellency  of  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel to  be  a  burning  and  shining  light,  then  it  is  your  duty  earnestly  to  ])ray  for 
your  minister,  that  he  may  be  filled  with  divine  light,  and  with  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  to  make  him  so.  For  herein  you  will  but  pray  for  the  great- 
est benefit  to  yourselves ;  for  if  your  minister  burns   and  shines,  it  will  be  for 


592  THE  TEUE  EXCELLENCY  OF  A  GOSPEL  MINISTER. 

your  licrht  and  life.  That  which  has  been  spoken  of,  as  it  is  the  chief  excellen- 
cy of  a  minister,  so  it  renders  a  minister  the  greatest  blessing  of  any  thmgm 
the  world  that  ever  God  bestows  on  a  people. 

And  as  it  is  your  duty  to  prav  that  your  minister  may  by  this  means  become 
such  a  blessino-  to  you,  so  you  should  do  your  part  to  make  him  so,  by  support- 
wr  him,  and  V"ing  him  under  the  best  advantage,  with  a  mind  free  from 
wSrldlv  cares,  and  the  pressure  of  outward  wants  and  difficulties,  to  give  him- 
self wholly  to  his  work  ;  and  by  all  proper  acts  of  respect  and  kindness  and 
assistance,  to  encourage  his  heart,  and  strengthen  his  hands:  and  to  take  heed 
that  instead  of  this  you  do  not  take  a  course  to  obscure  and  extinguish  the  light 
that  would  shine  among  you,  and  to  smother  and  suppress  the  flame,  by  casting 
dirt  upon  it ;  by  necessitating  your  minister  by  your  penunousness  towards  him 
to  be  involved  in  M^orldly  care;  and  by  discouraging  his  heart  by  disrespect  and 
unkind.iess.  And  particularly  when  your  minister  shows  himself  to  be  a  burn- 
ino-  lioht  by  burning  with  a  proper  zeal  against  any  wickedness  that  may 
be^'bre^'akincr  out  amongst  his  people,  and  manifests  it  by  bearing  a  proper 
testimony  against  it  in  the  preaching  of  the  word,  or  by  a  faithful  exercise  of 
the  discipline  of  God's  house,  instead  of  taking  it  thankfully,  and  yielding  to 
him  in  it  as  you  ought,  does  not  raise  another  fire  of  a  contrary  nature  agamst 
it  viz  the  fire  of  your  unhallowed  passions,  reflecting  upon  and  reproaching 
him  for  his  faithfulness.  Herein  you  will  act  very  unbecoming  a  Christian 
people,  and  show  yourselves  very  ungrateful  to  your  minister  and  to  Christ,  who 
has  bestowed  upon  you  so  faithful  a  minister,  and  will  also,  while  you  fight 
against  him,  and  against  Christ,  fight  most  effectually  against  your  own  souls 
If  Christ  drives  you  a  minister  that  is  a  burning  and  shining  light,  take  heed 
that  you  do  not'haty^^  light,  because  your  deeds  are  reprov^ed  by  it;  but  love 
and  iioice  in  his  1  Jh  and  that  not  only  for  a  season,  like  John  the  Baptist  s 
apostatizing  hearelKnd  come  to  the  light.  Let  your  frequent  resort  be  to 
your  minister  for  iSlfcon  in  soul  cases,  and  under  all  spiritual  difficulties ; 
and  be  open  to  the  li^*and  willing  to  receive  it ;  and  be  obedient  to  it.  And 
thus  walk  as  the  child?M  of  the  light,  and  follow  your  minister  wherein  he  is  a 
follower  of  Christ,  i.  e.,  wherein  he  is  as  a  burning  and  shining  light.  It  you 
continue  so  to  do,  your  path  will  be  the  path  of  the  just,  which  shines  more  am 
more  to  the  perfect  day,  and  the  end  of  your  course  shall  be  in  those  blissful 
regions  of  everlasting  light  above,  where  you  shall  shine  forth  with  your  inmisler, 
and  both  with  Christ,  as  the  sun,  in  the  kingdorn  of  the  heavenly  t  atfier. 


SERMON  III,* 

CHRIST    THE    EXAMPLE    OF    MINISTERS. 

John  xiii  13,  16. — For  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you.  Vonly, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  liie  servant  is  not  greater  than  liis  Lord,  neither  he  that  is  sent,  greater  than  he 
that  sent  him. 

We  have  in  the  context,  an  account  of  one  of  the  many  very  reraarkable 
things  that  passed  that  niu;ht  wherein  Christ  was  betrayed  (which  was  on  many 
accounts  the  most  remarkable  niglit  that  ever  was),  viz.,  Christ's  washini;  his 
disciples'  feet ;  which  action,  as  it  was  exceeding  wonderful  in  itself,  so  it  man- 
ifestly was  symbolical,  and  represented  something  else  far  more  important  and 
more  wonderful,  even  that  greatest  and  most  wonderful  of  all  things  tliat  ever 
came  to  pass,  which  was  accomplished  the  next  day  in  his  last  suflerings. 
There  were  three  symbolical  representations  given  of  that  great  event  this  even- 
ing; one  in  the  passover,  which  Christ  now  partook  of  with  his  disciples  ;  ano- 
ther in  the  Lord's  supper,  which  he  instituted  at  this  time  ;  and  another  in  this  re- 
markable action  of  his  washing  his  disciples'  feet.  Wiishing  the  feet  of  guests 
was  the  office  of  servants,  and  one  of  their  meanest  offices:  and  therefore  was 
fitly  chosen  by  our  Saviour  to  represent  that  great  abasement  M-hich  he  was  to 
be  "the  subject  of  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  in  becoming  obedient  unto  death, 
even  that  ignominious  and  accursed  death  of  the  cross,  that  he  might  cleanse 
the  souls  of  his  disciples  from  their  guilt  and  spiritual  pollution. 

This  spiritual  washing  and  cleansing  of  believers  was  the  end  for  which 
Christ  so  abased  himself  for  them.  Tit.  ii.  14,  *'  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that 
he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people." 
Eph.  V.  25,  26,  "  Christ  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that  he 
might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water."  That  Christ's  wash- 
ing his  disciples'  feet  signified  this  spiritual  washing  of  the  soul,  is  manifest  by 
his  own  words  in  the  Sth  verse  of  the  context:  "  Peter  saith  unto  him,  Thou 
shalt  never  wash  my  feet.  Jesus  answered  him,  If  I  wash  thee  not,  thou  hast 
no  part  with  me."  Christ,  in  being  obedient  imto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross,  not  only  did  the  part  of  a  servant  unto  God,  but  in  some  respects  also  of 
a  servant  unto  us.  And  this  is  not  the  only  place  where  his  so  abasing  him- 
self for  our  sakes  is  compared  to  the  doing  of  the  part  of  a  servant  to  guests. 
We  have  the  like  representation  made  in  Luke  xxii.  27  :  "  For  whether  is 
greater,  he  that  silteth  at  meat,  or  he  that  serveth  ?  Is  not  he  that  sitteth  at 
meat  ?  But  I  am  among  you  as  he  that  serveth."  And  wherein  Christ  was 
among  the  disciples  as  he  that  did  serve,  is  explained  in  Matt.  xx.  28,  namely, 
in  his  givingr  his  life  a  ransom  for  them. 

When  Christ  had  finished  washing  his  disciples'  feet,  he  solemnly  requires 
their  attention  to  what  he  had  done,  and  commands  them  to  follow  his  exam- 
ple therein.  Verses  12—17,  '•'  So  after  he  had  washed  their  feet,  and  had  taken 
his  garments,  and  was  set  down  again,  he  said  unto  them,  Know  ye  what  I 
have  done  unto  you  ?  Ye  call  me  Master  and  Lord,  and  ye  say  well,  for  so  I 
am.  If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  Master,  have  washed  your  feet,  ye  also  ought  to 
wash  one  another's  feet:  for  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do 
%%  I  have  done  to  you.     Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  the  servant  is  not  greater 

•  Preached  at  Portsmmith,  at  the  ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Job  Strong,  June  28th,  1749. 

Vol.  III.  76 


594  CHRIST  THE  EXAMPLE 

than  his  Lord,  neither  he  that  is  sent,  greater  than  he  that  sent   him.     If  ye 
know  these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them." 

When  our  Saviour  calls  on  his  disciples  to  imitate  the  example  he  had  given 
them  in  what  he  had  done,  we  are  to  understand  him,  not  merely  by  the  ex- 
ample he  gave  in  the  emblematical  action,  in  washing  his  disciples'  feet,  in  it- 
self considered  ;  but  more  especially,  of  that  much  greater  act  of  his  that  was 
signified  by  it,  in  abasing  himself  so  low,  and  suffering  so  much,  for  the  spirit- 
ual cleansing  and  salvation  of  his  people. 

This  is  what  is  chiefly  insisted  on  as  the  great  example  Christ  has  given  us 
to  follow :  so  it  is  once  and  again  afterwards,  in  the  discourse  Christ  had  with 
his  disciples,  this  same  night,  verse  34,  of  the  chapter  wherein  is  the  text :  "  A 
new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  that  ye  love  one  another;  as  I  have  loved 
you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another."  Chap.  xv.  12,  13,  "  This  is  my  com- 
mandmenf,  that  ye  love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you.  Greater  love  hath 
no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends."  And  so  in  1 
John  iii.  16,  "  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid  down  his 
life  for  us  ;  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren." 

Christ,  in  the  words  of  the  text,  does  not  only  intend  to  recommend  this  ex- 
ample of  his  to  the  disciples  as  Christians,  or  some  of  his  professing  people,  but 
especially  as  his  ministers.  This  is  evident  by  those  words  he  uses  to  enforce 
this  counsel,  "  Neither  he  that  is  sent,  is  greater  than  he  that  sent  him."  In 
which  words  he  manifestly  has  respect  to  that  great  errand  on  which  he  had 
sent  them,  when  he  bid  them  go  and  'preach  the  gospel  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the 
house  of  Israel,  Matt.  x.  5,  6 ;  and  on  which  they  were  to  be  sent  after  hi.s 
resurrection,  when  he  said  to  them,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature."  The  same  errand  that  Christ  has  respect  to,  John 
XX.  21 :  "  As  my  Father  hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you." 

And  what  confirms  this  is,  that  Christ  elsewhere  recommends  to  officers  in 
his  church,  that  are  in  that  respect  chief  among  his  followers,  the  example 
which  he  set  in  his  abasing  himself  to  be  as  a  servant  that  ministers  to  guests  at  a 
table,  in  his  giving  his  life  for  us,  Matt.  xx.  27,  28  :  "  Whosoever  will  be  chief 
among  you,  let  him  be  your  servant :  even  as  the  Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be 
ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many."  Com- 
pare Luke  xxii.  25 — 28. 

The  work  and  business  of  ministers  of  the  gospel  is  as  it  were  that  of  ser- 
vants, to  wash  and  cleanse  the  souls  of  men  :  for  this  is  done  by  the  preaching 
of  the  word,  which  is  their  main  business :  Eph.  v.  26,"  That  he  might  sanctify 
and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word." 

The  words  of  the  text  thus  considered,  do  undoubtedly  lead  us  to  this  con- 
clusion, and  teach  us  this  doctrine,  viz.. 

That  it  is  the  duty  of  ministers  of  the  gospel,  in  the  work  of  their  ministry, 
to  follow  the  example  of  their  great  Lord  and  Master. 

And  this  is  what  I  would  by  divine  assistance  make  the  subject  of  my  pre- 
sent discourse. 

And  I  propose  to  handle  this  subject  in  the  following  method. 

I.  I  would  observe  wherein  ministers  of  the  gospel  ought  to  follow  the  ex- 
ample of  Christ. 

II.  Give  some  reasons  why  they  should  follow  his  example. 

III.  I  would  endeavor  to  make  a  proper  application  of  those  things  to 
myself,  and  others  that  are  called  to  this  work  of  the  ministry. 

IV  Show  what  improvement  should  be  made  of  them  by  the  people  of  this 
church  and  congregation. 


OF  GOSPEL  MINISTERS.  595 

I.  Then,  I  would  show  wherein  ministers  of  the  |rospel  ought,  in  the  work 
of  their  ministry,  to  follow  the  example  of  their  great  Lord  and  Master,  Jesus 
Christ. 

And  here, 

1.  In  general,  ministers  should  follow  their  Lord  and  Master  in  all  those 
excellent  virtues,  and  in  that  universal  and  eminent  holiness  of  life,  which  he 
set  an  example  of  in  his  human  nature. 

The  ministei-s  of  Christ  should  be  persons  of  the  same  spirit  that  their  Lord 
was  of:  the  same  spirit  of  humility  and  lowliness  of  heart ;  for  the  servant  is 
not  greater  than  his  Lord.  They  should  be  of  the  same  spirit  of  heavenly-mind- 
edness  and  contempt  of  the  glory,  wealth  and  pleasures  of  this  world  :  they 
should  be  of  the  same  spirit  of  devotion  and  iervent  love  to  God  :  they  should 
follow  the  example  of  his  prayerfulness ;  of  whom  we  read  from  time  to  time 
of  his  retiring  from  the  world,  away  from  the  noise  and  applauses  of  the  multi- 
tudes, into  mountains  and  solitary  places  for  secret  prayer,  and  holy  converse 
with  his  Father ;  and  once  of  his  rising  up  in  the  morning  a  great  while  before 
day,  and  going  and  departing  into  a  solitary  place  to  pray,  Mark  i.  35 ; — and 
another  time,  of  his  going  out  into  a  mountain  to  pray,  and  continuing  all  night 
in  prayer  to  God,  Luke  vi.  12.  Ministers  should  follow  Christ's  example,  in 
his  strict,  constant  and  inflexible  observance  of  the  commands  which  God  had 
given  him,  touching  what  he  should  do  and  what  he  should  say ;  he  spake 
nothing  of  himself,  but  those  things  which  the  Father  had  commanded  him, 
those  he  spake,  and  always  did  those  things  that  pleased  him,  and  continued  in 
thorough  obedience  in  the  greatest  trials,  and  through  the  greatest  opposition 
that  ever  there  was  any  instance  of.  Ministers  should  be  persons  of  the  same 
quiet,  lamblike  spirit  that  Christ  was  of,  the  same  spirit  of  submission  to  God's 
will,  and  patience  under  afflictions,  and  meekness  towards  men,  of  the  same 
calmness  and  composure  of  spirit  under  reproaches  and  sufferings  from  the 
malignity  of  evil  men ;  of  the  same  spirit  of  forgiveness  of  injuries ;  of  the  same 
spirit  of  charity,  of  fervent  love  and  extensive  benevolence ;  the  same  disposition 
to  pity  the  miserable,  to  weep  with  those  that  weep,  to  help  men  under  their 
calamities  of  both  soul  and  body,  to  hear  and  grant  the  requests  of  the  needy, 
and  relieve  the  afflicted  ;  the  same  spirit  of  condescension  to  the  poor  and  mean, 
tenderness  and  gentleness  towards  the  weak,  and  great  and  effectual  love  to 
enemies.  They  should  also  be  of  the  same  spirit  of  zeal,  diligence  and  self- 
denial  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  advancement  of  his  kingdom,  and  for  the  good 
of  mankind;  for  which  things'  sake  Christ  went  through  the  greatest  labors, 
and  endured  the  most  extreme  sufferings. 

2.  More  particularly  should  ministers  of  the  gospel  follow  the  example  of 
their  great  Master,  in  the  manner  in  which  they  seek  the  salvation  and  happi- 
ness of  the  souls  of  men.  They  should  follow  his  example  of  love  to  souls  : 
though  it  be  impossible  that  they  should  love  them  to  so  great  a  degree,  yet 
they  should  have  the  same  spirit  of  love  to  them,  and  concern  for  their  salvation, 
according  to  their  capacity.  Love  to  men's  souls  in  Christ  was  far  above  any 
regard  he  had  to  his  temporal  interest,  his  ease,  his  honor,  his  meat  and  drink ; 
and  so  it  should  be  with  his  ministers.  They  should  have  the  same  spirit  of 
compassion  to  men  under  their  spiritual  calamities  and  miseries,  that  he  had  of 
whom  we  read,  Mark  vi.  .34,  that  "  when  he  came  out  and  saw  much  people, 
he  was  moved  with  compassion  towards  them,  because  they  were  as  sheep  not 
having  a  shepherd ;  and  he  began  to  teach  them  many  things."  The  word 
translated  moved  with  compassion,  signifies,  that  he  was  most  sensibly  affected, 
and  liad  his  inmost  bowels  moved  wiUi  pity.     And  again  we  read,  Luke  xix.. 


596  CHRIST  THE   EXAMPLE 

Jhat  when  Christ  was  riding  to  Jerusalem,  that  wicked  city,  but  a  few  days 
before  his  crucifixion,  and  was  come  to  the  descent  of  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
where  he  had  a  fair  view  of  the  city,  when  he  beheld  it,  he  wept  over  it,  on 
account  of  the  misery  and  ruin  (hey  had  brought  themselves  into  danger  of  by 
their  sin  ;  although  the  sin  by  which  especially  they  had  made  themselves  thus 
miserable,  was  their  vile  treatment  of  him  (for  Jerusalem  was  a  city  that  had 
been  peculiarly  injurious  to  him) ;  and  though  Christ  knew  how  cruelly  he  should 
be  treated  in  that  city  belbre  that  week  was  past,  how  he  there  should  be  set 
at  nought,  and  with  great  malignity  bound,  falsely  accused  and  condemned, 
reviled,  spit  upon,  scourged  and  cmcified  :  yet  all  does  not  prevent  his  most 
affectionate  tears  of  compassion  towards  them.  "  When  he  was  come  near,  he 
beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  it,  saying,  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou  (thou 
as  wicked  as  thou  art,  and  as  vile  as  thou  hast  been  in  thy  treatment  of  me  ; 
even  thou),  the  things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace  !  But  now  they  are  hid 
from  thine  eyes."  (Compare  Matt,  xxiii.  37,  and  Luke  xiii.  34.)  One  would 
have  thought  he  would  have  beer»  more  concerned  for  hunself  than  Jerusalem, 
who  had  such  a  dreadful  cup  to  (hink,  and  was  to  suffer  such  extreme  things 
by  the  cruelty  of  Jerusalem  that  week.  But  he  as  it  wei-e  forgets  his  own  sor- 
row and  death,  and  weeps  over  the  Uiisery  of  his  cruel  enemies. 

Ministers  should  imitate  their  great  Master  in  his  fervent  prayers  for  the 
good  of  the  souls  of  men.  We  find  it  to  be  Christ's  manner  whenever  he 
undertook  any  thing  of  special  importance  in  the  work  of  his  ministry,  first  to 
retire  and  pour  out  his  soul  in  extraordinary  prayer  to  his  Father.  Thus  when 
he  was  about  to  enter  on  a  journey,  and  go  a  circuit  throughout  all  Galilee,  to 
preach  in  their  synagogues,  "  he  rose  up  a  great  while  belore  day,  and  went 
out,  and  departed  into  a  solitary  place,  and  there  prayed,"  Mark  i.  35 — 39. 
And  when  he  was  about  to  choose  his  twelve  apostles,  and  send  them  out  t& 
preach  the  gospel,  he  first  v:ent  oid  into  a  mountain  to  praj/,  and  continued  all 
night  in  'prayer  to  God,  Luke  vi.  12.  And  the  night  belbre  his  crucifixion, 
wherein  he  offered  up  himself  a  sacrifice  for  the  souls  of  men,  he  pours  out  his 
soul  in  extraordinary  prayer,  for  those  he  was  about  to  die  for,  as  we  have  an 
account  in  John  xvii.  That  wonderful  and  most  affecting  prayer  of  his,  was 
not  so  much  for  himself  as  for  his  people.  Although  he  knew  what  amazing 
sufferings  he  was  to  undergo  the  next  day,  yet  he  seems  as  it  were  to  be  un- 
mindful of  himself,  and  to  have  his  heart  all  taken  up  with  concern  about  his 
disciples  ;  which  he  manifests  in  his  spending  so  much  time  in  comforting  and 
counselling  them,  and  praying  for  tliem  with  great  alfection,  compassion,  earnest 
care  and  fatherly  tenderness.  And  the  prayers  that  he  m;ide  in  the  garden  of 
Gethsemane,  under  the  amazing  view  of  the  cup  he  was  to  drink  the  next  day, 
seem  to  be  intercessory;  especially  the  last  of  the  three  prayers  which  he  (here 
made,  when  being  in  an  agony,  he  prayed  more  earnestly  ;  and  his  sweat  was 
as  it  icere  great  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the  ground  :  when  he  did  not 
pray  that  the  cup  might  pass  from  hitn,  as  he  had  done  before,  but  that  God^s 
will  might  be  done.  (Compare  Luke  xxii.  44,  with  Matt.  xxvi.  42.)  That 
prayer,  as  the  apostle  teaches  us,  Heb.  v.  6,  7,  was  a  prayer  that  he  put  up  as 
our  High  Priest ;  and  therefore  must  be  a  prayer  of  intercession  for  us,  a  prayer 
offered  up  with  his  blood  which  he  sweat  in  his  agony  ;  as  prayers  were  wont 
to  be  offered  up  with  the  blood  of  the  sacrifices  in  the  temple.  His  prayer  at 
that  time.  Thy  will  be  done,  was  not  only  an  expression  of  submission,  but  had 
the  form  of  a  petition,  as  it  is  in  the  Lord's  prayer.  He  prayed  that  God's  will 
might  be  done  in  his  being  enabled  to  do  the  will  of  God,  persevering  in  obe- 
dience unto  death  ;  and  in  the  success  of  bis  sufferings  j  which  might  in  an 


OF  GOSPEL  MINISTERS.  597 

eminent  manner  be  called  the  will  of  God,  as  it  is  in  Psal.  xl,  7, 8:  "Then  said 
I,  Lo,  I  come. — I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  0  my  God." 

Ministers  should  follow  the  example  of  Christ  in  his  diligence  and  laborious- 
ness  in  his  work.  "  He  went  about  doing  good,  and  healing  all  that  were 
oppressed  of  the  devil,"  Acts  x.  38.  So  abundant  was  he  in  labors,  that  often- 
times he  scarcely  allowed  himself  time  to  eat  or  drink  ;  insomuch  that  his 
Iriends  sometimes  went  out  to  lay  hold  of  him,  saying,  "  He  is  beside  himself," 
Mark  iii.  20,  21.  That  three  years  and  a  half  of  his  public  ministry  was  so 
filled  with  action  and  labor,  that  one  of  his  disciples  that  constantly  attended  him, 
and  Avas  an  eye-witness  of  his  activity,  tells  us,  that  if  all  that  he  did  should  be 
■Lcritlen,  fhi-  world  would  not  covtain  the  books. 

JMiuislers  shoukl  follow  the  example  of  Christ,  in  his  readiness  not  only  to 
labor,  but  suffer  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  them.  In  this 
res})ect  }he^\postle  Paul  imitated  his  LonI  and  Master.  Philip,  ii.  17,  "Yea, 
and  if  I  be  offered  upon  the  sacrifice  and  service  of  your  faith,  I  joy  and  rejoice 
with  you  all."  Col.  i.  24,  "  Who  now  rejoice  in  my  sufferings  for  you,  and  fill 
up  that  which  is  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  my  flesh,  for  his  body's 
sake,  which  is  the  church."  2  Cor.  xii.  15,  "  And  I  will  very  gladly  spend 
and  be  spent  for  you."  Christ,  in  his  prayers,  labors  and  sufferings  for  the  souls 
of  men,  is  represented  as  travailing  in  biith  with  them.  Isai.  liii.  11,  "He 
shall  see  of  ihe  travail  of  his  soul."  In  like  manner  should  ministers  travail  for 
the  conversion  and  salvation  of  their  hearers.  They  should  imitate  the  faithful- 
ness of  Christ  in  his  ministry,  in  speaking  whatsoever  God  had  commanded 
him,  and  declaring  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  They  should  imitate  him  in  the 
manner  of  his  preaching ;  who  taught  not  as  the  Scribes,  but  with  authority, 
boldly,  zealou.sly  and  fervently  ;  insisting  chiefly  on  the  mo.st  important  things 
in  religion,  being  much  in  warning  men  of  the  danger  of  damnation,  setting 
forth  the  greatness  of  the  future  misery  of  the  ungodly ;  insisting  not  only  on 
the  outward,  but  also  the  inward  and  spiritual  duties  of  religion:  being  much 
in  declaring  the  great  provocation  and  danger  of  spiritual  pride,  and  a  self-right- 
eous disposition  ;  yet  much  insisting  on  the  necessity  and  importance  of  inhe- 
rent holiness,  arid  the  practice  of  piety.  Behaving  himself  v.'ith  admirable  wis- 
dom in  all  that  he  said  and  did  in  his  ministry,  amidst  the  many  difhculties,  en- 
emies and  temptations  he  was  surrounded  with,  M-onderfully  adapting  his  dis- 
courses to  persons,  seasons  and  occasions.  Isai.  1.  4,  "  The  Lord  God  hath 
given  me  the  tongue  of  the  learned,  that  I  should  know  how  to  speak  a  word 
in  sea.son  to  him  that  is  weary." 

Ministers  .should  follow  their  Master  in  his  zeal,  so  wonderfully  mixed  and 
tempered  with  gentleness  and  condescension  in  his  dealing  with  souls ;  preach- 
ing the  gospel  to  the  poor,  and  taking  a  gracious  notice  from  time  to  time  of 
little  chiklren.  And  they  should  imitate  their  Lord  in  his  following  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  not  from  mercenary  views,  or  for  the  sake  of  worldly  advantages, 
but  lor  God's  glory,  and  men's  salvation  ;  and  in  having  his  heart  engaged  in 
his  work ;  it  being  his  great  delight,  and  his  meat  to  do  the  will  of  his  Father, 
and  finish  his  work,  .John  iv.  34,  and  having  his  heart  set  on  the  success  of  his 
great  undertaking  in  the  salvation  of  souls;  this  being  the  joy  that  was  set  be- 
fore him,  for  which  he  run  his  i-ace,  endured  the  cros.s,  and  despised  the  shame ; 
his  delight  in  the  prospect  of  the  eternal  salvation  of  souls,  more  than  counter- 
vailing "the  dread  he  had  of  his  extreme  sufferin<rs.  Many  waters  could  not 
quench  his  love,  neither  could  the  floods  drown  it,  for  his  love  was  stronger 
than  death  ;  yea,  than  the  mighty  pains  and  torments  of  such  a  deatL 

I  now  proceed  to  the 


698  CHRIST  THE  EXAMPLE 

II.  Thing  proposed  in  the  handling  this  subject,  which  was  to  give 
some  reasons  why  ministers  of  the  gospel  should  follow  the  example  of  their 
great  Lord  and  Master,  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  They  should  follow  his  example,  because  he  is  their  Lord  and  Master. 
Christ,  as  he  is  a  divine  person,  is  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  so  one 
of  infinite  dignity,  to  whom  our  supreme  respect  is  due :  and  on  that  account 
he  is  infinitely  worthy  that  we  should  regard,  not  only  his  precepts,  but  exam- 
ple. The  infinite  honorableness  of  his  person  recommends  his  virtues,  and  a 
conformity  to  them  as  our  greatest  dignity  and  honor. 

Christ  is  more  especially  the  Lord  of  Christians:  who  are  therefore  under 
special  obligations  to  follow  him.  He  is  their  shepherd,  and  surely  the  flock 
should  follow  their  shepherd.  He  is  the  captain  of  their  salvation  ;  and  it  be- 
comes soldiers  to  follow  their  captain  and  leader.  He  is  their  head  ;  not  only 
their  head  of  rule  and  authority,  but  their  head  of  influence  and  communication, 
their  vital  head,  and  Christians  are  members  of  his  body  ;  but  members,  as 
partakers  of  the  life  and  spirit  of  the  head,  are  conformed  to  the  head. 

But  Christ  is  still  in  a  more  peculiar  manner  the  Lord  and  Master  of  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel,  as  they  are  not  only  members  of  his  church,  but  the  officers 
of  his  kingdom,  and  the  dignified  servants  of  his  family.  It  is  the  manner  of  a 
people  to  imitate  their  prince,  but  especially  the  ministers  of  his  kingdom,  and 
officers  of  his  household.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  whole  army  to  follov;  their  gen- 
eral, but  especially  of  those  officers  that  have  a  commission  under  him. 

2.  Ministers  of  the  gospel  are  in  some  respects  called  and  devoted  to  the 
same  work  and  business  that  Christ  himself  was  appointed  to.  Ministers  are 
not  men's  mediators ;  for  there  is  but  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  the 
Man  Christ  Jesus :  they  are  not  our  priests  to  make  atonement  and  work  out 
righteousness  for  us ;  for  Christ  by  one  offi^ring  has  perfected  forever  them  that 
are  sanctified ;  they  are  not  lords  over  God's  heritage  ;  for  one  is  their  master, 
even  Christ.  But  yet  ministers  of  the  gospel,  as  Christ's  servants  and  officers 
under  him,  are  appointed  to  promote  the  designs  of  that  great  work  of  Christ, 
the  work  of  salvation.  It  is  the  work  that  ministers  are  devoted  to;  and  there- 
fore they  are  represented  as  co-workers  with  Christ.  2  Cor.  vi.  1,  "  We  then, 
as  workers  together  with  him,  beseech  you  also  that  ye  receive  not  the  grace 
of  God  in  vain."  Christ  is  the  Saviour  of  the  souls  of  men  ;  ministers  also,  are 
spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  saving  men's  souls.  1  Tim.  iv.  16,  "  In  doing  this, 
thou  shalt  both  save  thyself  and  them  that  hear  thee."  Rom.  x.  14,  "  If  by 
any  means  I  may  provoke  to  emulation  them  which  are  my  flesh,  and  might 
save  some  of  them."  1  Cor.  ix.  22,  "  That  I  might  by  all  means  save  some." 
And  whereas  it  is  said,  Obad,  21,  "  saviours  shall  come  upon  Mount  Zion  ;" 
ministers  of  the  gospel  are  supposed  to  be  there  intended. 

The  work  of  ministers  is  in  many  respects  like  the  work  that  Christ  himself 
was  appointed  to,  as  the  Saviour  of  men ;  and  especially  the  same  with  the 
work  which  Christ  does  in  his  prophetical  office  ;  only  w-ith  this  difference,  that 
ministers  are  to  speak  and  act  wholly  under  Christ,  as  taught  of  him,  as  holding 
forth  his  word,  and  by  light  and  strength  communicated  from  him.  Christ  him- 
self after  his  baptism,  followed  the  work  of  the  ministry  :  he  was  a  minister  of 
the  true  sanctuary,  Heb.  viii.  2  ;  he  spake  and  acted  as  his  Father's  minister ; 
was  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  as  such  preached  and  administered  sacraments. 
Pastors  of  churches  are  ministers  of  the  same  gospel ;  but  in  their  ministry  they 
act  as  the  ministers  of  Christ.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  great  Bishop  of  souls  ;  min- 
isters are  also  bishops  under  him.  Christ  came  into  the  world  that  he  might  he 
the  light  of  the  world  ;  ministers  are  set  to  be  lights  unto  the  churches,  and  are 


OF  GOSPEL  MINISTERS.  599 

also  said  to  be  the  light  of  the  world,  Malt.  v.  14.  Christ  is  the  bright  and 
momincr  dar ;  ministers  are  stars  in  Christ's  hand.  Christ  is  the  messenger 
of  the  tovenaut ;  ministers  are  called  messengers  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  Christ 
is  his  people's  shepherd,  the  good  shepherd,  the  great  shepherd  of  his  sheep. 
Ministers  are  also  IVequenlly  called  shepherds,  and  are  directed  to  leed  the  flock 
oi  Christ,  which  he  purchased  with  his  own  blood.  „   ,       ,    , 

Seeincr  therefore  it  is  thus,  that  the  work  that  ministers  are  called  and  de- 
voted  to,  "s  no  other  than  the  work  of  Christ,  or  the  work  that  Christ  does,  cer- 
tainly they  ouo-ht  lo  do  his  work ;  which  they  do  not,  unless  they  imitate  hira, 
and  do  as  he  does,  or  as  he  hath  set  them  an  example. 

3  The  example  of  Christ  is  most  worthy  of  ministers'  imitation-  His  ex- 
ample was  perfect, without  error,  blemish  or  defect;  and  therefore  worthy  to  be 
made  our  rule,  and  to  be  regarded  and  followed  without  exception,  limitation  or 
reserve;  unless  in  those  things  which  he  did  that  were  proper  to  his  peculiar 
office.  'Christ's  virtue  was  not  only  perfect,  but  was  exercised  in  those  circum- 
stances and  under  those  trials,  that  rendered  his  virtuous  acts  vastly  the  most 
amiable  of  any  that  ever  appeared  in  any  creature  whether  man  or  angel  If 
we  consider  the  perfection  of  the  virtue  that  Christ  exercised,  his  virtue  did  ex- 
ceed that  of  the  most  eminent  saints,  more  than  the  purest  gold  exceeds  the 
meanest  and  foulest  ore  :  and  if  we  consider  the  manner  of  its  exercise,  and  the 
trials  under  which  it  was  exercised,  and  the  blessed  fruits  it  has  brought  forth,  so 
his  virtue  exceeds  that  of  all  other  perfectly  innocent  creatures,  and  even  of 
the  brightest  angel,  as  the  sun  in  its  glory  exceeds  the  stars. 

And  this  example  was  set  us  in  our  own  nature,  and  so  is  especially  titted 
for  our  imitation.  There  was  in  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  was  one  of  us,  and 
dwelt  amoncr  us,  such  exercises  of  virtue  as  became  our  state  and  circumstan- 
ces in  the  world,  as  those  who  dwell  in  frail  flesh  and  blood,  and  as  mem- 
bers of  human  society,  and  dwellers  in  such  a  world  of  sorrow  and  death.   _ 

And  then  these  amiable  exercises  of  virtue  in  Christ,  were  exhibited  chiefly 
In  the  things  which  he  did  in  that  work  wherein  ministers  are  called  to  act  as 
co-workers  with  him.  The  bright  and  glorious  example  of  Christ  that  is  set 
before  us,  is  chiefly  in  what  he  did  during  the  three  years  and  a  hali  of  his  public 
ministry  ;  and  in  the  devotion,  heavenly-mindedness,  humility,  patience,  meek- 
ness forcriveness,  self-denial  and  charity,  which  he  exercised  in  the  labors  and 
suff*e'rincrs  he  went  through  for  the  good  of  the  souls  of  men:  and  therefore  is 
especiafly  set  for  the  imitation  of  those  who  are  set  apart  that  they  may  make 
it  the  whole  business  of  their  lives  to  seek  the  same  good  of  souls. 

4  Ministers  should  follow  that  example  of  Christ  which  has  been  spoken 
of  because  if  they  are  fit  for  ministers,  and  are  such  as  have  any  right  to  take 
that  work  upon  themselves,  Christ  has  set  them  this  example  in  what  he  has 
done  for  their  souls.  "I  have  given  you  an  example  (says  Christ  in  the 
text^  that  you  should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you."  Ministers  should  be  animated 
in  this  work  by  a  great  love  to  the  souls  of  men,  and  should  be  ready  to  spend 
and  be  spent  for  them  ;  for  Christ  loved  them,  and  gave  himself  for  them  :  he 
loved  them  with  a  love  stronger  than  death.  They  should  have  compassion  to 
men  under  their  spiritual  miseries,  as  Christ  had  pity  on  them.  They  should 
be  much  in  prayer  for  the  people  of  their  flock,  considering  how  Christ  prayed 
and  acronized  for  them,  in  tears  of  blood.  They  should  travail  in  birth  WMth  the 
souls  tfiat  are  committed  to  their  care,  seeing  their  own  salvation  is  the  fruit  ot 
the  travail  of  Christ's  soul.  They  should  exercise  a  meek  and  condescending 
spirit  to  the  mean  and  weak  and  poor,  and  should  as  it  were  wash  the  feet  of 
Christ's  disciples ;  considering  how  Christ  condescended  to  them,  when  they 


€00  CHRIST  THE  EXAMPLE 

■were  wretched  and  miserable  and  poor  and  blind  and  naked,  and  abased  him- 
self f 0  wash  their  feet. 

The  chief  trials  of  Christ's  virtue,  and  so  their  most  bright  and  eminent  ex- 
ercises, were  in  the  abasement,  labor  and  suffering,  that  he  was  the  subject  of 
for  our  salvation.  Which  certainly  may  well  endear  those  virtues  to  us,  and 
greatly  engage  us  to  imitate  that  example :  so  the  things  whereof  this  example 
consists,  were  things  by  which  we  have  infinite  benefit,  without  which  we  should 
have  been  unspeakably  miserable  forever  and  ever,  and  by  virtue  of  which  we 
have  the  glorious  privilege  of  the  children  of  God,  and  have  a  full  title  to  the 
crown  of  exceeding  glory,  and  pleasures  for  evermore,  at  God's  right  hand. 

Ill,  I  now  proceed,  as  was  proposed,  in  the  third  place,  to  apply  what  has 
been  said  to  myself,  and  others  that  are  employed  in  this  sacred  work  of  the 
gospel  ministry,  and  to  such  as  are  about  to  undertake  it,  or  are  candidates  for 
it;  and  particularly  to  him  that  is  now  to  be  solemnly  set  apait  to  this  work  in 
this  place. 

"VVe  are  those  to  whom  these  things  especially  belong :  we  may  hear  Christ 
saying  to  us  this  day,  "1  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I 
have  done."  For  the  woids  of  Christ  in  the  text  were  not  only  spoken  to  the 
twelve,  but  are  also  spoken  unto  us.  We  have  now  had  represented  to  us, 
though  in  a  veiy  impeifect  manner,  the  example  that  Christ  has  set,  and  what 
reasons  there  are  that  we,  above  all  others,  should  imitate  it. 

It  is  not  only  our  great  duty,  but  will  be  our  greatest  honor  to  imitate  Christ, 
and  do  the  work  that  he  has  done,  and  so  act  as  co-workers  with  him. 

There  are  tv/o  kinds  of  persons  that  are  given  to  Christ,  and  appointed  and 
devoted  of  God  to  be  his  servants,  to  be  employed  with  Christ,  and  under  him, 
\n  his  great  work  of  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  men  ;  and  they  are  angels  and 
ministers.  The  angels  are  all  of  them,  even  the  most  exalted  of  them,  subjected 
of  God  the  Father  to  our  Redeemer,  and  given  to  him  as  his  servants,  to  be 
subservient  to  the  great  designs  of  his  saving  and  glorifying  his  elect ;  Heb.  i. 
14,  "  Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who 
shall  be  heirs  of  salvation  ?"  And  doubtless,  they  were  created  for  this  very 
end  :  God  made  them  tor  his  Son,  to  be  subservient  to  him  in  this  great  work  ; 
which  seems  to  be  the  chief  design  of  all  God's  works.  And  the  employment 
of  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  this  respect,  is  like  that  of  the  glorious  angels.  The 
principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places,  esteem  it  not  any  debasement,  but 
their  great  honor,  to  be  employed  as  Christ's  ministers  in  this  work  ;  for  therein 
they  are  employed  as  the  ministers  of  God,  in  the  greatest  and  most  honorable 
of  all  God's  W'Orks  •  that  work  of  God  wherein  his  glory  is  chiefly  displayed, 
and  which  his  heart  was  chiefly  upon  from  eternity.  It  is  the  honor  of  the  Son 
of  God  himself,  that  he  is  appointed  to  this  work.  It  was  because  God  the 
Father  infinitely  loved  his  Son,  and  delighted  to  put  honor  upon  him,  that  he 
appointed  him  to  be  the  author  of  that  glorious  work  of  the  salvation  of  men. 
And  when  we  consider  the  greatness,  importance  and  excellency  of  it,  we  have 
reason  to  be  astonished  at  the  condescension  of  God,  that  he  would  ever  improve 
mere  creatures  as  co-workers  and  ministers  of  Christ  in  this  affair ;  for  loho  is 
stiffictent  for  these  things  ?  2  Cor.  ii.  6.  "  Who  is  fit  or  worthy  ?  Who  is 
equal  to  a  work  of  .such  dignity,  and  vast  importance  7"  Especially  have  we 
reason  to  wonder  that  God  will  employ,  not  only  holy  and  glorious  angels,  but 
feeble,  frail,  sinful  worms  of  the  dust,  in  this  work,  Avho  need  redemption  them- 
selves :  and  yet  the  honor  that  is  put  upon  failhful  ministers,  is  in  some  respects 
greater  than  that  of  the  angels  :  they  seem  to  be  that  kind  of  servants  that  are 
the  most  dignified  of  the  two.     For  Christ  makes  his  angels  to  be  ministering 


OF  GOSPEL  MINISTERS.  601 

spliits  vmlo  them,  unto  tlie  faithful  ministers ;  and  the  angels  are  their  angels : 
as  fiiithi'ul  ministers  of  the  gospel  are  not  only  ministers  to  the  church,  but  dig- 
nified Jiiembers  of  the  church,  that  spouse  of  the  iCing  of  glory,  on  whom  the 
most  gl-^rious  angels,  the  highest  ministeis  in  the  com  t  of  heaven,  are  appoint- 
ed to  attend.  Ami  tiien  Christ  seems  especially  to  delight  to  cairy  on  his  work 
of  the  salvation  of  souls,  through  the  minisliations  of  men,  who  have  that  nature 
that  Cluist  is  united  to,  and  that  are  of  those  sons  of  men  with  whom  he  had 
his  delight  before  the  world  was  made.  So  it  is  by  the  ministration  of  men, 
that  the  Scriptures  are  given  ;  they  were  the  penmen  of  tlie  holy  Bible;  and  by 
them  the  gospel  is  preached  to  the  world:  by  them  ordinances  are  administer- 
ed, and,  through  tlieir  ministrations,  especially,  souls  are  converted.  When 
Christ  himself  was  employed  in  the  work  of  the  ministi-y,  in  the  time  of  his  hu- 
miliation, but  few,  comparatively,  were  brought  home  to  him,  immediately  by 
his  ministrations :  it  pleased  Christ  to  reserve  this  honor  for  his  disciples  and 
ministers,  after  his  ascension,  to  whom  he  promised  that  they  should,  in  this 
respect,  do  greater  works  than  he,  Job  xiv.  12;  and  accordingly  it  was  by  their 
preaching  that  the  gentile  world  was  converted,  and  Satan's  kingdom  over- 
thrown. Thus  God  delights  "  to  perfect  praise  out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and 
sucklings,  that  he  may  stdl  the  enemy  and  the  avenger." 

It  will  be  our  great  honor  that  we  are  called  to  this  work  of  Christ,  if  there- 
in we  Ibllow  him  ;  for  therein  we  shall  be  like  the  Son  of  God:  but  if  we  are 
unfaithful  in  this  office,  and  do  not  imitate  our  master,  our  offence  will  be 
heinous  in  proportion  to  the  dignity  of  our  office,  and  our  final  and  everlasting 
disgrace  and  ignominy  proportionably  great ;  and  we,  who  in  honor  are  exalted 
up  to  heaven,  shall  be  cast  down  proportionably  low  in  hell." 

Let  us  further  consider,  that  our  following  the  example  of  Christ  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  is  the  way  to  enjoy  the  sensible,  joyful  presence  of  Christ 
with  us.  The  discij)]es  had  the  cornlbrt  of  Christ's  presence  and  conversation 
by  tbllowing  him,  and  going  where  he  went.  When  we  cease  to  follow  him, 
he  will  go  tioni  us,  and  v/e  shall  soon  lose  sight  of  him. 

Our  being  conformed  to  Christ's  example,  will  also  be  the  w^ay  for  us  to  be 
3onformed  to  him,  ant!  partake  with  him  in  his  privileges:  it  is  the  way  for  us 
to  have  his  joy  fulfdled  in  us.  Christ,  in  doing  the  work  to  which  the  Father 
appointed  him,  obtained  a  glorious  victory  over  his  enemies,  and  having  spoil- 
ed principalities  and  powers,  triumphed  over  them.  If  we  imitate  his  example, 
it  vvill  be  the  way  for  us  in  like  manner  to  conquer  principalities  and  pov/ers, 
yea,  to  be  much  more  than  conquerors:  it  will  be  the  way  for  us  always  to 
triumph  in  Christ  Jesus.  It  will  be  the  w^ay  for  us  to  obtain  success  in  our 
ministry,  and  actually  to  be  made  the  happy  instruments  of  the  eternal  salvation 
of  souls.  Christ  has  not  only  told  us,  but  shGivn  us  the  way  to  success  in  our 
business,  and  the  w^ay  to  victory  over  all  that  oppose  us  in  it.  And  our  imita- 
ting Christ  in  our  ministry,  will  be  the  way  for  us  to  be  partakers  with  him  in 
his  glory ;  the  way  for  us  in  like  manner  to  be  approved,  and  openly  honored 
and  rewarded  by  God  ;  the  way  to  be  brought  to  sit  with  Christ  on  his  throne, 
as  he  is  set  down  with  the  Father  on  his  throne.  And  as  Christ  is  now  exalt- 
ed to  shine  as  the  bright  luminary  and  glory  of  heaven,  so  our  following  his 
example,  will  be  the  way  for  us  to  be  exalted,  to  shine  with  hira,  "  as  the 
stars  forever  and  ever,"  Daniel  xii.  3.  And  as  Christ  in  heaven  rejoices  in 
his  success,  and  will  receive  his  church,  prescnt(>d  to  him  without  spot,  as  his 
everlasting  crown  ;  so  our  imitating  Christ  in  our  work,  will  be  the  way  to 
partake  with  Christ  in  this  joy,  and  have  the  souls  whose  salvation  we  are  the 
instruments  of,  to  be  our  crown  of  reioicing  forever.     Thus  Christ  and  we  shall 

Vol.  m   '  76 


602  CHRIST  THE  EXAMPLE 

rejoice  together  in  that  world  of  glory  and  joy  where  there  is  no  more  labor 
or  sorrow.  And  we  must  enter  into  that  joy  and  glory,  in  the  way  of  follow- 
ing Christ  in  our  work ;  there  is  no  other  way  for  ministers  to  enter  there. 

And  that  we  may  thus  follow  Christ's  example,  and  be  partakers  with  him 
in  his  glory,  we  had  need  to  be  much  in  prayer  for  his  Spirit.  Christ  himself, 
though  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  obtained  the  Holy  Spirit  for  himself  in  a  way 
of  prayer;  Luke  iii.  21,  22,  "Jesus  being  baptized,  and  praying,  the  heaven 
was  opened,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  like  a  dove  upon  him."  If  we  have 
the  spirit  of  Christ  dwelling  in  us,  we  shall  have  Christ  himself  thereby  living 
m  us,  and  then  we  shall  undoubtedly  live  like  him.  if  that  fountain  of  light 
dwells  richly  in  us,  we  shall  shine  like  him,  and  so  shall  be  burning  and  shin- 
ing lights. 

Tliat  we  may  be  and  behave  like  Christ,  we  should  earnestly  seek  much 
acquaintance  with  him,  and  much  love  to  him,  and  be  much  in  secret  converse 
with  him.  It  is  natural,  and  as  it  were  necessary  for  us  to  imitate  those  whom 
we  are  mucii  acquainted  and  conversant  with,  and  have  a  strong  affection  for. 

And  in  order  to  our  imitating  Christ  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  in  any 
tolerable  degree,  we  had  need  not  to  have  our  hearts  overcharged,  and  time  fill- 
ed up  with  worldly  affections,  cares  and  pursuits.  The  duties  of  a  minister  that 
have  been  recommended,  are  absolutely  inconsistent  with  a  mind  much  taken 
up  with  worldly  profit,  glory,  amusements  and  entertainments. 

And  another  thing  that  is  of  veiy  great  importance,  in  order  to  our  doing 
the  work  that  Christ  did,  is,  that  we  take  heed  that  the  religion  which  we  pro- 
mote, be  that  same  religion  that  Christ  taught  and  promoted,  aad  not  any  of 
its  counterfeits  and  delusive  appearances,  or  any  thing  substituted  by  the  subtle 
devices  of  Satan,  or  vain  imaginations  of  men  in  lieu  of  it.  If  we  are  zealous 
and  very  diligent  to  promote  religion,  but  do  not  take  good  care  to  distinguish 
true  from  false  religion,  we  shall  be  in  danger  of  doing  much  more  hurt  than 
good,  with  all  our  zeal  and  activity. 

I  come  now  to  the 

IV.  And  last  thing  at  first  proposed,  viz.,  to  show  what  improvement  should 
be  made  of  what  has  been  said,  by  the  people  of  this  church  and  congregation, 
who  are  now  about  solemnly  to  commit  their  souls  to  the  charge  of  him  they 
have  chosen  to  be  their  pastor,  and  who  is  now  about  to  be  set  apart  to  that 
office. 

And  YOU,  MY  BRETHREN,  as  all  o.^  you  have  immortal  souls  to  save,  if  you 
have  considered  the  things  that  have  been  spoken,  cannot  but  be  sensible,  that 
it  not  only  greatly  concerns  your  elect  pastor  to  take  heed  how  he  behaves 
himself  in  his  great  work,  wherein  he  is  to  act  as  a  co-worker  with  Christ  for 
your  salvation  ;  but  that  it  infinitely  concerns  you  how  you  receive  him,  and 
behave  towards  him.  Seeing  that  it  is  for  your  eternal  salvation  that  he  is  ap- 
pointed to  watch  and  labor  ;  and  seeing  his  business  is  to  do  the  work  of  Christ 
for  you,  it  is  natural  and  easy  to  infer,  that  your  reception  and  entertainment  of 
him  should  in  some  respect  imitate  the  church's  reception  of  Jesus  Christ.  Gal. 
iv.  14,  "  My  temptation  which  was  in  my  flesh,  ye  despised  not,  nor  rejected ; 
but  received  me  as  an  angel  of  God,  even  as  Christ  Jesus."  Christ  in,  the  text, 
commands  those  whom  he  sends,  to  follow  his  example,  and  then  in  the  20th 
verse  following,  he  directs  those  to  whom  he  sends  them,  how  to  treat  them. 
"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  He  that  receiveth  whomsoever  I  send,  receiveth 
me ;  and  he  that  receiveth  m.e,  receiveth  him  that  sent  me."  Seeing  the  work 
of  your  minister  is  in  some  respects  the  same  with  the  work  of  Christ,  and  he 
is  to  be  appointed  and  devoted  to  do  this  work  for  your  souls  in  particular. 


OF  GOSPEL  MINISTERS,  603 

surely  you  should  esteem  him  very  highly  in  love  for  his  work's  sake,  and  do 
all  that  is  in  your  power  to  help  him,  and  put  him  under  the  best  advantages 
to  imitate  his  great  master  in  this  work,  to  give  himself  wholly  to  his  work,  as 
Christ  did  during  the  time  of  his  ministry,  and  to  be  successful  in  his  work. 
And  as  it  was  observed  before,  that  it  is  impossible  that  ministers  should  in  any 
talerable  degree  imitate  the  example  of  Christ  in  their  work,  if  their  minds  are 
overcharged  with  worldly  cares  and  concerns,  you  ought  so  to  provide  for  him 
and  support  him,  that  he  shall  have  no  need  to  entangle  himself  with  these 
things;  otherwise  you  will  not  only  bring  a  great  temptation  upon  him,  which 
\vill  vastly  tend  to  hinder  him  in  the  work  of  Christ  among  you,  but  will,  for 
the  sake  of  sparing  a  little  of  your  worldly  substance  to  yourselves,  foolishly  and 
miserably  starve  your  own  souls,  and  the  souls  of  your  children,  and  will  but 
cheat  yourselves ;  lor  you  will  not  be  in  the  way  to  prosper  either  in  your 
spiritual  or  temporal  concerns.  The  way  to  have  your  houses  filled  with  plenty, 
is  to  "  honor  the  Lord  with  your  substance,  and  with  the  first  fruits  of  all  your 
increase,"  Prov.  iii.  9. 

And  as  it  is  your  duty  and  interest  well  to  support  your  minister,  so  it  con- 
cerns you  to  pray  earnestly  for  him,  and  each  one  to  do  what  in  him  lies  in  all 
respects  to  encourage  and  help  him,  and  strengthen  his  hands,  by  attending 
diligently  to  his  ministry,  receiving  the  truth  in  love,  treating  him  with  the  honor 
due  to  a  messenger  of  Christ,  carefully  avoiding  all  contention  with  him,  and 
one  with  another.  And  take  heed  in  particular,  that  you  do  not  forsake  him 
to  follow  those,  who  under  pretence  of  extraordinary  purity,  are  doubtless  doing 
the  devil's  work,  in  separating  themselves,  and  endeavoring  to  draw  off  others 
from  the  ministers  and  churches  in  the  land  in  general. 

If  you  think  I  have  spoken  something  freely  to  you,  I  hope  it  will  be  con- 
sidered, that  this  is  probably  the  last  time  you  will  ever  hear  me  speak  from  the 
pulpit,  and  that  I  shall  never  see  you  again  till  we  see  one  another  in  the  in- 
visible eternal  world,  where  these  things  will  open  to  us  all  in  their  just  im- 
portance. 

And  now  nothing  is  left  but  to  express  my  sincerest  wishes  and  prayers, 
that  the  God  of  all  grace  would  be  with  you,  and  your  elect  pastor,  and  that 
he  would  give  you  in  him  a  great  and  long-lasting  blessing,  that  you  may  en- 
joy much  of  the  presence  of  Christ  with  you  in  him ;  that  in  him  may  be  made 
up  the  great  loss  you  sustained  by  the  death  of  your  fornrier  faithful  and  emi- 
nent pastor,  w^hose  praise  was  in  all  the  churches ;  and  that  you  may  receive 
him  as  you  ought  to  receive  a  faithful  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  may  be  a 
great  comfort  to  him,  and  may  receive  great  spiritual  and  eternal  benefit  by 
his  means ;  and  that  you  may  be  each  other's  crown  of  rejoicing  in  thp  day  of 
the  Lord  Jesus. 


SERMON   IV.* 
ood's  awful  judgment  in  the  breaking  and  withering  of  the  strong  rodh 

OF    COMMUNITy. 
EzEKiEL  xis.  ]2. — Her  stronj:  rods  were  broken  :ind  withered. 

In  order  to  a  right  understanding  and  improving  these  words,  these  four 
things  must  be  observed  and  understood  concerning  them. 

1.  Who  she  is  that  is  here  represented  as  having  liad  strong  rods,  viz.,  the 
Jewish  community,  who  here,  as  often  elsewhere,  is  called  the  people's  mother. 
She  is  liere  compared  to  a  vine  planted  in  a  very  fruitful  soil,  verse  10.  The 
Jewish  church  and  slate  is  often  elsewhere  compaied  to  a  vine ;  as  Psalm  Ixxx. 
S,  &c.,  Isai.  V.  2,  Jew  iii.  2],  Ezek.  xv.,  and  chapter  xvii.  6. 

2.  What  is  meant  by  her  strong  rods,  viz.,  her  wise,  able,  and  well  qualified 
magistrates  or  rulers.  That  the  rulers  or  magistrates  are  intended  is  manifest 
by  verse  11  :  "  And  she  had  strong  rods  for  the  sceplves  of  them  that  bare  rule." 
And  by  rods  that  were  strong,  must  be  meant  such  rulers  as  were  well  qualified 
for  magistracy,  such  as  had  great  abilities  and  other  qualifications  fitting  them 
for  the  business  of  rule.  They  were  wont  to  choose  a  rod  or  staff  of  the 
strongest  and  hardest  sort  of  wood  that  could  be  found,  for  the  mace  or  sceptre 
of  a  prince  ;  such  a  one  only  being  countttl  fit  for  such  a  use  :  and  this  generally 
was  overlaid  with  gold. 

It  is  very  remarkable  that  such  a  strong  rod  should  grow  out  of  a  weak  vine ; 
but  so  it  had  been  in  Israel,  through  God's  extraordinary  blessing,  in  times  past. 
Though  the  nation  is  spoken  of  hei-e,  and  frequently  elsewhere,  as  weak  and 
helpless  in  itself,  and  entirely  dependent  as  a  vine,  that  is  the  weakest  of  all 
trees,  that  cannot  support  itself  by  its  own  strength,  and  never  stands  but  as  it 
leans  on,  or  hangs  by  something  else  that  is  stronger  than  itself;  yet  God  had 
caused  many  of  her  sons  to  be  strong  rods,  fit  for  sceptres ;  he  had  raised  up  in 
Israel  many  able  and  excellent  princes  and  magistrates  in  days  past,  that  had 
done  worthily  in  their  day. 

3.  It  should  be  understood  and  observed  what  is  meant  by  these  strong  rods 
being  broken  and  withered,  viz.,  these  able  and  excellent  rulers  being  removed 
by  death.  Man's  dying  is  often  compared  in  Scripture  to  the  withering  of  the 
growth  of  the  earth. 

4.  It  should  be  observed  after  what  manner  the  breaking  and  withering  of 
these  strong  rods  is  here  spoken  of,  viz.,  as  a  great  and  awful  calamity,  that 
God  had  brought  upon  that  people.  It  is  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  chief  effects 
of  God's  fury  and  dreadful  displeasure  against  them.  "  But  she  was  plucked 
up  in  fury,  she  was  cast  down  to  the  ground,  and  the  east  wind  dried  up  her 
fruit ;  her  strong  rods  were  broken  and  withered,  the  fire  hath  consumed  them." 
The  great  benefits  she  enjoyed  while  her  strong  rods  remained,  are  represented 
in  the  preceding  verse  :  "  And  she  had  strong  rods  for  the  sceptres  of  them  that 
bare  rule,  and  her  stature  was  exalted  among  the  thick  branches,  and  she  ap- 
peared in  her  height  with  the  multitude  of  her  branches."  And  the  terrible 
calamities  that  attended  the  breaking  and  withering  of  her  strong  rods,  are  rep- 

*  Preached  at  Northampton  on  the  Lord's  day,  June  2fj,  1718,  on  the  death  of  the  Hon.  John  Stod- 
dard, Esq.,  often  a  member  of  his  Majesty's  council,  for  many  years  chief  justice  of  the  court  of  common 
pleas  for  the  county  of  Hampshire,  judge  of  the  probate  of  wills,  and  chief  colonel  of  the  reginaent,  &c., 
»vho  died  al  Boston,  June  19,  1748,  in  the  67th  year  of  his  age. 


A  STRONG  ROD  BROKEN  AND  WITHERED.  605 

resented  in  the  two  verses  next  following  the  text :  "  And  now  she  is  planted 
in  the  wilderness,  in  a  dry  anrl  thirsty  ground.  And  fire  is  gone  out  ol  a  rod 
of  he:-  branches,  which  halh  devoiircd  her  fruit."  And  in  tlic  conclusion  m  the 
next  words,  is  very  emphatically  declared  the  worthiness  of  such  a  dispensation 
to  be  greatly  lamented:  "  So  ihat  she  hath  no  strong  rod  ^to  be  a  sceptre  to 
rule.     This  is  a  lamentation,  and  shall  be  for  a  lamentation." 

That  which  I  therefore  observe  from  the  words ot  the  text,  lobe  the  subjec. 
of  discourse  at  this  time,  is  this :  .       ,  r      \.r        a 

When  God  by  death  removes  from  a  people  those  in  place  of  public  auho- 
rity  and  rule  that  have  been  as  strong  rods,  it  is  an  awtul  judgment  ot  Lrod  on 
that  people,  and  worthy  of  great  lamentation. 

In  discoursing  on  this  piopo:ution,  I  would, 

I.  Show  what  kind  of  rulers  may  fitly  be  called  strong  rods.         ,     .    ,    , 

II.  Show  why  the  removal  of  such  rulers  from  a  people,  by  d^th,  is  to  be 
looked  upon  as  an  awful  judgment  of  God  on  that  people,  and  is  greatly  to  be 
lamented.  ,  .        , ,.        .1     •- 

I.  I  would  observe  what  qualifications  of  those  who  are  in  public  authority 
and  rule  may  properly  give  them  the  denomination  of  strong  rods. 

1.  One  qualification  of  rulers  whence  they  may  properly  be  denominated 
strong  rods,  is  great  ability  for  the  management  of  public  affairs.     \^><'n  \hey 
that  stand  in  place  of  public  authority  are  men  of  great  natural  abilities,  when 
they  are  men  of  uncommon  strength  of  reason  and  largeness  of  understanding  ; 
especially  when  they  have  remarkably  a  genius  for  government,  a  peculiar  turn 
of  mind'fittino-  them  to  gain  an  extraordinary  understanding  in  things  ol  that 
nature,  giving  abilitv,  in  an  especial  manner,  for  insight  into  the  mystcnes  ot 
crovei-ninent,  and  discerning  those  things  wherein  the  public  welfare  or  calamity 
consists,  and  the  proper  means  to  avoid  the  one  and  promote  the  other ;  an  ex- 
traordinary talent  at  distinguishing  what  is  right  and  just,  from  that  which  is 
wiono-  anil  unequal,  and  to  see  through  the  false  colors  with  which  injustice  is 
oftenlllscruised,  and  URravel  the  false,  sui^tle  arguments  and  cunmng  sophistry 
that  is  ot^ten  made  use  of  to  defend  iniquity  ;  and  v.^hen  they  have  not  only  great 
natural  abilities  in  these  respects,  but,  when  their  abilities  and  talents  have  been 
improved  by  study,  learning,  observation,  and  experience  ;  and  when  by  these 
means  they  have  obtained  great  actual  knowledge  ;  when  they  have  acquired 
.rreat  skill"  in  public  affairs,  and  things  requisite  to  be  known,  in  order  to  their 
wise,  prudent,  and  effectual   management ;  when  they  have  obtained  a  gi-eat 
understanding  of  men  and  things,  a  great  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  of 
the  way  of  accommodating  themselves  to  it,  so  as  most  effectually  to  mfluence 
it  to  wise  purposes  ;  when  they  have  obtained  a  very  extensive  knowledg^e  ot 
men  with  whom  ihey  are  concerned  in  the  management  of  public  afrliirs,  either 
those  that  have  a  joint  concern  in  government,  or  those  that  are  to  be  governed  ; 
and  when  they  have  also  obtained  a  very  full  and  particular  understanding  of 
the  state  and  circumstances  of  the  country  or  people  that  they  have  the  care  of, 
and   know   well  their  laws  and  constitution,  and  what  their   circumstances 
require  ;  and  likewise  have  a  great  knoNvledge  of  the  people  of  neighbor  nations, 
states,  or  provinces,  with  whom  thev  have  occasion  to  be  concerned  in  the  man- 
ao-ement  of  public  affairs  committed  to  them ;  these  things  all  contribute  to  the 
renderincr  those  that  are  in  authority  fit  to  be  denominated  strong  rods. 

2.  When  they  have  not  only  great  understanding,  but  largeness  of  heart, 
and  a  greatness  and  nobleness  of  disposition,  this  is  another  qualification  that 
beloniis  to  the  character  of  a  strong  rod. 

Those  that  are  by  divine  Providence  set  in  places  of  public  authority  and 


606  A  STRONG  ROD 

rule,  are  called  "  gods,  and  sons  of  the  Most  High,"  Psalm  Ixxxli.  6.  And 
therefore  it  is  peculiarly  unbecoming  them  to  be  of  a  mean  spirit,  a  disposition 
that  Avill  admit  of  their  doing  those  things  that  are  sordid  and  vile  ;  as  when 
they  are  persons  of  a  narrow,  private  spirit,  that  may  be  found  in  little  tricks 
and  intrigues  to  promote  their  private  interest,  will  shamefully  defile  their  hands 
to  gain  a  few  pounds,  are  not  ashamed  to  nip  and  bite  others,  grind  the  faces 
of  the  poor,  and  screw  upon  their  neighbors ;  and  will  take  advantage  of  their 
authority  or  commission  to  line  their  own  pockets  with  what  is  fraudulently 
taken  or  withheld  from  others.  When  a  man  in  authority  is  of  such  a  mean 
spirit,  it  weakens  his  authority,  and  makes  him  justly  contemptible  in  the  eyes 
of  men,  and  is  utterly  mconsistent  with  his  being  a  strong  rod. 

But  on  the  contrary,  it  greatly  establishes  his  authority,  and  causes  others 
to  stand  in  awe  of  him,  when  they  see  him  to  be  a  man  of  greatness  of  mind, 
one  that  abhors  those  things  that  are  mean  and  sordid,  and  not  capable  of  a 
compliance  W'ith  them  j  one  that  is  of  a  public  spirit,  and  not  of  a  private,  nar- 
row disposition ;  a  man  of  honor,  and  not  a  man  of  mean  artifice  and  clandes- 
tine management,  for  filthy  lucre,  and  one  that  abhors  trifling  and  impertinence, 
or  to  waste  away  his  time,  that  should  be  spent  in  the  service  of  God,  his  king, 
or  his  country,  in  vain  amusements  and  diversions,  and  in  the  pursuit  of  the  grat- 
ifications of  sensual  appetites ;  as  God  charges  the  rulers  in  Israel,  that  pre- 
tended to  be  their  great  and  mighty  men,  with  being  mighty  to  drink  wine,  and 
men  of  strength  to  mingle  strong  drink.  There  does  not  seem  to  be  any  refer- 
ence to  their  being  men  of  strong  heads,  and  able  to  bear  a  great  deal  of  strong 
drink,  as  some  have  supposed :  there  is  a  severe  sarcasm  in  the  words  ;  for  the 
prophet  is  speaking  of  the  great  men,  princes,  and  judges  in  Israel  (as  appears 
by  the  verse  next  following),  which  should  be  mighty  men,  strong  rods,  men  of 
eminent  qualifications,  excelling  in  nobleness  of  spirit,  of  glorious  strength  and 
fortitude  of  mind ;  but  instead  of  that,  they  were  mighty  or  eminent  for  nothing 
but  gluttony  and  drunkenness. 

3.  When  those  that  are  in  authority  are  endowed  with  much  of  a  spirit  of 
government,  this  is  another  thing  that  entitles  them  to  the  denomination  of 
strong  rods.  When  they  not  only  are  men  of  great  understanding  and  wisdom 
in  affairs  that  appertain  to  government,  but  have  also  a  peculiar  talent  at  using 
their  knowledge,  and  exerting  themselves  in  this  great  and  important  business, 
according  to  their  great  understanding  in  it ;  when  they  are  men  of  eminent 
fortitude,  and  are  not  afraid  of  the  faces  of  men,  are  not  afraid  to  do  the  part 
that  properly  belongs  to  them  as  rulers,  though  they  meet  with  great  opposition, 
and  the  spirits  of  men  are  greatly  irritated  by  it ;  when  they  have  a  spirit  of  re- 
solution and  activity,  so  as  to  keep  the  wheels  of  government  in  proper  motion, 
and  to  cause  judgment  and  justice  to  run  down  as  a  mighty  stream  ;  when  they 
have  not  only  a  great  knowledge  of  government,  and  the  things  that  belong  to 
it  in  the  theory,  but  it  is,  as  it  were,  natural  to  them  to  apply  the  various  pow- 
ers and  faculties  with  which  God  has  endowed  them,  and  the  knowledge  they 
have  obtained  by  study  and  observation,  to  that  business,  so  as  to  perform  it 
most  advantageously  and  effectually. 

4.  Stability  and  firmness  of  integrity,  fidelity,  and  piety,  in  the  exercise  of 
authority,  is  another  thing  that  greatly  contributes  to,  and  is  very  essential  in 
the  character  of  a  strong  rod. 

When  he  that  is  in  authority  is  not  only  a  man  of  strong  reason  and  great 
discerning  to  know  what  is  just,  but  is  a  man  of  strict  integrity  and  righteous- 
ness, is  firm  and  immovable  in  the  execution  of  justice  and  judgment ;  and 
when  he  is  not  only  a  man  of  great  ability  to  bear  down  vice  and  immorality,. 


BROKEN    AND   WITHERED.  607 

bui  has  a  disposition  agreeable  to  such  ability ;  is  one  that  has  a  strong  aver- 
sion to  wickedness,  and  is  disposed  to  use  the  power  God  has  put  into  his  hands 
to  suppress  it;  and  is  one  that  not  only  opposes  vice  by  his  authority,  but  by 
his  example  ;  when  he  is  one  of  indexible  fidelity,  will  be  faithful  to  (ioil  whose 
ministir  he  is,  to  his  people  for  pjood,  is  immovable  in  his  regard  to  his  su- 
preme authority,  his  commands  and  his  glory;  and  will  be  faithful  to  his  king 
and  country  ;  will  not  be  induced  by  the  many  temptations  that  attend  the 
business  of  men  in  public  autiiority,  basely  to  betray  his  trust ;  will  not  consent 
to  do  what  he  thinks  not  to  be  lor  the  public  good,  for  his  own  gain  or  ad- 
vancement, or  any  prfvate  interest;  is  one  that  is  well  principled,  and  is  firm 
in  acting  agreeably  to  his  principles,  and  will  not  be  prevailed  with  to  do  other- 
wise through  fear  or  favor,  to  follow  a  multitude,  or  to  maintain  his  interest  in 
any  on  whom  he  depends  for  the  honor  or  profit  of  his  place,  whether  it  be 
prince  or  people  ;  and  is  also  one  of  that  strength  of  mind,  whereby  he  rules 
his  own  spirit.  These  things  do  very  eminently  contribute  to  a  ruler's  title  to 
the  denomination  of  a  strong  rod. 

5.  And  LASTLY,  It  also  contributes  to  the  strength  of  a  man  in  authority  by 
which  he  may  be  denominated  a  strong  rod,  when  he  is  in  such  circumstances 
as  give  him  advantage  for  the  exercise  of  his  strength,  for  the  public  good ;  as 
his  being  a  person  of  honorable  descent,  of  a  distinguished  education,  his  being 
a  man  of  estate,  one  that  is  advanced  in  years,  one  that  has  long  been  in  autho- 
rity, so  that  it  is  become,  as  it  were,  natural  tor  the  people  to  pay  him  defer- 
ence, to  reverence  him,  to  be  influenced  and  governed  by  him,  and  submit  to 
his  authority ;  his  being  extensively  known,  and  much  honored  and  regarded 
abroad  ;  his  being  one  of  a  good  presence,  majesty  of  countenance,  decency  of 
behavior,  becoming  one  in  authority  ;  of  forcible  speech,  &.c.  These  things 
add  to  his  strength,  and  increase  his  ability  and  advantage  to  serve  his  genera- 
tion in  the  place  of  a  ruler,  and  therefore  in  some  respect,  serve  to  render  him 
one  that  is  the  more  fitly  and  eminently  called  a  strong  rod. 

I  now  proceed, 

II.  To  show  that  when  such  strong  rods  are  broken  and  withered  by  death, 
it  is  an  awful  judgment  of  God  on  the  people  that  are  deprived  of  them,  and 
worthy  of  great  lamentation. 

And  that  on  two  accounts  : 

1.  By  reason  of  the  many  positive  benefits  and  blessings  to  a  people  that 
such  rulers  are  the  instruments  of. 

Almost  all  the  prosperity  of  a  public  society  and  civil  community  does, 
under  God,  depend  on  their  rulers.  They  are  like  the  main  springs  or  wheels 
in  a  machine,  that  keep  every  part  in  its  due  motion,  and  are  in  the  body  politic, 
as  the  vitals  in  the  body  natural,  and  as  the  pillars  and  foundation  in  a  building 
Civil  rulers  are  called  "  the  foundations  of  the  earth,"  Psalm  Ixxxii.  5,  and 
xi.  3. 

The  i)rosperity  of  a  people  depends  more  on  their  rulers  than  is  commonly 
imagined.  As  they  have  the  public  society  under  their  care  and  power,  so  they 
have  advantage  to  promote  the  public  interest  every  way;  and  if  they  are  such 
rulers  as  have  been  spoken  of,  they  are  some  of  the  greatest  blessings  to  the 
public.  Their  influence  has  a  tendency  to  promote  their  wealth,  and  cause 
their  terajioral  possessions  and  blessings  to  abound  :  and  to  promote  virtue 
amongst  them,  and  so  to  unite  them  one  to  another  in  peace  and  mutual  benev 
olence,  and  make  them  happy  in  society,  each  one  the  instrument  of  his  neigh- 
bor's quietness,  comfort,  and  prosperity  ;  and  by  these  means  to  advance  their 
reputation  and  honor  in  the  world ;  and  which  is  much  more,  to  promote  their 


608  A  STRONG  ROD 

spiritual  and  eternal  happiness.  Therefore,  the  wise  man  says,  Eccles.  x.  17, 
"  Blessed  art  thou,  0  land,  when  thy  king  is  the  son  of  nobles." 

We  have  a  remarkable  instance  and  evidence  of  the  happy  and  great  in- 
fluence of  such  a  strong  rod  as  has  been  described,  to  promote  the  universal 
prosperity  of  a  people,  in  the  liistory  of  the  reign  of  Solomon,  though  many  of 
the  people  were  uneasy  under  his  government,  and  thought  him  too  rigorous  in 
his  administration;  see  1  Kings  xii.  4:  "  Judah  and  Israel  dwelt  safely,  every 
man  under  his  vine  and  under  his  fig-tree,  from  Dan  even  to  Beersheba,  all  the 
days  of  Solomon."  1  Kings  iv.  25,  '-'And  he  made  silver  to  be  among  them 
as  stones  for  abundance :"  chap.  x.  27,  "  And  Judah  and  Israel  were  many, 
eating  and  diinking  and  making  merry."  The  queen  of  Sheba  admired,  and 
was  greatly  affected  with  the  happiness  of  the  people,  under  the  government  of 
such  a  strong  rod :  1  Kings  x.  8,  9,  says  slie,  "  Happy  are  thy  men,  happy  are 
these  thy  servants  which  stand  continually  before  thee,  and  that  hear  thy  wis- 
dom. Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  God  which  delighted  in  thee,  to  set  thee  on  the 
throne  of  Israel ;  because  the  Lord  loved  Israel  forever,  therefore  made  he  thee 
king,  to  do  judgment  and  justice." 

The  flourishing  state  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah,  while  they  had  strong  rods 
for  the  sceptres  of  them  that  bare  rule,  is  taken  notice  of  in  our  context :  "  Her 
stature  was  exalted  among  the  thick  branches,  and  she  appeared  in  her  height 
with  the  multitude  of  her  branches." 

Such  rulers  are  eminently  the  ministers  of  God  to  his  people  for  good  :  they 
are  great  gifts  of  the  Most  High  to  a  ])eople,  and  blessed  tokens  of  his  favor, 
and  vehicles  of  his  goodness  to  them,  and  therein  images  of  his  own  Son,  the 
grand  me(Hnm  of  all  God's  goodness  to  fallen  mankind  :  and  therefore,  all  of 
them  are  called,  sons  of  the^Most  High.  All  civil  rulers,  if  they  are  as  they 
ought  to  be,  such  strong  rods  as  have  been  described,  will  be  like  the  Son  of 
the  Most  High,  vehicles  of  good  to  mankind,  and  like  him,  will  be  as  the  light 
of  the  mornmg,  when  the  sun  riseth,  even  a  morning  without  clouds,  as  the 
tender  grass  sp'ringeth  out  of  the  earth,  by  clear  shining  after  rain.  And  there- 
fore, when  a  people  are  bereaved  of  them,  they  sustain  an  unspeakable  loss,  and 
are  the  subjects  of  a  judgment  of  God  that  is  greatly  to  be  lamented. 

2.  On  account  of  the  great  calamities  such  rulers  are  a  defence  from.  In- 
numerable are  the  grievous  and  fatal  calamities  which  public  societies  are  ex- 
posed to  in  this  evil  world,  which  they  can  have  no  defence  from  without  order 
and  authority.  If  a  people  are  without  government,  they  are  like  a  city  broken 
down  and  without  walls,  encompassed  on  every  side  by  enemies,  and  become 
unavoidably  subject  to  all  manner  of  confusion  and  misery. 

Government  is  necessary  to  defend  communities  from  miseries  from  within 
themselves;  from  the  prevalence  of  intestine  discord,  mutual  injustice,  and 
violence ;  the  members  of  the  society  continually  making  a  prey  one  of  ano- 
ther, without  any  defence  one  from  another.  Rulers  are  the  heads  of  union  in 
public  societies, "that  hold  the  parts  together;  without  which  nothing  else  is  to 
be  expected,  than  that  the  members  of  the  society  will  be  continually  divided 
against  themselves,  every  one  acting  the  part  of  an  enemy  to  his  neighbor, 
every  one's  hand  against  every  man,  and  every  man's  hand  against  him ;  going 
on  in  remediless  and  endless  broils  and  jarring,  mitil  the  society  be  utterly  dis- 
solved and  broken  in  pieces,  and  life  itself,  in  the  neighborhood  of  our  fellow 
creatures,  becomes  miserable  and  intolerable. 

We  may  see  the  need  of  government  in  societies  by  what  is  visible  in  fami- 
lies, those  lesser  societies,  of  which  all  public  societies  are  constituted.  How 
miserable  would  these  little  societies  be,  if  all  were  left  to  themselves,  without 


BROKEN   AND   WITHERED.  609 

any  authority  or  superiority  in  one  above  another,  or  any  head  of  union  and  in- 
fluence among  them  ?  We  may  be  convinced  by  wliat  we  see  of  the  lament- 
able consequences  of  tlie  want  of  a  proper  exercise  of  authority  and  mainten- 
ance of  government  in  families  that  yet  are  not  absolutely  without  all  authority. 
No  less  need  is  there  of  government  in  jniblic  societies,  but  much  more,  as  they 
are  larger.  A  very  few  may  possibly,  without  any  government,  act  by  con- 
cert, so  as  to  concur  in  what  shall  be  for  the  welfare  of  the  whole  ;  but  this  is 
not  to  be  expected  among  a  multitude,  constituted^of  many  thousands,  of  a  great 
variety  of  tempers  and  ddFerent  interests. 

As  government  is  absolutely  necessary,  so  there  is  a  necessity  of  strong  rods 
in  order  to  it  :  the  business  being  such  as  requires  persons  so  qualifieci ;  no 
other  being  sufficient  for,  or  well  capable  of  the  government  of  public  societies: 
and  therefore,  those  public  societies  are  n/iserable,  that  have  not  such  strong 
rods  for  sceptres  to  rule  :  Eccles.  x.  16,  "  Wo  to  thee,  0  lantl,  when  thy  king 
is  a  child." 

As  government,  and  strong  rods  for  the  exercise  of  it,  are  necessary  to  pre- 
serve public  societies  from  dreadful  and  fatal  calamities  arising  from  among 
themselves  ;  so  no  less  requisite  are  they  to  defend  the  community  from  foreign 
enemies.  As  they  are  like  the  pillars  of  a  building,  so  they  are  also  like  the 
walls  and  bulwarks  of  a  city  :  they  are  under  God  the  main  strength  of  a  people 
in  the  time  of  war,  and  the  chief  instruments  of  their  preservation,  safety  and 
rest.  This  is  signified  in  a  very  lively  manner  in  the  words  that  are  used  by  the 
Jewish  community  in  her  lamentations,  to  express  the  expectations  she  had  from 
her  princes :  Lam.  iv.  20,  "  The  breath  of  our  nostrils,  the  anointed  of  the 
Lord,  was  taken  in  their  pits,  of  whom  we  said.  Under  his  shadow  we  shall  live 
among  the  Heathen."  In  this  respect  also  such  strong  rods  are  sons  of  the 
Most  High,  and  images  or  resemblances  of  the  Son  of  God,  viz.,  as  they  are 
their  saviours  from  their  enemies ;  as  the  judges  that  God  raised  up  of  old  in 
Israel  arc  called,  Nehem.  ix.  27 :  "  Therefore  thou  deliveredst  them  into  the 
hand  of  their  enemies,  who  vexed  them:  and  in  the  time  of  their  trouble,  when 
they  cried  unto  thee,  thou  heardest  them  from  heaven  ;  and  according  to  thy 
manifold  mercies,  thou  gavest  them  saviours,  who  saved  them  out  of  the  hand 
of  their  enemies." 

Thus  both  the  prosperity  and  safety  of  a  people  under  God,  depends  on  such 
rulers  as  are  strong  rods.  While  they  enjoy  such  blessings,  they  are  wont  to 
be  like  a  vine  planted  in  a  fruitful  soil,  with  her  stature  exalted  among  the 
thick  branches,  appearing  in  her  height  with  the  multitude  of  her  branches ; 
but  when  they  have  no  strong  rod  to  be  a  sceptre  to  rule,  they  are  like  a  vine 
planted  in  a  wilderness,  that  is  exposed  to  be  plucked  up  and  cast  down  to  the 
groumi,  to  have  her  fruit  dried  up  with  the  east  wind,  and  to  have  fire  coming 
out  of  her  own  branches  to  devour  her  fruit. 

On  these  accounts,  when  a  people's  strong  rods  are  broken  and  withered,  it 
is  an  awful  judgment  of  God  on  that  people,  and  worthy  of  great  lamentation  : 
as  when  king  Josiah  (who  was  doubtless  one  of  the  stiong  rods  referred  to  in 
the  text)  was  dead,  the  people  made  great  lamentation  for  him,  2  Chron.  xxxv. 
24,  25:  "  And  they  brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  and  he  died,  and  was  buried  in 
one  of  the  sepulchres  of  his  fathers :  and  all  Judah  and  Jerusalem  mourned  for 
Josiah.  And  Jeremiah  lamented  for  Josiah,  and  all  the  singing  men  and  the 
singing  women  spake  of  Josiah  in  their  lamentations  to  this  day,  and  made 
them  an  ordinance  in  Israel :  and  behold,  they  are  written  in  the  Lamenta- 
tions." 

Vol.  in.  77 


610  A  STRONG  ROD 


APPLICATION. 


I  come  now  to  apply  these  things  to  our  own  case,  under  the  late  awful 
frown  of  Divine  Providence  upon  us,  in  removing  by  death  that  honorable 
person  in  public  rule  and  authority,  an  inhabitant  of  this  town,  and  belonging 
to  this  congregation  and  church,  who  died  at  Boston  the  last  Lord's  day. 

He  was  eminently  a  strong  rod  in  the  foreraentioned  respects.  As  to  his 
natural  abilities,  strength  of  reason,  greatness  and  clearness  of  discerning,  and 
depth  of  penetration,  he  was  one  of  the  first  rank :  it  may  be  doubted  whether 
he  has  left  his  superior  in  these  respects  in  these  parts  of  the  world.  He  was  a 
man  of  a  truly  great  genius,  and  his  genius  was  peculiarly  fitted  for  the  under- 
standing and  managing  of  public  affairs. 

And  as  his  natural  capacity  was  great,  so  was  the  knowledge  that  he  had 
acquired,  his  understanding  being  greatly  improved  by  close  application  of  mind 
to  those  things  he  was  called  to  be  concerned  in,  and  by  a  very  exact  observa- 
tion of  them,  and  long  experience  in  them.  He  had  indeed  a  great  insight  into 
the  nature  of  public  societies,  the  mysteries  of  government,  and  the  affairs  of 
peace  and  war  :  he  had  a  discerning  that  very  few  have  of  the  things  wherein 
the  public  weal  consists,  and  what  those  things  are  that  do  expose  public  socie- 
ties, and  of  the  proper  means  to  avoid  the  latter  and  promote  the  former.  He 
was  quick  in  his  discerning,  in  that  in  most  cases,  especially  such  as  belonged  to 
his  proper  business,  he  at  first  sight  would  see  further  than  most  men  when  they 
had  done  their  best ;  but  yet  he  had  a  wonderful  faculty  of  improving  his  own 
thoughts  by  meditation,  and  carrying  his  views  a  greater  and  greater  length  by 
long  and  close  application  of  mind.  He  had  an  extraordinary  ability  to  distin- 
guish right  and  wrong,  in  the  midst  of  intricacies  and  circumstances  that  tended 
to  perplex  and  darken  the  case  :  he  was  able  to  weigh  things,  as  it  were,  in  a 
balance,  and  to  distinguish  those  things  that  were  solid  and  weighty  from  those 
that  had  only  a  fair  show,  without  substance,  which  he  evidently  discovered  in 
his  accurate,  clear,  and  plain  way  of  stating  and  committing  causes  to  a  jury, 
from  the  bench,  as  by  others  hath  been  observed.  He  wonderfully  distinguished 
truth  from  falsehood,  and  the  most  labored  cases  seemed  always  to  lie  clear  in 
his  mind,  his  ideas  properly  ranged — and  he  had  a  talent  of  communicating 
them  to  every  one's  understanding,  beyond  almost  any  one ;  and  if  any  were 
misguided,  it  was  not  because  truth  and  falsehood,  right  and  wrong,  were  not 
well  distinguished. 

He  was  probably  one  of  the  ablest  politicians  that  ever  New  England  bred : 
he  had  a  very  uncommon  insight  into  human  nature,  and  a  marvellous  ability 
to  penetrate  into  the  particular  tempers  and  dispositions  of  such  as  he  had  to 
deal  with,  and  to  discern  the  fittest  way  of  treating  them,  so  as  most  effectually 
to  influence  them  to  any  good  and  wise  purpose. 

And  never  perhaps  was  there  a  person  that  had  a  more  extensive  and 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  state  of  this  land,  and  its  public  affairs,  and  of  per- 
sons that  were  jointly  concerned  in  them :  he  knew  this  people,  and  their 
circumstances,  and  what  their  circumstances  required  :  he  discerned  the  diseases 
of  this  body,  and  what  were  the  proper  remedies,  as  an  able  and  masterly  phy- 
sician. He  had  a  great  acquaintance  with  the  neighboring  colonies,  and  also 
the  neighbor  nations  on  this  continent,  with  whom  we  are  concerned  in  our 
public  affairs :  he  had  a  far  greater  knowledge  than  any  other  person  in  the 
land,  of  the  several  nations  of  Indians  in  these  northern  parts  of  America,  their 
tempers,  manners,  and  the  proper  way  of  treating  them,  and  was  more  exten- 


5R0KEN  AND  WITHERED  6U 

sively  known  by  them  thiin  any  otlior  person  in  the  country  :  and  no  other 
person  in  authority  in  this  province  had  such  an  acquaintance  with  the  people 
and  country  of  Canada,  the  land  of  our  enemies,  as  he. 

He  was  exceeding  far  from  a  disposition  and  forwardness  to  intermeddle 
with  other  people's  tnisiness ;  but  as  to  what  belonged  to  the  offices  he  sus- 
tained, and  the  important  affairs  that  he  had  the  care  of,  he  had  a  great  under- 
standing of  what  belonged  to  ihem.  1  have  often  been  surprised  at  the  length 
of  his  I  each,  and  what  1  have  seen  of  his  ability  to  loresee  and  determine  the 
consequences  of  things,  even  at  a  great  distance,  and  quite  beyond  the  sight  of 
other  men.  He  was  not  wavering  and  unsteady  in  his  opinion :  his  manner 
was  never  to  pass  a  judgment  rashly,  but  he  was  wont  first  thoroughly  to  de- 
liberate and  weigh  an  anair  ;  and  in  '.his,  notwithstanding  his  great  abilities,  he 
was  glad  to  improve  by  the  help  of  conversation  and  discourse  with  others 
(and  often  spake  of  the  great  advantage  he  found  by  it),  but  when,  on  mature 
consideration,  lie  had  settled  his  judgment,  he  was  not  easily  turned  from  it  by 
false  colors,  and  plausible  pretences  and  appearances. 

And  besides  his  knowledge  of  things  belonging  to  his  particular  calling  as 
a  ruler,  he  had  also  a  great  degree  of  understanding  in  things  belonging  to  his 
general  calling  as  a  Christian  :  he  was  no  inconsiderable  divine  :  he  was  a  wise 
casuist,  as  1  know  by  the  great  help  I  have  found  from  time  to  time  by  his  judg- 
ment and  advice  in  cases  of  conscience,  wherein  I  have  consulted  him :  and 
indeed  I  scarce  knew  the  divine  that  I  ever  found  more  able  to  help  and 
enlighten  the  mind  in  such  cases  than  he.  And  he  had  no  small  degree  of  know- 
ledge in  things  pertaining  to  experimental  religion ;  but  was  wont  to  discourse 
on  such  subjects,  not  only  with  accurate  doctrinal  distinctions,  but  as  one  inti- 
mately and  feelingly  acquainted  with  these  things. 

He  was  not  only  great  in  speculative  knowledge,  but  his  knowledge  was 
practical ;  such  as  tended  to  a  wise  conduct  in  the  affairs,  business,  and  duties 
of  life  ;  so  as  properly  to  have  the  denomination  of  wisdom,  and  so  as  properly 
and  eminently  to  invest  him  with  the  character  of  a  wise  man.  And  he  was 
not  only  eminently  wise  and  prudent  in  his  own  conduct,  but  was  one  of  the 
ablest  and  wisest  counsellors  of  others  in  any  difficult  affair. 

The  greatness  and  honorableness  of  his  disposition  was  answerable  to  the 
largeness  of  his  understanding  :  he  was  naturally  of  a  great  mind  :  in  this  res- 
pect he  was  truly  the  son  of  nobles.  He  greatly  abhorred  things  which  were 
mean  and  sordid,  and  seemed  to  be  incapable  of  a  compliance  with  them.  How 
far  was  he  from  trifling  and  impertinence  in  his  conversation  !  How  far  from 
a  busy,  meddling  disposition  !  How  far  from  any  sly  and  clandestine  manage- 
ment to  fill  his  pockets  with  what  wasfraudulently  withheld,  or  violently  squeez- 
ed from  the  laborer,  soldier,  or  inferior  officer !  How  far  from  taking  advantage 
from  his  commission  or  authority,  or  any  superior  power  he  had  in  his  hands; 
or  the  ignorance,  dependence,  ar  necessities  of  others,  to  add  to  his  own  gains 
with  what  properly  belonged  to  them,  and  with  what  they  might  justly  expect 
as  a  proper  reward  for  any  of  their  services!  How  far  was  he  from  secretly 
taking  bribes  offered  to  induce  him  to  favor  any  man  in  his  cause,  or  by  his 
power  or  interest  to  promote  his  being  advanced  to  any  place  of  public  trust, 
honor,  or  profit !  How  greatly  did  he  abhor  lying  and  prevaricating  !  And 
how  immovably  steadfast  was  he  to  exact  truth  !  His  hatred  of  those  things 
that  were  mean  and  sordid  was  so  apparent  and  well  known,  that  it  was  evident 
that  men  dreaded  to  appear  in  any  thing  of  that  nature  in  his  presence. 

He  was  a  man  remarkably  of  a  public  spirit,  a  true  lover  of  his  country, 
and  greatly  abhorred  the  sacrificing  the  public  welfare  to  private  interest. 


612  A  STRONG  ROD 

He  was  very  eminently  endowed  with  a  spirit  of  government.  The  God 
of  nature  seemed  to  have  formed  him  for  government,  as  though  he  had  been 
made  on  purpose,  and  cast  into  a  mould,  by  which  he  should  be  every  way  fitted 
for  the  business  of  a  man  in  public  authority.  Such  a  behavior  and  conduct 
was  natural  to  him  as  tended  to  maintain  his  authority,  and  possess  others  with 
awe  and  reverence,  and  to  enforce  and  render  effectual  what  he  said  and  did  in 
the  exercise  of  his  authority.  He  did  not  bear  the  sword  in  vain :  he  was 
truly  a  terror  to  evil  doers.  What  I  saw  in  him  often  put  me  in  mind  of  that 
saying  of  the  wise  man,  Prov.  xx.  8,  "  The  king  that  sittefh  on  the  throne  of 
judgment  scattereth  away  all  evil  with  his  eyes."  He  was  one  that  was  not 
afraid  of  the  faces  of  men ;  and  every  one  knew  that  it  was  in  vain  to  attempt 
to  deter  him,  from  doing  what,  on  mature  consideration,  he  had  determined  he 
ought  to  do.  Every  thing  in  him  was  great,  and  becoming  a  man  in  his  pub- 
lic station.  Perhaps  never  was  there  a  man  that  appeared  in  New  England  to 
whom  the  denomination  of  a  great  man  did  more  properly  belong. 

But  though  he  was  one  that  was  great  among  men,  exalted  above  others  in 
abilities  and  greatness  of  mind,  and  in  place  of  rule,  and  ie:\ve{\  not  the  faces 
of  men,  yet  he  feared  God.  He  was  strictly  conscientious  in  his  conduct,  both 
in  public  and  private,  I  never  knew  the  man  that  seemed  more  steadfastly  and 
immovably  to  act  by  principle,  and  according  to  rules  and  maxims,  established 
and  settled  in  his  mind  by  the  dictates  of  his  judgment  and  conscience  :  he  was 
a  man  of  strict  justice  and  fidelity  :  faithfulness  was  eminently  his  character  : 
some  of  his  greatest  opponents  that  have  been  of  the  contrary  party  to  him  in  public 
affairs,  yet  have  openly  acknowledged  this  of  him,  that  he  was  a  faithful  man. 
He  was'  remarkably  faithful  in  his  public  trusts :  he  would  not  basely  betray  his 
trust,  from  fear  or  favor :  it  was  in  vain  to  expect  it ;  however  men  might  op- 
pose him  or  neglect  him,  and  how  great  soever  they  M'ere  :  nor  would  he 
neo^lect  the  public  interest,  wherein  committed  to  him,  for  the  sake  of  his  own 
ease,  but  diligently  and  laboriously  watched  and  labored  for  it  night  and  day. 
And  he  was  faithful  in  private  affairs  as  well  as  public :  he  was  a  most  faithful 
friend  ;  faithful  to  any  one  that  in  any  case  asked  his  counsel :  and  his  fidelity 
might  be  depended  on  in  whatever  affair  he  undertook  for  any  of  his  neighbors. 
He  was  a  noted  instance  of  the  virtue  of  temperance,  unalterable  in  it,  in 
all  places,  in  all  companies,  and  in  the  midst  of  all  temptations. 

Though  he  was  a  man  of  a  great  spirit,  yet  he  had  a  remarkable  govern- 
ment of  his  spirit ;  and  excelled  in  the  government  of  his  tongue.  In  the 
midst  of  all  provocations  he  met  with,  among  the  multitudes  he  had  to  deal 
with,  and  the  great  multiplicity  of  perplexing  affiiirs  in  which  he  was  concern- 
ed, and  all  the  opposition  and  reproaches  he  was  at  any  time  the  subject  of; 
yet  what  was  there  that  ever  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth,  that  his  enemies 
could  lay  hold  of?  No  profane  language,  no  vain,  rash,  unseemly,  and  un- 
christian speeches.  If  at  any  time  he  expressed  himself  with  great  warmth 
and  vigor,  it  seemed  to  be  from  principle  and  determination  of  his  judgment, 
rather  than  from  passion :  when  he  expressed  himself  strongly,  and  with 
vehemence,  those  that  were  acquainted  with  him,  and  well  observed  him  from 
time  to  time,  might  evidently  see  it  was  done  in  consequence  of  thought  and 
judgment,  weighing  the  circumstances  and  consequences  of  things. 

The  calmness  and  steadiness  of  his  behavior  in  private,  particularly  in  his 
family,  appeared  remarkable  and  exemplary  to  those  who  had  most  opportunity 
to  observe  it. 

He  was  thoroughly  established  in  those  religious  principles  and  doctrines  ol 
tbs  first  fathers  of  New  England,  usually  called  the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  had 


BROKEN  AND  WITHERED.  612 

a  great  detestation  of  the  opposite  errors  of  the  present  fashionable  divinity,  as 
verv  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  and  the  experience  of  every  true  Christian. 
And  as  he  was  a  friend  to  trutli,  so  he  was  a  friend  to  vital  piety  and  the  power 
of  gi  dliness,  and  ever  countenanced  and  favored  it  on  all  occasions. 

He  abhorred  profaneness,  and  was  a  person  of  a  serious  and  decent  spirit, 
and  ever  treated  sacred  things  with  reverence.  He  was  exemplary  for  his  de- 
cent attendance  on  the  public  worship  of  God.  Who  ever  saw  him  irreverent- 
ly and  indecently  lolling,  and  laying  down  his  head  to  sleep,  or  gazing  and  star- 
ing about  the  meeting-house  in  time  ot  divine  service  ?  And  as  he  was  able 
(as  was  before  observed)  to  discourse  very  understandingly  of  experimental  re- 
ligion, so  to  some  persons  with  whom  he  was  very  intimate,  he  gave  intimations 
surticiently  plain,  while  conversing  of  these  things,  that  they  were  matters  of 
his  own  experience.  And  some  serious  persons  in  civil  authority,  that  have 
ordinarily  differeil  from  him  in  matters  of  government,  yet,  on  some  occasional 
close  conversation  with  him  on  things  of  religion,  l»ave  manifested  a  high 
opinion  of  him  as  to  real  experimental  piety. 

As  he  was  known  to  be  a  serious  person,  and  an  enemy  to  a  profane  or 
vain  conversation,  so  he  was  feared  on  that  account  by  great  and  small.  When 
he  was  in  the  room,  only  his  presence  was  sufficient  to  maintain  decency; 
though  many  were  there  that  were  accounted  gentlemen  and  great  men,  who 
otherwise  were  disposed  to  take  a  much  greater  freedom  in  their  talk  and  be- 
havior, than  they  dared  to  do  in  his  presence. 

He  was  not  unmindful  of  death,  nor  insensible  of  his  own  frailty,  nor  did 
death  come  unexpected  to  him.  For  some  years  past,  he  has  spoken  much  to 
some  persons  of  dying,  and  going  into  the  eternal  world,  signifying  that  he  did 
not  expect  to  continue  long  here. 

Added  to  all  these  things  that  have  been  mentioned  to  render  him  eminent- 
ly a  STRONG  KOI),  he  was  attended  with  many  circumstances  which  tended  to 
give  him  advantage  for  the  exerting  of  his  strength  for  the  public  good.  He 
was  honorably  descended,  was  a  man  of  considerable  substance,  had  been  long 
in  authority,  was  extensively  known  and  honored  abroad,  was  high  in  the  esteem 
of  the  many  tribes  of  Indians  in  the  neighboriiood  of  the  British  colonies,  and 
so  had  i^rcat  influence  upon  them  above  any  other  man  in  New  England;  God 
had  endowed  him  with  a  comely  j)resence,  and  majesty  of  countenance,  becom- 
ing the  great  qualities  of  his  mind,  and  the  place  in  which  God  had  set  him. 

In  the  exercise  of  these  qualities  and  endowments,  under  these  advantages, 
he  has  been,  as  it  were,  a  faiher  to  this  part  of  the  land,  on  whom  the  whole 
country  had,  under  God,  its  dependence  in  all  its  public  afTairs,  and  especially 
since  the  beginning  of  the  present  war.  How  much  the  weight  of  all  the  war- 
like concerns  of  the  country  (which  above  any  part  of  the  land  lies  exposed  to 
the  enemy)  has  lain  on  his  shoulders,  and  how  he  has  been  the  spring  of  all 
motion,  and  the  doer  of  every  thing  that  has  been  done,  and  how  wisely  and 
faithfully  he  has  conducted  these  affairs,  I  need  not  inlorm  this  congregation. 
You  well  know  that  he  took  care  of  the  country  as  a  father  of  a  family  of  chil- 
dren, not  neglecting  men's  lives,  and  making  light  of  their  blood  ;  but  with 
great  diligence,  vigilance  and  prudence,  applying  himself  continually  to  the 
proper  means  of  our  safety  and  welfare.  And  especially  has  this  his  native 
town,  where  he  has  dwelt  from  his  infancy,  reaped  the  benefit  of  his  happy  in- 
fluence :  his  wisdom  has  been,  under  God,  very  much  our  guide,  and  his  au- 
thority our  support  and  strength,  and  he  has  been  a  great  honor  to  Northamp- 
ton, and  ornament  to  ouc  church. 

He  continued  in  full  capacity  of  usefulness  while  he  lived ;  he  was  indeed 


614.  A  STRONG  ROD  BROKEN  AND  WITHERED. 

considerably  advanced  in  years,  but  his  powers  of  mind  were  not  sensibly  abated, 
and  his  strength  of  body  was  not  so  impaired,  but  that  he  was  able  to  go  long 
journeys,  in  extreme  heat  and  cold,  and  in  a  short  time. 

But  now  this  "  strong  rod  is  broken  and  withered,"  and  surely  the  judgment 
of  God  therein  is  very  awful,  and  the  dispensation  that  which  may  well  be  for 
a  lamentation.  Probably  we  shall  be  more  sensible  of  the  worth  and  impor- 
tance of  such  a  strong  rod  by  the  want  of  it.  The  awful  voice  of  God  in 
this  providence,  is  worthy  to  be  attended  to  by  this  whole  province,  and  es- 
pecially by  the  people  of  this  county,  but  in  a  more  peculiar  manner  by  us  of 
this  town.  We  have  now  this  testimony  of  the  divine  displeasure,  added  to  all 
the  other  dark  clouds  God  has  lately  brought  over  us,  and  his  awful  frowns 
upon  us.  It  is  a  dispensation,  on  many  accounts,  greatly  calling  for  our  hu- 
miliation and  fear  before  God  ;  an  awful  manifestation  of  his  supreme,  univer- 
sal, and  absolute  dominion,  calling  us  to  adore  the  divine  sovereignty,  and  trem- 
ble at  the  presence  of  this  great  God  :  and  it  is  a  lively  instance  of  human  frailty 
and  mortality  :  we  see  how  that  none  are  out  of  the  reach  of  death,  that  no 
greatness,  no  authority,  no  wisdom  and  sagacity,  no  honorableness  of  person  or 
station,  no  degree  of  valuableness  and  importance,  exempts  from  the  stroke  of 
death.  This  is  therefore  a  loud  and  solemn  warning  to  all  sorts  to  prepare  fo- 
their  departure  hence. 

And  the  memory  of  this  person  who  is  now  gone,  who  was  made  so  great 
a  blessing  while  he  lived,  should  engage  us  to  show  respect  and  kindness  to  his 
family.  This  we  should  do  both  out  of  respect  to  him  and  to  his  father,  your 
former  eminent  pastor,  who  in  his  day  was,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  a  father 
to  this  part  of  the  land  in  spirituals,  and  especially  to  this  town,  as  this  his  son 
has  been  in  temporals. — God  greatly  resented  it,  when  the  children  of  Israel  did 
not  show  kindness  to  the  houseof  Jerubbaal  that  had  been  made  an  instrument 
of  so  much  good  to  them  :  Judges  viii.  35,  "  Neither  showed  they  kindness  to 
the  house  of  Jerubbaal,  according  to  all  the  good  which  he  had  showed  unto 
Israel." 


SERMON   Y* 

THE    SORROWS    OF    THE    BEREAVED   SPREAD    BEFORE    JESUS. 
Matthew  xiv.  12. — And  his  disciples  came  and  took  upthelwdy  and  Imricd  it,  and  went  and  told  Jesus. 

Concerning  these  words  I  would  observe  three  things. 

1.  On  what  occasion  that  was,  that  we  have  an  account  of  in  the  text. — It 
was  on  occasion  of  the  tieath  of  Jolin  the  Baptist,  who  was  a  person  whose 
business  it  had  been  to  preach  the  i;ospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  He  was  a 
minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  had  been  improved  to  great  service,  was  an  instru- 
ment of  much  good  to  many  in  Judea  and  Jerusalem,  in  his  lifetime.  He  was 
cruelly  murdered  by  Herod,  at  the  instigation  of  Herodias,  having  exposed  him- 
self to  her  malice  by  faithfully  reproving  them  for  their  incestuous   wickedness. 

2.  We  may  observe  who  the  persons  were  spoken  of  in  the  text ;  they 
were  those  that  had  been  the  disciples  of  John  the  Baptist,  that  had  sat  at  his 
feet  to  hear  him  preach  the  gospel,  that  were  his  constant  followers,  that  were 
with  him  as  those  that  received  great  benefit  by  his  ministry,  and  were  as  it 
were  his  children. 

3.  VVe  may  observe  their  behavior  on  this  occasion,  consisting  in  two  things. 
(1.)  That  whereby  they  showed  their  regard  to  the  remains  of  the  deceased, 

They  took  up  the  body  and  buried  it :  it  had  been  used  in  a  barbarous  manner 
by  others,  that  had  also  been  his  hearers,  and  were  under  special  obligations 
to  have  treated  him  with  honor.  They  cruelly  murdered  him,  by  severing  his 
head  from  his  body  ;  and  his  head  was  carried  in  a  charger  to  Herodias,  that 
she,  instead  of  paying  that  respect  that  was  due  to  the  remains  of  so  venerable  a 
person,  might  have  her  malice  and  cruelty  gratified  by  such  a  spectacle,  and 
tiiat  she  might  thence  take  occasion  to  insult  the  dead.  While  that  part  of  the 
dead  body  was  thus  used  by  Herodias,  his  disciples,  out  of  respect  and  honor  to 
their  master  and  teacher,  decently  interred  the  rest. 

2.  That  Vv-hich  they  did,  consequent  on  this,  for  God's  glory  and  their  own 
good,  They  went  and  told  Jesus.  Him  they  knew  to  be  one  that  their  master 
John,  while  he  lived,  had  testified  a  great  regard  to.  Jesus  was  he  whose  fore- 
runner John  was  ;  whom  he  had  preached,  and  of  whom  he  had  said,  "  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God  that  tnketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  :"  and,  "  This  is  he,  of 
whom  I  said.  After  me  coraeth  one  that  is  preferred  before  me  ;"  and  whom 
he  saw,  and  bare  record  that  this  is  the  Son  of  God.  And  probably  they  knew 
that  Christ  was  one  that  had  put  great  honor  upon  John  their  teacher  in  his 
lifetime.  For  he,  though  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  and  John's  Maker  and 
Saviour,  yet  came  to  him  to  be  baptized  of  him,  and  had  said  of  him,  that 
'•  among  those  that  are  born  of  women,  there  had  not  risen  a  greater  than  John 
the  Baptist. 

It  was  now  a  sorrowful  time  with  John's  disciples  ;  when  they  were  thus 
bereaved  of  him  whose  teachings  they  had  sat  under.  And  the  manner  of  his 
death  was  doubtless  very  grievous  to  them.  They  were  like  a  company  of  sor- 
rowful, distressed,  bereaved  children  ;  and  what  do  they  do  in  their  sorrows,  but 
go  to  Jesus  with   their  complaint.     The  first  thing  that  they  do,  after  paying 

♦Preached  at  Hatfield,  September  2,  1741,  being  the  d;iy  of  the  interment  of  Rev.  Mr.  William  Wjl- 
r^ara*. 


616  SORROWS  OF  THE  BEREAVED 

proper  regards  to  the  remains  of  their  dear  master,  is  to  go  to  Christ,  to  spread 
their  case  before  him,  seeking  comfort  and  help  from  him.  Thus  they  sought 
their  own  benefit. 

And  probably  one  end  of  their  immediately  going  and  telling  Jesus  was, 
that  he  being  informed  of  it,  might  conduct  himself  accordingly,  as  his  wisdom 
should  direct,  for  the  interest  of  his  own  kingdom.  When  so  great  a  person  as 
John  the  Baptist,  the  forerunner  of  Christ,  was  thus  martyred,  it  was  a  great 
event,  in  which  the  common  cause  in  which  both  Christ  and  he  were  engaged, 
was  greatly  concerned  :  it  was  therefore  fit  that  he  that  was  at  the  head  of  the 
whole  affair  should  be  informed  of  it,  for  his  future  conduct  in  the  affairs  of  his 
kingdom.  And  accordingly  we  find  that  Jesus  seems  immediately  to  be  influ- 
enced in  his  conduct  by  these  tidings;  as  you  may  see  in  the  next  verse: 
"  When  Jesus  heard  of  it,  he  departed  thence  by  ship  into  a  desert  place  apart." 
Thus  John's  disciples  sought  God's  glory. 

The  observation  from  the  words  that  I  would  make  the  subject  of  my  dis- 
course at  this  time  is  this  : 

When  any  one  is  taken  away  by  death,  that  has  been  eminent  in  the  work  of 
the  gospel  ministry,  such  as  are  thereby  bereaved,  should  go  and  S'pread  their  ca- 
lamity before  Jesus, 

Though  in  handling  this  subject  I  might  particularly  speak  to  several  pro- 
positions that  are  contained  in  this  observation,  and  many  things  might  profita- 
bly be  insisted  on  under  it,  if  there  w^ere  room  for  it  within  the  compass  of  a 
sermon  ;  yet  I  shall  only  give  the  reasojis  of  the  doctrine,  and  then  hasten  to 
the  application. 

The  following  reasons  may  be  given  why,  in  case  of  such  an  awful  dispen- 
sation of  Providence,  those  that  are  concerned  in  it,  and  bereaved  by  it,  should 
go  and  spread  their  sorrows  before  Jesus. 

1.  Christ  is  one  that  is  ready  to  pity  the  afflicted.  It  is  natural  for  persons 
that  are  bereaved  of  any  that  are  dear  to  them,  and  for  all  under  deep  sorrow, 
to  seek  some  that  they  may  declare  and  lay  open  their  griefs  to,  that  they  have 
good  reason  to  think  will  pity  them,  and  have  a  fellow  feeling  with  them  of 
their  distress.  The  heart  that  is  full  of  grief  wants  vent,  and  desires  to  pour 
out  its  complaint ;  but  it  seeks  a  compassionate  friend  to  pour  it  out  before. 

Christ  is  such  a  one,  above  all  others.  He  of  old,  before  his  incarnation, 
manifested  himself  full  of  compassion  towards  his  people  ;  for  that  is  Jesus  that 
is  spoken  of,  Isai.  Ixiii.  9 :  "  In  all  their  affliction  he  was  afflicted ;  and  the  an- 
gel of  his  presence  saved  them  ;  in  his  love  and  in  his  pity  he  redeemed  them ; 
and  he  bare  them,  and  carried  them  all  the  days  of  old."  And  when  he  was 
upon  earth  in  his  state  of  humiliation,  he  was  the  most  w^onderful  instance  of  a 
tender,  pitiful,  and  compassionate  spirit  that  ever  appeared  in  the  world.  How 
often  are  we  told  of  his  having  compassion  on  one  and  another!  So  Matt.  xv. 
32,"  Then  Jesus  called  his  disciples,  and  said  unto  them,  I  have  compassion  on  the 
multitude."  So  he  had  compassion  on  the  man  possessed  with  devils,  Mark  v. 
19  :  "  Go  home  to  thy  friends,  and  tell  them  how  great  things  the  Lord  hath 
done  to  thee,  and  hath  had  compassion  on  thee."  So  we  read  of  his  pitying 
the  mother,  that  was  bereaved  of  her  son,  Luke  vii.  13.  There  we  have  an 
account,  when  Christ  went  into  the  city  of  Nain,  and  met  the  people  carrying 
out  a  dead  man,  the  only  son  of  his  mother,  that  was  a  widow,  that  when  he 
saw  her  he  had  compassion  on  her.  So  when  the  two  blind  men  that  sat  by 
the  way-side,  cried  to  Jesus,  as  he  passed  by,  saying,  "  Have  mercy  on  us,  O 
Lord,  thou  Son  of  David,"  we  read  that  Jesus  had  compassion  on  them.  Matt. 
XX.  39.  So  we  read  of  his  being  moved  with  compassion,  Matt.  xiv.  14  :  "  And 


SPREAD  BEFORE  JESUS.  617 

Jesus  went  forth,  and  saw  a  great  multitude,  and  when  he  saw  them  he  was 
moved  with  compassion."  His  speeches  to  his  disciples  were  full  of  compassion  ; 
especially  (hose  that  he  uttered  a  little  before  his  death,  of  which  we  have  an 
account  in  the  13th,  14th,  15'h,  and  16lh  chapters  of  John.  His  miracles  were 
almost  universally  deeds  of  pity  to  persons  under  affliction. 

And  seeing  such  a  pitiful  heart  appeared  in  him  on  all  occasions,  no  won- 
der that  John's  disciples,  when  bereaved  of  their  tlear  guide  and  teacher,  and 
tlieir  hearts  were  full  of  sorrow,  came  to  him  for  pity  :  which  likewise  induced 
Mary  and  Martha  to  come  and  fall  down,  pouring  out  their  tears  at  Jesus'  feet, 
when  their  dear  brother  Lazarus  was  dead  :  other  Jews  came  to  comfort  them, 
before  Jesus  came,  whom  they  little  regarded,  but  when  they  heard  that  Jesus 
was  come,  they  soon  go  and  spread  their  sorrows  before  him  ;  they  were  as- 
sured that  he  would  pity  them  ;  and  their  expectation  was  not  frustrated  ;  for 
he  was  most  tenderly  affected  and  moved  at  their  tears :  we  are  told  that  on 
that  occasion  he  groaned  in  spirit  and  was  troubled,  John  xi.  33.  And  when  he 
came  to  the  grave,  it  is  observed,  and  a  special  note  seems  to  be  set  upon  it, 
that  he  wept,  verse  35. 

He  was  one  that  wept  with  those  that  wept :  and  indeed  it  w-as  mere  pity  that 
brought  him  into  the  world,  and  induced  him  not  only  to  shed  tears  but  to  shed  his 
blood  :  he  poured  out  his  blood  as  water  on  the  earth,  out  of  compassion  to  the 
poor,  miserable  children  of  men.  And  when  do  we  ever  read  of  any  person  coming 
to  him  when  on  earth,  with  a  heavy  heart,  or  under  any  kind  of  sorrow  or  distress, 
for  pity  or  help,  but  what  met  with  a  kind  and  compassionate  reception  ? 

And  he  has  the  same  compassion  now  he  is  ascended  into  glory :  there  is 
still  the  same  encouragement  for  bereaved  ones  to  go  and  spread  their  sorrows 
before  him. 

Afflicted  persons  love  to  speak  of  their  sorrows  to  them  that  have  had  ex- 
PERiENCK  of  affliction,  and  know  what  sorrow  is:  but  there  is  none  on  earth 
or  in  heaven  that  ever  had  so  much  experience  of  sorrow  as  Christ :  therefore 
ne  knows  how  to  pity  the  sorrowful,  and  especially  may  we  be  confident  that 
he  is  ready  to  pity  those  that  are  bereaved  of  a  faithful  minister,  because  such 
a  bereavement  is  a  calamity  that  concerns  the  souls  of  men  ;  and  Christ  hath 
especially  shown  his  piiy  to  men's  souls;  for  it  was  chiefly  for  them  that  he 
died :  to  relieve  the  miseries  of  the  soul  especially,  is  it  that  he  hath  provided  j 
and  it  was  from  pity  to  the  souls  of  men  that  he  made  that  provision  for  them 
that  he  hath  done,  in  appointing  such  an  order  of  men  as  gospel  ministeus,  and 
in  sending  them  forth  to  preach  the  gospel :  it  was  because  he  had  compassion 
en  men's  souls,  that  he  hath  appointed  ministers  to  watch  for  souls. 

2.  Christ  has  purchased  all  that  persons  need  under  such  a  bereavement.  He 
has  purchased  all  that  miserable  men  stand  in  need  of  under  all  their  calamities, 
ar.d  comfort  under  every  sort  of  affliction  ;  and  therefore  his  invitation  to  those 
that  "  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,"  to  come  to  him  for  rest,  may  be  understood 
in  the  most  extensive  sense,  to  extend  to  those  that  labor  under  any  kind  of 
burden  of  sin  or  sorrow,  and  to  all  that  are  "  heavy  laden"  with  either  natural 
or  moral  evil.  He  has  purchased  divine  cordials  and  supports  for  those  hearts 
that  are  ready  to  sink.  He  has  purchased  all  needed  comfort  and  help  for  the 
widow  and  the  fatherless.  He  has  purchased  a  sanctified  impiovement  and  fruit 
of  affliction,  for  all  such  as  come  to  him,  and  spread  their  sorrows  before  him. 
He  has  purchased  those  things  that  are  sufficient  to  make  up  their  loss,  that  are 
bereaved  of  a  great  blessing  in  an  eminent  minister  of  t!ie  gospel.  It  is  he  that 
has  purchased  those  divine  blessings,  those  influences  and  fruits  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  that  the  work  of  the  ministry  is  appointed  to  be  the  means  of.     Faithful 

Vol.  III.  78 


618  SORROWS  OF  THE  BEREAVED 

ministers  themselves  are  the  fruits  of  his  purchase  ;  and  he  has  purchased  all 
those  gifts  and  graces  whereby  ministers  do  become  faithful,  eminent  and  suc- 
cessful ;  and  therefore  when  he  "  ascended  up  on  high,  he  received  such  gifts 
for  men,"  Eph.  iv.  8,  &c.  So  that  he  has  purchased  all  that  is  needful  to  make 
up  for  the  loss  that  is  sustained  by  the  death  of  an  eminent  minister. 

3.  Christ  is  able  to  afford  all  that  help  that  is  needed  in  such  a  case.  His 
power  and  his  wisdom  are  as  sufficient  as  his  purpose,  and  answerable  to  his 
compassions.  By  the  bowels  of  his  mercies,  the  love  and  tenderness  of  his 
heart,  he  is  disposed  to  help  those  that  are  in  affliction  ;  and  his  ability  is  an- 
swerable to  his  disposition.  He  is  able  to  support  the  heart  under  the  heaviest 
sorrows,  and  to  give  light  in  the  greatest  darkness.  He  can  divide  the  thickest 
cloud  with  beams  of  heavenly  light  and  comfort.  He  is  one  that  gives  songs 
in  the  night,  and  turns  the  shadow  of  death  into  the  morning.  He  has  power 
to  make  up  the  loss  of  those  that  are  bereaved  by  the  death  of  the  most  emi- 
nent minister.  His  own  presence  with  the  bereaved  is  sufficient ;  if  the  great 
Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls  be  present,  how  much  more  is  this  than  enough 
to  supply  the  want  of  any  under-shepherd  ?  And  then  he  is  able  to  furnish 
others  with  like  gifts  and  graces  for  that  work. 

Persons  under  sorrowful  bereavements  are  ready  to  go  and  lay  open  their 
sorrows  to  them  that  they  think  will  be  ready  to  pity  them,  though  they  know 
they  can  but  pity  them,  and  cannot  help  them.  How  much  more  is  here  in 
such  a  case  to  induce  us  to  go  to  Jesus,  who  is  not  only  so  ready  to  pity,  but  so 
able  to  help,  able  abundantly  more  than  to  fill  up  the  breach,  and  able  to  turn 
all  our  sorrows  into  joy  ? 

4.  The  consideration  of  the  special  office  of  Christ,  and  the  work  that  he 
has  undertaken  for  his  people,  should  engage  them  to  go  and  spread  such  a 
calamity,  as  the  bereavement  of  a  faithful  and  eminent  minister,  before  him.  For 
he  is  the  Head  of  the  body,  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  and  Lord  of  the 
harvest ;  that  has  undertaken  the  care  of  the  whole  church,  and  has  the  abso- 
lute government  of  it  in  his  hands,  and  the  supreme  disposal  and  management 
of  all  ecclesiastical  affairs,  to  whom  belongs  the  care  of  the  universal  church, 
and  every  part  of  it,  with  respect  to  its  supply  with  such  guides,  officers  and 
ordinances,  as  it  stands  in  need  of  In  case  of  bereavement  of  an  eminent 
minister,  it  was  he  that  sent  forth  such  a  minister,  appointed  him  his  charge 
and  furnished  him  for  his  work,  continued  and  assisted  him  in  it,  and  in  his  own 
time  removed  him ;  and  it  is  he  that,  in  such  a  case,  by  his  office,  has  the  care 
of  filling  up  the  vacancy,  and  furnishing,  establishing,  and  assisting  successors, 
and  supplying  all  the  wants  of  bereaved  churches.  It  is  surely  therefore  suit- 
able and  natural  to  go  to  him  in  such  a  case,  and  spread  such  a  calamity  before 
him. 

APPLICATION. 

I  come  now  to  apply  what  has  been  said  to  the  sorrowful  occasion  of  our 
being  thus  assembled  at  this  time,  even  the  death  of  that  aged  servant  of  God, 
who  has  long  been  eminent  in  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  in  this  place. 

There  are  many  that  may  well  look  on  themselves  as  nearly  concerned  in 
this  awful  providence,  and  sharers  in  the  bereavement ;  all  of  whom  should  be 
directed  by  this  doctrine,  to  go  and  spread  their  affliction  before  Jesus,  that 
compassionate,  all-sufficient  Head  of  the  church,  and  Saviour  of  the  body,  that 
merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest,  that  knows  how  to  pity  the  afflicted. 

And  particularly  it  now  becomes  and  concerns  you,  that  belong  to  this 


SPREAD  BEFORE  JESUS.  619 

diurch  and  ccmgregation,  that  are  bereaved  of  your  aged  and  eminent  pa^tou 
and  KA  rnKK,  that  has  so  long  been  a  great  blessing  to  you,  now  to  go  and  tell 
Jtsus. 

The  disciples  of  John,  spoken  of  in  the  text,  were  those  that  were  ordina- 
rily under  his  instruction,  and  were  his  constant  hearers,  as  it  has  been  with  you 
with  respect  to  your  aged  pa^tou,  that  is  now  taken  from  you.  Therefore  be 
exhorted  to  do  as  tiiey  did.  Do  not  think  that  you  have  finished  your  duty, 
when  you  have  taken  up  his  body  and  buried  it,  and  have  shown  respect  to  his 
memory  and  remains  at  his  luneial.  This  is  the  least  part  of  your  duty.  That 
v.hicli  niainly  concerns  you  under  this  Qwful  providence,  is  between  Christ  and 
your  own  souls. 

God  has  now  taken  away  from  you  an  able  and  faithful  minister  of  the  New 
Testament,  one  that  has  long  been  a  father  to  you,  and  a  father  in  our  Israel, 
a  person  of  uncommon  natural  abil.ties,  and  tlistinguished  learning,  a  great 
divine,  of  very  comprehensive  knowledge,  and  of  a  solid,  accurate  judgment 
Judiciousness  and  wisdom  were  eminently  his  character.  He  was  one  of  emi- 
nent gifts,  qualilying  him  for  all  parts  of  the  work  of  the  ministry  ;  and  thert 
appeared  a  savor  of  holiness,  in  his  exercise  of  those  gifts  in  public  and  private. 
So  that  he  improved  them  as  a  servant  of  Christ,  and  a  man  of  God.  He  was 
not  negligent  of  the  talents  which  his  Lonl  had  committed  to  him  ;  you  need  not 
be  told  with  what  constant  dihgence  he  improved  them,  how  studious  at  home, 
and  how  laborious  in  his  public  work.  He  ever  devoted  himself  to  the  work  to 
which  he  was  called.  The  ministry  which  he  had  received  of  the  Lord,  he 
took  heed  to  fulfil,  and  pursued  it  with  a  constant  and  steadfast,  even  mind, 
through  all  its  ditficulties. 

You  know  his  manner  of  addressing  heaven  in  his  public  prayers  with  you 
and  for  you,  with  what  sanctity,  humility,  faith  and  fervency,  he  seemed  to  apply 
himself  to  the  FArHER  of  lights,  from  time  to  time,  when  he  stood  in  this  desk 
as  your  mouth  to  God,  and  interceding  for  you,  pleading  with  God  through  the 
grace  and  merits  of  a  glorious  Mediator.  And  you  know  his  manner  of 
applying  himself  to  you,  when  he  came  to  you,  from  time  to  time,  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord. 

In  his  PUBLIC  ministry,  he  mainly  insisted  on  the  most  weighty  and  impor- 
tant things  of  religion  ;  he  was  eminently  an  evangelical  preacher ;  evangeli- 
cal subjects  seemed  to  be  his  delight.  Christ  was  the  great  subject  of  his 
pleaching ;  and  he  much  insisted  on  those  things  that  did  nearly  concern  the 
essence  and  power  of  religion;  and  had  a  peculiar  faculty  of  judiciously  and 
clearly  handling  the  doctrines  he  insisted  on,  and  treating  properly  whatever 
subject  he  took  in  hand;  and  of  selecting  the  most  weighty  arguments  and 
motives  to  enforce  and  set  home  those  things  that  concern  Christian  experience 
and  practice.  His  subjects  were  always  weighty,  and  his  manner  of  treating 
them  peculiarly  happy,  showing  the  strength  and  accuracy  of  his  judgment,  and 
ever  breathing  forth  the  spirit  of  pitTV,  and  a  deep  sense  of  the  things  he 
delivered,  on  his  heart.  His  sermons  were  none  of  them  mean,  but  were  all 
solid,  wise  compositions.  His  words  were  none  of  them  vain,  but  all  were 
weiglity. 

And  you  need  not  be  told  with  what  weight  the  welfare  of  your  souls  seem- 
ed to  lie  on  his  heart,  and  how  he  instructed,  and  reproved,  and  warned,  and 
exhorted  you,  with  all  authority,  and  with  a  fatherly,  tender  concern  for  your 
eternal  good.  And  with  what  wisdom  he  presided  in  the  house  of  God,  and 
guided  its  affairs;  and  also  counselled  and  directed  you  in  private,  under  your 
•  particular  soul  exercises  and  difficulties.     You  know  how  he  has  brought  you 


620  SORROWS  OF  THE  BEREAVED 

up  (for  most  of  you  have  been  trained  up  from  your  childhood  under  his  minis- 
try), with  what  authority,  and  with  what  judgment,  prudence  and  steadiness, 
he  has  conducted  you,  as  well  as  meekness  and  gentleness.  You  know  his 
manner  of  going  in  and  out  among  you,  how  exemplary  his  walk  aneJ  conver- 
sation has  been,  with  what  gravity,  judgment  and  savor  of  holiness,  he  has 
Avalked  before  you,  as  a  man  of  God. 

Y(Ai  have  enjoyed  great  advantages  for  your  souls'  good,  under  his  ministry: 
that  you  had  such  a  minister  was  your  privilege  and  your  honor;  he  has  been 
an  ornament  to  the  town  of  Hatfield  ;  and  his  presence  and  conversation 
amongst  you  has  been  both  profitable  and  pleasant ;  for  though  it  was  such  as 
did  peculiarly  command  awe  and  respect,  yet  it  was  at  the  same  time,  humble 
and  coNDKSCENDLNG  :  it  tended  both  to  instruct  and  entertain  those  that  he  con- 
versed with  :  as  a  wise  man,  and  endued  with  knowledge,  he  showed  out  of 
good  conversation  his  works  with  meekness  of  irisdom. 

But  now  it  hath  pleased  a  holy  God  to  take  him  away  from  you  :  you  will 
see  his  face  and  hear  his  voice  no  more,  in  the  land  of  the  living  :  you  will  no 
moi'e  have  the  comfort  and  benefits  of  his  presence  with  you,  a^nd  the  exercise 
of  his  ministry  among  you. 

Therefore  now  go  to  Jesus,  the  Supreme  Head  of  the  church,  and  Bishop 
of  souls.  Your  pastor  is  dead,  and  will  not  live  again  till  the  last  day  :  but 
Christ,  the  chief  Shepherd,  though  he  was  dead,  is  now  alive  !  And  behold  he 
lives  for  evermore.  He  ever  lives  to  provide  for  his  church,  and  to  guide  and 
feed  liis  flock.  Go  to  that  Jesus  whom  your  deceased  pastor  preached,  and  to 
whom  he  earnestly  invited  you  while  he  lived,  and  give  thanks  for  the  many 
blessings  you  enjoyed  in  him.  Remember  how  you  have  received  and  heard, 
and  hold  fast  that  no  man  take  your  crown  ;*  and  go  and  humble  yourselves 
also  before  him,  that  you  made  no  better  improvement  of  the  ministry  of  your 
pastor  while  he  lived  ;  and  beg  of  him  a  sanctified  improvement  of  his  awful 
hand  in  taking  him  away,  and  that  he  would  help  you  to  remember  his  warn- 
ings and  counsels  that  you  loo  much  slighted  whilst  you  had  them,  lest  those 
warnings  and  counsels  cry  against  you,  and  rise  up  in  judgment  against  you  an- 
other day  ;  lest  you  see  your  pastor,  that  so  affectionately  and  earnestly,  and  so 
often,  and  for  so  long  a  time  continued  to  exhort  you,  and  earnestly  prayed  for 
you,  \yhile  he  lived,  rising  up  in  judgment,  and  bearing  testimony  against  you, 
declaring  how  constantly  and  laboriously  he  entreated  and  called  upon  you' 
and  how  obstinately  some  of  you  slighted  his  counsels;  and  lest  you  see  him' 
sitting  with  Christ  to  judge  and  condemn  you,  and  adoring  his  awful  justice  on 
your  aggravated  punishment. 

All  you  that  have  an  interest  in  Jesus,  now  go  to  him  on  this  occasion,  and 
tell  hun  of  your  bereavement,  and  beg  of  him  that  he  would  not  depart  from 
you  ;  but  that  he  would  make  up  his  loss  in  his  own  immediate  presence.  Go 
to  hun  for  your  surviving  pastor,  that  he  would  be  with  him,  and  furnish  him 
more  and  more  for,  and  assist  him  in,  that  great  work,  that  is  now  wholly  de- 
ed upon  him,  and  make  him  also  a  burning  ajid shining  light  amongst  you, 
I  that  you  may  have  of  the  presence  and  blessing  of  Jesus  with  you  and  him! 

And  now^,  since  I  am  called  to  speak  in  the  name  of  Christ  on  this  solemn 
occasion,  I  would  apply  myself  to  the  near  relations  of  the  deceased,  who  are 
especially  to  be  looked  upon,  as  the  bereaved. 

God  in  his  holy  providence  has  taken  from  you  one  that  has  been  a  great 
blessmg,  comfort  and  honor  to  you,  and  deservedly  very  dear  to  you,  and  honor- 

•  Partic-.arly,  remember  liis  late  affectionate  n>rewell  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  not  cxpectii,.'  suck 
another  opportunity  with  you.     Exhorting  you  to  follow  peace  and  holiness,  and  to  edify  one  another^ 


volv 
an( 


SPREAD   BEFORE   JESUS.  621 

ed  of  you.  The  doctrine  we  are  upon  directs  you  wliat  to  do  in  your  present 
circumstances,  viz.,  to  go  to  Jksus,  to  go  and  spread  your  affliction  before  an 
all-sufficient  Redeemer. 

And  particularly  1  would  apply  myself  to  the  honored  relict,  who  stood  in 
the  nearest  relation  of  any  to  the  deceased,  whom  God  by  this  awful  providence 
has  made  a  sorrowful  widow.  Suffer  me,  honored  madam,  in  your  great  afflic- 
tion, to  exhibit  to  you  a  compassionate  Redeemer.  God  has  now  taken  from 
you  that  servant  of  his,  that  was  the  nearest  and  best  friend  you  had  in  this 
world,  that  was  your  wise  and  prudent  guide,  your  affectionate  anil  pleasant 
companion,  who  was  so  great  a  blessing  while  he  lived,  to  you  and  your  family, 
and  under  Christ,  was  so  much  the  comtbrt  and  support  of  your  life.  You  see, 
madam,  where  your  resort  must  be  :  your  earthly  friends  can  condole  your  loss, 
but  cannot  make  it  up  to  you ;  we  must  all  conless  ourselves  to  be  but  misera- 
ble comforters :  but  you  may  go  and  tell  Jesus,  and  there  you  may  have  both 
support  and  reparation  :  his  love  and  his  presence  is  far  beyond  that  of  the 
nearest  and  most  affectionate  earthly  friend.  Now  you  are  bereaved  of  your 
earthly  consort,  you  may  go  to  a  spiritual  husband,  and  seek  his  compassion 
anil  his  company  :  he  is  the  fountain  of  all  ihat  wisdom  and  prudence,  that 
piety,  that  tender  affection  and  faithful  care,  that  you  enjoyed  in  your  departed 
consort;  in  him  is  an  infinite  fountain  of  all  these  things,  and  of  all  good  ;  in 
him  you  may  have  light  in  your  darkness,  corafoit  in  your  sorrow,  and  fulness 
of  joy  and  glory  in  another  world,  in  an  everlasting  union  with  your  dear,  de- 
ceased relative,  in  the  glorious  presence  of  the  same  Redeemer,  z/i  whose  presence 
is  fulness  of  joy,  and  at  whose  right  hand  are  pleasures  for  evermore. 

This  doctrine  also  directs  the  bereaved,  afflicted  children,  that  are  with  hearts 
full  of  grief,  now  mourning  over  a  dear  departed  father,  where  to  go  and  what 
to  do.  ^You  will  no  longer  have  your  father's  wisdom  to  guide  you,  his  tender 
love  to  comfort  and  delight  you,  and  his  affectionate  care  to  guard  you  and  assist 
you,  and  his  pious  and  judicious  counsels  to  direct  you,  and  his  holy  examples  set 
before  you,  and  his  fervent,  humble,  believing  prayers  with  you  and  for  you. 

But  in  the  blessed  Jesus,  your  father's  Lord  and  Redeemer,  you  may  have 
much  more,  than  all  those  things :  your  father's  virtues,  that  made  him  so  great 
a  blessing  to  you,  were  but  the  image  of  what  is  in  Christ. 

Therefore  go  to  him  in  your  mourning :  go  and  tell  Jesus ;  tell  a  compas- 
sionate Saviour  what  has  befallen  you.  Heretofore  you  have  had  an  earthly 
father  to  o-o  to,  whose  heart  was  full  of  tenderness  to  you  ;  but  the  heart  of  his 
Redeemer  is  much  more  tender ;  his  wisdom  and  his  love  is  infinitely  beyond 
that  of  any  earthly  parent.  Go  to  him,  and  then  you  will  surely  find  comfort. 
Go  to  him  and  you  will  find  that,  though  you  are  bereaved,  yet  you  are  not  left 
in  any  want,  you  will  find  that  all  your  wants  are  supplied,  and  all  your  loss 
made  up,  and  much  more  than  so. 

But  here  I  would  particularly,  in  humility,  address  myself  to  my  honored 
fathers,  the  sons  of  the  deceased,  that  are  improved  in  the  same  great  work  of 
the  gospel  ministry,  or  in  other  public  business  for  the  service  of  their  genera- 
tion. Honored  sirs,  though  it  might  be  more  proper  for  me  to  come  to  you  for 
instruction  and  counsel,  than  to  take  it  upon  me  to  exhort  you,  yet  as  I  am  one 
that  ought  to  have  a  fellow-feeling  of  your  affliction,  and  to  look  on  myself  as 
a  sharer*  in  it,  and  as  you  have  des-lred  me  to  speak  in  the  name  of  Christ,  on 
this  occasion,  suffer  me  to  mention  to  you  that  source  of  comfort,  that  infinite 
fountain  of  good,  one  of  the  larger  streams  of  which,  has  failed  by  the  death  of 
an  eartldy  father,  even  the  blessed  Jesus.  You  will  doubtless  acknowledge  it 
as  an  instance  of  his  great  goodness  to  you,  that  you  have  been  the  sons  of  such 


622  SORROWS  OF  THE  BEREAVED 

a  father  ;  being  sensible  that  your  reputation  and  serviceableness  in  your  gen- 
eration, have  been,  under  Christ,  very  much  owing  to  the  great  advantages  you 
have  been  under,  by  his  instructions,  counsels  and  education.  And  is  it  not  fit 
that  children  that  have  learned  of  such  a  faithful  servant  of  Christ,  and  been 
brought  up  at  his  feet,  now  he  is  dead,  should  do  as  John  the  Baptist's  disciples 
did,  go  and  tell  Jesus  ?  From  whom  you  may  receive  comfort  under  your  be- 
reavement, and  from  whom  you  may  receive  more  of  that  Spirit  that  dwelt  in 
him,  and  greater  degrees  of  those  virtues  he  derived  from  Christ,  to  cause  you 
to  shine  brighter,  and  to  make  you  still  greater  blessings  in  your  generation. 
Now  death  has  veiled  and  hid  from  sight,  a  Star  that  shone  with  refected  light, 
our  text  and  doctrine  leads  you  to  the  Sun,  that  hath  light  in  himself,  and 
shines  with  infinite,  unfailing  brightness.  And  while  you  go  to  Jesus,  honored 
sirs,  on  this  occasion  for  yourselves,  I  humbly  desire  your  requests  to  him  for 
us  the  surviving  ministers  "of  this  county,  that  he  would  be  with  us,  now  he  has 
taken  from  us  him  that  was  as  a  father  amongst  us. 

I  nextly  would  address  myself  to  the  surviving  pastor  of  this  church.  We 
may  well  look  upon  you.  Reverend  Sir,  as  one  in  an  especial  manner  concern- 
ed in  this  awful  providence,  and  that  has  a  large  share  in  the  bereavement. 
You  doubtless  are  sensible  what  reason  you  have  to  bless  God  for  the  advan- 
tage you  have  had,  in  serving  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  so  long  as  you  have  done, 
with  the  venerable  person  deceased,  as  a  son  with  a  father,  enjoying  the  benefit 
of  his  instructions,  counsels  and  example.  And  particularly,  you  will  often  re- 
collect the  affectionate  and  fatherly  counsels  he  gave  you,  to  diligence  and 
faithfulness  in  your  Lord's  work,  with  encouragement  of  his  protection  and  as- 
sistance to  carry  you  through  all  difficulties,  the  last  evening  of  his  life.  And 
now,  dear  sir,  God  has  taken  him  from  you,  as  he  took  Elijah  from  Elisha, 
and  as  he  took  John  the  Baptist,  the  New  Testament  Elijah,  from  his  disciples  : 
therefore  now  you  are  directed  what  to  do,  viz.,  go  and  tell  Jesus  ;  as  those  dis- 
ciples did.  You  have  now  a  great  work  devolved  upon  you  ;  you  have  him  no 
more,  who,  while  he  lived,  was  as  a  father  to  you,  to  guide  and  assist  you,  and 
take  the  burthen  of  your  great  work  from  you.  Therefore  you  have  nowhere 
else  to  go,  but  to  your  great  Lord  and  Master,  that  has  sent  you  to  labor  in 
that  part  of  his  vineyard,  where  his  aged,  and  now  departed  servant  was  era- 
ployed,  to  seek  strength  and  wisdom,  and  divine  influence  and  assistance  from 
him,  and  a  double  portion  of  that  Spirit,  that  dwelt  in  your  predecessor. 

And  lastly,  the  text  I  am  upon  may  be  of  direction  to  us  the  surviving 
ministers  of  this  county,  what  to  do  on  this  sorrowful  occasion.  God  has  now 
taken  our  father  and  master  from  our  head :  he  has  removed  him  that  has  here- 
tofore under  Christ  been  very  much  our  strength,  that  we  have  been  wont  to 
resort  to  in  difficult  cases  for  instruction  and  direction,  and  that  used  to  be 
amongst  us  from  time  to  time,  in  our  associations,  and  that  we  were  wont  to 
behold  as  the  head  and  ornament  of  those  conventions.*  Where  else  can  we 
now  go  but  to  Jesus,  the  ever  living  Head  of  the  whole  church,  and  Lord  of  the 
whole  harvest,  the  fountain  of  light,  our  great  Lord  and  Master  that  sends  all 
gospel  ministers,  and  on  whom  they  universally  depend  1  Let  this  awful  pro- 
vidence bring  us  to  look  to  Christ,  to  seek  more  of  his  presence  with  us ;  and 
that  HE  would  preside  as  Head  in  our  associations :  let  it  bring  us  to  a  more 

*  Very  worthy  of  our  notice  was  that  his  farewell  message  sent  us  by  one  of  our  beloved  brethren 
ihc  Rev.  Mr.  Williams  of  Springfield)  after  he  returned  from  sucli  a  meeting,  where  he  also  preached.— 
•'  I  do  not  expect,"  said  he,  "  to  he  with  you  another  Association  Meeting  :  but  I  give  you  this  advice, 
Love  your  Master,  love  your  work  and  love  one  another."  How  very  expressive  of  his  own  spirit.' 
Like  John  the  beloved  disciple. 


SPREAD  BEFORE  JESUS.  623 

immediate  and  entire  dependence  upon  him,  for  instruction  and  direction,  in  all 
our  difficulties. 

Let  us  on  this  occasion  consider  what  God  has  done  in  this  country  of  late 
years :  it  was  not  many  years  ago  that  the  country  was  filled  with  aged  minis- 
ters, that  were  our  fathers ;  but  our  fathers,  where  are  they  1 — What  a  great  al- 
teration is  made  in  a  little  time,  in  the  churches  in  this  part  of  the  land  !*  How 
frequent  of  late  have  been  the  w;irnings  of  this  kind  that  God  has  given  us  to 
jirepare  to  give  up  our  account !  Let  us  go  to  Jesus,  and  seek  grace  of  him 
that  we  may  be  faithful  while  we  live,  and  that  he  would  assist  us  in  our  great 
work,  that  when  we  also  are  called  hence,  we  may  give  up  our  account  with 
■joy  and  not  with  grief,  and  that  hereafter  we  may  meet  those  our  fathers,  that 
have  gone  before  us  in  the  faithful  labors  of  the  gospel,  and  that  we  may  shine 
forth  with  them,  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  as  the  stars  forever 
and  ever. 

t  The  Rev.  Mr.  Stcxldard,  Mr.  Taylor  Mr.  Williams  of  Deerlield,  Mr.  Brewer,  and  lately  have  died, 
Mr.  Bull  c>f  Wcstfield  aod  Mr  Devotion  of  Su£eld 


&±.UMON   VI.* 

TRUE  SAINTS,  WHEN  ABSENT  FROM  THE  BODY,  ARE  PRESENT  WITH  THE  LORD. 

2  Corinthians  v.  3.  —We  are  confident,  I  s-.iy,  and  willing  rather  to  lie  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  ha 
present  with  the  Lord. 

The  apostle  in  this  place  is  giving  a  reason  why  he  went  on  with  so  much 
boldness  and  immovable  steadfastness,  through  such  labors,  sufferings,  and  dan- 
gers of  his  life,  in  the  service  of  his  Lord  ;  for  which  his  enemies,  the  false 
teachers  among  the  Corinthians,  sometimes  reproached  him  as  being  beside 
himself,  and  driven  on  by  a  kind  of  madness.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  the  apostle  informs  the  Christian  Corinthians,  that  the  reason  why 
he  did  thus,  was,  that  he  firmly  believed  the  promises  that  Christ  had  made  to 
his  faithful  servants  of  a  glorious  future  eternal  reward,  and  knew  that  these 
present  afflictions  were  light,  and  but  for  a  moment,  in  comparison  of  that  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory.  The  same  discourse  is  continued 
in  this  chapter ;  wherein  the  apostle  further  insists  on  the  reason  he  had  given 
of  his  constancy  in  suffering,  and  exposing  himself  to  death  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  even  the  more  happy  state  he  expected  after  death.  And  this  is  the 
subject  of  the  text ;  wherein  may  be  observed, 

1.  The  great  future  privilege,  which  the  apostle  hoped  for;  that  of  being 
present  with  Christ.  The  words,  in  the  original,  properly  signify  dwelling  with 
Christ,  as  in  the  same  country  or  city,  or  making  a  home  with  Christ. 

2.  When  the  apostle  looked  for  this  privilege,  viz.,  when  he  should  be  ab- 
sent from  the  body.  Not  to  wait  for  it  till  the  resurrection,  when  soul  and 
body  should  be  united  again.  He  signifies  the  same  thing  in  his  epistle  to  the 
Philippians,  chap.  i.  22,  23 :  "  But  if  I  live  in  the  flesh,  this  is  the  fruit  of  ray 
labor.  Yet  what  i  shall  choose,  I  wot  not.  For  1  am  in  a  strait  between  two  ; 
having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ." 

3.  The  value  the  apostle  set  on  this  privilege.  It  was  such,  that  for  the 
sake  of  it,  he  chose  to  be  absent  from  the  body.  He  was  willing  rather,  or  (as 
the  word  properly  signifies)  it  were  more  pleasing  to  him,  to  part  with  the  pre- 
sent life,  and  all  its  enjoyments,  and  be  possessed  of  this  great  benefit,  than  to 
continue  here. 

4.  The  present  benefit,  which  the  apostle  had  by  his  faith  and  hope  of  this  fu- 
ture privilege,  and  of  his  great  value  for  it,  viz.,  that  hence  he  received  courage, 
assurance,  and  constancy  of  mind,  agreeable  to  the  proper  import  of  the  word 
that  is  rendered,  we  are  confident.  The  apostle  is  now  giving  a  reason  of  that 
fortitude  and  immovable  stability  of  mind,  with  which  he  went  through  those 
extreme  labors,  hardships  and  dangers,  which  he  mentions  in  this  discourse ;  so 
that,  in  the  midst  of  all,  he  did  not  faint,  was  not  discouraged,  but  had  constant 
light,  and  inward  support,  strength,  and  comfort  in  the  midst  of  all  :  agreeable 
to  the  10th  verse  of  the  foregoing  chapter,  "  For  which  cause,  we  faint  not ; 
but  though  our  outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day." 

*  Preached  on  the  day  of  the  funeral  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  David  Brainerd,  Missionary  tc  the  Indians 
Irom  the  Honorable  Socit  ty  in  Scotland  for  the  propagation  of  Christian  Knowledge',  and  Pastor  of  a 
Church  of  Christian  Indians  in  New  .lersey  ;  who  died  at  Northampton,  in  New  England,  October  9. 
1747,  in  the  30th  year  of  his  age,  and  was  interred  on  the  12th  following. 


ABSENT  FROIM  THE  BODY,  ETC.  625 

And  the  same  is  expressed  more  particularly  in  the  8th,  9th,  and  10th  verses, 
of  that  chapter:  "  We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  distressed  ;  we  are 
perplexed,  but  not  in  despair;  persecuted,  but  not  forsaken  ;  cast  down,  but 
not  destroyed  ;  always  bearing  about  in  the  body,  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in  our  mortal  flesh."  And 
in  the  next  chapter,  verses  4 — 10:  "In  all  things  approving  ourselves  as  the 
ministers  of  God,  in  much  patience,  in  afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  distresses,  in 
stripes,  in  imprisonments,  in  tumults,  in  labors,  in  watchings,  in  fastings,  by 
pureness,  by  knowledge,  by  long-suffering,  by  kindness,  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
by  love  unfeigned,  by  the  word  of  truth,  by  the  power  of  God,  by  the  armor 
of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  by  honor  and  dishonor, 
by  evil  report  and  good  report:  as  deceivers,  and  yet  true  ;  as  unknow^n,  and 
yet  well  known  ;  as  dying,  and  behold,  we  live;  as  chastened,  and  not  killed  ; 
as  sorrowful,  yet  alway  rejoicing  ;  as  poor,  yet  making  many  rich  ;  as  having 
nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things," 

Among  the  many  useful  observations  there  might  be  raised  from  the  text, 
I  shall  at  this  time  only  insist  on  that  which  lies  most  plainly  before  us  in  the 
words,  viz.,  this  : 

The  souls  of  true  saints,  when  they  leave  their  bodies  at  death,  go  to  be  vnih 
Christ 

Departed  souls  of  saints  go  to  be  with  Christ,  in  the  following  respects  : 

I.  They  go  to  dwell  in  the  same  blessed  abode  with  the  glorified  human 
nature  of  Christ. 

The  human  nature  of  Christ  is  yet  in  being.  He  still  continues,  and  will 
continue  to  all  eternity,  to  be  both  God  and  man.  His  whole  human  nature 
remains  :  not  only  his  human  soul,  but  also  his  human  body.  His  dead  body 
rose  from  the  dead  ;  and  the  same  that  was  raised  from  the  dead,  is  exalted  and 
glorified  at  God's  right  hand  ;  that  which  was  dead  is  now  alive,  and  lives  for 
evermore. 

And  therefore  there  is  a  a  certain  place,  a  particular  part  of  the  external 
creation,  to  which  Christ  is  gone,  and  where  he  remains.  And  this  place  is 
that  which  we  call  the  highest  heaven,  or  the  heaven  of  heavens ;  a  place  be- 
yond all  the  visible  heavens.  Eph.  iv.  9, 10,  "  Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is 
it  but  that  he  also  descended  first  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  1  He  that 
descended,  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  up  far  above  all  heavens."  This  is 
the  same  which  the  apostle  calls  the  third  heaven,  2  Cor.  xii.  2,  reckoning  the 
aerial  heaven  as  the  first,  the  starry  heaven  as  the  second,  and  the  highest  heav- 
en as  the  third.  This  is  the  abode  of  the  holy  angels ;  they  are  called  "  the 
angels  of  heaven,"  Matt,  xxiv,  36 ;  "  The  angels  which  are  in  heaven,"  Mark 
xiii.  32 ;  "  The  angels  of  God  in  heaven,"  Matt.  xxii.  30,  and  Mark  xii.  25. 
They  are  said  "  always  to  behold  the  face  of  the  Father  which  is  in  heaven," 
Matt.  xviii.lO.  And  they  are  elsewhere  often  represented  as  before  the  throne 
of  God,  or  surrounding  his  throne  in  heaven,  and  sent  from  thence,  and  descend- 
ing from  thence  on  messages  to  this  world.  And  thither  it  is  that  the  souls  ot 
departed  saints  are  conducted,  when  they  die.  They  are  not  reserved  in  some 
abode  distinct  from  the  highest  heaven ;  a  place  of  rest,  which  they  are  kept 
in,  till  the  day  of  judgment;  such  as  some  imagine,  which  they  call  the  hades 
of  the  happy  :  but  they  go  directly  to  heaven  itself.  This  is  the  saints*  tome, 
being  their  Father's  house  :  they  are  pilgrims  and  strangers  on  the  earth,  and 
this  is  the  other  and  better  country  that  they  are  travelling  to,  Heb.  xi.  13 — 
16.  This  is  the  city  they  belong  to :  Philip,  iii.  20,  "  Our  conversation,  or  (as 
the  word  properly  signifies)  citizenship,  is  in  heaven."     Therefore  this  undoubt- 

VoL.  III.  79 


526  ABSENT  FROM  THE  BODY, 

edly  is  the  place  the  apostle  has  respect  to  in  my  text,  when  he  says,  "  We  are 
>vilHng  to  forsake  our  Ibrmer  house,  the  body,  and  to  dwell  in  the  same  house, 
city  or  country,  wherein  Christ  dwells  j"  which  is  the  proper  import  of  the  words 
of  the  oriiTinal  What  can  this  house,  or  city,  or  country  be,  but  that  house, 
which  is  ^sewhere  spoken  of,  as  their  proper  home,  and  their  Father's  house, 
and  the  city  and  country  to  which  they  properly  belong,  and  whither  they  are 
traveUing  all  the  while  they  continue  in  this  world,  and  the  house,  city,  and 
country  where  we  know  the  human  nature  of  Christ  is?  This  is  the  saints' 
rest;  here  their  hearts  are  while  they  live;  and  here  their  treasure  is.  "The 
inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  that  is  de- 
signed for  them,  is  reserved  in  heaven,"  1  Pet.  i.  4  ;  and  therefore  they  never 
can  have  their  proper  and  full  rest  till  they  come  here.  So  that  undoubtedly 
their  souls,  when  absent  from  their  bodies  (when  the  Scriptures  represent  them 
as  in  a  state  of  perfect  rest),  arrive  hithei-.  Those  two  saints,  that  left  this  world, 
to  go  to  their  rest  in  another  world,  without  dying,  viz.,  Enoch  and  Elijah,  went 
to  heaven.  Elijah  was  seen  ascending  up  to  heaven,  as  Christ  was.  And  to 
the  same  resting  place,  is  there  all  reason  to  think,  that  those  saints  go,  that 
leave  the  world,  to  go  to  their  rest,  by  death.  Moses,  when  he  died  in  the  top 
of  the  mount,  ascended  to  the  same  glorious  abode  with  Elias,  who  ascended 
without  dying.  They  are  companions  in  another  world ;  as  they  appeared  to- 
gether at'Christ's  transfiguration.  They  were  together  at  that  time  with  Christ 
in  the  mount,  when  there  was  a  specimen  or  sample  of  his  glorification  in  heav- 
en. And  doubtless  they  were  also  together  afterwards,  with  him,  when  he  was, 
actually,  fully  glorified'  in  heaven.  And  thither  undoubtedly  it  was,  that  the 
soul  of  Stephen  ascended,  when  he  expired.  The  circumstances  of  his  death 
demonstrate  it,  as  we  have  an  account  of  it,  Acts  vii.  55,  &c. :  "  He,  being  full  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  looked  up  steadfastly  into  heaven,^  and  saw  the  glory  of  God, 
and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  said,  Behold,!  see  the  heavens 
opened,  and  the  Son  of  man  (i.  e.  Jesus,  in  his  human  nature)  standing  on  the 
right  hand  of  God.  Then  they  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  and  stopped  their 
ears,  and  ran  upon  him  with  one  accord,  and  cast  him  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned 
him.  And  they  stoned  Stephen,  calling  upon  God,  and  saying,  Lord  Jesus, 
receive  my  spirit."  Before  his  death  he  had  an  extraordinary  view  of  the  glory 
that  his  Saviour  had  received  in  heaven,  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  him,  and 
all  his  faithful  followers;  that  he  might  be  encouraged,  by  the  hopes  of  this 
gloiy,  cheerfully  to  lay  down  his  life  for  his  sake.  Accordingly  he  dies  in  the 
hope  of  this,  saying,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  By  which  doubtless  he 
meant,  "  receive  my  spirit  to  be  with  thee,  in  that  glory,  wherein  I  have  now 
seen  thee,  in  heaven,  at  the  right  hand  of  God."  And  thither  it  was  that  the 
soul  of  the  penitent  thief  on  the  cross  ascended.  Christ  said  to  him,  "  To-day 
shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise."  Paradise  is  the  same  with  the  third  heav- 
en ;  as  appears  by  2  Cor.  xii.  2,  3,  4.  There  that  which  is  called  the  third 
heaven  in  the  2d  verse,  in  the  4th  verse  is  called  paradise.  The  departed  souls 
of  the  apostles  and  prophets  are  in  heaven  ;  as  is  manifest  from  Rev.  xviii.  20  : 
"  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets." 

The  church  of  God  is  distinguished  in  Scripture,  from  time  to  time,  into 
these  two  parts ;  that  part  of  it  that  is  in  heaven,  and  that  which  is  in  earth ; 
Eph.  iii.  14,  15,  "  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth 
is  named."  Col.  i.  20,  "  And  having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross, 
by  him  to  reconcile  all  things  to  himself,  by  him,  1  say,  whether  they  be  things 
in  earth  or  things  in  heaven."  Now  what  things  in  heaven  are  they  for  whom 
peace  has  been  made  by  the  blood  of  Christ's  cross,  and  who  have  by  liira  been 


AND  PRESENT  WITH  THE  LORD.  627 

reconciled  to  God,  but  the  saints  in  heaven  ?  In  like  manner  we  read,  Eph.  i. 
10,  of"  God's  gathering  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in 
heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth,  even  in  him."  The  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect  are  in  the  same  city  of  the  living  God,  and  heavenly  Jerusalem,  with 
the  innumerable  company  of  angels,  and  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  cove- 
nant ;  as  is  manifest  by  Heb.  xii.  22,  23,  24.  The  church  of  God  is  often  in 
Scriptur(  called  by  the  name  Jerusalem  ;  and  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  Jeru- 
salem whicli  is  above,  or  which  is  in  heaven,  as  the  mother  of  us  all ;  but  if  no 
part  of  the  church  be  in  lieaven,  or  none  but  Enoch  and  Elias,  it  is  not  likely 
that  the  church  would  be  called  the  Jerusalem  which  is  in  lieaven. 

II.  The  souls  of  true  saints,  when  they  leave  their  bodies  at  death,  go  to  be 
with  Ciuist,  as  they  go  to  dwell  in  the  immediate,  full  and  constant  sight  or 
view  of  him. 

When  we  are  absent  from  our  dear  friends,  they  are  out  of  sight ;  but  when 
we  are  with  them,  we  have  the  opportunity  and  satisfaction  of  seeing  them. 
So  while  the  saints  are  in  the  body,  and  are  absent  from  the  Lord,  he  is  in  sev- 
eral respects  out  of  sight :  1  Pet.  i.  8,  "  Whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love :  in 
whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,"  &c.  They  have  indeed,  in 
this  world,  a  spiritual  sight  of  Christ ;  but  they  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  and 
with  great  interruption ;  but  in  heaven  they  see  him  face  to  face,  1  Cor.  xiii. 
12 ;  "  The  pure  in  heart  are  blessed ;  for  they  shall  see  God,"  Matt.  v.  8.  Their 
beatifical  vision  of  God  is  in  Christ,  who  is  that  brightness  or  effulgence  of  God's 
glory,  by  which  his  glory  shines  forth  in  heaven,  to  the  view  of  saints  and  an- 
gels there,  as  well  as  here  on  earth.  This  is  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  that  is 
not  only  the  light  of  this  world,  but  is  also  the  sun  that  enlightens  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem  ;  by  whose  bright  beams  it  is  that  the  glory  of  God  shines  forth  there, 
to  the  enlightening  and  making  happy  all  the  glorious  inhabitants.  "  The 
Lamb  is  the  light  thereof;  and  so  the  gloiy  of  God  doth  lighten  it,"  Rev.  xxi. 
23.  None  sees  God  the  Father  immediately,  who  is  the  King  eternal,  immor- 
tal, invisible ;  Christ  is  the  image  of  that  invisible  God,  by  which  he  is  seen  by 
all  elect  creatures.  The  only  begotten  Son  that  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
he  hath  declared  him,  and  manifested  him.  None  has  ever  immediately  seen 
the  Father,  but  the  Son  ;  and  none  else  sees  the  Father  any  other  way,  than 
by  the  Son's  revealing  him.  And  in  heaven,  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  per- 
fect do  see  him  as  he  is.  They  behold  his  glory.  They  see  the  glory  of  his  di- 
vine nature,  consisting  in  all  the  glory  of  the  Godhead,  the  beauty  of  all  his  per- 
fections ;  his  great  majesty,  almighty  power,  his  infinite  wisdom,  holiness,  and 
grace,  and  they  see  the  beauty  of  his  glorified  human  nature,  and  the  glory 
which  the  Father  hath  given  him,  as  God-man  and  Mediator.  For  this  end, 
Christ  desired  that  his  saints  might  "  be  with  him,  that  they  might  behold  his 
glory,"  John  xvii.  24.  And  when  the  souls  of  the  saints  leave  their  bodies,  to 
go  to  be  with  Christ,  they  behold  the  marvellous  glory  of  that  great  work  of 
his,  the  work  of  redemption,  and  of  the  glorious  way  of  salvation  by  him  ; 
which  the  angels  desire  to  look  into.  They  have  a  most  clear  view  of  the  un- 
fathomable depths  of  the  manifold  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  ;  and  the  most 
bright  displays  of  the  infinite  purity  and  holiness  of  God,  that  do  appear  in  that 
way  and  work  ;  and  see  in  a  much  clearer  manner  than  the  saints  do  here,  what 
is  the  breadth  and  length,  and  depth  and  height  of  the  grace  and  love  of  Christ, 
appearing  in  his  redemption.  And  as  they  see  the  unspeakable  riches  and 
glory  of  the  attribute  of  God's  grace,  so  they  most  clearly  behold  and  under- 
stand Clu-ist's  eternal  and  immeasurable  dying  love  to  them  in  particular.  And 
in  short,  they  see  every  thing  in  Christ  that  tends  to  kindle  and  inflame  love, 


628  ABSENT  FROM  THE  BODY, 

and  every  thing  that  tends  to  gratify  love,  and  every  thing  that  tends  to  satisfy 
them  :  and  that  in  the  most  clear  and  glorious  manner,  without  any  darkness 
or  delusion,  without  any  impediment  or  interruption.  Now  the  saints,  while  in 
the  body,  see  something  of  Christ's  glory  and  love;  as  we,  in  the  dawning  ol 
the  morning,  see  something  of  the  reflected  light  of  the  sun  mingled  with  dark- 
ness ;  but  when  separated  from  the  body,  they  see  their  glorious  and  loving 
Redeemer,  as  we  see  the  sun  when  risen,  and  showing  his  whole  disk  above 
the  horizon,  by  his  direct  beams,  in  a  clear  hemisphere,  and  with  perfect  day. 

III.  The  souls  of  true  saints,  M-hen  absent  from  the  body,  go  to  be  with 
Jesus  Christ,  as  they  are  brought  into  a  most  perfect  conformity  to  and  union 
with  him.  Their  spiritual  conformity  is  begun  while  they  are  in  the  body ; 
here  beholding,  as  in  a  glass,  the  gloiy  of  the  Lord,  they  are  changed  into  the 
same  image  ;  but  when  they  come  to  see  him  as  he  is,  in  heaven,  then  they 
become  like  him  in  another  manner.  That  perfect  sight  will  abolish  all  remains 
of  deformity,  disagreement,  and  sinful  unlikeness  ;  as  all  darkness  is  abolished 
before  the  full  blaze  of  the  sun's  m.eridian  light :  it  is  impossible  that  the  least 
degree  of  obscurity  should  remain  before  such  light;  so  it  is  impossible  the 
least  degree  of  sin  and  spiritual  deformity  should  remain,  in  such  a  view  of  the 
spiritual  beauty  and  glory  of  Christ,  as  the  saints  enjoy  in  heaven  ;  when  they 
see  that  Sun  of  righteousness  without  a  cloud,  they  themselves  sliine  forth  as 
the  sun,  and  shall  be  as  little  suns,  without  a  spot.  For  then  is  come  the  time 
when  Christ  presents  his  saints  to  himself,  in  glorious  beauty  ;  "  not  having 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing  ;"  and  having  holiness  without  a  blemish. 
And  then  the  saints'  union  with  Christ  is  perfected.  This  also  is  begun  in  this 
world.  The  relative  union  is  both  begun  and  perfected  at  once,  when  the  soul 
first  closes  with  Christ  by  faith  :  the  real  union,  consisting  in  the  union  of 
hearts  and  affections,  and  in  the  vital  union,  is  begun  in  this  world  and  perfect- 
ed in  the  next.  The  union  of  the  heart  of  a  believer  to  Christ,  is  begun  when 
his  heart  is  drawn  to  Christ,  by  the  first  discovery  of  divine  excellency,  at 
conversion;  and  consequent  on  this  drawing  and  closing  of  his  heart  with 
Christ,  is  established  a  vital  union  with  Christ ;  whereby  the  believer  becomes 
a  living  branch  of  the  tiue  vine,  living  by  a  communication  of  the  sap  and 
vital  juice  of  the  stock  and  root ;  and  a  member  of  Christ's  mystical  body, 
living  by  a  communication  of  spiritual  and  vital  inHuences  from  the  head,  and 
by  a  kind  of  participation  of  Christ's  own  life.  But  while  the  saints  are  in  the 
body,  there  is  much  remaining  distance  between  Christ  and  them  :  there  are 
remainders  of  alienation,  and  the  vital  union  is  very  imperfect ;  and  so  con- 
sequently is  the  communication  of  spiritual  life  and  vital  influences:  there  is 
much  between  Christ  and  believers  to  keep  them  asunder,  much  indwelling  sin, 
much  temptation,  a   world  of  carnal  objects,  to  keep  off  the  soul  from  Christ, 

and  hinder  a  perfect  coalescence. 

But  when  the  soul  leaves  the  body,  all  these  clogs  and  hinderances  shall  be 
removed,  every  separating  wall  shall  be  broken  down,  and  every  impediment 
taken  out  of  the  way,  and  all  distance  shall  cease  ;  the  heart  shall  be  wholly 
and  perfectly  drawn,  and  most  firmly  and  forever  attached  and  bound  to  him, 
by  a  perfect  view  of  his  glory.  And  the  vital  union  shall  then  be  brought  to 
perfection  ;  the  soul  shall  live  perfectly  in  and  upon  Christ,  being  perfectly  filled 
•with  his  spirit,  and  animated  by  his  vital  influences;  living,  as  it  were,  only  by 
Christ's  life,  without  any  remainder  of  spiritual  death,  or  carnal  life. 

IV.  Departed  souls  of  saints  are  with  Christ,  as  they  enjoy  a  glorious  and 
immediate  intercourse  and  converse  with  him. 

Wliile  we  are  present  with  our  friends,  we  have  opportunity  for  that  free 


AND  PRESENT  WITH  TOE  LORD.  629 

and  immediate  conversation  with  them,  which  we  cannot  have  in  absence  from 
theiu.  And  therefore,  by  reason  of  the  vastly  more  free,  perfect,  and  immedi- 
ate intercourse  with  Christ,  which  the  saints  enjoy  W'hen  absent  from  the  body, 
(hey  are  fitly  represtnied  as  present  with  him. 

The  most  intimate  intercourse  becomes  that  relation  that  the  saints  stand  in 
to  Jesus  Christ ;  and  especially  becomes  that  most  perfect  and  glorious  union 
they  shall  be  brought  into  with  him  in  beaven.  They  are  not  merely  Christ's 
servants,  but  his  friends,  John  xv.  15.  His  brethren  and  companions,  Psalm 
cx.vii,  8;  "yea,  they  are  the  spoustsof  Christ."  They  are  espoused  or  betroth- 
ed to  Christ  while  in  the  body ;  but  when  they  goto  heaven,  they  enter  into  the 
king's  palace,  their  marriage  with  him  is  come,  and  the  king  brings  them  into 
his  chambers  indeed.  They  then  go  to  dwell  with  Christ  constantly,  to  enjoy 
the  most  perfect  converse  with  him.  Christ  conversed  in  the  most  friendly 
manner  with  his  disciples  on  earth  ;  he  admitted  one  of  them  to  lean  on  his 
bosom :  but  they  are  admitted  much  more  fully  and  freely  to  converse  with  him 
in  heaven.  Though  Christ  be  there  in  a  state  of  glorious  exaltation,  reigning 
in  the  majesty  and  glory  of  the  sovereign  Lord  and  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
angels  and  men ;  yet  this  will  not  hinder  intimacy  and  freedom  of  intercourse, 
but  rather  promote  it.  For  he  is  thus  exalted,  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  them ; 
he  is  instated  in  this  glory  of  head  over  all  things  for  their  sakes,  that  they 
might  be  exalted  and  glorified  ;  and  when  they  go  to  heaven  where  he  is,  they 
are  exalted  and  glorified  with  him ;  and  shall  not  be  kept  at  a  more  awful  dis- 
tance from  Christ,  but  shall  be  admitted  nearer,  and  to  a  greater  intimacy.  For 
they  shall  be  unspeakably  more  fit  for  it,  and  Christ  in  more  fit  circumstances 
to  bestow  on  them  this  blessedness.  Their  seeing  the  great  glory  of  their  friend 
and  Redeemer,  will  not  awe  them  to  a  distance,  and  make  them  afraid  of  a  near 
approach  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  will  most  powerfully  draw  them  near,  and  en- 
courage and  engage  them  to  holy  freedom.  For  they  will  know-  that  it  is  he 
that  is  their  own  Redeemer,  and  beloved  friend  and  bridegroom  ;  the  very  same 
that  loved  them  with  a  dying  love,  and  redeemed  them  to  God  by  his  blood ; 
Matt.  xiv.  27,  "  It  is  I ;  be  not  afraid."  Rev.  i.  17,  18,  "  Fear  not :— I  am  he 
that  liveth,  and  was  dead."  And  the  nature  of  this  glory  of  Christ  that  they 
shall  see,  will  be  such  as  will  draw  and  encourage  them  ;  for  they  will  not 
only  see  infinite  majesty  and  greatness,  but  infinite  grace,  condescension,  and 
mildness,  and  gentleness  and  sweetness,  equal  to  his  majesty.  For  he  appears 
in  heaven,  not  only  as  "  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  but  as  the  Lamb,  and  the 
Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,"  Rev.  v.  5,  6  ;  and  this  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  shall  be  their  shepherd,  to  "  feed  them,  and  lead  them  to  living  fountains 
of  water,"  Rev.  vii.  17 ;  so  that  the  sight  of  Christ's  great  kingly  majesty  will  be 
no  terror  to  them  ;  but  will  only  serve  the  more  to  heighten  their  pleasure  and 
surprise.  When  Mary  was  about  to  embrace  Christ,  being  full  of  joy  at  the 
sight  of  him  again  alive  after  his  crucifixion,  Christ  forbids  her  to  do  it  for  the 
present ;  because  he  was  not  yet  ascended  :  John  xx.  16,  17,  "  Jesus  saith 
unto  her,  Mary.  She  turned  herself,  and  saith  unto  him,  Rabboni,  which  is  to 
say.  Master.  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Touch  me  not :  for  I  am  not  yet  ascended  to 
my  Father :  but  go  to  my  brethren,  and  say  unto  them,  I  ascend  unto  my 
Father,  and  your  Father,  and  to  my  God  and  your  God."  As  if  he  had  said, 
"This  is  not  the  time  and  place  for  that  freedom  your  love  to  me  desires  :  this 
is  appointed  in  heaven  after  niy  ascension.  I  am  going  thither ;  and  you 
that  are  my  true  disciples,  shall,  as  my  brethren  and  companions,  soon  be  there 
with  me  in  my  glory.  And  then  there  shall  be  no  restraint.  That  is  the  place 
appointed  for  (he  most  perfect  expressions  of  complacence  and  endearment,  anil 


630  ABSENT  FROM  THE  BODY, 

full  enjoyment  of  mutual  love."  And  accordingly  the  souls  of  departed  samta 
with  Christ  in  heaven,  shall  have  Christ  as  it  were  unbosomed  unto  them,  mani- 
festing those  infinite  riches  of  love  towards  them,  that  have  been  there  from 
eternity ;  and  they  shall  be  enabled  to  express  their  love  to  him,  in  an  in- 
finitely better  manner  than  ever  they  could  while  in  the  body.  Thus  they 
shall  eat  and  drink  abundantly,  and  swim  in  the  ocean  of  love,  and  be  eternally 
swallowed  up  in  the  infinitely  bright,  and  infinitely  mild  and  sweet  beams  of  divine 
love;  eternally  receiving  that  light,  eternally  full  of  it,  and  eternally  compassed 
round  with  it,  and  everlastingly  reflecting  it  back  again  to  the  fountain  of  it. 

V.  The  souls  of  the  saints,  when  they  leave  their  bodies  at  death,  go  to  be 
with  Christ,  as  they  are  received  to  a  glorious  fellowship  with  Christ  in  his 
blessedness. 

As  the  wife  is  received  to  a  joint  possession  of  her  husband's  estate,  and  as 
the  wife  of  a  prince  partakes  with  him  in  his  princely  possessions  and  honors ; 
so  the  church,  the  spouse  of  Christ,  when  the  marriage  comes,  and  she  is  re- 
ceived to  dwell  with  him  in  heaven,  shall  partake  with  him  in  his  glory.  When 
Christ  rose  from  the  dead,  and  took  possession  of  eternal  life ;  this  was  not  as 
a  private  person,  but  as  the  public  head  of  all  his  redeemed  people.  He  took 
possession  of  it  for  them,  as  well  as  for  himself;  and  "they  are  quickened 
together  with  him,  and  raised  up  together."  And  so  when  he  ascended  into 
heaven,  and  was  exalted  to  great  glory  there,  this  also  was  as  a  public  person. 
He  took  possession  of  heaven,  not  only  for  himself,  but  his  people,  as  their  fore- 
runner and  head,  that  they  might  ascend  also,  "  and  sit  together  in  heavenly 
places  with  him,"  Eph.  ii.  5,  6.  "  Christ  writes  upon  them  his  new  name," 
Rev.  iii.  12 ;  i.  e.,  he  makes  them  partakers  of  his  own  glory  and  exaltation 
in  heaven.  His  new  name  is  that  new  honor  and  glory  that  the  Father 
invested  him  with,  when  he  set  him  on  his  own  right  hand.  As  a  prince,  when 
he  advances  any  one  to  new  dignity  in  his  kingdom,  gives  him  a  new  title. 
Christ  and  his  saints  shall  be  glorified  together,  Rom.  viii.  17. 

The  saints  in  heaven  have  communion,  or  a  joint  participation  with  Christ 
in  his  glory  and  blessedness  in  heaven,  in  the  following  respects  more  especially. 

1.  They  partake  with  him  in  the  ineffable  dehghts  he  has  in  heaven,  in  the 
enjoyment  of  his  Father. 

When  Christ  ascended  into  heaven,  he  was  received  to  a  glorious  and 
peculiar  joy  and  blessedness  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  Father,  who,  in  his  passion, 
hid  his  face  from  him  ;  such  an  enjoyment  as  became  the  relation  he  stood  in  to 
the  Father,  and  such  as  was  a  meet  reward  for  the  great  and  hard  service  he 
had  performed  on  earth.  Then  "  God  showed  him  the  path  of  life,  and  brought 
him  into  his  presence,  where  is  fulness  of  joy,  and  to  sit  on  his  right  hand,  where 
there  are  pleasures  for  evermore,"  as  is  said  of  Christ,  Psalm  xvi.  11.  Then 
the  Father  "  made  him  most  blessed  forever.  He  made  him  exceeding  glad 
with  his  countenance  ;"  as  in  Psalm  xxi.  6.  The  saints,  by  virtue  of  their  union 
with  Christ,  and  being  his  members,  do,  in  some  sort  partake  of  his  childlike 
relation  to  the  Father ;  and  so  are  heirs  with  him  of  his  happiness  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  his  Father ;  as  seems  to  be  intimated  by  the  apostle,  in  Gal.  iv.  4 — 7. 
The  spouse  of  Christ,  by  virtue  of  her  espousals  to  that  only  begotten  Son  of 
God,  is,  as  it  were,  a  partaker  of  his  filial  relation  to  God,  and  becomes  the 
king's  daughter.  Psalm  xlv.  13,  and  so  partakes  with  her  divine  husband  in  his 
enjoyment  of  his  Father  and  her  Father,  his  God  and  her  God."  A  promise 
of  this  seems  to  be  implied  in  those  words  of  Christ  to  Mary,  John  xx.  17 
Thus  Christ's  faithful  servants  "  enter  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord,"  Matt.  xxv. 
•21, 23,  and  "  Christ's  joy  remains  in  them  ;"  agreeably  to  those  words  of  Christ, 


AND  PRESENT  WITH  THE  LORD.  631 

John  XV.  11.  Christ  from  eternity  Is,  as  it  were,  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
as  the  object  of  his  infinite  complacence.  In  him  is  the  Father's  eternal  hap- 
piness, liefore  the  world  was,  he  was  with  the  Father,  in  the  enjoyment  of  his 
intiniti;  love ;  and  had  infinite  delight  and  blessedness  in  that  enjoyment ;  as  he 
declares  of  himself  in  Prov.  viii.  30  :  "  Then  I  was  by  him,  as  one  brouglit  up 
with  him.  And  I  was  daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always  before  him."  And 
when  Christ  ascended  to  the  Father  after  his  passion,  he  went  to  him,  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  same  glory  and  blessedness  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  love ; 
agreeably  to  his  prayer  the  evening  before  his  crucifixion,  John  xvii.  5  :  "And 
now,  0  Father,  glorify  me  with  thine  own  self,  with  the  glory  I  had  with  thee 
before  the  world  was."  And  in  the  same  prayer,  he  manifests  it  to  be  his  will, 
that  his  true  disciples  should  be  with  him  in  the  enjoyment  of  that  joy  and  glory, 
which  he  then  asked  for  himself,  verse  13  :  "  That  my  joy  might  be  fulfilled  in 
themselves  :"  verse  22,  "  And  the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  1  have  given 
them."  This  glory  of  Christ,  which  the  saints  are  to  enjoy  with  him,  is  that 
which  he  has  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  Father's  infinite  love  to  him  ;  as  appears 
by  the  last  words  of  that  prayer  of  our  Lord,  verse  26  :  "  That  the  love  wl)ere- 
with  thou  hast  loved  me,  may  be  in  them,  and  1  in  them."  The  love  which 
the  Father  has  to  his  Son  is  great  indeed  :  the  Deity  does,  as  it  were,  wholly 
and  entirely  flow  out  in  a  stream  of  love  to  Christ ;  and  the  joy  and  pleasure 
of  Christ  is  proportionably  great.  This  is  the  stream  of  Christ's  delights,  the 
river  of  his  infinite  pleasure ;  which  he  will  make  his  saints  to  drink  of  with 
him,  agreeably  to  Psal.  xxxvi,  8,  9  :  "  They  shall  be  abundantly  satisfied  with 
the  fatness  of  thy  house.  Thou  shalt  make  them  drink  of  the  river  of  thy 
pleasures.  For  with  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life.  In  thy  light  shall  we  see 
light."  The  saints  shall  have  pleasure  in  partaking  with  Christ  in  his  pleasure, 
and  shall  see  light  in  his  light.  They  shall  partake  with  Christ  of  the  same 
river  of  pleasure,  shall  drink  of  the  same  water  of  life,  and  of  the  same  new 
wine  in  Christ's  Father's  kingdom,  Matt.  xxvi.  29.  That  new  wine  is  espe- 
cially that  joy  and  happiness  that  Christ  and  his  true  disciples  shall  partake  of 
together  in  glory,  which  is  the  purchase  of  Christ's  blood,  or  the  reward  of  his 
obedience  unto  death.  Christ,  at  his  ascension  intoheaven,  received  everlasting 
pleasures  at  his  Father's  right  hand,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  Father's  love, 
as  the  reward  of  his  own  death,  or  obedience  unto  death.  But  the  same  right- 
eousness is  reckoned  to  both  head  and  members  :  and  both  shall  have  fellowship 
in  the  same  reward,  each  according  to  their  distinct  capacity. 

That  the  saints  in  heaven  have  such  a  communion  with  Christ  in  his  joy, 
and  do  so  partake  with  him  in  his  own  enjoyment  of  the  Father,  does  greatly 
manifest  the  transcendent  excellency  of  their  happiness,  and  their  being  admit- 
ted to  a  vastly  higher  privilege  in  glory  than  the  angels. 

2.  The  saints  in  heaven  are  received  to  a  fellowship  or  participation  with 
Christ  in  the  glory  of  that  dominion  to  which  the  Father  hath  exalted  him. 

The  saints,  when  they  ascend  to  heaven  as  Christ  ascended,  and  are  made 
to  sit  together  with  him  in  heavenly  places,  and  are  partakers  of  the  glory  of 
his  exaltation,  are  exalted  to  reign  with  him.  They  are  through  him  made 
kings  and  priests,  and  reign  with  him,  and  in  him,  over  the  same  kingdom.  As 
the  Father  hath  appointed  unto  him  a  kingdom,  so  he  has  appointed  to  them. 
The  F.ither  has  appointed  the  Son  to  reign  over  his  own  kingdom,  and  the  Son 
appoints  his  saints  to  reign  in  his.  The  Father  has  given  to  Christ  to  sit  with 
him  on  his  throne,  and  Christ  gives  to  the  saints  to  sit  with  him  on  his  throne, 
agreeably  to  Christ's  promise.  Rev.  iii,  21.  Christ,  as  God's  Son,  is  the  heir  of 
his  kingdom,  and  the  saints  are  joint  heirs  with  Christ ;  whi^h  implies,  that  they 


632  ABSENT  FROM  THE  BODY, 

are  heirs  of  the  same  inheritance,  to  possess  the  same  kingdom,  in  and  with 
him,  according  to  their  capacity.  Christ,  in  his  kingdom,  reigns  over  heaven 
and  earth ;  he  is  appointed  the  heir  of  all  things ;  and  so  all  things  are  the 
saints' ;  "  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death, 
or  things  present,  or  things  to  come,"  all  are  theirs ;  because  they  are  Christ's, 
and  united  to  him,  I  Cor.  iii.  21,  22,  23.  The  angels  are  given  to  Christ  as  a 
part  of  his  dominion  :  they  are  all  given  to  wait  upon  him  as  ministering  spirits 
to  him.  So  also  they  are  all,  even  the  highest  and  most  dignified  of  them, 
ministering  spirits,  to  minister  to  them  who  are  the  heirs  of  salvation.  They 
are  Christ's  angels,  and  they  are  also  their  angels.  Such  is  the  saints'  union 
with  Christ,  and  their  interest  in  him,  that  what  he  possesses,  they  possess,  in 
a  much  more  perfect  and  blessed  manner  than  if  all  things  were  given  to  them 
separately,  and  by  themselves,  to  be  disposed  of  according  to  their  discretion. 
They  are  now  disposed  of  so  as,  in  every  respect,  to  be  most  for  their  blessed- 
ness, by  an  infinitely  better  discretion  than  their  own  ;  and  in  being  disposed  of 
by  their  head  and  husband,  between  whom  and  them  there  is  the  most  perfect 
union  of  hearts,  and  so  the  most  perfect  union  of  wills,  and  who  are  most  per- 
fectly each  other's. 

As  the  glorified  spouse  of  this  great  King  reigns  with  and  in  him,  in  his  do- 
minion over  the  universe,  so  more  especially  does  she  partake  with  him  in  the 
joy  and  glory  of  his  reign  in  his  kingdom  of  grace ;  Avhich  is  more  peculiarly 
the  kingdom  that  he  possesses  as  Head  of  the  church,  and  is  that  kingdom 
wherein  she  is  more  especially  interested.  It  was  especially  to  reign  in  this 
kingdom,  that  God  the  Father  exalted  him  to  his  throne  in  heaven  :  he  set  his 
King  on  his  holy  hill  of  Zion,  especially  that  he  might  reign  over  Zion,  or  over 
his  church,  in  his  kingdom  of  grace ;  and  that  he  might  be  under  the  best  ad- 
vantages to  carry  on  the  designs  of  his  love  in  this  lower  world.  And  therefore 
undoubtedly  the  saints  in  heaven  are  partakers  with  Christ  in  the  joy  and  glory 
of  the  advancement  and  prosperity  of  his  kingdom  of  grace  on  earth,  and  suc- 
cess of  his  gospel  here,  which  he  looks  on  as  the  peculiar  glory  of  his  reign. 

The  good  shepherd  rejoices  when  he  finds  but  one  sheep  that  was  lost ;  and 
his  friends  and  neighbors  in  heaven  rejoice  with  him  on  that  occasion.  That 
part  of  the  family  that  is  in  heaven  is  surely  not  unacquainted  with  the  af- 
fairs of  that  part  of  the  same  family  that  is  on  earth.  They  that  are  with  the 
King  and  are  next  to  him,  the  royal  family,  that  dwell  in  his  palace,  are  not 
kept  in  ignorance  of  the  affairs  of  his  kingdom.  The  saints  in  heaven  are  with 
the  angels,  the  King's  ministers,  by  which  he  manages  the  affairs  of  his  king- 
dom, and  who  are  continually  ascending  and  descending  from  heaven  to  the  earth, 
and  one  or  other  of  them  daily  employed  as  ministering  spirits  to  each  indivi- 
dual member  of  the  church  below  :  besides  the  continual  ascending  of  the  souls 
of  departed  saints  from  all  parts  of  the  militant  church.  On  these  accounts  the 
saints  in  heaven  must  needs  be  under  a  thousand  times  greater  advantage  than 
we  here,  for  a  full  view  of  the  state  of  the  church  on  earth,  and  a  speedy,  direct, 
and  certain  acquaintance  with  all  its  affairs  in  every  part.  And  that  which 
gives  them  much  greater  advantage  for  such  an  acquaintance  than  the  things 
already  mentioned,  is  their  being  constantly  in  the  immediate  presence  of  Christ, 
and  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  most  perfect  intercourse  with  him,  who  is  the  King 
who  manages  all  these  aflfairs,  and  has  an  absolutely  perfect  knowledge  of  them. 
Christ  is  the  head  of  the  whole  glorified  assembly  ;  they  are  mystically  his  glo- 
rified body :  and  what  the  head  sees,  it  sees  for  the  information  of  the  whole 
body,  according  to  its  capacity  :  and  what  the  head  enjoys,  is  for  the  joy  of 
the  whole  body. 


AND  PRESENT  WITH  THE  LORD.  633 

The  saints,  in  leaving  this  world,  and  ascending  to  heaven,  do  not  go  out 
of  sight  of  things  appertaining  to  Christ's  kingdom  on  earth ;  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, they  go  out  of  a  state  of  obscurity,  and  ascend  above  the  mists  and  cloud? 
into  the  clearest  light :  to  a  pinnacle  in  the  very  centre  of  light,  where  every 
thing  appears  in  clear  view.  They  have  as  much  greater  advantage  to  view 
the  state  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  the  works  of  the  new  creation  here,  than 
while  they  were  in  this  world,  as  a  man  that  ascends  to  the  top  of  a  high 
mountain  has  a  greater  advantage  to  view  the  face  of  the  earth,  than  he  had 
while  he  was  in  a  deep  valley,  or  thick  forest  below,  surrounded  on  every  side 
with  those  things  that  impeded  and  limited  his  sight.  Nor  do  they  view  as  in- 
different or  unconcerned  spectators,  any  more  than  Christ  himself  is  an  uncon- 
cerned spectator. 

The  happiness  of  the  saints  in  heaven  consists  very  much  in  boholding  the 
glory  of  God  appearing  in  the  work  of  redemption  :  for  it  is  by  this  chiefly  that 
God  manifests  his  glory,  the  glory  of  his  wisdom,  holiness,  grace,  and  other 
perfections,  to  both  saints  and  angels;  as  is  apparent  by  many  Scriptures.  And 
therefore  undoubtedly  their  happiness  consists  very  much  in  beholding  the  pro- 
gress of  this  work  in  its  appUcation  and  success,  and  the  steps  by  which  infinite 
power  and  wisdom  bring  it  to  its  consummation.  And  the  saints  in  heaven  are 
under  unspeakably  greater  advantage  to  take  the  pleasure  of  beholding  the  pro- 
gress of  this  work  on  earth  than  we  are  that  are  here  ;  as  they  are  under  greater 
advantages  to  see  and  understand  the  marvellous  steps  that  Divine  Wisdom 
takes  in  all  that  is  done,  and  the  glorious  ends  he  obtains,  the  opposition  Satan 
makes,  and  how  he  is  baffled  and  overthrown.  They  can  better  see  the  con- 
nection of  one  event  with  another,  and  the  beautiful  order  of  all  things  that  come 
to  pass  in  the  church  in  different  ages  that  to  us  appear  like  confusion.  Nor  do 
they  only  view  these  things,  and  rejoice  in  them,  as  a  glorious  and  beautiful 
sight,  but  as  persons  interested,  as  Christ  is  interested  ;  as  possessing  these 
things  in  Christ,  and  reigning  with  him,  in  this  kingdom.  Christ's  success  in 
his  work  of  redemption,  in  bringing  home  souls  to  himself,  applying  his  saving 
benefits  by  his  Spirit,  and  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  grace  in  the 
world,  is  the  reward  especially  promised  to  him  by  his  Father  in  the  covenant 
of  redem{)tion,  for  the  hard  and  difficult  service  he  performed  while  in  the  form 
of  a  servant ;  as  is  manifest  by  Isai.  liii.  10,  11,  12.  But  the  saints  shall  be 
rewarded  with  him:  they  shall  partake  with  him  in  the  joy  of  this  reward  ;  for 
this  obedience  that  is  thus  rewarded  is  reckoned  to  them  as  they  are  his  mem- 
bers, as  was  before  observed.  This  was  especially  the  joy  that  was  set  before 
Christ,  for  the  sake  of  which  he  endured  the  cross  and  despised  the  shame. 
And  his  joy  is  the  joy  of  all  heaven.  They  that  are  with  him  in  heaven  are 
under  much  the  greatest  advantages  to  partake  with  him  in  this  joy  ;  for  they 
have  a  perfect  communion  with  him  through  whom,  and  in  fellowship  with 
whom,  they  enjoy  and  possess  their  whole  inheritance,  all  their  heavenly  hap- 
piness ;  as  much  as  the  whole  body  has  all  its  pleasure  of  music  by  the  ear,  and 
all  the  pleasure  of  its  food  by  the  mouth  and  stomach  ;  and  all  the  benefit  and  re- 
freshment of  the  air  by  the  lungs.  The  saints  while  on  earth  pray  and  labor  for  the 
same  thing  that  Christ  labored  for,  viz.,  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  among  men,  the  promoting  the  prosperity  of  Zion,  and  flourishing  of  re- 
ligion in  this  world  ;  and  most  of  them  have  suffered  for  that  end  as  Christ  did, 
have  been  made  partakers  with  their  head  in  his  sufferings,  and  "  filled  up  (as 
the  apostle  expresses  it)  that  which  is  behind  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ :"  and 
therefore  they  shall  partake  with  him  of  the  glory  and  joy  of  the  end  obtained  ' 
Rom.  viii.  17,  "  We  are  joint  heirs  with  Christ ;  if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him, 

Vol.  III.  80 


634  ABSENT  FROM  THE  BODY, 

that  we  may  be  also  glorified  together."  2  Tim.  ii.  12,"  If  we  suffer  with  him, 
we  shall  also  reign  with  him."  Christ,  when  his  sufferings  were  past,  and  he 
left  the  earth  and  ascended  into  heaven,  was  so  far  from  having  done  with  his 
kingdom  in  this  world,  that  it  was  as  it  were  but  then  begun  :  and  he  ascended 
for  that  very  end,  that  he  might  more  fully  possess  and  enjoy  this  kingdom, 
that  he  might  reign  in  it,  and  be  under  the  best  advantages  for  it ;  as  much 
as  a  kino-  ascends  a  throne  in  order  to  reign  over  his  people,  and  receive  the 
honor  and  glory  of  his  dominion.  No  more  have  the  saints  done  with  Christ's 
kino-dom  on  earth,  when  they  leave  the  earth  and  ascend  into  heaven.  "  Christ 
came  (i.  e.,  ascended)  with  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient  of  days, 
and  was  brought  near  before  him,  to  the  very  end,  that  he  might  receive 
dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations  and  languages, 
should  serve  him,"  Dan.  vii.  13,  14.  Which  shall  be  eminently  fulfilled  after 
the  ruin  of  Antichrist,  which  is  especially  the  time  of  Christ's  kingdom.  And 
the  same  is  the  time  when  "  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  greatness  of  the 
kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of 
the  Most  High  God ;"  as  verse  27,  in  the  same  chapter.  It  is  because  they 
shall  reign  in  and  with  Christ,  the  Most  High,  as  seems  intimated  in  the  words 
that  follow ;  "  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominioi^- 
shall  serve  and  obey  him."  This  verse  is  true,  not  only  of  the  saints  on  earth, 
but  also  the  saints  in  heaven.  Hence  the  saints  in  heaven,  having  respect  to 
this  lime,  do  sing,  in  Rev.  v.  10,  "  We  .shall  reign  on  the  earth."  And  agree- 
ably hereto,  it  is  afterwards  represented,  that  when  tlie  foreraentioned  time 
comes,  the  souls  of  them  that  in  former  ages  had  suffered  with  Christ  do  reign 
with  Christ ;  having  as  it  were  given  to  them  new  life  and  joy,  in  that  spirit- 
ual blessed  resurrection,  which  shall  then  be  of  the  church  of  God  on  earth ; 
and  thus  it  is  that  it  is  said,  Matt.  v.  5,  "  The  meek  (those  that  meekly  and 
patiently  suffer  with  Christ,  and  for  his  sake)  shall  inherit  the  earth  :"  they 
shall  inherit  it,  and  reign  on  earth  with  Christ.  Christ  is  the  heir  of  the  world  ; 
and  when  the  appointed  time  of  his  kingdom  comes,  his  inheritance  shall  be 
given  him,  and  then  the  meek,  who  are  joint  heirs,  shall  inherit  the  earth. 
The  place  in  the  Old  Testament  whence  the  words  are  taken,  leads  to  a  true 
interpretation  of  them.  Psal.  xxxvii.  11,  "The  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth, 
and  shall  delight  themselves  in  the  abundance  of  peace."  That  there  is  refer- 
ence in  these  latter  words,  "  the  abundance  of  peace,"  to  the  peace  and  blessed- 
ne.ss  of  the  latter  days,  we  may  be  satisfied  by  comparing  these  words  with  Psal. 
Ixxii.  7, "  In  his  days  shall  be  abundance  of  peace  so  long  as  the  moon  endureth  :" 
and  Jer.  xxxiii.  6,  "  I  v.'ill  reveal  to  them  the  abundance  of  peace  and  truth  :" 
also  Isai.  ii.  4,  Micah  iv.  3,  Isai.  xi.  6 — 9,  and  many  other  parallel  places. 
The  saints  in  heaven  will  be  as  much  with  Christ  in  reigning  over  the  nations, 
and  in  the  glory  of  his  dominion  at  that  time,  as  they  will  be  with  him  in  the 
honor  of  judging  the  world  at  the  last  day.  That  promise  of  Christ  to  his  dis- 
ciples, Matt.  xix.  28,  29,  seems  to  have  a  special  re.<?pect  to  the  former  of  these. 
In  verse  28,  Christ  promises  to  the  disciples,  that  hereafter,  "  when  the  Son  of 
Man  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  glory,  they  shall  sit  on  twelve  thrones,  judg- 
ing the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  The  saints  in  heaven  reigning  on  earth  in 
the  glorious  latter  day,  is  described  in  language  accommodated  to  this  promise 
of  Christ,  Rev.  xx.  4 :  "  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them  ;  and  judg- 
ment was  given  them.  And  they  reigned  with  Christ."  And  the  promise  in 
the  next  verse,  in  that  xixth  of  Matthew,  seems  to  have  its  fulfillment  at  the 
same  time  :  "  x\nd  every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses,  or  brethren,  or  sisters, 
or  fathers,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake  shall  receive  a 


AND  PRESENT  WITH  THE  LORD.  635 

hundred  fold,  and  shall  inherit  everlasting  life  ;"  i.  c,  in  the  time  when  the 
saints  shall  inherit  the  earth  and  reign  on  earth,  the  earth,  with  all  its  blessings 
and  good  things,  shall  be  given  in  great  abundance  to  the  church,  to  be  pos- 
sessed by  the  saints.  This  sliall  they  receive  in  this  present  world,  and  in  the 
time  fo  come  everlasting  life.  The  saints  in  heaven  shall  partake  with  Christ 
in  the  triinnph  and  glory  of  tliose  victories  that  he  shall  obtain  in  that  future 
glorious  time,  over  the  kings  and  nations  of  the  world,  that  are  sometimes  rep- 
resented by  his  ruling  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  dashing  them  in  pieces  as  a 
potter's  vessel.  Which  doubtle.-s  there  is  respect  to  in  Rev.  ii.  26,  27 :  "  He  that 
overcomoth,  and  keepeth  my  words  unto  the  end,  to  him  will  J  give  power  over 
the  nations :  (and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron;  as  the  vessel  of  a  pot- 
ter shall  they  be  broken  to  shivers:)  even  as  I  received  of  my  Father."  And 
Psal.  cxlix.  5,  to  the  end  :  "  Let  the  saints  be  joyful  in  glory  ;  let  them  sing 
aloud  upon  their  beds ;"  i.  e.,  in  their  separate  state  after  death  ;  compare  Isai. 
Ivii.  1,  2,  Let  the  high  praises  of  God  be  in  their  mouth,  and  a  two-edged 
sword  in  their  hand  :  to  execute  vengeatice  upon  the  Heathen,  and  punishments 
upon  the  people ;  to  bind  their  kings  with  chains,  and  their  nobles  with  fetters 
of  iron,  to  execute  upon  them  the  judgment  written  :  this  honor  have  all  the 
saints."  Accordingly  when  Christ  appears  riding  forth  to  his  victory  over 
Antichrist,  Rev.  xix.,  the  hosts  of  heaven  appear  going  forth  with  him  in  robes 
of  triumph,  verse  14.  And  when  Antichrist  is  destroyed,  the  inhabitants  of 
heaven,  and  the  holy  apostles  and  prophets,  are  called  upon  to  rejoice,  chap, 
xviii.  20.  And  accordingly  the  whole  multitude  of  the  inhabitants  of  heaven, 
on  that  occasion,  do  appear  to  exult  and  praise  God  with  exceeding  joy,  chap, 
xix.  1—  S,  and  chap.  xi.  15 ;  and  are  also  represented  as  greatly  rejoicing  on 
occasion  of  the  ruin  of  the  heathen  empire,  in  the  days  of  Constantine,  chap 
xii.   10. 

And  it  is  observable  all  along  in  the  visions  of  that  book,  the  hosts  of 
heaven  appear  as  much  concerned  and  interested  in  the  events  appertaining  to 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  here  below,  as  the  saints  on  earth.  The  day  of  the  com- 
mencement of  the  church's  latter  day  glory  is  eminently  "  the  day  of  Christ's 
espousals  ',  the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart,  when  as  the  bridegroom  re- 
joicelh  over  the  bride,  so  he  will  rejoice  over  his  church."  And  then  will  all 
heaven  exceedingly  rejoice  with  him.  And  therelbre  they  say  at  that  time, 
Rev.  xix.  7,  "  Let  us  be  glad,  and  rejoice,  and  give  glory  to  him  -,  for  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb  is  come." 

Thus  Abraham  enjoys  these  things  when  they  come  to  pass,  that  were  of 
old  promised  to  him,  and  that  lie  saw  beforehand,  and  rejoiced  in.  He  will  en- 
joy the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth  being  blessed  in 
his  seed,  when  it  shall  be  accomplished.  And  all  the  ancient  patriarchs,  who 
died  in  faith  of  promises  of  glorious  things  that  should  be  accomplished  in  this 
world,  "  who  had  not  received  the  promises,  but  saw  them  afar  off,  and  were 
persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced  them,"  do  actually  enjoy  them  when  fulfilled. 
David  actually  saw  and  enjoyed  the  fulfilment  of  that  promise,  in  its  due  time, 
which  was  made  to  him  many  hundred  years  before,  and  was  all  his  salvation 
and  all  his  desire.  Thus  Daniel  shall  stand  in  his  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days 
pointed  out  by  his  own  prophecy.  Thus  the  saints  of  old  that  died  in  faith,  not 
having  received  the  promises,  are  made  perfect,  and  have  their  faith  crowned 
by  the  better  things  accomplished  in  these  latter  days  of  the  gospel,  Heb.  xi. 
39,  40,  which  they  see  and  enjoy  in  their  time. 

3.  The  departed  souls  of  saints  have  fellowship  with  Christ,  in  his  blessea 
and  eternal  employment  of  glorifying  the  Father. 


636  ABSENT  FROM  THE  BODY, 

The  happiness  of  heaven  consists  not  only  in  contemplation,  and  a  mere 
passive  enjoyment,  but  consists  very  much  in  action.  And  particularly  in 
actively  serving  and  glorifying  God.  This  is  expressly  mentioned  as  a  great  part 
of  the  blessedness  of  the  saints  in  their  most  perfect  state,  Rev.  xxii.  3  :  "And 
shere  shall  be  no  more  curse  ;  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be 
in  it ;  and  his  servants  shall  serve  him."  The  angels  are  as  a  flame  of  fire  in 
their  ardor  and  activity  in  God's  service :  the  four  animals.  Rev.  iv.  (which  are 
generally  supposed  to  signify  the  angels),  are  represented  as  continually  giving 
praise  and  glory  to  God,  and  are  said  not  to  rest  day  nor  night,  verse  8.  The 
souls  of  departed  saints  are,  doubtless,  become  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven 
in  (his  respect.  And  Jesus  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  whole  glorious  assembly ; 
as  in  other  things  appertaining  to  their  blessed  state,  so  in  this  of  their  praising 
and  glorifying  the  Father.  When  Christ,  the  night  before  he  was  crucified, 
prayed  for  his  exaltation  to  glory,  it  was  that  he  might  glorify  the  Father: 
John  xvii.  1,  "  These  words  spake  Jesus,  and  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and 
said,  Father,  the  hour  is  come,  glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify 
thee."  And  this  he  doubtless  does,  now  he  is  in  heaven  ;  not  only  in  fulfil- 
ling the  Father's  will,  in  what  he  does  as  head  of  the  church  and  ruler  of  the 
universe,  but  also  in  leading  the  heavenly  assembly  in  their  praises.  When 
Christ  instituted  the  Supper,  and  ate  and  drank  with  his  disciples  at  his  table 
(giving  them  therein  a  representation  and  pledge  of  their  future  feasting  with 
him,  and  drinking  new  wine  in  his  heavenly  Father's  kingdom),  he  at  that  time 
led  them  in  their  praises  to  God,  in  that  hymn  that  they  sang.  And  so  doubt- 
less he  leads  his  glorified  disciples  in  heaven.  David  was  the  sweet  psalmist  of 
Israel,  and  he  led  the  great  congregation  of  God's  people  in  their  songs  of 
praise.  Herein,  as  well  as  in  innumerable  other  things,  he  was  a  type  of 
Christ,  who  is  often  spoken  of  in  Scripture  by  the  name  of  David.  And  many 
of  the  psalms  that  David  penned,  were  songs  of  praise,  that  he,  by  the  spirit 
of  prophecy,  uttered  in  the  name  of  Christ,  as  Head  of  the  church,  and  lead- 
ing the  saints  in  their  praises.  Christ  in  heaven  leads  the  glorious  assembly  in 
their  praises  to  God,  as  Moses  did  the  congregation  of  Israel  at  the  Red  Sea; 
which  is  implied  in  its  being  said,  that  "  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses  and  the 
Lamb,"  Rev.  xv.  2,  3.  In  Rev.  xix.  5,  John  tells  us,  that  "  he  heard  a  voice 
come  out  of  the  throne,  saying.  Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye  that 
fear  him,  both  small  and  great."  "Who  can  it  be  that  utters  this  voice  out  of 
the  throne,  but  the  Lamb  that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  calling  on  the  glo- 
rious assembly  of  saints  to  praise  his  Father  and  their  Father,  his  God  and  their 
God  ?  And  what  the  consequence  of  this  voice  is,  we  have  an  account  in  the 
next  words  :  "  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  multitude,  and  as 
the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  saying.  Alle- 
luia ;  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth." 

APPLICATION. 

The  use  that  I  would  make  of  what  has  been  said  on  this  subject  is  of  ex- 
hortation. Let  us  all  be  exhorted  hence  earnestly  to  seek  after  that  great  pri- 
vilege that  has  been  spoken  of,  that  when  "  we  are  absent  from  the  body,  we 
may  be  present  with  the  Lord."  We  cannot  continue  always  in  these  earthly 
tabernacles:  they  are  very  frail,  and  will  soon  decay  and  fall;  and  are  contin- 
ually liable  to  be  overthrown  by  innumerable  means :  oui-  souls  must  soon 
leave  them,  and  go  into  the  eternal  world.  O,  how  infinitely  great  will  the 
privilege  and  happiness  of  such  be,  who  at  ihat  time  shall  go  to  be  with  Christ 


AND  PRESENT   WITH  THE   LORD.  637 

in  his  glory,  in  the  manner  that  has  been  represented  !  The  privilege  of  the 
twelve  disciples  was  great,  in  being  so  constantly  with  Christ  as  his  family,  in 
his  state  of  humiliation.  The  privilege  of  those  three  disciples  was  great,  who 
were  with  him  in  the  mount  of  his  transfiguration  ;  where  was  exhibited  to 
them  some  little  semblance  of  his  future  glory  in  heaven,  such  as  they  might 
behold  in  the  present  frail,  feeble,  and  sinful  state  :  they  were  greatly  entertain- 
ed and  delighted  with  what  they  saw;  and  were  for  making  tabernacles  to 
dwell  there,  and  return  no  more  down  the  mount.  And  great  was  the  pri- 
vilege of  Moses  when  he  was  with  Christ  in  Mount  Sinai,  and  besought  him  to 
show  him  his  glory,  and  he  saw  his  back  parts  as  he  passed  by,  and  proclaimed 
his  name.  But  is  not  that  privilege  infinitely  greater,  that  has  now  been  spoken 
of,  the  privilege  of  being  with  Christ  in  heaven,  where  he  sits  on  the  right  hand 
of  God,  in  the  glory  of  the  King  and  God  of  angels,  and  of  the  whole  universe, 
shining  forth  as  the  great  light,  the  bright  sun  of  that  world  of  glory  ;  there  to 
dwell  in  the  full,  constant  and  everlasting  view  of  his  beauty  and  brightness; 
there  most  freely  and  intimately  to  converse  with  him,  and  fully  to  enjoy  his 
love,  as  his  friends  and  spouse;  there  to  have  fellowship  with  him  in  the" infi- 
nite pleasure  and  joy  he  has  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  Father ;  there  to  sit  with 
him  on  his  throne,  and  reign  with  him  in  the  possession  of  all  things,  and  par- 
take with  him  in  the  joy  and  glory  of  his  victory  over  his  enemies,  and  the  ad- 
vancement of  his  kingdom  in  the  world,  and  to  join  with  him  in  joyful  son^-s  o* 
praise  to  his  Father  and  their  Father,  to  his  God  and  their  God,  forever  and 
ever  ?     Is  not  such  a  privilege  worth  the  seeking  after  ? 

But  here,  as  a  special  enforcement  of  this  exhortation,  I  would  improve  that 
dispensation  of  God's  holy  providence,  that  is  the  sorrowful  occasion  of  our 
coming  together  at  this  time,  viz.,  the  death  of  that  eminent  servant  of  Jesus 
Christ,  in  the  work  of  the  gospel- ministry,  whose  funeral  is  this  day  to  be  at- 
tended ;  together  with  what  was  observable  in  him,  living  and  dying. 

In  this  dispensation  of  Providence,  God  puts  us  in  mind  of  our  mortality, 
and  forewarns  us  that  the  time  is  approaching  when  we  must  be  absent  from 
the  body,  and  "  must  all  appear  (as  the  apostle  observes  in  the  next  verse  but 
one  to  my  text)  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  of  us  may 
receive  the  things  done  in  the  body,  according  to  what  we  have  done,  whether 
it  be  good  or  bad.'' 

And  in  him,  whose  death  we  are  now  called  to  consider  and  improve,  we 
have  not  only  an  instance  of  mortality,  but  an  instance  of  one  that,  being  absent 
from  the  body,  is  present  with  the  Lord ;  as  we  have  all  imaginable  reason  to 
conclude.  And  that,  whether  we  consider  the  nature  of  the  operations  he  was 
under,  about  the  time  whence  he  dates  his  conversion,  or  the  nature  and  course 
of  his  inward  exercises  from  that  time  forward,  or  his  outward  conversation  and 
practice  in  life,  or  his  frame  and  behavior  during  the  whole  of  that  long  space 
wherein  he  looked  death  in  the  face. 

His  convictions  of  sin,  preceding  his  first  consolations  in  Christ  (as  appears 
by  a  written  account  he  has  left  of  his  inward  exercises  and  experiences),  were 
exceeding  deep  and  thorough :  his  trouble  and  exercise  of  mind,  through  a 
sense  of  guilt  and  misery,  very  great  and  long  continued,  but  yet  sound  and 
solid  ;  consisting  in  no  unsteady,  violent  and  unaccountable  hurries  and  frights, 
and  strange  perturbations  of  mind  ;  but  arising  from  the  most  serious  considera- 
tion, and  proper  illumination  of  the  conscience  to  discern  and  consider  the  true 
state  of  things.  And  the  light  let  into  his  mind  at  conversion,  and  the  influen- 
ces and  exercises  that  his  mind  was  subject  to  at  that  time,  appear  very  agree- 
able to  reason  and  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ ;  the  change  very  great  and  re- 


638  ABSENT  FROM  THE  BODY, 

markable,  without  any  appearance  of  strong  impressions  on  the  inoagination, 
sudden  flights  and  pangs  of  the  affections,  and  vehement  emotions  in  animal 
nature;  but  attended  with  proper  intellectual  viewsof  the  supreme  glory  of  the  di- 
vine Being,  consisting  in  the  infinite  dignity  and  beauty  of  the  perfections  of  his 
nature,  and  of  the  transcendent  excellency  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ. 
This  was  about  eight  years  ago,  when  he  was  about  twenty-one  years  of  age. 

Thus  God  sanctified  and  made  meet  for  his  use,  that  vessel  that  he  intended 
to  make  eminently  a  vessel  of  honor  in  his  house,  and  which  he  had  made  of 
large  capacity,  having  endowed  him  with  very  uncommon  abilities  and  gifts 
of  nature.  He  was  a  singular  instance  of  a  ready  invention,  natural  eloquence, 
easy  flowing  expression,  sprightly  apprehension,  quick  discerning,  and  a  very 
strono-  memory  ;  and  yet  of  a  very  penetrating  genius,  close  and  clear  thought, 
and  piercing  judgment.  He  had  an  exact  taste:  his  understanding  was  (if  I 
may  so  express  it)  of  a  quick,  strong  and  distinguishing  scent. 

His  learning  was  very  considerable:  he  had  a  great  taste  for  learning  ;  and 
applied  himself  to  his  studies  in  so  close  a  manner  when  he  was  at  college, 
that  he  much  injured  his  health  ;  and  was  obliged  on  that  account  for  a  Avhile  to 
leave  the  college,  throw  by  his  studies  and  return  home.  He  was  esteemed 
one  that  excelled  in  learning  in  that  society. 

He  had  an  extraordinary  knowledge  of  men,  as  well  as  things.  Had  a 
great  insight  into  human  nature,  and  excelled  most  that  ever  I  knew  in  a  com- 
municative faculty  :  he  had  a  peculiar  talent  at  accommodating  himself  to  the 
capacities,  tempers  and  circumstances,  of  those  that  he  would  instruct  or 
counsel. 

He  had  extraordinary  gifts  for  the  pulpit :  I  never  had  opportunity  to  hear 
him  preach,  but  have  often  heard  him  pray  :  and  I  think  his  manner  of  address- 
ing himself  to  God,  and  expressing  himself  before  him,  in  that  duty,  almost 
inimitable  ;  such  (so  far  as  I  may  judge)  as  I  have  very  rarely  known  equalled. 
He  expressed  himself  with  that  exact  propriety  and  pertinency,  in  such  signifi- 
cant, weighty,  pungent  expressions  ;  w-ith  that  decent  appearance  of  sincerity, 
reverence,  and  solemnity,  and  great  distance  from  all  affectation,  as  forgetting 
the  presence  of  men,  and  as  being  in  the  immediate  presence  of  a  great  and 
holy  God,  that  I  have  scarcely  ever  known  paralleled.  And  his  manner  ot 
preaching,  by  what  I  have  often  heard  of  it  from  good  judges,  was  no  less  ex- 
cellent ;  being  clear  and  instructive,  natural,  nervous,  forcible,  and  moving,  and 
very  searching  and  convincing.  He  nauseated  an  aff^ected  noisiness,  and  violent 
boisterousness  in  the  pulpit ;  and  yet  much  disrelished  a  flat,  cold  delivery, 
when  the  subject  of  discourse,  and  matter  delivered,  required  affection  and  ear- 
nestness. 

Not  only  had  he  excellent  talents  for  the  study  and  the  pulpit,  but  also  for 
conversation.  He  was  of  a  sociable  disposition  ;  and  was  remarkably  free,  en- 
tertaining, and  profitable  in  his  ordinary  discourse ;  and  had  much  of  a  faculty 
of  disputing,  defending  truth  and  confuting  error. 

As  he  excelled  in  his  judgment  and  knowledge  of  things  in  general,  so  es- 
pecially in  divinity.  He  was  truly,  for  one  of  his  standing,  an  extraordinary 
divine.*  But  above  all,  in  matters  relating  to  experimental  religion.  In  this, 
I  know  I  have  the  concurring  opinion  of  some  that  have  had  a  name  for  per- 
sons of  the  best  judgment.  And  according  to  what  ability  I  have  to  judge  of 
things  of  this  nature,  and  according  to  my  opportunities,  which  of  late  have 
been  very  great,  I  never  knew  his  equal,  of  his  age  and  standing,  for  clear,  ac- 
curate notions  of  the  nature  and  essence  of  true  religion,  and  its  distinctions 
from  its  various  false  appearances  ;  which  I  suppose  to  be  owing  to  these  three 


AND  PRESENT  WITH  THE  LORD.  639 

things  meeting  together  in  him  ; — the  strength  of  his  natural  genius,  and  the 
great  opportunities  he  had  of  observation  of  others,  in  various  parts,  both  white 
people  and   Indians,  and  his  own  great  experience. 

His  experiences  of  the  holy  influences  of  God's  Spirit  were  not  only  great 
at  his  first  conversion,  but  they  were  so,  in  a  continued  course,  from  that  time 
forward  ;  as  appears  by  a  record,  or  private  journal,  he  kept  of  his  daily  inward 
exercises,  from  the  time  of  his  conversion,  until  he  was  disabled  by  the  failing 
of  his  strength,  a  few  days  before  his  death.  The  change  which  he  looked 
upon  as  his  conversion,  was  not  only  a  great  change  of  the  present  views,  af- 
fections, and  frame  of  his  mind  ;  but  was  evidently  the  beginning  of  that  work 
of  God  on  his  heart,  which  God  carried  on,  in  a  very  wonderful  manner,  from 
that  time  to  his  dying  day.  He  greatly  abhorred  the  way  of  such,  as  live  on 
their  first  work,  as  though  they  had  now  got  through  their  work,  and  are  thence- 
forward, by  degrees,  settled  in  a  cold,  lifeless,  neghgcnt,  worldly  frame;  he  had 
an  ill  opinion  of  such  persons'  religion.* 

Oh  that  the  things  that  were  seen  and  heard  in  this  extraordinary  person, 
his  holiness,  heavenliness,  labor  and  self-denial  in  life,  his  so  remarkably  devot- 
ing himself  and  his  all,  in  heart  and  practice,  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  won- 
derful frame  of  mind  manifested,  in  so  steadfast  a  manner,  under  the  expecta- 
tion of  death,  and  the  pains  and  agonies  that  brought  it  on,  may  excite  in  us 
all,  both  jninisters  and  people,  a  due  sense  of  the  greatness  of  the  work  we  have 
to  do  in  the  world,  the  excellency  and  amiableness  of  thorough  religion  in  ex- 
perience and  practice,  and  the  blessedness  of  the  end  of  such,  whose  death  fin- 
ishes such  a  life,  and  the  infinite  value  of  their  eternal  reward,  when  absent 
from  the  body  and  present  with  the  Lord ;  and  effectually  stir  us  up  to  endea- 
vors, that  in  the  way  of  such  a  holy  life  we  may  at  least  come  to  so  blessed 
an  end.     Amen. 

*  We  have  omitted  a  few  pages  which  follow  here  of  this  discourse,  because  what  the  author  com 
raunicates,  respecting  Mr.  Brainerd,  is  to  be  found  almost  in  the  same  words  in  the  Memoirs  of  his  life, 
and  in  his  Reflections  upon  it,  which  he  afterwards  published,  and  which  the  reader  will^iid  in  llie  first 
Toiume  of  this  work. 


WSD  OF  VOL   IL' 


Date  Due 


